Lesley Manville | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Manville at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival | |
| Born | Lesley Ann Manville (1956-03-12)12 March 1956 (age 69) |
| Alma mater | Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
Lesley Ann Manville[1] (born 12 March 1956)[2] is an English actress. Known for her performances on stage and screen, she has received various accolades, including twoLaurence Olivier Awards and nominations for anAcademy Award, twoBritish Academy Film Awards, fiveBritish Academy Television Awards, aGolden Globe Award, and aPrimetime Emmy Award.
She has acted in eight ofMike Leigh's films includingGrown-Ups (1980),High Hopes (1988),Secrets & Lies (1996),Topsy-Turvy (1999),All or Nothing (2002),Vera Drake (2004),Another Year (2010), andMr. Turner (2014). For her role in thePaul Thomas Anderson romance dramaPhantom Thread (2017) she was nominated for anAcademy Award andBritish Academy Film Award. She has also acted in the filmsDance with a Stranger (1985),High Season (1987),Maleficent (2014),Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019),Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022), andQueer (2024).
On television, she acted inEmmerdale Farm (1975–1976) andCranford (2007). She garnered fiveBritish Academy Television Award nominations for her roles inRiver (2015),Mum (2016–19),Sherwood (2022–24), andThe Crown (2022–23). She earned aPrimetime Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal ofPrincess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon in theNetflix historical drama seriesThe Crown.[3] A four-timeLaurence Olivier Award nominee, she has won theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actress twice forGhosts (2014) andOedipus (2025).
Manville was born inBrighton,East Sussex, the daughter of Norma (known as Jean), a formerballet dancer, and Ron Manville, ataxi driver.[4][5] She was brought up in nearbyHove, the youngest of three daughters.[6][7] Training as asoprano singer from age 8, she was twice under-18 champion of Sussex.[6] She began acting as a teenager, appearing in television series such asKing Cinder. At age 15, she gained a place at theItalia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.[8][9]
After turning down teacherArlene Phillips's invitation to join her new dance troupeHot Gossip, she was taughtimprovisation by Italia Conti teacher Julia Carey.[6][7][9] She made her professional stage debut in the 1972West End musicalI and Albert directed byJohn Schlesinger. She paid for her first flat by landing a part in theITVsoap operaEmmerdale Farm (1975–76), in which she appeared in 80 episodes.[6]
Manville built a career as a distinctive theatre actress; from 1978 she appeared in new plays at theRoyal Shakespeare Company's Warehouse andRoyal Court Theatre.[10] She metMike Leigh in 1979, when he was looking for RSC actors who could improvise.[7]
In the 1980s, her work for the Royal Court includedAndrea Dunbar'sRita, Sue and Bob Too (1981) andCaryl Churchill'sTop Girls (1982), andSerious Money (1987). She also starred in theTop GirlsOff-Broadway production in the US in 1983. For the RSC, she starred inAs You Like It (1985) andLes Liaisons Dangereuses (1985–86).
She made her film debut in 1985 withDance with a Stranger, directed byMike Newell, and telling the story ofRuth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain. She also appeared inSammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987) directed byStephen Frears, andHigh Season (1987). Back on the stage, she starred inThe Cherry Orchard at theAldwych Theatre in 1989, directed bySam Mendes, and inThree Sisters at the Royal Court in 1990.
In 1994, Manville starred in the first series of theBBC sitcomAin't Misbehavin'. For her work in the 2000 miniseriesOther People's Children, and the 2002 TV filmBodily Harm, she received nominations for Best Female Actor at theRoyal Television Society Awards.[11][12]
Her extensive television credits include prominent roles in the dramasHolding On (1997),Real Women (1998–99),The Cazalets (2001),North & South (2004) andCranford (2007).[13] She also starred inCards on the Table, a 2006 feature-length episode ofAgatha Christie's Poirot.
Since 2005, Manville has starred in severalNational Theatre productions, includingHis Dark Materials (2005),The Alchemist (2006), andHer Naked Skin (2008). She also starred inThe Old Vic productions ofAll About My Mother (2007) andSix Degrees of Separation (2010). In 2009, she playedMargaret Thatcher in theChannel 4 dramaThe Queen.
