As per The Hollywood Reporter, Helen McCrory—English actor known for her roles in three Harry Potter films, Peaky Blinders, and The Queen—has died from cancer. McCrory’s husband, actor Damian Lewis, shared the news in a statement on Twitter. She was 52.
“Heartbroken to announce that after an heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family,” Lewis writes. “She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you.”
McCrory is perhaps best known for her role as Polly Gray in Peaky Blinders and as Narcissa Malfoy in Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince and both parts of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows. In both roles, she portrayed fierce matriarchs with an even fiercer love for their families. Her first film role came in 1994 when she landed a part in Interview With A Vampire. In the following years, McCrory appeared in the James Bond film Skyfall, Doctor Who, and Penny Dreadful. McCrory also lent her voice to a few animated films; prior to her onscreen career, she made a name for herself on the London stage. Her theater credits include productions of Pride And Prejudice, Medea, Macbeth, and As You Like It.
During her long and decorated career, McCrory was given best actress honors by the Evening Standard, the London Film Critics Circle, the Broadcasting Press Guild, and the Critics’ Circle Theater Awards. She also took home best theatre actress of the year at the 2013 Glamour Awards.
McCrory is survived by husband Lewis—the pair married in 2007—and their two children, Manon and Gulliver.
66 Comments
RIPI recently just watched a movie she was in from a few years ago called Their Finest.
RIPI thought she was rather excellent in Penny Dreadful as the mentor of Eva Green. EDITED She might not have been the Mentor, but she was still great in that excellent show.
I think that was Patti LuPone playing the “Cut Witch” whereas McCrory was the older foxy witch, Evelyn Poole, who seduced Sir Malcolm Murray aka Timothy Dalton! They were both super characters though.
You’re right. It has been awhile since I’ve watched it. It’s absolutely worth a revisit, despite the rushed ending.
Ugh that last season should have been either three episodes longer or just two whole seasons.
They were laying the groundwork to go all Mummy for season 4 … then the axe fell. But yeah, HM was the best of Penny Dreadful’s big bads.
I really didn’t like the end. I did like most of S3, just not final 3-4 episodes and the direction they headed with Ethan and Vanessa. But most of the show was great overall!
Evelyn was the cut witch’s sister I think. She was Vanessa’s nemesis. Helen was fantastic in everything. Even as Cheri Blair in The Queen, being angry that she had to curtsy to her.
This is what I was trying to remember! Oh man, rip.
My all-time favorite Helen McCrory moment (from anything ever) is her “Memento Mori” speech in the S2 opener. She fucking kills it. It’s already her scene, but she basically erases the presence of everyone else there.
Damn, this is sad news.She was great in practically everything I saw her in, even the Potter films.
She really was spectacular in everything she did, stage and screen. What a great actress. Those poor kids.
Fifty-two. Fifty fucking two.fucking cancer
I really liked her stint on Doctor Who, and that scene in peaky blinders where she shoots Sam Neil’s cock offRIP
“And He who made kittens put snakes in the grass…”
where she shoots Sam Neil’s cock off
oh. Wow okay. Might have to finally check that show out.
She was such a boss.
Boss lady. damn, I didn’t watch this show and it looks so good.
Really enjoyed “Fearless”.
Imagine if the world put as much effort into a cancer vaccine as they did Covid.
Yeah I’m sure nobody at all is working on curing cancer.
With the singleminded focus and funding of Covid over the past year?Not even close.
Fifty-two. Fifty fucking two.fucking cancer
I really liked her stint on Doctor Who, and that scene in peaky blinders where she shoots Sam Neil’s cock offRIP
This is sad. I knew (and liked) her from Peaky Blinders Take care, Lewis family.
Damn, loved her in “Penny Dreadful” and “Peaky Blinders” what a loss.
She was by far the best thing about Peaky Blinders.
Had no idea she was married to Brody
you mean Winters
I just realised recently that Band of Brothers is 20 years old this year.
Its so old that only one member of Easy Company is alive. Now I feel old.
Oh wow which one?
This fella. He was a minor character in the whole series. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Shames
Oh wow I just started rewatching Band of Brothers a couple of nights ago. Who is the last survivor?
Edward Shames, Joseph May played him. Minor character in the series but he’s still alive at age 98. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Shames
Okay I think I remember him in the series as the guy who Winters thought yelled too much. Pretty cool he’s still alive.
I think he blows up a tank with a bazooka in the Foy episode. And yeah its nice not everyone is gone.
I actually should be watching that one tonight and will keep an eye out for him. Thanks!
You mean Crews.
I hope my obituary will describe me as “beautiful and mighty.” Joking aside, a tragic loss, at far too young an age.
This genuinely hurts. She was the best character on Peaky Blinders and she was always reliable no matter the role. Goddamn it cancer, its always too soon. She might have been 52 but that feels too young. Those two kids deserved to still have a mother. Farewell Polly.
