Sue Jones Davies Welsh Actress Singer and Community Leader

Welsh actress, singer, musician, and local politician Sue Jones Davies has effortlessly transitioned between television, theater, Welsh folk music, community politics, and culture. She was born on January 1, 1949, and became famous for playing Judith Iscariot in Monty Python’s Life of Brian. However, that only tells part of her background.

The way Sue Jones Davies’ career became strongly related to Wales intrigues me. She settled in Aberystwyth after working in London for years. In Aberystwyth, she raised her three sons, performed Welsh language music, taught yoga, worked with the arts community, and was mayor.

Equally unique is her family history. Her former husband, actor and writer Chris Langham, raised their three sons in the background. Her longtime cooperation with Ann Morgan Jones in the Welsh language duo Cusan Tân united family and community through music.

Early Life and Welsh Roots

Sue Jones Davies was born in Wales on January 1, 1949, and grew up in Dinas Cross, Pembrokeshire. Her childhood in a Welsh setting helped establish the cultural connection that would remain important throughout her life.

She later attended the University of Bristol, graduating in 1971. During her university years she met Chris Langham, who would become her husband and the father of her three sons.

After university, Sue moved into professional theatre and television. London provided an energetic starting point for her career, and she became involved with the original West End production of Jesus Christ Superstar. The stage experience gave her a foundation for the varied acting work that followed.

Her early career was not confined to one medium. She moved between theatre, television, music, and film, gradually building a reputation as a performer who could combine dramatic acting with musical ability.

Sue Jones Davies Acting Career

Sue Jones Davies appeared in several significant British television productions during the 1970s and 1980s. One notable role was Angharad Morgan in the BBC adaptation of How Green Was My Valley in 1975 and 1976.

She also played Rox in Rock Follies of ’77. The production became particularly memorable because its music crossed over into the British charts. Sue performed on the song “O.K.?” alongside Julie Covington, Rula Lenska, and Charlotte Cornwell.

Another important television performance came in 1981, when she portrayed Megan Lloyd George in The Life and Times of David Lloyd George. She also appeared in productions including Brideshead Revisited, French and Saunders, Victoria Wood As Seen On TV, and Casualty.

Her film career included Radio On in 1979, Elenya in 1992, The Theory of Flight in 1998, Solomon and Gaenor in 1999, Y Mabinogi in 2003, and Delight in 2013.

She was also considered for the role of Leela in Doctor Who in 1976. The part ultimately went to Louise Jameson, but the audition remains an intriguing footnote in her acting history.

Judith Iscariot in Monty Python’s Life of Brian

The role that permanently connected Sue Jones Davies with international popular culture was Judith Iscariot in Monty Python’s Life of Brian, released in 1979.

Judith is one of the memorable characters surrounding Brian Cohen, and Sue’s performance gave the character a combination of seriousness, affection, and comic timing. The film became one of the most famous British comedies ever made, and her participation ensured that her name would remain associated with the Monty Python legacy.

Decades later, that connection became relevant to her work as Mayor of Aberystwyth.

For years, public screenings of Life of Brian had been a sensitive subject in Aberystwyth. During her mayoral term, Sue helped organize a charity screening at Aberystwyth Arts Centre in March 2009. Michael Palin and Terry Jones attended, turning the event into a memorable meeting of local politics and Python history.

The story was subsequently featured in the BBC documentary Monty Python in Aberystwyth: A Mayor and Two Pythons. It was an unusual moment in which a film from her acting past became part of the cultural life of the town where she had built her later life.

Sue Jones Davies and Chris Langham

Sue met Chris Langham while they were students at Bristol University. Both were pursuing creative careers, and their relationship developed soon after their university years.

They married and lived in London while their professional lives developed. Langham became known as an actor, writer, and comedian, while Sue continued building her own career in theatre, television, film, and music.

The marriage eventually ended, with the separation generally placed around the late 1980s or early 1990s. Sue subsequently moved to Aberystwyth with their sons.

