Lesley Manville is one of Britain’s most celebrated and versatile actresses, with a career spanning more than four decades across theatre, film, and television. From her early collaborations with director Mike Leigh to earning an Academy Award nomination and now a Tony Award win, Manville has built a body of work that places her firmly among the finest performers of her generation. This complete guide covers all of Lesley Manville’s most notable movies and TV shows — including her latest projects as of 2026.
Who Is Lesley Manville?
<invoke name=”br” />Born on March 12, 1956, in Brighton, East Sussex, England, Lesley Ann Manville CBE is a multi-award-winning actress of stage, screen, and television. Her film debut came in 1985 with Dance with a Stranger, but it was her long creative partnership with director Mike Leigh that defined much of her early critical reputation. Over the years, she has expanded far beyond British indie cinema, taking on major Hollywood productions, prestige television, and leading stage roles in London’s West End and on Broadway. She holds the distinctions of OBE (2015) and CBE (2021), both awarded for her services to drama and charity.
Lesley Manville Movies: The Complete Film Career
Early Career and Mike Leigh Collaborations
Manville’s most formative film work came through her partnership with Mike Leigh. She appeared in Grown-Ups (1980), their first collaboration, before going on to feature in some of Leigh’s most acclaimed films:
- Secrets & Lies (1996) — A landmark British drama that won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. Manville played Monica, a tightly wound accountant whose comfortable life is disrupted when her husband’s illegitimate daughter resurfaces.
- Topsy-Turvy (1999) — A richly detailed historical drama about Gilbert and Sullivan. Manville appeared in a supporting role in this widely praised period piece.
- All or Nothing (2002) — A bleak yet moving drama about working-class London life, in which Manville delivered one of her most emotionally raw performances.
- Vera Drake (2004) — This BAFTA-winning film tackled the subject of illegal abortions in 1950s England. Manville played an important supporting role alongside Imelda Staunton’s tour-de-force central performance.
- Another Year (2010) — Widely considered one of Leigh’s finest films, Manville played Mary, a lonely and emotionally fragile woman whose desperation and neediness make for one of the most heartbreaking performances in modern British cinema. The role earned her widespread critical acclaim.
- Mr. Turner (2014) — Manville appeared in this biographical drama about painter J.M.W. Turner, directed by Mike Leigh and starring Timothy Spall.
Hollywood and Mainstream Films
Beyond her work with Leigh, Manville broke into mainstream Hollywood with a series of high-profile roles:
- Maleficent (2014) — Manville joined the Disney fantasy blockbuster starring Angelina Jolie, playing one of the three good fairies. She reprised the role in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019).
- Phantom Thread (2017) — This is perhaps her most celebrated film performance. Playing Cyril, the steely and loyal sister to Daniel Day-Lewis’s eccentric fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock, Manville earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and a BAFTA nomination. The Paul Thomas Anderson film is widely regarded as a modern classic.
- Hampstead (2017) — A romantic drama in which Manville starred opposite Diane Keaton.
- Ordinary Love (2019) — A deeply moving film about a couple navigating a breast cancer diagnosis. Manville starred alongside Liam Neeson in a performance that earned widespread praise for its quiet emotional power.
- Misbehaviour (2020) — Set around the 1970 Miss World contest, this period drama saw Manville play the mother of one of the activists who disrupted the event.
- Let Him Go (2020) — Manville starred in this American neo-Western thriller opposite Kevin Costner and Diane Lane, playing a menacing rural matriarch. Her chilling performance was one of the film’s most talked-about elements.
- Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022) — Manville took the lead role in this charming period drama as Ada Harris, a London cleaning lady who saves up to buy a Dior gown. She also served as a producer on the film, and the performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination.
- Back to Black (2024) — Manville appeared in this biographical drama about Amy Winehouse, playing a supporting role.
- The Critic (2024) — A period film in which Manville appeared alongside Ian McKellen.
- Queer (2024) — Luca Guadagnino’s award-nominated film premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Manville appeared in a supporting role in this dreamy, visually striking drama starring Daniel Craig.
