Lesley Manville (born 12 March 1956) is an English actress.

Born in Brighton, Manville was raised in Hove, East Sussex,^[1] one of two daughters of a taxi driver.^[1][2] Training as a soprano singer from aged eight, she became twice under18 champion of Sussex.^[1] She began acting as a teenager, appearing in television series such as the soap opera Emmerdale Farm(1974–1976) and King Cinder. As a result, aged 15 she gained a place at the Italia Conti Stage School.^[3]

After turning down teacher Arlene Phillips invitation to join her new dance troupe Hot Gossip,^[1][2][3] she was taught improvisation by Italia Conti teacher Julia Carey.^[1]

Her first job was in West End Theatre was the musical I and Albert directed by John Schlesinger,^[1] which was followed by television presentation on Westward Television's version of the BBC's Blue Peter. But Manville built a career as a distinct actress of theatre, appearing in new plays at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Warehouse and Royal Court Theatre. She played Sister Croy in The Sons of Light; Ali in Savage Amusement; Isabel in Trust Us and Lucy in Lucy Page's Lucy.

In 1979 she met Mike Leigh, who was looking for RSC actors who could improvise.^[2] She starred in the 1980 BBC play Grown-Ups. She subsequently appeared in the films High Hopes, Secrets & Lies, Topsy Turvy and All or Nothing.

Other film appearances include: Dance with a Stranger, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid, High Season and The Great Ecstasy of Robert Carmichael.

Manville has also remained active on television, with credits such as The Gentle Touch, Coronation Street, Bulman, Soldier Soldier, Ain't Misbehavin', Tears Before Bedtime, Kavanagh QC, Holding On, Silent Witness, Real Women, The Cazalets, and Cranford.

For her role as Nadine in the series Other People's Children, Manville received a nomination for Best Actress in the 2001 Royal Television Society Awards.

She met her first husband Gary Oldman while working at the Royal Court Theatre. Her left her in 1989, three months after their son, Alfie, was born. After the break-up of her second marriage to Joe Dixon, Manville is single “by choice.”^[2] Manville lives with her son in East Grinstead, East Sussex.^[3] Manville enjoys gardening, yoga and collecting antiques.^[3]

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