Louise Plowright (born 1956 in Cheshire) is a British actress, who trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and first came to prominence playing abrasive hairdresser Julie Cooper in the television soap opera EastEnders from 1989 to 1990.
Subsequent major roles on TV include Linda Harvey in Families and Michelle Thorn in Footballers' Wives: Extra Time.
As a stage singer-actress she has appeared in a number of regional and touring productions of musicals, where her roles have included: April in Hot Shoe Shuffle, Julie Johnston in Bad Girls - The Musical, and, Phyllis Rogers Stone in Follies, and most recently Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (musical) amongst others. Numerous West End Concert Performances including 'Living On An Island' at The Talk Of London. She has also appeared in various regional theatre pantomimes. In the summer of 2009 she appeared in Oklahoma! at the Chichester Festival Theatre as Aunt Eller, and the following autumn in Manchester in White Christmas (musical). She is currently performing, to rave reviews, in at the Chichester Festival Theatre's revival of 42nd Street.
She made her West End theatre debut in 1999, originating the role of Tanya in the hit musical Mamma Mia!, the following year she was promoted to the leading role of Donna, which she played for four years.