Lesley Manville
Lesley Manville
Lesley Manville OBE is an English actress of film, theatre and television who frequently collaborates with director Mike Leigh. For her work in his 2002 film All or Nothing and his 2010 film Another Year, she won the London Film Critics Circle Award for British Actress of the Year. For the latter, she also won the National Board of Review Award for Best Actress and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionMovie Actress
Date of Birth12 March 1956
america directors england love reached work
I've reached a point in England where you can't go much further; I would love to come to America and work with some of the interesting directors here.
job
It would never occur to me not to look dreadful if that's the job description.
relationship
The thing is, when you have a child with someone, like it or not, you're going to have to have a continuing relationship with them.
amazing best career england heard kevin national possibly roles runs sure theater work
The thing is this: I've got an amazing career in England that couldn't possibly get much better. I do the best theater around, I work at the National Theater, the Old Vic - which I'm sure you've heard of because it's the one Kevin Spacey runs - and I play the most amazing roles and work with the most amazing directors.
given invited
I got invited to what's called the Gifting Suite in Toronto. I had the day off, so I thought I'd go and see what's what. You come out laden with wonderful stuff. Apparently, if you go to the Oscars, you get given things like iPads. Not that I'm in it for the swag.
directors love open pay work
I'd love it if doors open for me in America. There are directors I'd love to work with there. I'll always do theater, but I've got to pay the mortgage.
allowed lightly looked might women
One of the significant things that's happened, which shouldn't be looked at as lightly as it might sound, is that women over 45, over 50, are now allowed to be sexy.
anyone gone leigh mike opened overnight played school until
I had left school at 16, gone to stage school - and, until I was 22, I hadn't really played anyone but myself. Then in 1979, I made a film with Mike Leigh called 'Grownups,' which went out on the BBC, and overnight this new career opened up.
fly forehead needle stick stuff
I hate that thing that if you are over 45, and you're going to be on telly or make films, you have to do all this stupid stuff to your face. I would no more let someone stick a needle in my forehead than fly to the moon.
aged found god gone leigh meeting mike people quite second stage
I had two starts, really. The first was going to the Italia Conti stage school, aged 15. I'd gone to sing, but one day I found myself doing an improvisation and thought, 'Oh God, I quite like this acting thing.' The second start was meeting Mike Leigh when I was 22. He showed me I could play people that weren't like me.
clear good
When I was eight, it was clear I was a very good singer.
improvise kitty point
For Kitty Gilbert in 'Topsy-Turvy,' I had to get to the point where I could improvise in the style of 1880, which is difficult. The research for that was huge.
chameleon life normally quite work
I'm quite chameleon in my work - not normally looking much like I do in real life.
food love
I'm fascinated by food. Food is love, isn't it?