Manville has appeared in numerous Mike Leigh films throughout her career, includingHigh Hopes (1988),Secrets & Lies (1996),Topsy-Turvy (1999),Vera Drake (2004) andMr. Turner (2014). Her most notable Mike Leigh films areAll or Nothing in 2002 andAnother Year in 2010. For each, she won theLondon Film Critics' Circle Award for British Actress of the Year.[14]
ForAnother Year, she also won theNational Board of Review Award for Best Actress, and was nominated for theBritish Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actress and theEuropean Film Award for Best Actress, as well as theChicago Film Critics Award for Best Actress.[15][16] She won Best Supporting Actress from theSan Diego Film Critics Society.[17] On 18 January 2011, she received aBAFTA nomination in theBest Supporting Actress category.[18] On 7 February 2011, formerCharlie's Angels starsJaclyn Smith andCheryl Ladd presented the Best Actress Award to her at the "Movies for Grownups Awards".[19]
In 2011, Manville starred in Mike Leigh's playGrief at theNational Theatre, which earned her aBest ActressOlivier Award nomination.[20] For her role as Helene Alving in the 2013 revival of theIbsen playGhosts, she won the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Actress and theCritics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress.[21][22] She also appeared in the filmsRomeo and Juliet (2013) andMaleficent (2014).
In 2015, she starred oppositeStellan Skarsgård in the BBC dramaRiver, which earned her a nomination for the 2016BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress. She starred oppositePeter Mullan in the BBC sitcomMum, for which she was nominated for theBAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance in 2017 and 2019.[23] In 2017, Manville played Lydia Quigley, the ruthless madam of a posh brothel with clients from the judiciary, nobility, and upper echelons of Georgian society, in the BBC seriesHarlots.
InPaul Thomas Anderson's 2017 period filmPhantom Thread, Manville played Cyril Woodcock, the sister of the dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock, played byDaniel Day-Lewis. For her role, she was nominated for theAcademy Award andBAFTA for Best Supporting Actress.[24] In 2020, she played the villainous and intimidating matriarch of an 'off the grid' family in the neo-western thrillerLet Him Go, oppositeDiane Lane andKevin Costner. During that year, she was cast asPrincess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon for the final two seasons ofThe Crown.[25][26][27][28]
Manville was appointedCommander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the2021 New Year Honours for services to drama and charity.[29]
In 2022, Manville starred in theAnthony Horowitz murder mystery series,Magpie Murders,[30] alongsideDaniel Mays,Alexandros Logothetis,Jude Hill, andClaire Rushbrook.[31][32][33][34] Manville also played the role of the titular character inMrs. Harris Goes to Paris. She received a nomination for theGolden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for her performance in this film.[35]
In January 2023, it was announced that Manville was added to the cast of theAmy Winehouse biopicBack to Black (2024) and would be playing Winehouse's grandmother Cynthia Winehouse.[36]
In 2024, she playedJocasta inOedipus atWyndham's Theatre, directed byRobert Icke.[37] For her performance, she won theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actress. Manville will make herBroadway theatre debut when the production transfers toStudio 54 in October 2025.[38]
Manville's first boyfriend was actor and formerBlue Peter presenterPeter Duncan whom she met at stage school while attendingItalia Conti.[39]
Her first husband was actorGary Oldman. The pair split in 1989, three months after their son, Alfie (b. 1988), was born.[7][40] Her second marriage was to actorJoe Dixon.[7] In 2007, Manville was living with her son inEast Grinstead,West Sussex.[9]
