Diana Rigg

Sobre Diana Rigg

Born Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg on July 20, 1938, this celebrated English actress carved a path through television, film, and the stage. She is perhaps most recognized for her iconic portrayal of Emma Peel in the swinging sixties series The Avengers, a role she inhabited from 1965 to 1968. Her cinematic presence was further cemented as Countess Teresa di Vicenzo, the wife of James Bond, in the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. More recently, she captivated audiences as Olenna Tyrell in the epic television drama Game of Thrones, appearing from 2013 to 2017.

Rigg's theatrical endeavors were equally impressive, marked by her commanding performance as Medea, a role she brought to life in both London and New York, earning her the 1994 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. Her significant contributions to drama were formally acknowledged with her appointment as a CBE in 1988, and later, as a Dame in 1994. Her professional journey began on the stage in 1957 with The Caucasian Chalk Circle, and she subsequently joined the esteemed Royal Shakespeare Company in 1959. Her American stage debut arrived in 1971 with the production of Abelard & Heloise on Broadway.

On the silver screen, Rigg featured as Helena in the 1968 adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Lady Holiday in The Great Muppet Caper (1981), and Arlena Marshall in Evil Under the Sun (1982). Television brought further accolades, including a BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for her role in the 1989 BBC miniseries Mother Love, and an Emmy Award for her chilling performance as Mrs. Danvers in the 1997 adaptation of Rebecca. Her television credits also include appearances in You, Me and the Apocalypse (2015), Detectorists (2015), and a memorable turn in the Doctor Who episode "The Crimson Horror" (2013), where she shared the screen with her daughter, Rachael Stirling.

In the 1960s, Rigg shared her life with director Philip Saville for eight years, garnering media attention when she publicly stated her indifference to marriage and conventional respectability. She was married to Israeli painter Menachem Gueffen from 1973 until their divorce in 1976. Rigg had a daughter, actress Rachael Stirling, born in 1977, with theatrical producer and former Scots Guards officer Archie Stirling. Rigg and Stirling married on March 25, 1982, but their union ended in divorce in 1990 following Stirling's affair. Diana Rigg passed away on December 10, 202