Chris Langham later married Christine Cartwright and had two more children. He died from pancreatic cancer on June 24, 2026, at the age of 77.

The circumstances of Langham’s later legal troubles also became a significant part of the family’s public history. His sons publicly supported him during his 2007 court proceedings. Sue herself has maintained a comparatively private profile regarding the more difficult aspects of the family’s history.

Sue Jones Davies Children

Sue Jones Davies and Chris Langham had three sons. They were raised primarily in Aberystwyth after their parents separated.

Siencyn Langham, sometimes referred to by family nicknames such as Josh or Shenks, was born around 1977. He developed a career behind the camera, working in television editing. His credits include Posh Nosh and episodes of Shameless. He also appeared publicly during his father’s 2007 legal proceedings.

Dafydd Jones Davies was born around 1983 and uses his mother’s surname in some public references. Like his brothers, he generally maintains a low profile. He was also publicly associated with the 2007 court proceedings involving his father.

Glyn Langham, born around 1986, is the youngest son. He attended the proceedings involving his father but did not give evidence. His public career information is limited, although some references connect him with production work.

The brothers have generally avoided the kind of celebrity exposure that surrounded their parents. Their lives illustrate how a family connected to television and entertainment can still preserve a substantial degree of privacy.

Cusan Tân and Welsh Music

After returning to Wales, Sue Jones Davies prioritized music. She sang in The Bowles Brothers Band in the 1970s, but Welsh language folk music became her calling card.

Around 1990, she and Ann Morgan Jones formed Cusan Tân, Welsh for “Kiss of Fire”.

Both women met in Aberystwyth when picking up their children from school. Their connection led to a creative cooperation that blended Welsh and modern music.

Ann Morgan Jones joined the duo with substantial musical expertise. After studying flute at the Royal Academy of Music in London, she played saxophone and piano. Sue sang and played percussion, drawing on her theatrical and singing skills.

Acoustic sound was uncommon. Welsh influences were mixed with jazz, new age, current folk, classical, and others.

Cusan Tân Albums and Performances

Cusan Tân released two principal albums during the 1990s.

The first, Cusan Tân / Kiss of Fire, appeared in 1992. It featured Welsh language songs, instrumental pieces, vocal harmonies, flute, harp, guitar, cello, piano, and inventive percussion.

Their second major album, Esgair / The Ridge, appeared in 1995. The recording featured Sue Jones Davies and Ann Morgan Jones alongside musicians including Howard Evans, Robin Huw Bowen, and Karen Tweed.

Robin Huw Bowen’s contribution was particularly important. As a leading exponent of the Welsh triple harp, he brought a distinctive traditional Welsh sound into the duo’s contemporary acoustic arrangements.

Cusan Tân also toured internationally. Their 1994 American tour included approximately 19 performances across 19 days, taking the musicians from California to New York.

The duo’s music sometimes used unconventional percussion, including household objects. That inventive approach reflected the group’s broader philosophy: Welsh traditional music did not have to remain inside a museum case. It could be reshaped, experimented with, and carried into new musical landscapes.

Sue Jones Davies in Aberystwyth Politics

Sue Jones Davies became increasingly involved in local public life after settling in Aberystwyth.

She served as a Plaid Cymru town councillor and became Mayor of Aberystwyth from June 2008 to May 2009. Her mayoral year combined civic responsibility with the cultural interests that had shaped her career.

The Life of Brian screening became the most famous example. Instead of treating her Python connection as a relic of her acting career, she brought it back into the life of her community.

Her activities in Aberystwyth extended beyond politics. She has worked at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, participated in Welsh cultural activities, taught yoga, and supported community initiatives.

She has also been associated with Welsh language promotion within family and community settings. In 2017, she received recognition from Aberystwyth University connected with her promotion of Welsh within her family.

In 2018, the university awarded her an Honorary Bachelor of Arts degree.

Welsh Language, Family, and Community

One of the most compelling aspects of Sue Jones Davies’s later life is the way her Welsh identity became increasingly visible.

