Lesley Manville says her stage and screen careers 'feed each other'

"Relationship films always appealed to me to watch as well as to be in. You're depicting people's existence. It's a very pleasing and satisfying relationship to develop, especially if you've got a good sensitive actor like Ciaran and you've got a very good director."

"I really can't bear it if I'm not on stage for a couple of years. I miss it. I think it's ultimately where my heart is. I think if I had to do one thing for the rest of my career, it would be theater. But they all feed each other."

"You cannot be edited around. You cannot be made to look better than you are. The audience can look at you all the time if they want to. And you've got to deliver something that's consistent for possibly two hours, rather than two minutes."

Lesley Manville plays Stella in the film Midwinter Break, portraying a retired woman whose marriage to Gerry, played by Ciaran Hinds, faces emerging challenges during a trip to Amsterdam. Manville has maintained a distinguished career spanning over 50 years across both stage and screen, beginning with the 1972 West End musical I and Albert. Her accomplishments include an Emmy nomination for The Crown, an Oscar nomination for Phantom Thread, and multiple Laurence Olivier nominations and wins for theatrical performances. She emphasizes her deep commitment to stage work, stating she cannot go extended periods without performing in theater, as it remains her primary passion despite her successful film career.

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