Biography
Jennifer Jane Saunders (born 6 July 1958) 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.
Acting credits 50 titles
Virginia Woolf's Night & Day
as Bess Hilbery
Film
2026
6.3
The Magic Faraway Tree
as Grandma
Film
2026
6.7
Becoming Victoria Wood
as Self
Film
2026
6.0
Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out
as Self / Edina "Eddie" Monsoon
Film
2024
8.0
Kirsty MacColl at the BBC
as Self (archive footage)
Film
2024
6.5
Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps
as The Goose (voice)
Film
2024
6.5
200% Wolf
as Max (voice)
Film
2024
6.7
We Work for the Dead
as The Mother (voice)
Film
2024
5.0
Dawn French Is a Huge Twat
as Self (uncredited)
Film
2023
8.5
imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter
as Self - Featured Artist
Film
2023
7.0
Sumotherhood
as DI Brookes
Film
2023
5.3
Allelujah
as Sister Gilpin
Film
2023
5.2
The Pentaverate
as Maester of Dubrovnik / Saester of Dubrovnik
Series
2022
5.7
Death on the Nile
as Marie Van Schuyler
Film
2022
6.4
The Best Birthday Ever
as Mother (voice)
Film
2022
6.7
Sing 2
as Nana (voice)
Film
2021
7.8
French & Saunders: Funny Women
as Self
Film
2021
8.0
The Stranger
as Heidi Doyle
Series
2020
7.2
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet Again
as Meryl Streep / Cher
Film
2019
7.6
There's Something About Movies
as Self - Team Captain
Series
2019–2021
6.9
Isn't It Romantic
as Natalie's Mother
Film
2019
6.2
Patrick
as Maureen
Film
2018
6.7
Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires
as Dr. Alex Cular
Film
2018
7.2
Lady Windermere's Fan
as The Duchess of Berwick
Film
2018
10.0
Grandpa's Great Escape
as Miss Dandy
Film
2018
6.1
Joanna and Jennifer: Absolutely Champers
as Self - Presenter
Film
2017
10.0
Comic Relief: Red Nose Day
as Self
Film
2017
9.0
Sing
as Nana (voice)
Film
2016
7.1
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
as Edina Monsoon
Film
2016
5.3
Stick Man
as Narrator (voice)
Film
2015
6.8
Minions
as The Queen (voice)
Film
2015
6.4
Blandings
as Lady Constance Keeble
Series
2013–2014
7.2
Dead Boss
as Governor Margaret
Series
2012
6.0
Coraline
as Miss April Spink / Other Spink (voice)
Film
2009
8.0
The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle
Series
2007
6.2
A Bucket O' French and Saunders
Series
2007
6.2
Jam and Jerusalem
as Caroline Martin
Series
2006–2009
7.1
Shrek 2
as Fairy Godmother (voice)
Film
2004
7.3
Fanny & Elvis
as Roanna
Film
1999
6.4
The Magician's House
as The Rat (voice)
Series
1999–2000
6.0
Let Them Eat Cake
Series
1999
7.3
Muppet Treasure Island
as Mrs. Bluveridge
Film
1996
6.7
Absolutely Fabulous
as Edina Monsoon
Series
1992–2012
7.6
The Storyteller: Sapsorrow
as Badsister 1
Film
1988
French & Saunders
as Various Characters
Series
1987–2004
7.4
Omnibus Presents Comic Relief
Series
1986
4.0
Girls On Top
as Jennifer
Series
1985–1986
4.9
Happy Families
as Granny Fuddle
Series
1985
7.3
Summer School
as Liz
Film
1983
The Comic Strip Presents...
Series
1982–1993
7.4
Keine Credits passen zu diesem Filter.
Noch keine angekündigten Titel.
Bekannt für
8.0
Film
Coraline
Miss April Spink / Other Spink (voice)
2009
7.4
Series
The Comic Strip Presents...
1982–1993
7.3
Film
Shrek 2
Fairy Godmother (voice)
2004
7.6
Series
Absolutely Fabulous
Edina Monsoon
1992–2012
7.2
Series
The Stranger
Heidi Doyle
2020
6.4
Film
Death on the Nile
Marie Van Schuyler
2022
6.7
Film
The Magic Faraway Tree
Grandma
2026
7.1
Film
Sing
Nana (voice)
2016
6.4
Film
Minions
The Queen (voice)
2015
7.8
Film
Sing 2
Nana (voice)
2021
6.7
Film
200% Wolf
Max (voice)
2024
7.4
Series
French & Saunders
Various Characters
1987–2004
6.8
Film
Stick Man
Narrator (voice)
2015
5.7
Series
The Pentaverate
Maester of Dubrovnik / Saester of Dubrovnik
2022
6.7
Film
Muppet Treasure Island
Mrs. Bluveridge
1996
0.0
Film
Summer School
Liz
1983
6.0
Series
Dead Boss
Governor Margaret
2012
7.2
Series
Blandings
Lady Constance Keeble
2013–2014
6.3
Film
Virginia Woolf's Night & Day
Bess Hilbery
2026
6.4
Film
Fanny & Elvis
Roanna
1999
7.1
Series
Jam and Jerusalem
Caroline Martin
2006–2009
6.2
Series
The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle
2007
4.9
Series
Girls On Top
Jennifer
1985–1986
6.2
Film
Isn't It Romantic
Natalie's Mother
2019
6.0
Series
The Magician's House
The Rat (voice)
1999–2000
5.0
Film
We Work for the Dead
The Mother (voice)
2024
7.3
Series
Happy Families
Granny Fuddle
1985
7.3
Series
Let Them Eat Cake
1999
4.0
Series
Omnibus Presents Comic Relief
1986
7.2
Film
Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires
Dr. Alex Cular
2018
6.7
Film
Patrick
Maureen
2018
8.0
Film
Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out
Self / Edina "Eddie" Monsoon
2024
5.3
Film
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
Edina Monsoon
2016
6.2
Series
A Bucket O' French and Saunders
2007
6.0
Film
Becoming Victoria Wood
Self
2026
0.0
Film
The Storyteller: Sapsorrow
Badsister 1
1988
6.9
Series
There's Something About Movies
Self - Team Captain
2019–2021
6.5
Film
Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps
The Goose (voice)
2024
5.3
Film
Sumotherhood
DI Brookes
2023
5.2
Film
Allelujah
Sister Gilpin
2023
6.1
Film
Grandpa's Great Escape
Miss Dandy
2018
7.6
Film
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet Again
Meryl Streep / Cher
2019
8.5
Film
Dawn French Is a Huge Twat
Self (uncredited)
2023
7.0
Film
imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter
Self - Featured Artist
2023
6.5
Film
Kirsty MacColl at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2024
9.0
Film
Comic Relief: Red Nose Day
Self
2017
10.0
Film
Lady Windermere's Fan
The Duchess of Berwick
2018
10.0
Film
Joanna and Jennifer: Absolutely Champers
Self - Presenter
2017
6.7
Film
The Best Birthday Ever
Mother (voice)
2022
8.0
Film
French & Saunders: Funny Women
Self
2021