Jennifer Saunders
Jennifer Jane Saunders is an English comedienne, screenwriter, singer and actress. She has won two BAFTAs, an International Emmy Award, a British Comedy Award, a Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival Award, two Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards, and a Peoples Choice Award. She first came into widespread attention in the 1980s and early 1990s when she became a member of The Comic Strip after graduating from the Central School of Speech and Drama. Along with her comedy partner Dawn French, she writes and stars in their eponymous sketch show, French & Saunders, and has received international acclaim for writing and playing the lead role of Edina Monsoon in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. In her other work, she has guest starred in the American sitcoms Roseanne and Friends, and won the American People's Choice Award for voicing the wicked Fairy Godmother in DreamWorks' animated Shrek 2. More recently, she wrote and starred in Jam & Jerusalem and The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle.
Known For
Credits
- 2025 · Too Much as Fiona
- 2022 · Death on the Nile as Marie Van Schuyler
- 2021 · Sing 2 as Nana (voice)
- 2016 · Sing as Nana (voice)
- 2013 · The Last Leg as Self
- 2011 · Celebrity Antiques Road Trip as Self - Participant
- 2009 · Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- 2009 · Coraline as Miss April Spink / Other Spink (voice)
- 2007 · Would I Lie to You? as Self
- 2007 · The Graham Norton Show as Self
- 2004 · Shrek 2 as Fairy Godmother (voice)
- 2002 · Top Gear as Self - Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car
- 2002 · Top Gear as Self
- 1994 · Friends as Andrea Waltham
- 1992 · Absolutely Fabulous as Edina
- 1989 · The Simpsons as Phoebe Pratt (voice)
- 1988 · The Storyteller as Badsister 1
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Anne
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Chas/Marilyn/Captain/Drunk
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Sally
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Liz
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as June
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Lorna
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Shona/Second Nun/Horse Rider
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Angie
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Doreen
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Little Sister
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Jessica
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Debbie
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Meryl Streep
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Monica
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Cathy
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Ice Maiden
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Hannah
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Maria
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Margaret Thatcher
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Neighbour
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Needle
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as The Devil
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Jane/Margory
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Helen
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as
- 1982 · Wogan as Self
- 1978 · An Audience with... as Self
- 1976 · The Secret Policeman's Ball as Self
- Future · Have I Got a Bit More News for You as Self - Presenter
- Future · Have I Got a Bit More News for You as Self - Panellist
- 2025 · The Magic Faraway Tree as
- 2024 · Only Child as Sally
- 2024 · Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps as The Goose (voice)
- 2023 · Allelujah as Sister Gilpin
- 2021 · Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable as Self
- 2020 · Richard Osman's House of Games Night as Self - Contestant
- 2019 · Completely Bad News as Sally
- 2019 · Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet Again as Meryl Streep / Cher
- 2019 · There's Something About Movies as Self - Team Captain
- 2018 · Patrick as Maureen
- 2018 · Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires as Dr. Alex Cular
- 2018 · Lady Windermere's Fan as The Duchess of Berwick
- 2018 · Grandpa's Great Escape as Miss Dandy
- 2017 · Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief as Self - Judge
- 2016 · British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves as Comedy Role (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2015 · Josh as Judith
- 2012 · Five Go to Rehab as Anne
- 2012 · 30 Years of Comic Strip as
- 2012 · Dead Boss as Governor Margaret
- 2011 · The Hunt for Tony Blair as Lady Thatcher
- 2007 · A Bucket O' French and Saunders as
- 2006 · L'Entente cordiale as Gwendoline McFarlane
