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Pauline Collins, best known for her performance in the movie Shirley Valentine, has passed away at the age of 85.

Her passing was peaceful in her London care home, surrounded by her loved ones after living with Parkinson's disease for several years, as stated by her relatives.

Her legacy will be defined for her portrayal of unhappy homemaker Shirley in Lewis Gilbert's acclaimed motion picture, adapted from the acclaimed theatrical production by playwright Willy Russell.

Her praised acting won her the Golden Globe Award for outstanding actress along with a Bafta.

'Witty Presence'

Collins' family released a statement saying: "She was a multifaceted person to so many people, playing a variety of roles in her life. A bright, sparky, witty presence on stage and screen. Her illustrious career saw her play politicians, mothers and queens."

"Her memory will endure as the legendary, determined, lively, and insightful Shirley Valentine - a role that she made all her own. We knew all those aspects of her personality because her charm was embedded in every single role."

They added she was their "loving mum, our wonderful grandma and great-grandmother", and actor John Alderton's "life-long love"

"Kind, humorous, giving, considerate, intelligent, she was constantly supportive," they expressed, thanking her carers, who looked after her with "dignity, compassion, and most of all love"

"She experienced a more peaceful goodbye. We ask that you recall her at the peak of her career; radiant and energetic; and allow us privacy to reflect on life in her absence"

Stage Success

Collins first played the lead part of Shirley Valentine at the Vaudeville Theatre in London in 1988. She received that year's Olivier Award for outstanding actress.

The following year she returned to the character on Broadway, New York, where she picked up numerous prizes including a esteemed Tony Award.

The film of the same name was released later that year.

Additional movie roles included 1991's City of Joy with Patrick Swayze, filmed in Calcutta, which brought her wider recognition globally.

A native of Exmouth in 1940, Collins was raised near Liverpool and started out her career as a teacher.

Her love of the stage led her to take up acting on a part-time basis, and in 1957 she had a cameo role as a nurse in the TV series Emergency Ward 10.

She starred in the film Secrets of a Windmill Girl in 1966, playing a fictional dancer in a London adult entertainment venue, the Windmill Theatre.

After a number of stage roles, she employed her regional dialect to secure a part on The Liver Birds.

It was through acting that she encountered her spouse John Alderton. They wed in 1969 and had three children, their sons and daughter.

The couple performed together in a number of television and film roles, such as Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she played a maid in the acclaimed ITV program.