A lot of me is very up, and you have to have light and shade. They are both important and you have to be able to balance them. You have to admit that sadness is part of you and that it enriches you. I use it in my work.

E. Staunton attended La Sainte Union Convent School an all-girls Catholic school on the edge of Hampstead Heath from years 11 to 17. Staunton then joined the Royal Shakespeare Company and in 1982 moved on to the National Theatre.

She drew critical acclaim as Vera Drake earning her a Best Actress Oscar nomination and a number of wins including the BAFTA and Venice Film Festival Awards for best actress in a leading role. She is perhaps best known for her performances in the British comedy television series Up the Garden Path the Harry Potter film series (in which Imelda Staunton plays Professor Dolores Jane Umbridge) and Vera Drake.