Even though Sarah Douglas was born and raised in Stratford Upon Avon, and knew that she wanted to act, she did try and expand options available to her. She worked in a factory, and for a time also in a sterilising department of a hospital. She briefly moved to France and also undertook a teacher training course in English and Drama. However, these were all abandoned in favour of acting. Soon after leaving Drama School, she won her first film role in The Final Programme as well as starring in the TV series The Inheritors. Other work began to follow, including the controversial and gripping film The Brute. Soon after, The People That Time Forgot came along, her first "American" movie. During the filming, the casting began for Superman. And the rest is history.
Often played villainesses. Best known to American audiences as Ursa in "Superman The Movie" (1978) and "Superman II" (1980). She recorded a commentary track for Santuary Visual Entertainment's Conan The Destroyer DVD. She talks about working on Conan, working with Arnold and Grace Jones, and also her career including Superman and Superman 2.