- 2004 · Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball? as Self
- 2002 · Pongwiffy as
- 2001 · Absolutely Fabulous as Une spectatrice du défilé
- 1998 · Four Men in a Car as Helen
- 1996 · Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout as Edina Monsoon
- 1995 · How to Be Absolutely Fabulous as Self / Edina "Eddy" Monsoon (archive footage)
- 1994 · Dusty as Self - Presenter
- 1993 · Jealousy as Jane/Margory
- 1993 · Space Virgins from Planet Sex as Needle
- 1991 · Amnesty International's Big 30 as Self
- 1990 · Rita Rudner as
- 1990 · South Atlantic Raiders: Part 2 Argie Bargie! as Cathy
- 1988 · An Audience With Victoria Wood as Self
- 1988 · The Strike as Meryl Streep as Mrs Scargill
- 1986 · Omnibus Presents Comic Relief as
- 1986 · The Dangerous Brothers as
- 1985 · The Supergrass as Lesley Reynolds
- 1984 · Eddie Monsoon - a Life? as Doreen
- 1984 · Dirty Movie as June
- 1983 · Bad News as Sally
- 1983 · The Beat Generation as Anne
- Future · Night and Day as Mrs Hilbery
- 2024 · Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out as Self
- 2024 · Kirsty MacColl at the BBC as Self (archive footage)
- 2024 · 200% Wolf as Max (voice)
- 2024 · We Work for the Dead as The Mother (voice)
- 2023 · Dawn French Is a Huge Twat as Self (uncredited)
- 2023 · imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter as Self - featured artist
- 2023 · Sumotherhood as DI Brookes
- 2022 · Fantasy Football League as Themselves
- 2022 · The Pentaverate as Maester of Dubrovnik / Saester of Dubrovnik
- 2021 · French & Saunders: Funny Women as Self
- 2020 · The Stranger as Heidi Doyle
- 2019 · Celebrity Gogglebox as
- 2019 · Moominvalley as Mymble
- 2019 · Isn't It Romantic as Natalie's Mother
- 2017 · 300 Years of French & Saunders as
- 2017 · Joanna and Jennifer: Absolutely Champers as Self - Presenter
- 2017 · Comic Relief: Red Nose Day as Self
- 2016 · We Love Sitcom as
- 2016 · Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie as Edina Monsoon
- 2016 · Insert Name Here as Self - Panelist
- 2015 · Stick Man as Narrator (voice)
- 2015 · Minions as Reine Elizabeth II (voice)
- 2014 · The Boy in the Dress as Miss Windsor
- 2013 · Gogglebox as Self
- 2013 · The Great Comic Relief Bake Off as Self - Contestant
- 2013 · Blandings as Lady Constance Keeble
- 2012 · The Spice Girls Story: Viva Forever! as Self
- 2012 · The Great Sport Relief Bake Off as Self - Host
- 2011 · Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders as
- 2011 · French & Saunders: The Ingenue Years as
- 2010 · This Is Jinsy as
- 2009 · Coraline: The Making of 'Coraline' as Self
- 2008 · French and Saunders: Still Alive as Self
- 2007 · The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle as
- 2006 · Jam and Jerusalem as Caroline Martin
- 2002 · The Best of French & Saunders as Various
- 2001 · Kirsty: The Life and Songs of Kirsty MacColl as Self
- 2000 · Mirrorball as Vivienne Keill
- 2000 · French & Saunders - Live as Various roles
- 1999 · Fanny & Elvis as Roanna
- 1999 · The Magician's House as The Rat (voice)
- 1999 · Let Them Eat Cake as
- 1998 · Absolutely Fabulous: A Life as Edina "Eddy" Monsoon
- 1998 · Parkinson as Self
- 1997 · Spice World as Fashionable Woman
- 1996 · Muppet Treasure Island as Mrs. Bluveridge
- 1995 · In the Bleak Midwinter as Nancy
- 1993 · Prince Cinders as Fairy (voice)
- 1993 · Demonella as The Devil
- 1993 · French & Saunders: At the Movies as
- 1992 · Wild Turkey as Neighbour
- 1992 · Red Nose of Courage as Margaret Thatcher
- 1990 · The Tale of Little Pig Robinson as Dorcas
- 1990 · French & Saunders LIVE as
- 1990 · Spaghetti Hoops as Maria
- 1990 · Oxford as Hannah
- 1990 · South Atlantic Raiders: Part 1 as Cathy
- 1990 · GLC: The Carnage Continues as Brigitte Nielsen as Margaret Thatcher, The Ice Maiden
- 1989 · The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball as Self
- 1989 · Employees From Hell as
- 1989 · Communicators From Hell as
- 1988 · Roseanne as Edina Monsoon
- 1988 · Mr Jolly Lives Next Door as Monica
- 1988 · More Bad News as Sally
- 1988 · Comic Relief as
- 1987 · Eat the Rich as Lady Caroline
- 1987 · Going Live! as Self
- 1987 · French & Saunders as Various Characters
- 1987 · The Silurian Disruption as Silurian #2
- 1986 · Comedians Do It On Stage as Self
- 1986 · Private Enterprise as Debbie
- 1986 · Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders) as Jessica
- 1986 · Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger as
- 1985 · Girls On Top as Jennifer
- 1985 · Happy Families as Granny Fuddle
- 1984 · Slags as Little Sister
- 1984 · Gino: Full Story and Pics as Angie
- 1984 · A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques as Shona
- 1984 · Susie as Lorna
- 1983 · Five Go Mad on Mescalin as Anne
- 1983 · Summer School as Liz
- 1983 · War as Various Roles
- 1982 · The Young Ones as Sue
- 1982 · The Young Ones as Helen Mucus
- 1982 · Five Go Mad in Dorset as Anne
- 1981 · The Comic Strip as