- Midwinter Break (2026) — Directed by Polly Findlay and based on Bernard MacLaverty’s novel, this drama stars Manville opposite Ciarán Hinds as a married couple on a winter holiday to Belgium. The film was released in the United States in February 2026 and in the United Kingdom in March 2026 to strong critical reception.
Upcoming Films
Manville’s film slate remains extraordinarily busy heading into late 2026 and beyond:
- Jack of Spades (2026) — An American Gothic mystery film written and directed by Joel Coen. The film stars Josh O’Connor, Frances McDormand, Lesley Manville, and Damian Lewis, with music by Carter Burwell. It is one of the most anticipated films of the year.
- Cold Storage (2025/2026) — An action-comedy sci-fi film in which Manville stars opposite Liam Neeson.
- Winter of the Crow — Another upcoming project with few details yet confirmed.
- Mr. Burton (2025) — A drama about Richard Burton’s formative years, with Manville in a supporting role alongside Toby Jones and Harry Lawtey.
- Monster: The Ed Gein Story (2025) — Manville played Bernice Worden opposite Charlie Hunnam as Ed Gein in this true-crime drama, earning praise for her creepy yet compelling performance.
Lesley Manville TV Shows: A Career on the Small Screen
Early Television Work
Manville’s television career stretches back to the mid-1970s. Her first notable TV role came in 1975 on the long-running ITV soap opera Emmerdale Farm. She later appeared in Kavanagh Q.C., Midsomer Murders, and Law & Order: UK, among many other British productions.
Major TV Roles and Acclaimed Series
- North & South (2004) — Manville appeared in this beloved BBC adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel, which starred Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe. The series remains one of the most highly regarded BBC period dramas of the 2000s.
- Cranford (2007) — Another acclaimed BBC period piece, based on the works of Elizabeth Gaskell, featuring an ensemble British cast.
- Ghosts (2014) — Not to be confused with the later BBC comedy, Manville appeared in this 2014 drama production.
- Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond (2014) — A biographical miniseries about the creator of James Bond.
- Mum (2016–2018) — Manville starred in this critically beloved BBC Two sitcom as Cathy, a widow navigating life after her husband’s death. The series ran for three seasons and became one of the most warmly received British comedies of the decade, celebrated for its understated warmth and gentle humour.
- Harlots (2017–2019) — Manville played Lady Fitz in this Hulu period drama set in 18th-century London’s brothel world. The series was produced for ITV Encore in the UK and Hulu in the US.
- Save Me (2018) — A gritty British thriller in which Manville played a key supporting role.
- River (2015) — A distinctive BBC psychological crime drama starring Stellan Skarsgård. Manville appeared in this acclaimed series.
- World on Fire (2019) — A sweeping BBC/PBS drama set during the early years of the Second World War. Manville played a significant role in this multi-strand historical epic.
- Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads (2020) — Manville starred in a revival of Alan Bennett’s iconic BBC monologue series, delivering a standout performance in one of its celebrated segments.
- The Crown (Season 4, 2020) — Manville portrayed Princess Margaret in the fourth season of Netflix’s prestige royal drama. Her performance earned her both an Emmy nomination and a BAFTA nomination.
- Magpie Murders (2022) — Manville starred as Susan Ryeland, a book editor drawn into a real-life murder mystery, in this PBS Masterpiece and BBC adaptation of Anthony Horowitz’s novel. The series was a major hit with critics and audiences alike.
- Life After Life (2022) — Manville appeared in this BBC adaptation of Kate Atkinson’s celebrated novel, starring alongside Thomasin McKenzie.
- Sherwood (2022–2024) — A gripping BBC crime drama set in a Nottinghamshire mining community, exploring the long shadow of the 1984 miners’ strike. Manville played a central role in this standout British series.
- Moonflower Murders (2024) — The sequel to Magpie Murders, again starring Manville as Susan Ryeland and Timothy McMullan as detective Atticus Pünd. The six-part series aired on BBC One and PBS Masterpiece in autumn 2024 to strong reviews.
