Lesley Manville says her stage and screen careers 'feed each other' Lesley Manville reflects on the symbiotic relationship between her stage and screen careers, highlighting how both mediums enrich her artistic expression. In the film Midwinter Break, she portrays Stella, a retired couple’s wife, whose marriage unravels during a trip to Amsterdam. Manville emphasized her fascination with relationship-driven narratives, noting that they offer a unique opportunity to explore human connections. "You're depicting people's existence," she said, praising the collaboration with actor Ciarán Hinds and director Polly Findlay. Manville discussed her insights during an interview with NPR’s Michel Martin, conducted between rehearsals for Christopher Hampton’s adaptation of Les Liaisons Dangereuses at London’s National Theatre. With over five decades of experience, she has navigated both mediums, balancing stage and screen work. Her stage debut came as a teenager in the 1972 West End musical I and Albert, and she has since earned critical acclaim for roles such as Princess Margaret in The Crown and her performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread. Her theatrical achievements include multiple Laurence Olivier nominations and two Best Actress wins, including a role as Jocasta in a modern retelling of Oedipus. This production, set on election night, features a large red clock counting down to polling hours. In the final moments, Manville delivers a harrowing monologue as Jocasta, recounting a secret from her past: being impregnated at 13 by the country’s leader and having her child taken. The scene, performed in silence with the clock ticking behind her, left the audience in stunned silence.#polly_findlay #ciaran_hinds #national_theatre #lesley_manville #les_liaisons_dangereuses
Lesley Manville says her stage and screen careers 'feed each other' Lesley Manville reflects on the symbiotic relationship between her stage and screen careers, highlighting how both mediums enrich her artistic expression. In the film Midwinter Break, she portrays Stella, a retired couple’s wife, whose marriage unravels during a trip to Amsterdam. Manville discussed her role and career during an interview with NPR, emphasizing her deep connection to relationship-driven storytelling. Manville, 69, spoke with Morning Edition host Michel Martin during rehearsals for Christopher Hampton’s adaptation of Les Liaisons Dangereuses at London’s National Theatre. She has balanced a dual career in theater and film for over five decades, beginning her stage journey as a teenager in the 1972 West End musical I and Albert. Her work has earned her critical acclaim, including an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Princess Margaret in The Crown and an Oscar nod for her performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread. Her stage achievements include multiple Laurence Olivier Award nominations and two Best Actress wins, notably for her role as Jocasta in a modern retelling of Oedipus. The production, set on election night, features a large red clock counting down to polling hours. In the final moments, Manville delivers a harrowing monologue as Jocasta, recounting a secret from her past: being impregnated at 13 by the country’s leader and having her child taken. The scene, performed in silence with the clock ticking behind her, left audiences in stunned silence. Manville described the experience as deeply emotional, noting that each performance of the speech moved her profoundly.#michel_martin #national_theatre #lesley_manville #les_liaisons_dangereuses #phantom_thread
