# Lesley-Anne Down
**Lesley-Anne Down** (born 1954) is an English actress whose career has run from British period drama to Hollywood film, American prime-time miniseries, and nearly a decade of daytime soap opera. She came to attention as Lady Georgina Worsley in the ITV series *Upstairs, Downstairs*, earned a Golden Globe nomination for the ABC miniseries *North and South* (1985), and played Jacqueline Payne Marone on CBS's *The Bold and the Beautiful* for nine years.[1](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/n79052757) • [2](http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/854060/index.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1954, Wandsworth, London, England[1](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/n79052757) |
| Breakthrough role | Lady Georgina Worsley in *Upstairs, Downstairs* (ITV, 1971-74)[2](http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/854060/index.html) |
| Signature American role | Madeline Fabray LaMotte in *North and South* (ABC, 1985) and its sequels; 1986 Golden Globe nomination[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/down-lesley-anne-1954-lesley-down) |
| Daytime role | Jacqueline Payne Marone on *The Bold and the Beautiful*, 779 episodes, 2003-2012[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001153/) |
| Early honor | Evening Standard British Film Award, most promising female newcomer, 1978[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/down-lesley-anne-1954-lesley-down) |
| Recent work | Margaret Thatcher in the 2024 film *Reagan*, after announcing her retirement in 2020[1](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/n79052757) |
## Early life and beginnings
Down was born in London in 1954, the daughter of P. James Down, a caretaker, and Isabella Gordon-Young.[1](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/n79052757) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/down-lesley-anne-1954-lesley-down) With her father's help she began modeling at age 10, acting in commercials and winning beauty contests; by 15 she had completed four films and was voted "Britain's Most Beautiful Teenager".[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001153/) A newspaper profile states she left school at 12.[5](https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/entertainment/local/2002/02/24/actress-lesley-anne-down-s/50368153007/) She came to the United States at 17.[5](https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/entertainment/local/2002/02/24/actress-lesley-anne-down-s/50368153007/)
## Breakthrough: Upstairs, Downstairs
The BFI's Screenonline biography records that Down, "in films from her teens," really came to attention as Lady Georgina Worsley in *Upstairs, Downstairs* (ITV, 1971-74).[2](http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/854060/index.html) Encyclopedia.com dates her tenure in the role as 1971-1975 for [London Weekend Television](https://www.edgepedia.org/london-weekend-television), and notes the series was broadcast in the United States on PBS's *Masterpiece Theatre* from 1974 to 1977.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/down-lesley-anne-1954-lesley-down) The two references differ on the end year of her tenure, 1974 or 1975, and no retrieved source settles the discrepancy.
The role made her a celebrity at home. A 1990s *Independent* profile describes how the part "quickly transformed her into the nation's, and the tabloids', absolute darling," recalling her earlier standing as "Britain's Most Beautiful Teenager".[6](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/interview-life-s-a-sunset-beach-1188218.html) IMDb records that the series became a hit on PBS in the United States and gave her international popularity.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001153/)
## British and Hollywood film work of the 1970s and 1980s
The AFI Catalog credits her film roles as Olga in *[The Pink Panther Strikes Again](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-pink-panther-strikes-again)* (1976), Lady Roberta "Bobby" Ayres in *The Betsy* (1978), Margaret Sellinger in *Hanover Street* (1979), Gillian Bromley in *Rough Cut* (1980), Dr. Erica Baron in *Sphinx* (1981), Dr. Eileen Flax in *Nomads* (1986), and Olivia Regent in *Death Wish V: The Face of Death* (1994).[7](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/219809-Lesley-Anne-Down) The Swedish Film Database adds *Brannigan* (1975), *Arch of Triumph* (1985), and *Night Walk* (1989).[8](https://www.svenskfilmdatabas.se/en/item/?itemid=73221&type=person) She had the female lead in *[The First Great Train Robbery](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-first-great-train-robbery)* (directed by [Michael Crichton](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-crichton), 1978).[2](http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/854060/index.html)
She replaced Maud Adams in *The Pink Panther Strikes Again* after two days of filming, when the directors felt Down was a better choice.[9](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lesley-anne-down/bio/3030551374/) In 1978 she won the Evening Standard British Film Award for most promising female newcomer for that film.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/down-lesley-anne-1954-lesley-down)
The BFI's assessment of this output is blunt: "generally her British films were disappointing - like her subsequent US ones."[2](http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/854060/index.html)
## American success: North and South and prime-time television
Down played Madeline Fabray LaMotte in *North and South* (ABC, 1985), directed by Richard T. Heffron, and in its sequels of 1986 and 1994.[2](http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/854060/index.html) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/down-lesley-anne-1954-lesley-down) The role brought a 1986 Golden Globe Award nomination for best supporting actress in a series, miniseries, or television movie, and a German Bravo Award for best actress.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/down-lesley-anne-1954-lesley-down) A 2002 newspaper profile lists *North and South, Books II and III* among the projects with which she "conquered America".[5](https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/entertainment/local/2002/02/24/actress-lesley-anne-down-s/50368153007/)
