Lesley Manville says ‘rug was pulled from under her’ in high profile 90s divorce-Danni Scott-Entertainment – Metro

Lesley Manville wasn’t going to let her divorce break her (Picture: Gisela Schober/Getty Images)

In the 90s, one huge celebrity divorce rocked Hollywood as Lesley Manville split from fellow rising star Gary Oldman in a love triangle scandal.

The Moonflower Murders actress has shared how the breakup impacted her as her husband of two years left her for Kill Bill icon Uma Thurman after they met on set of State of Grace.

She had married the Harry Potter star in 1987, welcoming their son, Alfie, just three months before they separated.

Gary, 66, and Uma, 54, wed in 1990 and had a short-lived marriage which ended two years later and was branded as a ‘mistake’ by the Pulp Fiction legend.

In a new interview with Desert Island Discs, Lesley, 68, has revealed she felt the ‘rug was severely pulled’ from under her at the time.

The Crown star confessed she avoided telling her parents in hopes they would be able to reconcile their marriage before everyone found out.

Lesley and Gary Oldman wed in 1987 (Picture: Alan Davidson/REX/Shutterstock)

They share one child together, Alfie, born months before their split in 1989 (Picture: Alan Davidson/Shutterstock)

‘I wasn’t going to fall apart. I didn’t fall apart,’ she said. ‘There was absolutely no question about it for me that I was going to carry on working and I was going to be the most brilliant mother. 

‘Somehow I did it, it made me incredibly disciplined about my work. Until he was three I only did plays which was quite good because I could be with him all day and then someone would come at 5.30 and I’d go and do a light play like Miss Julie!’

At the time, Gary was working on a film in the US which made it easy to disguise their split as Lesley hoped it would blow over.

She called it a ‘tremendously lonely time’, made harder by her inability to contact her estranged spouse.

Gary and Uma Thurman were together for two years (Picture: Randy Bauer/REX/Shutterstock)

‘What I had imagined for myself, I’d always imagined being married to Gary for a long time,’ the Oscar nominee shared. ‘We fell in love at the Royal Court Theatre, we were having the most amazing time together, we loved each other.

‘We got married, I got pregnant on my honeymoon, we got back and did the fantastic BBC film The Firm.

‘We were having the best time then the rug was very severely pulled from under my feet. I thought we’d be together forever and have a big family.’

Despite how devastating the very public split was, Lesley believes she wouldn’t have the career she has now without it.

She said: ‘I think I’d have given up a lot for a good long marriage, but the price would have been something – I don’t know what.’

Lesley and Gary are still friends and co-parent Alfie (Picture: Scott Garfitt/BAFTA via Getty Images)

In other interviews, the exes have said they are still friends and Alfie is close to both his parents and his younger siblings, Gulliver and Charlie, Gary’s third marriage.

Gary has been married three times since his divorce from Uma, including to Charlie and Gulliver’s mum Donya Fiorentino in 1997.

They split in 2001, after Donya claimed the Slow Horses star was abusive which was later dismissed in court with Gary taking full custody of the kids.

He then wed Alexandra Edenborough in 2008, divorcing in 2015 before marrying his current wife Gisele Schmidt two years later in a private ceremony.

Meanwhile, Lesley wed The Mummy Returns actor Joe Dixon in 2000 but the pair divorced in 2004 and she has not remarried since.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

Entertainment – MetroRead More