Lia Williams (born 26 November 1964) is an English actress and director, on stage, in film and television. She has had television roles in The Crown (playing Wallis Simpson), in May 33rd (2004) for which she was nominated for a BAFTA, and in The Missing (2016), Kiri (2016), His Dark Materials (2019–2022) and The Capture (2019–2021).
Williams was born in Birkenhead. Her first job in 1984 was understudying in the play Daisy Pulls It Off in the West End. She then took over a main role, and was talent-spotted by Alan Ayckbourn.[1]
In 1993, she created the role of Carol in the London production of David Mamet's Oleanna, at the Theatre Royal, Bath.[4] In 1997, Williams appeared opposite Michael Gambon in London's West End and on Broadway in David Hare's Skylight,[4] (Olivier and Tony Award nominations).[5] In 2001, Williams appeared again in the West End and on Broadway, playing Ruth in Harold Pinter's The Homecoming.[4] Her long-standing collaboration with Harold Pinter included roles in The Collection, Celebration, The Room, The Lover, The Hothouse and Old Times.[4][5]
Williams has been directing short films since 2002, her debut being Feathers (2002), which was based on a short story by Raymond Carver.[7] In 2008, her short film The Stronger (2007), which won Best Short Film at Raindance, and was nominated for the Best Short Film at the BAFTA Film Awards.[8]
In 2009, Williams directed Dog Alone,[7] a dialogue-free short film which was broadcast as part of British Sky Broadcasting's Ten Minute Tales season. In 2016 she directed Nanabozhung, a feature-length documentary about the Batchewana First Nations, Canada.[7]
Williams lives in Portobello, London.[citation needed] She has been in a relationship with the actor Angus Wright since 2015; they first met after starring together in a production of the Oresteia at the Almeida Theatre.[9] Her son, Joshua James, is also an actor. In 2023 they worked together in The Vortex at Chichester Festival Theatre, in which they played mother and son.