Manville's sister Brenda, nine years her senior, died of abrain tumour. Her sister's husband and two daughters died ofHuntington's disease.[41]
In 2020, she delivered a monologue for the Equity Benevolent Fund to support fellow actors during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[42]
Manville was appointedOfficer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the2015 Birthday Honours for services to drama,[43] and promoted toCommander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the2021 New Year Honours for services to drama and charity.[44][45]
In February 2024, she was the guest on BBC Radio 4'sDesert Island Discs, where her choices included "Over the Rainbow" recorded byEva Cassidy, "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" recorded byDusty Springfield and "Make You Feel My Love" recorded byAdele.[41]
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Dance with a Stranger | Maryanne | |
| Christmas Present | Judy Tall | ||
| 1987 | Sammy and Rosie Get Laid | Margy | |
| High Season | Carol | ||
| 1988 | High Hopes | Lætitia Boothe-Braine | |
| 1996 | Secrets & Lies | Jenny Ford the Social Worker | |
| 1997 | Dual Balls | Joanna | Short film |
| 1999 | Milk | Fiona | |
| Topsy-Turvy | Lucy Gilbert (Kitty) | ||
| Toy Boys | Mrs. Allen | Short film | |
| 2002 | All or Nothing | Penny | |
| 2004 | Vera Drake | Mrs. Wells | |
| 2005 | The Great Ecstasy of Robert Carmichael | Sarah Carmichael | |
| 2007 | Richard Is My Boyfriend | Mother | |
| Sparkle | Jill | ||
| 2008 | The Escort | Lesley | Short film |
| 2009 | A Christmas Carol | Mrs. Cratchit (voice) | |
| Suicide Man | Councillor Deakins | Short film | |
| 2010 | Another Year | Mary | |
| Womb | Judith | RetitledClone for its UK DVD release | |
| 2012 | Spike Island | Margaret Titchfield | |
| Ashes | Cath | ||
| 2013 | Romeo & Juliet | The Nurse | |
| A Five Star Life | Kate Sherman | ||
| The Christmas Candle | Bea Haddington | ||
| 2014 | Ghosts | Helene Alving | |
| Maleficent | Flittle | ||
| Mr. Turner | Mary Somerville | ||
| 2015 | Molly Moon and the Incredible Book of Hypnotism | Miss Adderstone | |
| 2016 | Domestic Policy | Short film | |
| Rupture | Dr. Nyman | ||
| 2017 | Hampstead | Fiona | |
| The Agency | Anthea | Short film | |
| Phantom Thread | Cyril Woodcock | ||
| 2019 | Ordinary Love | Joan | |
| Maleficent: Mistress of Evil | Flittle | ||
| 2020 | Misbehaviour | Dolores Hope | |
| Let Him Go | Blanche Weboy | ||
| 2021 | Everything I Ever Wanted to Tell My Daughter About Men | The Mother | |
| 2022 | Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris | Ada Harris | Also executive producer |
| 2023 | The Critic | Annabel Land | [46] |
| 2024 | Back to Black | Cynthia Levy | [36] |
| Queer | Dr. Cotter | [47] | |
| 2025 | Mr Burton | Ma Smith | |
| Winter of the Crow | Dr. Joan Andrews | ||
| 2026 | Cold Storage† | Post-production | |
| TBD | Jack of Spades† | TBA | Filming[48] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Village Hall | Merle | Episode 6: "Dancing in the Dark" |
| Softly, Softly: Task Force | Janet | Series 6; Episode 5: "Pop Goes the Weasel" | |
| 1975 | Barlow | Christine West | Series 4; Episode 8: "Protection" |
| 1975–1976 | Emmerdale Farm | Rosemary Kendall | 79 episodes |
| 1976 | The Emigrants | Janice Parker | Episodes 1–3 |
| 1977 | Leap in the Dark | Julie | Series 3; Episode 2: "The Fetch" |
| King Cinder | Nikki | Episodes 1–6 | |
| 1977–1978 | A Bunch of Fives | Helen Wyatt | Series 1 & 2; 14 episodes |
| 1978 | Wings | Francoise | Series 2; Episode 6: "Dawn Attack" |
| General Hospital | Tina Butler | Series 5; Episode 10: "Blood and Water" | |
| 1980 | The Gentle Touch | Shirley Davis | Series 2; Episodes 5 & 7: "Hammer" and "Loyalties" |
| BBC2 Playhouse | Mandy | Series 7; Episode 5: "Grown-Ups" | |
| 1982 | Objects of Affection | Liz | Episode 1: "Our Winnie" |
| Coronation Street | Jill Mason | 4 episodes | |