Agreed; my thoughts immediately went to their kids.I hope I’m wrong, but given how thin she was for several years now (cancer drastically ups your metabolism, hence why unexplained weight loss is a do-not-pass go trip to your physician), I suspect she may have been sick for quite some time.That’s a really crappy thing to have hovering over your preteen years, but I’m glad they got to have her around for a lot longer than she would have been 20 or 30 years back and from every interview I’ve watched of Damian Lewis when he talks about more personal stuff it sounds like he’s a standup guy. Best wishes to them all.
Yeah they seemed like a genuinely good couple. Yeah I did notice she was thin but my mind didn’t go towards cancer. Bloody hell, I could wax on about how terrible a disease it is, but we’d be here all day. I’m so sorry she died that way.
She’s *checks IMDB* killing God in Heaven now?
The second season of Penny Dreadful is my favorite season of TV ever and she is a big part of why. Smart, sexy, charismatic.
When Vanessa is possessed and Ethan goes into her room and she begs him to kill her.And then the last episode, she just can’t take anymore. We’ll always have the fantasy episode where they were married and had kids. Josh is in that HBO show Exterminate All the Brutes, he plays the different white characters that are involved in killing Native Americans, slaves, etc. He still has his quick draw skills.
Yes! It was so great to see her go big.
Try to find her NT Live performance of Medea — it was a live recording of her on stage. She is mesmerizing as Medea, you can’t look at anyone else.
Well crap. Just one of those amazing working British actors who could be counted on to elevate every last thing she was in, even stuff that would have been a paycheck job to anyone else. RIP.(Sadly adding this to my “we’re never getting His Dark Materials Season 3, are we?” file.)
52? Damn. Fuck you, cancer. I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I was saving Peaky Blinders for when I really needed it, and that time came a couple years ago while I was recovering from a hysterectomy, one that was NOT done laparoscopically as a tumor the size of a softball also had to be removed. I spent hours lying on my side in a Percocet haze watching that show, and while I came for Cillian Murphy’s icy blue eyes, McCory’s Aunt Polly almost instantly became my favorite character.Also, weird coincidence, I started a re-watch of Penny Dreadful last week and am about to start season 2, in which she plays an absolutely terrifying character.
Wait til Vanessa and Ethan are at the cut witch’s house out in the woods.
I kinda fell in love with her at first sight. A fancy outfit cocking a revolver before hitting someone with the back end of the gun. What an introduction!
Fuck cancer. This is devastating. My wife and I waited 7 years to finally try Peaky Blinders a few months ago and are Peaky Fucking in Love with it. She was just incredible. Had no idea she was married to Damian Lewis. I really feel for him.
Terrible news, she was mesmerizing in Penny Dreadful.
RIP
I had no idea she was married to Damien Lewis. I really enjoyed her in PB. Cancer sucks. RIP to her, and peace to her family.
So spoilers for Vampires of Venice, but the twist is that they’re actually alien fish people, not vampires. And I remember when McCrory spoke face-to-face with Matt Smith, she kind of seemed to be swerving her head in place and stared at him very wide-eyed. I realized, “She’s looking at him like how a fish would look at somebody through a fish tank.” It was such a unique acting choice, but it was perfect for Doctor Who.
I know it’s a weird role to highlight, but even in a goofy sci-fi show, Helen was amazing. Sexy, sinister, even a little sympathetic depending on the scene. She will be missed. Fuck cancer.
She was really amazing in that episode. It has a reputation as a bit lightweight and silly (even for Doctor Who) but her two face-to-face scenes with Matt Smith are an absolute masterclass in acting from both parties, and more than make up for how frothy the scenes around them are. RIP
Here’s the original scene. Her weaving movement even works with the camera, especially for the wide shots.
This is awful.Also, as a fervent fan of the Harry Potter movies, I’m saddened by how many actors we’ve lost in those films, which weren’t all *that* long (20 years since it started, 10 years [already?!] since it ended).
This sucks. We just watched her in “Roadkill.” Not an amazing show, but watchable.Godspeed, Pol.
Why is Helen cosplaying as Rey in the header photo?
Rest in peace.
Fucking hell.RIP.
Goddamn. I fucking love Peaky Blinders, and Helen McCrory was a huge reason why. Polly Gray is such an incomparable badass. Rest in peace, Ms. McCrory. I’ll always think of you whenever I hear this song.
Helen was great in her Doctor Who appearance – Vampires in Venice is one of the few modern episodes that has something of a throwback feel, and her performance is one of the reasons why. She was just the right mix of camp and frightening, and had strong chemistry with Matt Smith. Really sorry to hear she has passed away.
I really had to sit and read the news again and again, because I couldn’t believe it. To say she had a screen presence would be understatement.
I can’t help wondering if those vile cigarettes the cast had to continually smoke on the set of Peaky Blinders had anything to do with it. And, no, it wasn’t tobacco but Helen was very clear about how disgusting they were and NO level of inhaling incomplete combustion’s effects are safe.
Damn, that’s no age. RIP.