Pam Ferris Movies and TV Shows: The Roles You Never Knew Were the Same Person

Honestly, if you grew up in the nineties or early aughts, Pam Ferris probably haunted your nightmares before she eventually warmed your heart. It is the strangest thing. You see a face that looks vaguely familiar, maybe a bit stern but with a twinkle in the eye, and you can’t quite place it. Then it hits you. That's the woman who threw a child by her pigtails across a school yard. But wait—isn't she also the lovely nun delivering babies in London's East End?

Yes. Yes, she is.

The range of Pam Ferris movies and tv shows is actually staggering when you sit down and look at the credits. We are talking about a Welsh actress who can go from the ultimate villain to the most nurturing mother figure on television without breaking a sweat. Most people know her as Agatha Trunchbull, but her career is a massive tapestry of British drama, gritty realism, and high-budget fantasy.

The Villainous Peak: Trunchbull and Aunt Marge

Let’s just get the "scary" stuff out of the way first. In 1996, Danny DeVito cast Ferris as Miss Agatha Trunchbull in Matilda. It was a stroke of genius. She didn't just play a mean principal; she created a physical monster. She wore a heavy, weighted "body suit" and spent hours in makeup to look sweaty and mottled.

It’s iconic.

Fast forward to 2004, and she’s at it again in the Wizarding World. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, she played Marge Dursley. You know the one—the woman who gets inflated like a giant balloon after insulting Harry’s parents. It’s a short role, but she dominates every second she’s on screen. There’s a specific kind of "horrible British aunt" energy that she just nails.

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When She Became "Ma" to the Nation

If you only know her as a villain, you’re missing out on the role that arguably made her a household name in the UK: Ma Larkin.

In the early 90s, The Darling Buds of May was a massive hit. It’s where most of the world first saw Catherine Zeta-Jones, but Pam Ferris was the heart of it. As Florence "Ma" Larkin, she was the antithesis of the Trunchbull. She was warm, maternal, and always had a table full of food. It’s the kind of role that makes you want to live on a farm in Kent and never leave.

The contrast is wild.

Why She Really Left Call the Midwife

For a younger generation, she isn't Ma Larkin or the Trunchbull. She is Sister Evangelina.

From 2012 to 2016, she was a staple of Call the Midwife. Her character was tough—a "salt of the earth" nun who had seen the worst of poverty but never lost her edge. When she died in Season 5, it absolutely wrecked the fanbase.

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People always wonder why she left. Was it drama? Not really. Honestly, the production moved filming locations from North London to Surrey. For Pam, that meant a brutal commute or staying in hotels away from her husband and her beloved dogs. She’s gone on record saying she just wanted her life back. She loved the character, but the schedule was a "wrench."

A Career Beyond the Big Hits

While the blockbusters get the headlines, her deeper filmography shows some serious "actor's actor" credentials. Take Children of Men (2006). She plays Miriam, the midwife (funnily enough) on the boat. It’s a gritty, depressing masterpiece by Alfonso Cuarón, and she fits perfectly into that dark world.

Then there’s Rosemary & Thyme.

It’s a cozy mystery series where she plays Laura Thyme, a former policewoman who solves murders while doing professional gardening. It’s peak British "comfort TV." If you haven't seen it, it's basically Murder, She Wrote but with more mulch.

Essential Watchlist for Pam Ferris Fans

• Matilda (1996): Obviously. The definitive "evil" performance.
• The Darling Buds of May (1991-1993): For the feel-good vibes.
• Call the Midwife (Series 1-5): For the tears.
• Children of Men (2006): To see her in a high-concept sci-fi.
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004): For the balloon scene.
• Little Dorrit (2008): She plays Mrs. General—very "prunes and prisms."

The Complexity of Her Talent

What most people get wrong about Pam Ferris is thinking she only plays "loud" characters. If you watch her in Jane Eyre (2006) as Grace Poole or in the Dickens adaptation Our Mutual Friend, you see a much more subtle side. She can hold a scene just by sitting still.

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She was born in West Germany (Hannover) but is deeply Welsh in her roots. That mixture of European upbringing and New Zealand living (she lived there for ten years as a teenager) seems to have given her this chameleon-like ability to fit into any era of history.

Actionable Insights for Your Next Binge

If you’re looking to dive into the best of Pam Ferris movies and tv shows, don't just stick to the movies. Her best work is often in the multi-part BBC dramas.

1. Start with "The Darling Buds of May" if you need a mental health break. It’s sunshine in a bottle.
2. Watch "Call the Midwife" chronologically. Don't skip to her exit; the build-up of her friendship with Sister Monica Joan is the best part of the show.
3. Look for her "hidden" roles. She’s in Gavin & Stacey as Smithy's slightly unhinged mum, Cath. It’s a tiny role, but she’s hilarious.

Pam Ferris is one of those rare actors who is actually better than the material she is often given. Whether she’s terrifying children or delivering babies, she brings a weight to the screen that few can match.

The best way to appreciate her is to watch Matilda and Call the Midwife back-to-back. It’ll give you whiplash, but you’ll finally understand why she’s a legend.