Alison Steadman
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).
Known For
Credits
- 2025 · Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell as Self
- 2024 · Better Man as Betty
- 2023 · The 1970s Dinner Party as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2023 · Alison & Larry: Billericay To Barry as Alison Steadman
- 2023 · Wake as
- 2022 · Here We Go as Sue Jessop
- 2022 · Rules of the Game as Anita Jenkins
- 2021 · The King's Man as Rita
- 2021 · Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig as Self
- 2020 · Life as Gail Reynolds
- 2020 · We Love Gavin and Stacey as
- 2020 · 23 Walks as Fern
- 2019 · Off Grid as Grace Tanner
- 2019 · DNA Journey as
- 2018 · Care as Mary
- 2018 · Butterfly as Barbara
- 2018 · Hold the Sunset as Edith
- 2016 · Burn Burn Burn as Diana
- 2016 · Dad's Army as Mrs. Fox
- 2015 · Peterman as Auntie Jean
- 2014 · The One and Only Mike Leigh as Self
- 2014 · Boomers as Joyce
- 2014 · The Great War: The People's Story as Hallie Eustace Miles
- 2014 · Inside No. 9 as Anne
- 2013 · Yonderland as Barbara
- 2013 · Orphan Black as Kendall Malone
- 2012 · Gadget Man as
- 2012 · A Civil Arrangement as Isobel
- 2012 · The Syndicate as Rose Wilson
- 2012 · The Great Sport Relief Bake Off as Self - Contestant
- 2011 · Comedy Blaps as
- 2011 · Celebrity Antiques Road Trip as Self - Participant
- 2011 · French Exchange as Mrs. Phillips
- 2010 · Little Crackers as Alison's Mother
- 2010 · Fry and Laurie Reunited as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2007 · All About 'Abigail's Party' as Self
- 2007 · Fanny Hill as Mrs. Brown
- 2007 · Fanny Hill as Mrs. Brown
- 2007 · The Dinner Party as Juliet
- 2007 · Gavin & Stacey as Pam Shipman
- 2007 · Lewis as Rev. Martha Seager
- 2006 · The One Show as Self
- 2006 · Loony in the Woods as Crazy Butcher
- 2006 · Confetti as Sam's Mum
- 2006 · Great British Menu as Self - Guest Judge
- 2005 · Twisted Tales as Margery Faversham
- 2004 · The Life and Death of Peter Sellers as Casting Agent
- 2004 · The Worst Week of My Life as Angela Cook
- 2002 · Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairytale as Mrs. Meisling
- 2001 · Ivor the Invisible as Auntie Barbara (voice)
- 2001 · Bob the Builder: A Christmas to Remember - The Movie as Mayoress Bunty Ferguson (voice)
- 2001 · Happy Now as Bronwyn Race
- 2001 · Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years as Pauline Mole
- 2000 · Fat Friends as Betty Simpson
- 1999 · Topsy-Turvy as Madame Leon
- 1999 · Jack and the Beanstalk as Mother / Veronica
- 1999 · Let Them Eat Cake as
- 1999 · Santa's Last Christmas as Mrs Whatnot (voice)
- 1998 · Stressed Eric as
- 1997 · The Ugly Duckling as The Hen (voice)
- 1997 · Midsomer Murders as Abigail Tonev
- 1996 · Cold Lazarus as Mrs. Haynes
- 1996 · Secrets & Lies as Woman with Dog
- 1996 · No Bananas as Evelyn Hamilton
- 1996 · Karaoke as Mrs. Haynes
- 1996 · Dalziel & Pascoe as Marion Mattis
- 1995 · Coogan's Run as
- 1995 · Crapston Villas as
- 1995 · Pride and Prejudice as Mrs. Bennet
- 1995 · Kavanagh Q.C. as Evelyn Marie Kendall
- 1995 · Gotta Get Out as Maggie
- 1994 · The Wimbledon Poisoner as Elinor Farr
