Lesley Manville is a multi-awarding winning stage, film and television actress, known for her Tony award winning performance for Jocasta in OEDIPUS on Broadway, Emmy and BAFTA nominated role as Princess Margaret in THE CROWN and her Academy Award and BAFTA nominated role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s film PHANTOM THREAD.
Her recent theatre work includes her role in OEDIPUS, on Broadway. She won both an Olivier and Critics Circle Award for Best Actress in the West End last year for the for the London Wyndham’s Theatre run in 2025, in Robert Icke’s acclaimed adaptation. Lesley has just completed an on-stage run of Christopher Hampton’s LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES at the National Theatre in London.
Recent roles include Alfonso Cuarón’s DISCLAIMER for Apple and Ryan Murphy’s GROTESQUERIE. She featured in Luca Guadagnino’s award nominated QUEER, which premiered at Venice Film Festival. MR BURTON, opposite Toby Jones and Harry Lawtey and of late MIDWINTER BREAK for Focus Features opposite Ciarán Hinds.
Her further big screen roles include; MRS HARRIS GOES TO PARIS for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Upcoming roles include; JACK OF SPADES (2027) and WINTER OF THE CROW (summer 2026). For Television, she will reprise her role as Susan Ryeland in the third and final installment of Antony Horowitz’s Susan Ryeland Murder trilogy called MARBLE HALL MURDERS as well as her BAFTA nominated role in the BBC’s award winning SHERWOOD for a third season.
Lesley has worked extensively with director Mike Leigh. Most notably on ANOTHER YEAR for which she won the prestigious NBR Best Actress Award, The Critics Circle Award and also received BAFTA and BIFA nominations. Other films with Mike Leigh are ALL OR NOTHING (Critics Circle Best ActressAward), TOPSY-TURVY, MR TURNER, HIGH HOPES, SECRETS AND LIES, VERA DRAKE and GROWN UPS. Other films include, BACK TO BLACK, THE CRITIC, ORDINARY LOVE, LET HIM GO, MISBEHAVIOUR and both MALEFICENT films.
Amongst Lesley’s extensive television career, Lesley also starred in BBC’s MUM winning her an RTS Comedy Performance Award and 2 BAFTA nominations.
Other TV includes, CITADEL, MAGPIE MURDERS, I AM MARIA, HARLOTS, SAVE ME TOO, TALKING HEADS, WORLD ON FIRE, NORTH AND SOUTH, CRANFORD and OTHER PEOPLES’ CHILDREN and BODILY HARM, receiving RTS Best Actress nominations for both. TV roles yet to be released include; MOONFLOWER MURDERS and the second instalment of CITADEL for Amazon.
Theatre credits include; GHOSTS (Almeida, West End and BAM New York) for which she won a Best Actress Olivier Award and Critics Circle Award. She also received Best Actress Olivier nominations for LONG DAYS JOURNEY INTO NIGHT (Bristol Old Vic, Wyndham’s, BAM New York and LA) and GRIEF (National Theatre). Other recent theatre includes THE VISIT at the National Theatre and TALKING HEADS at The Bridge.
Her early career was dominated by work at the Royal Court Theatre working on new plays including TOP GIRLS, SERIOUS MONEY, RITA, SUE AND BOB TOO and BORDERLINE as well as classics such as THREE SISTERS, THE POPES WEDDING and SAVED. For the RSC, LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES, AS YOU LIKE IT, THE PHILISTINES and THE WIVES EXCUSE. For the National Theatre, HIS DARK MATERIALS, PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY, HER NAKED SKIN and THE ALCHEMIST. For The Old Vic, ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER and SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION. In the West End, THE CHERRY ORCHARD and SOME GIRLS.
Lesley was appointed an OBE in 2015 and promoted to CBE in 2021.
Headshot Photography Credit – Zoltán Tombor.
