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Pauline Collins, widely recognized for her performance in the film Shirley Valentine, has died at the age of 85.

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

Her legacy will be defined for her depiction of unhappy homemaker Shirley in the director's award-winning film, adapted from the celebrated stage play by playwright Willy Russell.

Her praised acting also earned her the Golden Globe for outstanding actress along with a BAFTA award.

'Witty Presence'

Her relatives released a statement saying: "Pauline was so many things to countless individuals, 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."

"She will always be remembered as the legendary, determined, lively, and insightful Shirley Valentine - a part she completely owned. We were familiar with all those aspects of her personality because her magic was contained in every single role."

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

"Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was always there for us," they expressed, thanking her caregivers, who looked after her with "dignity, compassion, and most of all love"

"She experienced a calmer departure. We hope you will remember her at the peak of her career; radiant and energetic; and allow us privacy to reflect on life in her absence"

Broadway Role

She initially performed the lead part of Shirley Valentine at the Vaudeville Theater in London in 1988. She received that year's Olivier award for best actress.

A year later she reprised the role on Broadway, New York, where she earned several awards including a esteemed Tony Award.

The movie adaptation was released later that year.

Additional movie roles included 1991's City of Joy with actor Patrick Swayze, filmed in Calcutta, which gained her international fame globally.

A native of Exmouth in 1940, Collins was raised near Liverpool and began her professional life as a educator.

Her passion for theater inspired her to pursue 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 featured in the film Secrets of a Windmill Girl in 1966, playing a fictional dancer in a London striptease nightclub, the Windmill Theatre.

Following several theater parts, she employed her regional dialect to land a role on The Liver Birds.

Her acting career that she encountered her spouse John Alderton. They married in 1969 and had a family of three, their sons and daughter.

The couple performed alongside each other in a variety of screen projects, such as Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she portrayed a servant in the acclaimed ITV program.