‘I like the uncluttered nature of my life’: The Crown star Lesley Manville, 67, insists she’s content remaining single as she doesn’t ‘have to consider’ anyone and finds some men ‘needy’
Veteran actress Lesley Manville claims she has no desire to bring anyone into her life, insisting she is perfectly happy single.
The 67-year-old was married to fellow star Gary Oldman, 65, from 1987 to 1990, with Gary running off with Uma Thurman when their son Alfie was just three months old.
Oscar-nominated star Lesley then later divorced actor Joe Dixon, who she was married to from 2000 until 2004.
And The Crown cast member says she’s happy to be single for now as it means she doesn’t have to think about anyone else, describing herself as having a ‘control-freak side’.
She explained to The Guardian: ‘It sounds awful and makes me sound a bit cold but if I don’t have somebody at home, I don’t have to consider them.
Single life: Veteran actress Lesley Manville, 67, claims she has no desire to bring anyone into her life, insisting she is perfectly happy single (pictured this week)
Independent: The Crown cast member says she’s happy to be single for now as it means she doesn’t have to think about anyone else (pictured this month)
‘While warmth and all that is wonderful for some people, I just think, “Well, phew. Thank goodness.” Because I’ve got so much else to do going from job to job. I like the uncluttered nature of my life.’
Explaining why she doesn’t date, she continued: ‘Nobody asks me. But that’s not a problem. I don’t think, come on, where are you?, because meeting someone that you like enough to say, “I might invest some emotion, some time in this” is … ‘
Lesley said she looks for a variety of qualities in a man, which she described as a ‘cocktail’ – she said they have to be funny, good at their job, and independent as she can find some men ‘needy’.
It comes after Lesley spoke about her successful life on stage and screen, saying she owes it all to the sudden collapse of her marriage.
Earlier this year, she told Desert Island Discs’ Lauren Laverne that becoming a single parent made her more determined to pursue her own acting dreams.
‘I had always imagined being married to Gary for a long time,’ she said.
‘We were having the most amazing time together and we loved each other. We got married. I got pregnant on my honeymoon. We were having the best time, but then the rug was very severely pulled from under my feet.’
Lesley and her first husband Gary met in 1984, married three years later and divorced in 1990 – the same year he wed Pulp Fiction star Uma Thurman.
Looking back: Lesley was married to fellow star Gary Oldman from 1987 to 1990, who walked out on her when their son Alfie was just three months old (Lesley and Gary pictured in 1986)
She said: ‘I thought we’d be together for ever – we’d have a big family. But maybe if that had have happened, maybe I wouldn’t have the career I’ve got now.’
Lesley said of the split: ‘I wasn’t going to fall apart. There was absolutely no question about it for me.
‘I was going to carry on working. And I was also going to be the most brilliant mother.
‘Somehow, I did it. It made me incredibly disciplined about my work.’
As seen on screen: Lesley is seen as Princess Margaret in Netflix series The Crown season 5 in 2016
