She is known for her role as Marilla Cuthbert in the Netflix series Anne with an E (2017–2019) and as Queen Mary in the 2019 film Downton Abbey.
[2] She failed her 11 plus exam, and was educated at Downe House School in Newbury, Berkshire, where she was known as Gerry Thomas.
[citation needed] From 2017 to 2019, she starred in the Netflix series Anne with an E as Marilla Cuthbert, and in the 2019 film Downton Abbey as Queen Mary.
[citation needed] In 2020 James voiced the spoken words on the track "All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World" ("Vista", "Ad Astra") on the album Human.
[3] Theatre director Peter Hall said that James ranks amongst the great English classical actresses.