- 1994 · Do You Remember the First Time? as
- 1993 · GMTV as Self
- 1992 · Gone to Seed as Hilda Plant
- 1991 · Gone to the Dogs as Lauren Patterson
- 1990 · Life Is Sweet as Wendy
- 1989 · Shirley Valentine as Jane
- 1989 · Wilt as Eva
- 1989 · The Jim Henson Hour as Perriwinkle
- 1989 · Virtuoso as Brenda
- 1989 · 7 Deadly Sins: Stage Acting as Janista Maine
- 1988 · The Adventures of Baron Munchausen as Daisy
- 1988 · Countryfile as Self
- 1988 · Stormy Monday as Mayor
- 1987 · The Short & Curlies as Betty
- 1986 · The Singing Detective as Mrs Marlow
- 1986 · The Singing Detective as Mrs Marlow / Lili
- 1986 · Clockwise as Gwenda Stimpson
- 1985 · Number One as Doreen
- 1985 · The Caucasian Chalk Circle as Kato/Natella/Aniko
- 1984 · Champions as Mary Hussey
- 1983 · Tartuffe, or The Imposter as Elmire
- 1982 · P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang as Miss Land
- 1982 · Mike Leigh: Making Plays as Self
- 1980 · Pasmore as Kay Pasmore
- 1977 · Abigail's Party as Beverley
- 1977 · Our Flesh and Blood as Jan Blincoe
- 1976 · Bag of Yeast as Margaret Hudson
- 1975 · Through the Night as Christine Potts
- 1975 · Oil Strike North as
- 1975 · The Wackers as Bernadette Clarkson
- 1974 · Taking Leave as Nonie
- 1974 · Girl as Jackie
- 1973 · Hard Labour as Veronica Thornley
- 1972 · Crown Court as
- 1970 · Play for Today as Nonie
- 1970 · Play for Today as Veronica
- 1970 · Play for Today as Jan Blincoe
- 1970 · Play for Today as Kay Pasmore
- 1970 · Play for Today as Susan
- 1949 · The BAFTA Awards as Self
- Future · King of the Teds as Tina
- 2024 · Gavin & Stacey: The Making of the Finale as Self
- 2022 · Queen and Country as Narrator (voice)
- 2020 · Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse as Dora
- 2019 · Gavin & Stacey: A Special Christmas as Pam Shipman
- 2017 · Yours Faithfully, Edna Welthorpe (Mrs) as
- 2017 · Becky Watts Killed for Kicks as Narrator
- 2017 · We Can Be Heroes as Granny Evans
- 2016 · Let's Do It: A Tribute to Victoria Wood as Self
- 2014 · Gareth's All Star Choir as Self - Choir Member
- 2011 · All Roads Lead Home as Herself
- 2010 · Come Rain Come Shine as Dora Mitchell
- 2009 · Caravans: A British Love Affair as Narrator
- 2007 · Who Gets the Dog as Jenny Evans
- 2007 · The Man from Montevideo as Karen Horner
- 2007 · The 50 Greatest Television Dramas as Self
- 2004 · Bosom Pals as
- 2003 · Chunky Monkey as Beryl
- 2002 · D.I.Y. Hard as Woman
- 2000 · Lenny Henry in Pieces as
- 1997 · The Missing Postman as Christine Peacock
- 1997 · The Missing Postman as Christine Peacock
- 1996 · The Snow Queen's Revenge as Pearl
- 1994 · Degas and Pissario Fall Out as Emma Dumay
- 1993 · Selling Hitler as Edda Goering
- 1992 · Blame It on the Bellboy as Rosemary Horton
- 1990 · News Hounds as Jackie Johns
- 1989 · A Small Mourning as Marjorie
- 1989 · Monster Maker as Perriwinkle
- 1985 · Coming Through as Kate
- 1984 · A Private Function as Mrs. Allardyce
- 1981 · The Muscle Market as Susan
- 1978 · Two Days That Shook the Branch as Norma Hardy
- 1976 · Nuts in May as Candice Marie
- 1975 · Early to Bed as Helen
- 1971 · Bel Ami as Fencer (as Allison Steadman)