Actress Joanna Lumley is set to appear in the second season of Netflix's dark comedy-drama Wednesday, premiering on August 6. The 78-year-old will play Grandma Hester Frump, described as a 'razor-sharp' character with a complex relationship with her daughter Morticia Addams, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Lumley, best known for her role as Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, was born in Kashmir, India, in 1946. Her father was a major in the Gurkha Rifles, and the family frequently moved around the Far East, including Malaysia and Hong Kong. She was sent to boarding school in England at age eight.
Before acting, Lumley worked as a photographic model after attending Lucie Clayton Finishing School in London. She earned £8 weekly as a model at Debenham and Freebody. Her early acting career included a small role as a Bond Girl in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, but her breakthrough came in 1976 playing Purdey in The New Avengers.
Lumley's most iconic role remains Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous. She revealed that her first meeting with co-star Jennifer Saunders was frosty—Saunders refused to let Lumley call her 'Jen'—but they soon became close friends. Lumley also became a mother at 21 to son Jamie, raising him independently with support from her parents.
