Trivia

Speaks Cymraeg (Welsh) which is her first language.

Finally received her driver's license, but never drives because of her nerves.

Her two former husbands, Peter O'Toole and Robin Sachs, passed away in the same year.

She appeared in four films with her ex-husband Peter O'Toole: Becket (1964), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), Murphy's War (1971) and Under Milk Wood (1971). She played the mother of her real-life daughter Kate O'Toole in Laughter in the Dark (1969), their only joint venture.

Was nominated for Broadway's 1999 Tony Award a Best Actress (Musical) for portraying Marlene Dietrich in "Marlene".

She currently resides in Islington, London and has never retired from acting.

She appeared in David Lynch's space opera epic Dune (1984) with Sir Patrick Stewart, whom she had previously appeared with in I, Claudius (1976).

Was nominated for the 1998 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Musical of 1997 season for her performance in "Marlene".

Shares a birthday with her Dune (1984) co-star Francesca Annis.

Had to have reconstructive surgery on her nose and jaw aged 19, after a serious automobile accident.

Only saw her ex-husband, Peter O'Toole once after their divorce in 1979 (contrary to reports that they had remained friends after).

Served on the Welsh National Council and as a governor of the National Theatre of Wales, and received Wales' highest theatrical honor -- membership in the Honorary Order of Druids -- in recognition of her services to Welsh drama.

She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2000 Queen's Birthday Honours List and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2016 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to drama.

Was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical in the 1980 Laurence Olivier Awards for her performance in "Pal Joey", but lost out to Gemma Craven.

She played Livia, the wife of the first Roman Emperor Augustus, in I, Claudius (1976) whereas her ex-husband Peter O'Toole played Augustus in Augustus: The First Emperor (2003). She played the Roman Empress Livia between the ages of 34 (in 23 B.C.) and 86 (in 29 A.D.) in the former.

As well as being nominated for both a Tony Award and an Olivier Award for "Marlene", she has also received two further Olivier Award nominations for "Cabaret" and "A Little Night Music".

Although she played George Baker's mother in I, Claudius (1976), she is actually two years his junior.

Became an Associate Member of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) in London, England.

She's a great reader easily getting through two books a day and loves gardening.

Her name is pronounced Sharn and is Welsh for Jane.

She played Mrs. Patrick Campbell in Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill (1974) and Lady Clementine Churchill in Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (1981). The former's second husband George Cornwallis-West had previously been married to Winston Churchill's mother Lady Randolph Churchill whereas the latter was Churchill's wife.

Her main hobby is tapestry which she began about 1981 and she's an incessant reader.

Loves Dublin which she thinks is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.

In August 2026, aged 93, she announced she was stepping back from large-scale stage roles due to problems with her memory.