Bio
Diana Hardcastle is a Nigerian-born British actress best known for her role as Rose Kennedy in the television mini-series The Kennedys, in 2011.
Hardcastle was born in Nigeria. After leaving school, she took a Double Honours Degree in English and Drama at Bristol University before training at The Central School of Speech and Drama.
She is married to the actor Tom Wilkinson (who plays her on-screen husband Joe Kennedy Sr. in The Kennedys) and they have two daughters, Alice and Molly.
BBC Television credits include Doctors, Silent Witness, Inspector Lynley, Holby City, Bugs, The Fortunes of War, Frankie and Johnnie and East Lynne.
From 1988 to 1991, she starred in That's Love for TVS. Also in 1988, she co-starred in First Among Equals for Granada Television, where she worked with Tom Wilkinson for the first time. She went on to work with him again a few years later when she starred opposite him in Resnick, directed by Peter Smith.
Hardcastle was in the first episode of the now celebrated Midsomer Murders, was a leading lady for Mike Figgis in The House, played Anna in the episode of the same title in Reilly Ace of Spies and played the leading role, opposite Michael Kitchen, in Love Song for Anglia.
On the stage, Diana appeared as Bryddie in the world premier of An English Tragedy at Watford Palace Theatre. The play was written by Academy nominee Ronald Harewood and was directed by Di Trevis for The Manchester Royal Theatre. Hardcastle played Florence Lancaster opposite Will Young, for which she won a best actress nomination.
She also appeared as Mrs Allenby in A Woman of No Importance. She played at The Exchange for the first time as Cariola in The Duchess of Malfi opposite Helen Mirren and Bob Hoskins.
In 2012 she and Wilkinson starred in the film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel together.