Skip to content
MovieCove
Joanne Whalley

Joanne Whalley

Actor · Born August 25, 1961 (65) · Salford, Manchester, England, UK

Joanne Whalley (born 25 August 1961) is an English actress who began her career in 1974. She has since amassed numerous credits, primarily on television, but also in nearly 30 feature films, including Dance with a Stranger (1985), Willow (1988), Scandal (1989), The Secret Rapture (1993) and Mother's Boys (1994). Following her marriage to Val Kilmer in 1988, she was credited as Joanne Whalley-Kilmer until their divorce in 1996. Whalley was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for the 1985 BBC serial Edge of Darkness, and was nominated for a Best Actress Golden Nymph Award at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival for the 2011 series The Borgias. Her other television roles include the 1986 BBC serial The Singing Detective; playing the title role in the 2000 CBS TV film Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, and as Claudia, wife of Pontius Pilate in the 2015 NBC series A.D. The Bible Continues. Description above from the Wikipedia article Joanne Whalley, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 25, 1961 (65)
From
Salford, Manchester, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
51 on MovieCove · 77 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 7% in 30 days

What are Joanne Whalley's films like?

Across their 35 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 14th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
24%
Bonds
22%
Self
19%
Survival
11%
Power
9%
Society
9%
Ideas
5%
Family bonds13 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFaith4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 30 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 6 · Dark 16

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 22 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 8 · Charged 10 · Intense 12

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 13 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 3

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 20 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 13 · Even-paced 16 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 10 · Engaged 18 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 9 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 10

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 17 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

13 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 7 of 13 analyzed roles.

Ally
7 of 13
Hero
3 of 13
Trickster
1 of 13
Herald
1 of 13
Mentor
1 of 13
Show the 13 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
25
Melancholic
14
Dread
8
Contemplative
8
Hopeful
8
Other
29

How their films linger

Thought-provoking14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet18
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous8

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Joanne Whalley's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 38 of their 51 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (17).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Joanne Whalley's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

77 credits, 51 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Rumour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

  • Tornado(2025)

    as Vienna Crawford

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Willow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 3 episodes · as Queen Sorsha

  • Love Is Love Is Love(2020)

    as Lainie / Joanne (segments "Two for Dinner" and "Late Lunch")

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Hardcore Halbert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Janet

  • Val(2021)

    Thanks · as Self

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Resurrection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Claudia

  • The Bird Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Crow

  • Carnival Row(2019)

    Show 9 episodes · as Leonora

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Paul, Apostle of Christ(2018)

    as Priscilla

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Muse(2017)

    as Jacqueline

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Tin Star(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mary James

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • The White Princess(2017)

    Show 8 episodes · as Margaret of York

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands(2016)

    Show 12 episodes · as Rheda

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • Daredevil(2015)

    Show 9 episodes · as Sister Maggie

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Ark(2015)

    as Emmy

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Wolf Hall(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · as Katherine of Aragon

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • A.D. The Bible Continues(2015)

    Show as Claudia

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Jamaica Inn(2014)

    Show 3 episodes · as Aunt Patience

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows

  • The Challenger Disaster(2013)

    as Gweneth Feynman

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Twixt(2011)

    as Denise

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Golf in the Kingdom(2010)

    as Agatha McNaughton

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • The Borgias(2011)

    Show 25 episodes · as Vanozza Cattaneo

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • 44 Inch Chest(2009)

    as Liz

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Diverted(2009)

    as Marion Price

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Gossip Girl(2007)

    Show 7 episodes · as Sophie Grimaldi

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Flood(2007)

    as Patricia Nash

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Life Line (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Katy Adair

  • Played(2006)

    as Maggie

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • The Virgin Queen(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Queen Mary

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Child of Mine(2005)

    as Tess Palmer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Californians(2005)

    as Luna

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Criminal Minds(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Karen Donovan

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Justice League Unlimited(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Emerald Empress (voice)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • 40 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 3 episodes · as Jess

  • Before You Go (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Mary

  • Virginia's Run(2002)

    as Jessie Eastwood

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Breathtaking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Caroline Henshaw

  • Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis

  • Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis

  • The Guilty(2000)

    as Natalie Crane

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Run the Wild Fields (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Ruby Miller

  • A Texas Funeral(1999)

    as Miranda

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • The Man Who Knew Too Little(1997)

    as Lori

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Scarlett(1994)

    Show 4 episodes · as Scarlett O'Hara

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

  • Trial by Jury(1994)

    as Valerie Alston

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • A Good Man in Africa(1994)

    as Celia Adekunle

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Mother's Boys(1993)

    as Colleen 'Callie' Harland

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Secret Rapture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Katherine Coleridge

  • Storyville (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Natalie Tate

  • Shattered(1991)

    as Jenny Scott

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Crossing the Line(1990)

    as Beth Scoular

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Navy Seals(1990)

    as Claire Varrens

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • A TV Dante (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Beatrice

  • Kill Me Again(1989)

    as Fay Forrester

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Scandal(1989)

    as Christine Keeler

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Bosses From Hell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Actor

  • To Kill A Priest(1988)

    as Anna

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Willow(1988)

    as Sorsha

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Will You Love Me Tomorrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Jackie

  • Shoreleave (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Myra

  • The Singing Detective (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 6 episodes · as Nurse Mills

  • Edge of Darkness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 5 episodes · as Emma Craven

  • The Good Father(1985)

    as Mary Hall

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • No Surrender (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Cheryl

  • Dance with a Stranger(1985)

    as Christine

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Screen Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Jackie

  • A Christmas Carol(1984)

    as Fan

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Reilly: Ace of Spies(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Ulla

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Pink Floyd: The Wall(1982)

    as Groupie

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • A Kind of Loving (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 10 episodes · Actor

  • Bergerac(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Christine Bolton

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • And Mum Came Too (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Evelyn

  • Birth of the Beatles(1979)

    as Schoolgirl (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The One and Only Phyllis Dixey(1978)

    as Doris

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Crown Court (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 3 episodes · as Linda Mason

  • Gardel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 76 titles, 75 of them dated from 1972 to 2025; peak year 1989.

Biggest box office

Willow (1988)

$57M worldwide

Highest rated

Val (2021)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

The Borgias (2011)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19722025

Peak 1989 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 4 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1982Screen debut· Pink Floyd: The Wall
  • 1988Breakout· Willow
  • 2011Career best· The Borgias

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting75 of 76: 75 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rdOther crew1 of 76: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1970s3 · acting1980s19 · acting1990s12 · acting2000s19 · acting2010s15 · acting2020s7 · 6 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 0% of 21 roles
829207

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Joanne Whalley's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 43rd percentile, the median of all 35; across their 30 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 38th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Approval · how many liked their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Reach · how many have seen their films

73rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Midcredits score across 51 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th13

Shape of the crowd

24 of their 51 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed24

Most divisive · actor

Golf in the Kingdom (2010)

89th percentile spread · 48% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Daredevil (2015)

Midcredits 98th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 30 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Joanne Whalley's work okay for kids?

Across up to 15 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles26–74 · median 66 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity15 titles13–66 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles15–75 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles19–51 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense8 titles31–71 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Joanne Whalley work with?

People who share at least 2 of Joanne Whalley's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Val Kilmer shares the most, 5.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers