Lesley Manville Biography: Child, Husband, Age, Net Worth, Siblings, Parents, Height, Ethnicity

Lesley Manville is an award-winning English actress known for her powerful performances on stage and screen.

Born on March 12, 1956, in Brighton, East Sussex, she trained at the Italia Conti Academy and began her career in British television before becoming a frequent collaborator with director Mike Leigh.

She gained international acclaim for her role in Phantom Thread (2017), earning an Academy Award nomination.

Profile

• Full Name: Lesley Ann Manville
• Stage Name: Lesley Manville
• Born: March 12, 1956
• Age: 69 years old
• Birthplace: Brighton, East Sussex, England
• Nationality: British
• Occupation: Actress
• Height: 5 feet 2 inches (1.57 m)
• Parent: Ron Manville (father), Jean Manville (mother)
• Siblings: Brenda Manville, Diana Manville
• Spouse: Gary Oldman
• Children: Alfie Oldman
• Relationship: Divorced
• Net Worth: $4 million

Early Life And Education

Lesley Ann Manville was born on March 12, 1956, in Brighton, East Sussex, England. She is 69 years old. She was raised in a working-class household by her father, Ron Manville, who worked as a taxi driver, and her mother, Jean Manville, a former ballet dancer. Lesley grew up alongside her two older sisters, Brenda Manville and Diana Manville.

She is of white British ethnicity and practices Christianity. From a young age, Lesley showed a strong interest in the performing arts. Initially trained as a soprano singer, she was twice named under-18 champion soprano in Sussex.

However, her focus later shifted from singing to acting. At the age of 15, she was accepted into the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London, a renowned institution known for producing talented performers. This formal training laid the foundation for her successful acting career.

Career

Lesley Manville’s acting career spans over four decades and includes acclaimed work in theatre, television, and film. She began in the 1970s with roles in British television series such as Emmerdale Farm and The Gentle Touch, quickly establishing herself as a versatile and compelling performer.

Her long-term collaboration with director Mike Leigh became a defining aspect of her career. She starred in several of his critically acclaimed films, including High Hopes (1988), Secrets & Lies (1996), All or Nothing (2002), Vera Drake (2004), and Another Year (2010), where her raw and layered performance as a lonely alcoholic earned widespread praise.

In 2017, Manville achieved international recognition for her role as Cyril Woodcock in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread, starring alongside Daniel Day-Lewis. Her performance earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and elevated her status in Hollywood.

Beyond film, she has had an extensive and celebrated theatre career, performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. She won an Olivier Award for Best Actress in 2014 for her role in Ghosts and has consistently received critical acclaim for her stage work.

On television, Manville became a household name in the UK for her role in the BAFTA-nominated sitcom Mum (2016–2019), where she played Cathy, a recently widowed woman navigating family life. In 2022, she joined the cast of Netflix’s The Crown, portraying Princess Margaret in its fifth and sixth seasons, delivering a complex and dignified performance.

Awards and Nominations

• Nominated: Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (Phantom Thread)
• Won: Olivier Award for Best Actress (Ghosts)
• BAFTA TV Award nominations for Mum
• Nominated: British Independent Film Awards for multiple Mike Leigh films
• Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2021 for services to drama

Personal Life

Award-winning English actress Lesley Manville was previously married to renowned actor and filmmaker Gary Oldman. The couple tied the knot in 1987 and welcomed a son, Alfie Oldman, that same year. However, their marriage ended in 1990, shortly after Alfie’s birth.

Despite the separation, Lesley and Gary maintained a respectful relationship while co-parenting their son. Years later, Manville entered another marriage with actor Joe Dixon. The two were married from 2000 until their separation in 2004. Lesley Manville stands at a height of 5 feet 2 inches (1.57 meters).

Filmography

Notable Filmography:

• High Hopes (1988)
• Secrets & Lies (1996)
• All or Nothing (2002)
• Vera Drake (2004)
• Another Year (2010)
• Phantom Thread (2017)
• Maleficent (2014)
• Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)
• Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022)
• The Crown (TV, 2022–2023)
• Mum (TV, 2016–2019)

Net Worth

Lesley Manville has an estimated net worth of $4 million. Her wealth comes primarily from her long-standing and successful career in acting, spanning film, television, and theatre.

She has earned significant income from her roles in critically acclaimed films such as Phantom Thread, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, and several collaborations with director Mike Leigh. Her performance in Phantom Thread alone brought her global recognition and led to higher-profile projects in both Hollywood and the UK.

In addition to film, her steady television work—particularly in series like Mum and The Crown—has contributed notably to her earnings. She also commands respected fees for stage performances, having worked with leading institutions like the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.