Lesley Manville "refused to fall apart" after her first husband, Gary Oldman, ended their marriage in 1990.
A decision which left her feeling as though "a rug was very severely pulled" from under her feet," the actress was determined to be a "brilliant" mother to their son, Alfie, who was just three months old when Gary left. Later that year, her ex had tied the knot with his State of Grace co-star, Uma Thurman, who was 18 at the time.
In a recent appearance on Desert Island Discs, Lesley explained that she'd devoted the next few years to raising her son. "I wasn't going to fall apart. I didn't fall apart. 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," she said.
© Getty"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!"
While it wasn't always easy making ends meet, Lesley never felt like she was missing out.
"You know, there was never a bit of me that thought, oh I really want to go out for a drink after work and schmooze and socialise. I always used to think, I want to get home to Alfie. It wasn't, oh I've got to go home because I've got a son and it's only me. It was, I'm going home because I want to," she recalled to The Times.
© GettyNow 35, Alfie and Lesley are "incredibly close" and he's even followed in his parent's footsteps, establishing a career in the film industry. "I've worked with him a few times because he works on film crew. I think, what are you doing here? Oh, yes, you're working," she said.
A huge support, Alfie has been known to accompany his mum to red carpet events, supporting her at the Academy Awards in 2019 when she was up for an Oscar for Phantom Thread. More recently, Alfie cheered Lesley on at the UK premiere of Mrs Harris Goes to Paris.
© GettyMarried with kids, Alfie tied the knot with his partner Sarah this year, who Lesley hails as "the best daughter-in-law you could ever wish for." Their wedding marked a reunion between Lesley and her ex-husband, Gary, who Alfie is also close to. The former couple have remained on good terms following their split.
Alfie and Sarah are proud parents to two children, and Lesley relishes her new role as a grandmother.