- Disclaimer (2024) — Alfonso Cuarón’s acclaimed Apple TV+ psychological thriller series. Manville starred alongside Cate Blanchett in this visually stunning and critically praised miniseries.
- Grotesquerie (2024) — Ryan Murphy’s FX horror drama series in which Manville played the deeply unsettling Nurse Redd opposite Niecy Nash. Critics praised her performance as one of the most memorable and genuinely creepy in the series, noting her ability to make even polite dialogue feel menacing.
Recent and Upcoming TV Projects
- Monster: The Ed Gein Story (2025) — Though primarily a miniseries, this Ryan Murphy–style true-crime drama brought Manville to audiences as Bernice Worden.
- Marble Hall Murders (2026) — The third and final instalment in the Magpie/Moonflower/Marble Hall trilogy for PBS Masterpiece and BBC. Manville and Timothy McMullan reprise their roles as Susan Ryeland and Atticus Pünd. Filming took place from March 2025 in Dublin, Corfu, and London. The series is set to premiere on PBS on September 6, 2026.
- Citadel Season 2 — Manville is set to appear in the second season of Amazon Prime Video’s action-spy thriller series Citadel.
Awards and Recognition
Lesley Manville’s career has been marked by consistent recognition from the industry’s top awards bodies:
- Academy Award nomination — Best Supporting Actress for Phantom Thread (2018)
- BAFTA nominations — Multiple, including for Phantom Thread and The Crown
- Emmy nomination — Outstanding Supporting Actress for The Crown
- Golden Globe nomination — Best Actress for Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris
- Olivier Award — Best Actress (2025) for Oedipus at Wyndham’s Theatre
- Tony Award — Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play (2026) for Oedipus on Broadway
- CBE — Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2021 for her services to drama and charity
FAQ: Lesley Manville Movies and TV Shows
Q: What is Lesley Manville most famous for? Lesley Manville is most widely known for her Oscar-nominated performance in Phantom Thread (2017), her role as Princess Margaret in The Crown, and her lead roles in the Magpie Murders trilogy for PBS Masterpiece and BBC.
Q: Did Lesley Manville win an Oscar? No, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Phantom Thread (2017) but did not win. However, she has won a Tony Award (2026) and an Olivier Award (2025) for her stage work.
Q: What is Lesley Manville’s latest project in 2026? Her most prominent recent projects include Midwinter Break (released in early 2026), the upcoming Joel Coen film Jack of Spades, and the forthcoming PBS/BBC series Marble Hall Murders, premiering September 6, 2026.
Q: Is Lesley Manville in The Crown? Yes. Lesley Manville played Princess Margaret in Season 4 of The Crown (2020), earning Emmy and BAFTA nominations for her performance.
Q: What is the Magpie Murders trilogy? The trilogy refers to three PBS Masterpiece and BBC miniseries adapted from Anthony Horowitz’s Susan Ryeland novels: Magpie Murders (2022), Moonflower Murders (2024), and Marble Hall Murders (premiering September 2026), all starring Lesley Manville as Susan Ryeland.
Q: What streaming services can I watch Lesley Manville on? Her work is available across multiple platforms including Netflix (The Crown), Apple TV+ (Disclaimer), Hulu (Harlots), PBS Masterpiece (Magpie Murders, Moonflower Murders), and FX/Hulu (Grotesquerie), among others.
Q: Has Lesley Manville worked with Mike Leigh? Yes, extensively. Their collaborations include Secrets & Lies, Topsy-Turvy, All or Nothing, Vera Drake, Another Year, and Mr. Turner, among others.
Whether you are a lifelong fan or newly discovering her work, there has never been a better time to explore Lesley Manville’s extraordinary filmography — and with Marble Hall Murders, Jack of Spades, and Citadel Season 2 all on the horizon, the best may still be yet to come.
Which Lesley Manville performance is your all-time favourite — drop your pick in the comments below and let us know which of her upcoming projects you’re most excited about!