Her career began largely in English language theatre and television, yet her later work demonstrates a strong commitment to Welsh culture. Through Cusan Tân, local politics, television appearances, community work, and everyday life in Aberystwyth, Welsh became more than a professional interest.

She has spoken about using Welsh with her granddaughters and continuing to improve her written Welsh. This detail captures an important element of her personality. Even after decades as an established actress, she has approached language as something living and continually developing.

Her life in Aberystwyth therefore resembles a bridge between two worlds. One side reaches toward British television, West End theatre, and international cinema. The other reaches into Welsh music, local government, language, yoga, and community culture.

Sue Jones Davies Net Worth and Financial Status

There is no reliable public figure for Sue Jones Davies’s net worth. Unlike major commercial entertainers, she has not maintained a highly publicized financial profile.

Her professional life has involved many different forms of work rather than a single highly commercial career. Acting, singing, local political service, arts-centre involvement, yoga teaching, and community activities have all formed parts of her working life.

There is no clear public evidence of substantial business wealth or major financial controversy associated with her. It is therefore more accurate to describe her financial position as private rather than attach an unsupported net worth estimate.

Sue Jones Davies Later Career and Legacy

Sue Jones Davies has kept a lower profile than during her acting career. She is increasingly mentioned for Welsh culture, Cusan Tân, Aberystwyth, her arts work, and Life of Brian.

Her career is very varied. She was an actress in big British productions, a charting singer, a Welsh language folk artist, a film performer, a television personality, a local councilor, a mayor, a yoga teacher, and an arts community participant.

Her family also has a performing arts background. Chris Langham wrote and starred on TV, while Siencyn edited. However, her three sons have mostly avoided the media eye that surrounded their parents.

Sue Jones Davies is more memorable than Judith Iscariot. Although Judith brought her to millions of viewers, her decades in Aberystwyth reveal a Welsh performer who turned her artistic career into a life steeped in language, music, family, and community.

FAQ

Who is Sue Jones Davies?

Sue Jones Davies is a Welsh actress, singer, musician, and former local politician best known internationally for playing Judith Iscariot in Monty Python’s Life of Brian in 1979.

When was Sue Jones Davies born?

Sue Jones Davies was born on January 1, 1949, in Wales. She grew up in Dinas Cross in Pembrokeshire.

Who was Sue Jones Davies married to?

She was married to actor and writer Chris Langham, whom she met while studying at the University of Bristol. They later separated, and Sue moved to Aberystwyth with their three sons.

How many children does Sue Jones Davies have?

Sue Jones Davies has three sons with Chris Langham: Siencyn Langham, Dafydd Jones Davies, and Glyn Langham.

What happened to Chris Langham?

Chris Langham died from pancreatic cancer on June 24, 2026, aged 77. He had remarried after his relationship with Sue Jones Davies ended.

What is Cusan Tân?

Cusan Tân, meaning “Kiss of Fire” in Welsh, is a Welsh language acoustic and folk duo formed by Sue Jones Davies and Ann Morgan Jones around 1990 in Aberystwyth.

How many Cusan Tân albums were released?

The duo’s principal albums were Cusan Tân / Kiss of Fire, released in 1992, and Esgair / The Ridge, released in 1995.

Who played Judith Iscariot in Life of Brian?

Sue Jones Davies played Judith Iscariot in Monty Python’s Life of Brian, one of her most recognizable acting roles.

Was Sue Jones Davies the Mayor of Aberystwyth?

Yes. She served as Mayor of Aberystwyth from June 2008 until May 2009 and was also active as a Plaid Cymru town councillor.

What is Sue Jones Davies known for besides acting?

Beyond acting, she is known for Welsh language music with Cusan Tân, local politics, yoga teaching, arts-centre work, and community involvement in Aberystwyth.

Did Sue Jones Davies receive an honorary university degree?

Yes. Aberystwyth University awarded her an Honorary Bachelor of Arts degree in 2018, following earlier recognition connected with her promotion of Welsh language use within her family.

Available next action: Create a downloadable DOCX file here in this chat containing the editable prose above