National treasure Julie Walters has been telling What’s On TV magazine about her new role as a barrister in ITV’s forthcoming drama, The Jury.

The Jury – which debuts on Monday, November 7th – will air over five consecutive nights, and will feature the case on trial from the standpoints of the jury members as well as the lawyers.

Of the plotline for the show, Julie said, “The Jury is about how people called to do jury service find their lives affected.

“What’s going on in their personal lives comes into court with them and they respond differently to what’s happening on the stand.

But it’s also about the case itself – did this man Alan Lane (John Lynch) murder three women he met while Internet dating?”

Julie, who will play the role of Emma Watts, then explained that her character strongly believes her client Alan is innocent. However, in court, Emma must face the prosecution counsel, John Mallory, who’s played by Roger Allam, and he firmly believes Lane is guilty. Read more & comment »

Julie Walters is about to appear on our screens in the role of a barrister in ITV1 drama, The Jury, and she’s been telling The Sun’s TV Biz what inspired her to take on the role.

Julie, who plays Emma Watts in new show, said, “I was accused of driving through a red light 20 years ago, which I didn’t do. I defended myself and got off.

“When I was in court a female QC came up to me shocked that I was by myself.

“Coincidentally, she is the same QC who has been helping me research this role.

“She gave me lots of little tips.” Read more & comment »

Actress Julie Walters has been nominated for an International Emmy award for her portrayal of former cabinet minister Mo Mowlam in the film ‘Mo’.

The Channel 4 film depicted Mowlam’s time as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and showed her battling the brain tumour that was to eventually kill her.

What’s On TV magazine report that Julie is nominated for Best Actress, and the film itself for Best TV Movie or Mini-Series.

Other British contenders for awards include former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston, who’s nominated for Best Actor for his performance in Jimmy McGovern’s, Accused. Read more & comment »

Via press release:

Principal photography has began on The Jury, a brand new five part drama series written by BAFTA award winner Peter Morgan for ITV1, produced by ITV Studios.

Julie Walters plays Emma Watts, a defence barrister who is determined to free Alan Lane (John Lynch – Sliding Doors, Merlin), a man convicted for the violent murder of three women he met on the internet. New evidence has come to light which calls his conviction into question and there is a fierce battle between Watts and John Mallory (Olivier award winning Roger Allam – The Thick of It, The Queen) who is the prosecution barrister for Lane.

Read more & comment »

Paul O’Grady’s comedy heroine is Julie Walters.

The 55-year-old chat show host explained the veteran actress “can’t put a foot wrong” in his eyes, as she has played such a wide variety of different characters.

He said: “Julie Walters is my comedy heroine. I love everything she’s ever done. She was brilliant as Rosie in ‘Mamma Mia!’ and hilarious as Mrs. Overall, the tea lady, in ‘Acorn Antiques’.

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Bafta award winner Julie Walters has revealed that there’s still one role she’d love to take – in Coronation Street.

60 year old Julie – who won a Bafta for her role as Mo Mowlam in the drama, Mo – told the PA that she loves the Manchester based soap.

And when asked if she’d like a part in one of them, she said, “I was once on the set of EastEnders and I could hardly speak!

“It depends on the part but I’d love a little something in Corrie.

“Someone once asked if it was true I was going to play Audrey’s sister and I thought, ‘What a good idea’ but nothing came of that… Read more & comment »

Julie Walters received her sixth BAFTA award last night, she won it for her portrayal of Mo Mowlam in the Channel 4 drama ‘Mo.’ The 60 year old actress was also nominated for her role in BBC’s euthanasia drama, A Short Stay In Switzerland.

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Awarding winning actress and comedienne, Julie Walters, has appealed for funding to enable quality British dramas to be made.

Speaking at the Bafta Awards, where she picked up a gong for her role as Mo Mowlam in ‘Mo’, Julie explained, “Important drama touches people…

“I’m not saying it changes the world but seeds are planted.

“It’s really important and, yes, the money should be made available.”

And while discussing her award, Julie revealed that she’d had “huge doubts” as to whether she could portray the Labour MP.

She told the PA, “I got some footage of Mo and I thought, ‘Oh my God, I don’t think I can do this, that voice’… Read more & comment »

Oscar-nominated actress Julie Walters (Mamma Mia, Harry Potter) takes on the lead role in a revealing portrait of Mo Mowlam; the woman whose charisma and no-nonsense approach to politics helped achieve one of the most monumental landmarks in recent British history, the Good Friday Agreement.

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Oscar nominated actress Julie Walters is to play Mo Mowlam, the former Northern Ireland secretary and one of the most popular Labour politicians of recent times, in a new single drama for Channel 4.

Written by Neil McKay (See No Evil: The Moors Murders, Innocents, Wall of Silence, Dunkirk), Mo portrays Mowlam’s rise to prominence in Tony Blair’s government and her unorthodox, straight talking style that helped bring the Good Friday peace agreement to fruition in 1998.

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This morning, I read a review of this drama as written by Andrew Billen in The Times Online, and with disbelief, I read this… “Yet to have been truly effective, either as drama of propaganda, it should have moved the viewer, and it didn’t me, or not very much.”

I’m assuming he meant “… as drama or propaganda” but typo aside, I can only assume Mr Billen is an automaton or an opponent of the right to choose to die. How anyone can have failed to have been moved by either the real story or this sensitive but faithful reconstruction of it is beyond me… Read more & comment »

Julie Walters stars in a one-off drama inspired by the true story of Dr Anne Turner, from award-winning writer Frank McGuinness.

Having just witnessed the death of her husband, Jack, from an incurable neurological disease, Anne Turner is diagnosed with a near-identical illness. With determined rationality, Anne’s answer is that once her illness has reached a critical point, she will take her own life … but she needs her children’s support.

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Julie Walters (Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story; Mamma Mia!) is set to star in A Short Stay In Switzerland for BBC One, a drama inspired by the true story of Dr Anne Turner by award-winning writer Frank McGuinness.

Kate Harwood, Controller, Series and Serials, BBC Drama Production, says: “One of Ireland’s foremost dramatists, Frank brings a lightness of touch, dark wit and a heart-wrenching humanity to this piece inspired by Anne Turner’s story about life and death, love and family.” Read more & comment »