She then moved into prime-time soap territory, spending 1989-90 on CBS's *Dallas* as Stephanie Rogers, a scheming public relations consultant who helped Cliff Barnes become National Energy Czar; IMDb counts six episodes.[10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/leslie_anne_down) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001153/) Encyclopedia.com dates the role to 1990.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/down-lesley-anne-1954-lesley-down) Her television work in this period also included Esmerelda in the 1982 CBS remake of *The Hunchback of Notre Dame* and the [Ingrid Bergman](https://www.edgepedia.org/ingrid-bergman) role in the 1988 CBS remake of *Indiscreet*.[10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/leslie_anne_down)
## Daytime soap opera career
Down's move to daytime began with Olivia Blake Richards on NBC's *[Sunset Beach](https://www.edgepedia.org/sunset-beach-tv-series)* (1997), followed by Lady Sheraton on *Days of Our Lives* (2001).[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/down-lesley-anne-1954-lesley-down) In 2003 she joined CBS's *The Bold and the Beautiful* as Jacqueline Payne Marone, later Jackie Marone Knight, and played the role for nine years, credited with 779 episodes between 2003 and 2012; she announced her departure from the show in 2012.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001153/) • [9](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lesley-anne-down/bio/3030551374/) For the role she received the 2006 TV Soap Golden Boomerang Award for Most Popular Supporting Female.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001153/) TV Guide also records a 2005 Golden Rose for Best Soap Female.[9](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lesley-anne-down/bio/3030551374/)
## By the numbers: a transatlantic career in outline
The episode counts and role durations trace the arc of her career. *Upstairs, Downstairs* gave her a defining role across roughly four years of British television (1971-74 or 1975, by differing accounts)[2](http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/854060/index.html) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/down-lesley-anne-1954-lesley-down); *Dallas* occupied one American season, 1989-90, in six episodes[10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/leslie_anne_down) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001153/); and *The Bold and the Beautiful* ran 779 episodes over nine years, 2003-2012[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001153/).
## Later career and recent work
Her later film work included Olivia Regent in *Death Wish V: The Face of Death* (1994).[7](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/219809-Lesley-Anne-Down) In 2020, Down moved to Atlanta, bought a ranch-styled house, and announced that she had retired from acting. Despite this, she returned to work playing British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the 2024 biographical film *Reagan*.[1](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/n79052757) [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide) records a 2025 Razzie Award nomination for Worst Supporting Actress.[9](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lesley-anne-down/bio/3030551374/)
## Personal life and recognition
Encyclopedia.com records three marriages: camera operator Henri Gabriel on 2 March 1980 (divorced 1981), director [William Friedkin](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-friedkin) in 1982 (divorced 1985), and director, producer, and cinematographer Don E. FauntLeRoy on 27 September 1986.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/down-lesley-anne-1954-lesley-down) The BFI records her marriage to Friedkin as 1982-85.[2](http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/854060/index.html) She met FauntLeRoy while filming *North & South: Book 1* (1985); they live in [Malibu, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/malibu-california), with their son George-Edward FauntLeRoy, and she also has a son, Jackson Friedkin, from her marriage to William Friedkin.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001153/)
Her awards and nominations span both sides of the Atlantic: the Evening Standard British Film Award for most promising female newcomer (1978), a Golden Globe nomination and a German Bravo Award for *North and South* (1986), the Golden Rose for Best Soap Female (2005), the TV Soap Golden Boomerang Award (2006), and a Razzie nomination (2025).[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/down-lesley-anne-1954-lesley-down) • [9](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lesley-anne-down/bio/3030551374/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001153/)
## References
1. [Down, Lesley-Anne, LC Linked Data Service, Library of Congress](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/n79052757)
2. [Down, Lesley-Anne Biography, BFI Screenonline](http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/854060/index.html)
3. [Down, Lesley-Anne 1954-, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/down-lesley-anne-1954-lesley-down)
4. [Lesley-Anne Down, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001153/)
5. [Actress Lesley-Anne Down's career's definitely on the up and up, South Coast Today](https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/entertainment/local/2002/02/24/actress-lesley-anne-down-s/50368153007/)
6. [Interview: Life's a Sunset Beach, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/interview-life-s-a-sunset-beach-1188218.html)
7. [Lesley-Anne Down, AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/219809-Lesley-Anne-Down)
8. [Lesley-Anne Down, Swedish Film Database (SFdb)](https://www.svenskfilmdatabas.se/en/item/?itemid=73221&type=person)
9. [Lesley-Anne Down Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lesley-anne-down/bio/3030551374/)
10. [Lesley-Anne Down Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/leslie_anne_down)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames C to D*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license