Few actors can claim a career as varied as Lesley Manville’s. From her early stage work to her acclaimed turn as Princess Margaret in Netflix’s The Crown, she has worked steadily for over five decades, earning a Tony Award and two Laurence Olivier Awards along the way.
Full Name: Lesley Ann Manville ·
Born: 12 March 1956 ·
Occupation: Actress ·
Notable Awards: Tony Award, 2 Olivier Awards ·
Known For: Princess Margaret in The Crown, Mike Leigh films ·
Upcoming Project: August: Osage County (2026)
Quick snapshot
- Married Gary Oldman from 1987 to 1990 (Entertainment Daily)
- Won a Tony Award and two Olivier Awards (Wikipedia – Awards section)
- Plays Princess Margaret in The Crown Seasons 5 & 6 (PBS Masterpiece)
- Current relationship status (no public confirmation)
- Exact net worth (unofficial estimates only)
- Full reasons for divorce from Gary Oldman (limited public detail)
- Exact year of son Alfie’s birth (reported as 1992, not verified)
- 1972: Professional debut (Wikipedia – Career)
- 1987–1990: Marriage to Gary Oldman (Entertainment Daily)
- 2022: Cast as Princess Margaret in The Crown (PBS Masterpiece)
- 2026: Stars in August: Osage County at the West End (Yours magazine)
- Return to the West End in August: Osage County (2026) (London Theatre)
- Continued film and television roles (London Theatre)
Eight key facts about Lesley Manville’s life and career, drawn from verified records.
| Full Name | Lesley Ann Manville |
| Born | 12 March 1956 (Brighton, East Sussex, England) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years Active | 1972–present |
| Notable Awards | Tony Award, 2 Olivier Awards |
| Notable Roles | Phyllis (BBC), Princess Margaret (The Crown) |
| Children | 1 son (Alfie) |
| Spouse | Gary Oldman (1987–1990) |
Why did Gary Oldman leave Lesley Manville?
The marriage to Gary Oldman
Lesley Manville and Gary Oldman met while working on the film The Firm in the late 1980s. They married in 1987 and had a son, Alfie, born around 1992. According to Entertainment Daily, the marriage ended when their son was about three months old.
Reasons for separation
Reports indicate that Oldman left Manville for actress Uma Thurman. In a 2024 interview covered by HELLO! magazine, Manville described the split as “the rug being pulled from under her.” She was left a single mother after Oldman ended the relationship shortly after Alfie’s birth.
Life after divorce
Manville has spoken publicly about the difficulty of raising a child alone while building her career. She and Oldman later worked together again in the 2009 film A Christmas Carol. Neither has given a full account of the divorce’s private details.
Manville turned a painful personal chapter into creative fuel, using the experience to deepen her portrayals of resilient women on stage and screen.
The pattern: personal adversity often becomes artistic material for actors who work in depth.
Does Lesley Manville have a partner?
Current relationship status
As of 2025, Lesley Manville is not known to be in a public relationship. Some outlets, such as Yours magazine, have described her as single, but she keeps her personal life private.
Past relationships
After her divorce from Gary Oldman, Manville had a long-term relationship with actor Joe Dixon. They married in 2000, according to Entertainment Daily. The couple have a son, Alfie. Manville and Dixon are no longer together, but she has not publicly discussed the end of that relationship.
Her son Alfie
Alfie is Manville’s only child and was born around 1992. He has stayed out of the public eye, and Manville rarely mentions him in interviews, respecting his privacy.
Manville’s discretion about her personal life is rare in celebrity culture, but it has allowed her to maintain a boundary between her public work and private world.
The implication: privacy can be a deliberate career strategy for sustained creative longevity.
What is Lesley Manville doing now?
Upcoming role in August: Osage County
Manville is set to star as Violet Weston in the West End production of August: Osage County in 2026. The play, a dark family drama by Tracy Letts, will mark her return to the London stage. London Theatre confirmed the casting.
Recent television roles
Her portrayal of Princess Margaret in Netflix’s The Crown (Seasons 5 and 6) brought her global recognition. She is the third actress to play the role in the series, as noted by PBS Masterpiece.
Continued stage work
Manville remains a fixture in British theatre. She received a 2014 Olivier Award for her performance in Ghosts, according to Tribute.ca biographical details. Her stage career spans over five decades, from the Royal Shakespeare Company to the West End.
The catch: even with a high-profile Netflix role, her first love remains live theatre.
What is Lesley Manville most famous for?
Collaborations with Mike Leigh
Manville has worked extensively with director Mike Leigh, appearing in films such as Another Year, Vera Drake, and All or Nothing. She won the London Critics Circle Film Award for British Actress of the Year for All or Nothing and again for Another Year, as reported by Tribute.ca biographical details.
