
Alison Steadman
Biography
Alison Steadman (born 26 August 1946) is an English actor. She won the 1991 National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress for the Mike Leigh (her husband 1973-2001) film Life is Sweet, and the 1993 Olivier Award for Best Actress for her role as Mari in the original production of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. In a 2007 Channel 4 poll, the "50 Greatest Actors" voted for by other actors, she was ranked No. 42.
Steadman made her professional stage debut in 1968 and went on to establish her career in Mike Leigh's 1970s TV plays Nuts in May (1976) and Abigail's Party (1977). She received BAFTA TV Award nominations for the 1986 BBC serial The Singing Detective, and in 2001 for the ITV drama series Fat Friends (2000–05). Other television roles include Pride and Prejudice (1995), Gavin & Stacey (2007–10, 2019) and Orphan Black (2015–16). Her other film appearances include A Private Function (1984), Clockwise (1986), Shirley Valentine (1989), Topsy Turvy (1999), and The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004).
Acting (77 movies)

Loony in the Woods
2006

The 50 Greatest Television Dramas
2007

Confetti
2006

Abigail's Party
1977

Blame It on the Bellboy
1992

Life Is Sweet
1990

Wilt
1989

Santa's Last Christmas
1999

P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang
1982

Off Grid
2019

Degas and Pissario Fall Out
1994

Better Man
2024

Fanny Hill
2007

Shirley Valentine
1989

Come Rain Come Shine
2010

Virtuoso
1989

Number One
1985

Champions
1984

Monster Maker
1989

D.I.Y. Hard
2002

Nuts in May
1976

Let's Do It: A Tribute to Victoria Wood
2016

Selling Hitler
1993

Becky Watts Killed for Kicks
2017

Gavin & Stacey: A Special Christmas
2019

The 1970s Dinner Party
2023

News Hounds
1990

Queen and Country
2022

Clockwise
1986

The Short & Curlies
1987

Dad's Army
2016

Peterman
2015

A Small Mourning
1989

Burn Burn Burn
2016

A Private Function
1984

The Missing Postman
1997

Happy Now
2001

The Dinner Party
2007

Through the Night
1975

Topsy-Turvy
1999

Coming Through
1985

Girl
1974

Early to Bed
1975

French Exchange
2011

The Ugly Duckling
1997

Who Gets the Dog
2007

Stormy Monday
1988

Mike Leigh: Making Plays
1982

Hard Labour
1973

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
1988

Secrets & Lies
1996

Fry and Laurie Reunited
2010

We Can Be Heroes
2017

Tartuffe, or The Imposter
1983

The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
2004

Yours Faithfully, Edna Welthorpe (Mrs)
2017

The Muscle Market
1981

Bag of Yeast
1976

Jack and the Beanstalk
1999

Taking Leave
1974

Our Flesh and Blood
1977

Care
2018

The King's Man
2021

All About 'Abigail's Party'
2007

Gotta Get Out
1995

23 Walks
2020

Pasmore
1980

Caravans: A British Love Affair
2009

The Snow Queen's Revenge
1996

Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse
2020

The Caucasian Chalk Circle
1985

7 Deadly Sins: Stage Acting
1989

Bob the Builder: A Christmas to Remember - The Movie
2001

Gavin & Stacey: The Making of the Finale
2024

Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell
2025

Wake
2023

The Man from Montevideo
2007
| Title | Year | Job | 
|---|---|---|
| 7 Deadly Sins: Stage Acting | 1989 | Writer |