Zoë Wanamaker, born on May 13, 1949, in New York City, is an American-British actress known for her extensive work in theatre, film, and television. Her father, Sam Wanamaker, was an American actor and director, and her mother, Charlotte Holland, was a Canadian actress and radio performer.

Her family moved to the United Kingdom when she was three years old due to her father being blacklisted in Hollywood during the McCarthy era. She was educated at the King Alfred School in Hampstead and Sidcot School, a Quaker boarding school in Somerset.

Her career began in the theatre, and she joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1976, where she remained until 1984. She won her first Laurence Olivier Award in 1979 for her performance in "Once in a Lifetime" and a second in 1998 for "Electra".

Zoë Wanamaker has also been nominated for four Tony Awards for her work on Broadway. Her television career includes notable roles in "My Family," where she played Susan Harper, and in "Agatha Christie's Poirot" as Ariadne Oliver.

In film, she is perhaps best known for her role as Madam Hooch in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" and as Lady Bloomsbury Barton in "Worzel Gummidge". She has also appeared in films such as "Wilde" and "My Week with Marilyn".

Zoë Wanamaker married actor Gawn Grainger in 1994, and they have no children together, though Zoë is a stepmother to Gawn's children.