Who is Lesley Manville? Age, movies and TV shows of The Crown actress-Rachael O'Connor-Entertainment – Metro

Oscar-nominated actress Lesley Manville is set to portray Princess Margaret in season 5 of The Crown (Picture: Disney General Entertainment Con)

Lesley Manville is preparing to become a household name in the UK as she stars in the eagerly-awaited new series of The Crown.

There is a major buzz around The Crown season 5, set for release on Netflix on November 9, not least because it will be the first series to air since King Charles III ascended the crown after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Actress Lesley, 66, known for her roles in the likes of Sherwood and Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, will portray Princess Margaret in the next two series of the show, before it comes to an end for good at the end of season six.

The series will centre around the then-Prince Charles, his divorce from the late Princess Diana and affair with now-Queen consort Camilla Parker-Bowles, which has reportedly caused some worry in the Royal household.

Notable public figures, including former Prime Minister Sir John Major, have expressed their distaste for some of the storylines set to unfold, with Buckingham Palace reportedly afraid for King Charles’ reputation, though Olivia Williams – who plays Camilla – insists they ‘shouldn’t fear.’

But as we audiences impatiently await the new season and the explosive drama it brings with it, who exactly is Lesley Mannville and what other shows and films has she been in?

Who is Lesley Manville?

The star has been acting since she was a teenager, and also has a talent for singing (Picture: Getty Images for Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)

Lesley Manville is set to replace Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret in the fifth season of The Crown, and while they’re some pretty big shoes to fill, the actress certainly has the talent.

Born in Brighton in 1956, Lesley is the daughter of a ballet dancer and a taxi driver and trained as a soprano singer from the tender age of eight.

Soprano singing was far from a simple hobby, as she was twice crowned the under-18 soprano champion of Sussex during her childhood.

However by the time she became an older teacher she had branchedaway from singing and turned to acting, having secured a place at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts by the age of 15.

The young actress dabbled in West End musicals and soap operas at the beginning of her career, and has since gone on to appear in dozens of films, TV shows, plays and musicals.

In 2015, the actress was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Birthday Honours List, and was later made Commander (CBE) in the 2021 New Year Honours list, for her services to drama and charity.

Was she married to Gary Oldman?

Lesley was married to fellow actor Gary for two years, with the couple splitting shortly after the birth of their son Alfie (Picture: Getty Images)

Lesley Manville has been married twice, including to Harry Potter star Gary Oldman.

Gary was Lesley’s first husband, with the pair tying the knot in 1987.

They share one son together, Alfie Oldman 34, who himself has become involved in filmmaking, though he works in the camera department rather than on the screen.

Alfie has gone on to work on the likes of The Hitman’s Bodyguard and Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy, and in fact worked alongside mum Lesley on The town season five as a central loader.

Lesley and Gary were married for two years, splitting up in 1989 just three months after Alfie was born.

She later married actor Joe Dixon, known for his appearance in The Mummy Returns, though they divorced in 2004.

What other movies and TV shows has she been in?

Lesley Manville has been in acting since she was a young teenager, with dozens of titles under her belt from screen to stage.

She began her TV career with a regular role in soap Emmerdale Farm, playing teenager Rosemary Kendall for a total of 79 episodes from 1975 to 1976.

Lesley later went on to hold regular roles in the likes of TV series Soldier Soldier, Goggle Eyes, before making a name for herself in BBC series Ain’t Misbehavin in 1994.

It’s not Lesley’s first stint rubbing shoulders with the Royal family either, as in 2009 she took up the role of Margaret Thatcher in docudrama The Queen, which aired on Channel 4.

In 2018, the star was nominated for her first Oscar for her role in Phantom Thread, where she was up for the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role.

Lesley is set to wow audiences with her portrayal of Princess Margaret in the upcoming season of The Crown (Picture: Netflix/ Keith Bernstein)

She has also been nominated for Bafta awards multiple times for different shows, however has yet to win.

More recently, Lesley has become best-known for playing Julie Jackson on acclaimed series BBC Sherwood, based on the real-life murders that took place in 2004 in Ashfield, Nottingham.

She has also worked as the Narrator in BBC Two series Life After Life, based on the book by Kate Atkinson, as well as a role in Britbox original Magpie Murders.

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The actress appeared on the big screen earlier in 2022 as she played the titular role in Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, about a 1950s cleaning lady who falls madly in love with a Dior dress, and comes up with a scheme to get one of her own.

The Crown begins streaming on Netflix on November 9

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