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The celebrated actress Pauline Collins, best known for her role in the film Shirley Valentine, has passed away at the age of 85.

She died peacefully in her London residence, surrounded by her family after battling Parkinson's for a number of years, according to her relatives.

Her legacy will be defined for her portrayal of unhappy homemaker Shirley in the director's acclaimed film, adapted from the celebrated theatrical production by Willy Russell.

Her critically acclaimed performance won her the Golden Globe for outstanding actress as well as a Bafta.

'Sparkling Personality'

Collins' family released a statement saying: "She was a multifaceted person to so many people, portraying diverse characters in her career. 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 were familiar with all those parts of her because her charm was embedded in every single role."

The statement continued she was their "devoted mother, our wonderful grandma and great-grandmother", and actor John Alderton's "life-long love"

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

"She could not have had a more peaceful goodbye. We ask that you recall her at the peak of her career; so joyful and full of energy; and allow us privacy to reflect on life in her absence"

Broadway Role

Collins first played the title role of Shirley Valentine at the Vaudeville Theater in the UK capital in 1988. She received that year's Olivier award for best actress.

The following year she returned to the character on the New York stage, where she picked up numerous prizes including a prestigious Tony award.

The movie adaptation 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 worldwide.

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

Her passion for theater led her to take up acting on a part-time basis, and in 1957 she appeared briefly as a medical attendant in the Emergency Ward 10.

She starred in the film Secrets of a Windmill Girl in 1966, playing a fictional dancer in a London striptease nightclub, the Windmill Theater.

Following several theater parts, she employed her regional dialect to secure a part on the show The Liver Birds.

It was through acting that she encountered her spouse John Alderton. They married in 1969 and had three children, Nicholas, Kate, and Richard.

Alderton and Collins starred together in a number of television and film roles, such as the series Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she played a maid in ITV's popular series.