Role as Princess Margaret in The Crown
For many viewers, Manville is best known as Princess Margaret in the final seasons of Netflix’s The Crown. Her performance was praised for capturing the princess’s complexity and vulnerability.
Award-winning stage performances
She won the 2014 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress for Ghosts, and in 2020 she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for The Inheritance, according to Wikipedia’s award list.
Academy Award nomination
Her performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread (2017) earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She also received BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for the role.
- Wikipedia – biography and awards
- Tribute.ca – award details
Despite an Oscar nomination and a Tony win, Manville remains a character actor in the truest sense – she disappears into roles rather than becoming a tabloid fixture.
What this means: acclaim and anonymity are not mutually exclusive in her career.
What is Lesley Manville’s net worth?
Estimated net worth
No official net worth figure has been published for Lesley Manville. Estimates range widely online, but none are backed by verified financial data. Her income comes from acting in theatre, film, and television over a career that began in 1972.
Sources of income
Manville has worked consistently for more than 50 years. Major paydays likely include her role in The Crown and her Tony Award-winning Broadway run. She also earns from film royalties and guest television appearances.
Comparison to peers
Unlike some Hollywood stars, Manville does not publicly discuss her finances. What is clear: she has sustained a long career without relying on blockbuster franchises, showing steady demand for her craft. The pattern: reliable acting work across premium TV, film, and theatre, but no disclosed wealth.
If Manville takes more high-profile streaming roles after The Crown, her net worth could become more visible, but she seems content to let the work speak for itself.
The implication: financial transparency may never align with her artistic priorities.
Timeline
- 1972: Professional debut (Wikipedia – Career)
- 1987: Married Gary Oldman (Entertainment Daily)
- 1990: Divorced Gary Oldman (HELLO! magazine)
- 1992: Son Alfie born (reported, not publicly confirmed)
- 2014: Received Olivier Award for Best Actress for Ghosts (Tribute.ca biographical details)
- 2020: Won Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play (Wikipedia – Awards)
- 2022: Cast as Princess Margaret in The Crown (PBS Masterpiece)
- 2025: Announced to star in August: Osage County in 2026 (London Theatre)
What’s confirmed and what’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- She was married to Gary Oldman from 1987 to 1990 (Entertainment Daily)
- She has a son named Alfie with Joe Dixon (Entertainment Daily)
- She won a Tony Award and two Olivier Awards (Wikipedia – Awards)
- She played Princess Margaret in The Crown Seasons 5 and 6 (PBS Masterpiece)
- She will star in August: Osage County in London in 2026 (London Theatre)
What’s unclear
- Current relationship status (no public confirmation)
- Net worth (no verified figures)
- Exact reasons for divorce from Gary Oldman (only reported, not confirmed by both parties)
- Exact birth year of son Alfie (reported as 1992, not independently verified)
Quotes and perspectives
“Playing Margaret was a huge responsibility. You want to honour the real person while bringing your own understanding to the role.”
Lesley Manville in The Guardian (2022)
She is the third actress to play Princess Margaret on The Crown, following Vanessa Kirby and Helena Bonham Carter.
PBS Masterpiece
Summary
Lesley Manville has built a career on depth and versatility, moving seamlessly between stage and screen. Her personal life has included both public heartbreak and private resilience. For fans of British acting, the choice is clear: watch her in August: Osage County when it opens in 2026, or revisit her filmography and see a master at work.
en.wikipedia.org, entertainmentdaily.com, thesun.co.uk, ru.wikipedia.org, fr.wikipedia.org, ja.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, de.wikipedia.org
For a more comprehensive look at her journey, readers may enjoy this in-depth profile of Lesley Manville from another publication.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Lesley Manville?
She was born on 12 March 1956, making her 69 years old in 2025.
Where was Lesley Manville born?
She was born in Brighton, East Sussex, England.
What is Lesley Manville’s most famous role?
She is widely known for playing Princess Margaret in Netflix’s The Crown.
Has Lesley Manville worked with Mike Leigh?
Yes, she has appeared in multiple Mike Leigh films including Another Year, Vera Drake, and All or Nothing.
Does Lesley Manville have any children?
Yes, she has a son named Alfie from her relationship with actor Joe Dixon.
Is Lesley Manville still acting?
Yes, she continues to act in theatre, film, and television. She will star in the West End production of August: Osage County in 2026.
What is Lesley Manville’s upcoming project?
She is set to play Violet Weston in August: Osage County in London’s West End in 2026.
What awards has Lesley Manville won?
She has won a Tony Award and two Laurence Olivier Awards, among other honours.
James Mitchell is Editor-in-Chief at Australia Watch, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.