Eileen Atkins was born in a Salvation Army Women's Hostel in north London. Her father was a gas meter reader; her mother, a seamstress and barmaid. A drama teacher taught her how to drop her Cockney accent, and she studied Shakespeare and Greek tragedies. Her breakthrough role in "The Killing of Sister George" took her to Broadway.
Appointed a CBE in 1990 and a DBE in June, 2001. Co-creator (with actress Jean Marsh) of the classic British drama series Upstairs, Downstairs - making her wonderful presence in the Altman upstairs-downstairs movie Gosford Park particularly resonant. She was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1989 (1988 season) for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for Cymbeline and Mountain Language. She was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1999 (1998 season) for Best Actress for her performance in The Unexpected Man. She was awarded the 2004 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actress of the 2003 season for her performance in Honour at the Royal National Theatre: Cottesloe Stage. She was awarded the 1992 London Critics Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress for her performance in The Night of the Iguana. She was awarded the 1997 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress for her performance in A Delicate Balance. She was nominated for a 2003 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress for her performance in Honour at the Royal National Theatre: Cottesloe. She was nominated for a 1997 (1996) Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actress in a play for her performance in John Gabriel Borkman. 2004 Tony Award nominee for Best Actress in a Play for "The Retreat from Moscow." Won the Best Actress Award for "Honour" at the 2004 Laurence Olivier Awards. Has been nominated for four Tony Awards: as Best Actress (Dramatic), in 1967 for "The Killing of Sister George" and in 1972 for "Vivat! Vivat Regina!; and as Best Actress (Play), in 1995 for "Indiscretions" and in 2004 for "The Retreat from Moscow." Is a breast cancer survivor. She has no children. She claimed in an interview with the Radio Times that she has never had any maternal instinct and put that down to the fact that she did not get on with her mother She claims to be high-maintenance