| 1983 | Give Us a Break | Alma | Episode 5: "One Good Stroke Deserves Another" |
| 1984 | Sharing Time | June | Episode 4: "High Hopes" |
| Play for Today | Vivienne | Series 14; Episode 10: "Dog Ends" | |
| Angels in the Annexe | Jenny Bailey | Television film | |
| 1985 | Doctors' Dilemmas | Jessica Schofield | Series 2; Episode 4: "You Want Me to Be Dirty and Fat" |
| Bulman | Karen Tait | Series 1; Episode 5: "The Name of the Game" | |
| The Moon Over Soho | Sally Spencer | Television film | |
| 1989 | Screen Two | Sue Bissel | Series 5; Episode 8: "The Firm" |
| 1991 | Performance | Marlene | Series 1; Episode 5: "Top Girls" |
| 1992 | ScreenPlay | Penny Armitage | Series 7; Episode 3: "Bad Girl" |
| Soldier Soldier | Rachel Elliot (later Fortune) | Series 2; 5 episodes | |
| 1993 | The Mushroom Picker | Margot | Mini-series; Episodes 1–3 |
| A Statement of Affairs | Carol | Mini-series; Episode 1 | |
| Goggle-Eyes | Rosalind Killin | Mini-series; Episodes 1–4 | |
| Crime Story | Gail | Series 2; Episode 2: "When the Lies Run Out: The Ian Spiro Story" | |
| 1994 | Screen Two | Sophie | Series 10; Episode 5: "O Mary This London" |
| Ain't Misbehavin' | Melissa Quigley | Series 1; Episodes 1–6 | |
| Little Napoleons | Judith Silver | Mini-series; Episodes 1–4 | |
| A Skirt Through History | Bessie Parkes | Episode 2: "A Lady's Portion" | |
| 1995 | Tears Before Bedtime | Beattie Freeman | Episodes 1–4 |
| 1996 | The Bite | Ellie Shannon | Mini-series; Episodes 1 & 2 |
| Kavanagh QC | Lucy Cartwright | Series 2; Episode 1: "The Commitment" | |
| 1997 | Holding On | Hilary | Mini-series; Episodes 2–8 |
| Painted Lady | Susie Peel | Television film | |
| 1998 | Silent Witness | Suzy Franklin | Series 3; Episodes 3 & 4: "Fallen Idol: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1998–1999 | Real Women | Karen Turner | Series 1 & 2; 7 episodes |
| 2000 | Other People's Children | Nadine | Episodes 2 & 3 |
| Black Cab | Yvonne | Episode 2: "Lost & Found" | |
| David Copperfield | Mrs. Micawber | Television film | |
| 2001 | The Cazalets | Villy Cazalet | Episodes 1–6 |
| 2002 | Bodily Harm | Mandy Greenfield | Mini-series; Episodes 1 & 2 |
| Plain Jane | Dora Bruce | Television film | |
| 2003 | Promoted to Glory | Capt. Annie Sullivan | Television film |
| 2004 | Rose and Maloney | Professor Diane Marquis | Series 2; Episodes 3 & 4: "Katie Phelan: Parts 1 & 2" |
| North & South | Maria Hale | Mini-series; Episodes 1–3 | |
| 2005 | Agatha Christie's Poirot | Mrs. Lorrimer | Series 10; Episode 2: "Cards on the Table" |
| 2006 | Perfect Parents | Sister Antonia | Television film |
| 2007 | Richard Is My Boyfriend | Michelle | Television film |
| Cranford | Mrs. Rose | Series 1; Episodes 1–5 | |
| 2009 | The Queen | Margaret Thatcher | Episode 3: "The Rivals" |
| 2009, 2011 | Law & Order: UK | Phyllis Gladstone | Series 1; Episodes 3 & 7, and Series 5; Episode 4 |
| 2010 | Playhouse: Live | Meryl | Episode 2: "Ghost Story" |
| 2011 | Midsomer Murders | Phoebe Archbold | Series 13; Episode 8: "Fit for Murder" |
| 2013 | An Adventure in Space and Time | Heather Hartnell | Television film |
| Mayday | Gail Spicer | Mini-series; Episodes 1–5 | |
| My Hero | Herself - Narrator | Episodes 1–3 | |
| 2014 | Fleming | Evelyn St. Croix Fleming | Mini-series; Episodes 1–4 |
| 2015 | Timeshift | Herself - Narrator | Series 15; Episode 2: "A Very British Map: The Ordnance Survey Story" |
| The Go-Between | Mrs. Maudsley | Television film | |
| River | DCI Chrissie Read | Mini-series; Episodes 1–6 | |
| A Very British Brothel | Herself - Narrator | Television documentary film | |
| 2015–2016 | CBeebies Bedtime Stories | Herself - Storyteller | 5 episodes |
| 2016–2019 | Mum | Cathy | Main role. Series 1–3; 18 episodes |
| 2017–2019 | Harlots | Lydia Quigley | Series 1–3; 24 episodes |
| 2018 | To Provide All People | Consultant Psychiatrist | Television film |
