Julie Walters was born on February 22, 1950 in Birmingham.

Julie did not begin her career as an actress. At age 19, to please her mother, she trained to be a nurse at Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham. When her desire to act became overwhelming, Julie left home to study drama at Manchester Poly.

She joined the Liverpool Everyman in 1974, where she first worked with writer Alan Bleasdale. Her career took off when she starred with Richard Beckinsale in the Everyman production of Mike Stott's Funny Peculiar, which transferred to the West End for 16 months.

Julie is one of the few actors who is just as natural or funny off-screen as she is on. Whether it is her appearance as Mrs. Overall, the shambling old woman in Acorn Antiques on Victoria Wood: Seen on Television, or as Rita in Willy Russell's film Educating Rita, for which she won a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, a Variety Club Award and an Oscar® nomination, Julie's characters make us laugh; all are ultimately familiar, in one way or another.

Julie has also starred in Terry Jones' Personal Services, which earned her a BAFTA nomination; Stephen Frears' Prick Up Your Ears; Lewis Gilbert's Stepping Out with Liza Minnelli (BAFTA nomination, Best Supporting Actress); Nancy Meckler's Sister My Sister; Intimate Relations with Rupert Graves; Roger Michell's Titanic Town, Girls' Night with Brenda Blethyn and Oscar nominated again for her role as Mrs Wilkinson in the acclaimed Billy Elliot. Julie is the latest big name to join the cast of Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, which is currently in production.

Television roles include: Alan Bleasdale's Boys from the Black Stuff (BAFTA nomination Best Television Actress); GBH; Jake's Progress; Alan Bennett's Intensive Care, Talking Heads and Say Something Funny (BAFTA nomination Best Actress); and Victoria Wood's Pat and Margaret and Julie Walters and Friends which included Victoria Wood, Alan Bleasdale, Alan Bennett and Willy Russell (BAFTA nomination Best Light Entertainment Program) and again with Victoria Wood in dinnerladies (sic).

West End theatre credits include Sam Shepard's Fool For Love (Olivier nomination for Best Actress); Sharman McDonald's When I was a Girl I used to Scream and Shout; Terrence McNally's Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune; and Tennessee Williams' The Rose Tattoo directed by Peter Hall. Last month (Feb '01) Julie won Best Actress in the Olivier awards for All My Sons at the Cottesloe.

In September 1999, Walters awarded the OBE.