| 2019–2023 | World on Fire | Robina Chase | Series 1 & 2; 13 episodes |
| 2020 | Save Me Too | Jennifer Charles | Series 2; Episodes 1–4 |
| Love Life | Herself / Narrator | Main role | |
| Talking Heads 3 | Susan | Episode 8: "Bed Among the Lentils" | |
| 2021 | I Am... | Maria | Series 2; Episode 3: "I Am Maria" |
| 2022 | Magpie Murders | Susan Ryeland | Episodes 1–6 (also executive producer) |
| Life After Life | Herself - Narrator | Episodes 1–4 | |
| Dangerous Liaisons | Genevieve de Merteuil | Episodes 1 & 2: "Love or War" and "Conquer of Die"[49] | |
| 2022–23 | The Crown | Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon | Series 5-6 |
| 2022–24 | Sherwood | Julie Jackson | Series 1 & 2; 11 episodes |
| 2023 | Citadel | Dahlia Archer | Main role[50] |
| Who Do You Think You Are? | Herself | Series 20; Episode 9: "Lesley Manville"[51] | |
| 2024 | Disclaimer | Nancy Brigstocke | Miniseries[52][53] |
| Moonflower Murders | Susan Ryeland | Lead role[54] | |
| Grotesquerie | Nurse Redd | Main role | |
| 2025 | Monster: The Ed Gein Story | Bernice Worden |
| Year | Title | Role | Director | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Savage Amusement | Ali | John Caird | RSC – Warehouse |
| The Sons of Light | Sister Croy | Ron Daniels | RSC – Warehouse | |
| 1980 | Fear of the Dark | Jen | Walter Donohue | Royal Shakespeare Company |
| 1981 | Chorus Girls | Performer | Adrian Shergold | Theatre Royal, Stratford East |
| 1978 | Who Needs Enemies? | Second Student | Walter Donohue | RSC – Warehouse |
| 1981 | Borderline | Susan, Valerie | Max Stafford-Clark | Royal Court |
| Rita, Sue and Bob Too | Sue | Andrea Dunbar | Royal Court Theatre, London | |
| 1982 | Top Girls | Patient Griselda | Caryl Churchill | The Public Theater, Off-Broadway |
| 1983 | Falkland Sound | Performer | Max Stafford-Clark | Royal Court Theatre, London |
| 1984 | The Pope's Wedding | Pat | Max Stafford-Clark | Royal Court Theatre, London |
| Saved | Liz | Danny Boyle | Royal Court Theatre, London | |
| 1985 | Philistines | Polya | — | Royal Shakespeare Company, London |
| The Dead Monkey | Dolores | Roger Michell | Royal Shakespeare Company, London | |
| 1985–1986 | As You Like It | Phebe | Adrian Noble | Royal Shakespeare Theatre, London |
| 1986 | Les Liaisons Dangereuses | Cécile | Howard Davies | Barbican Centre, London |
| 1989 | Serious Money | Scilla | Max Stafford-Clark | Royal Court Theatre, London |
| American Bagpipes | Sandra | Lindsay Posner | Royal Court Theatre, London | |
| The Cherry Orchard | Varya | Sam Mendes | Aldwych Theatre, London | |
| 1990 | Three Sisters | Natasha | Adrian Noble | Royal Court Theatre, London |
| Miss Julie | Miss Julie | — | Greenwich Theatre | |
| 2005 | Some Girl(s) | Lindsay | David Grindley | Gielgud Theatre[55] |
| His Dark Materials | Mrs. Coulter | Nicholas Hytner | National Theatre, London | |
| 2006 | Pillars of the Community | Lona | Marianne Elliott | Lyttelton, NT, London |
| The Alchemist | Dol Common | Nicholas Hytner | National Theatre, London | |
| 2007 | All About My Mother | Manuela | Tom Cairns | The Old Vic, London |
| 2008 | Her Naked Skin | Celia Cain | Nicholas Hytner | National Theatre, London |
| 2010 | Six Degrees of Separation | Ouisa Kittredge | David Grindley | The Old Vic, London |
| 2011 | Grief | Dorothy | Mike Leigh | National Theatre, London |
| 2013 | Ghosts | Helene Alving | Richard Eyre | Almeida Theatre, London |
| 2015 | The Illiad | Performer | Rupert Goold | Almeida Theatre, London |
| Ghosts | Helene Alving | Richard Eyre | Brooklyn Academy of Music | |
| 2016 | Long Day's Journey into Night | Mary Tyrone | Richard Eyre | Bristol Old Vic |
| 2018 | Wyndham's Theatre Brooklyn Academy of Music Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts | |||
| 2020 | The Visit | Claire Zachanassian | Jeremy Herrin | National Theatre, London |
| 2024 | Oedipus | Jocasta | Robert Icke | Wyndham's Theatre, London |
| 2025 | Studio 54 |
