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).

Known For

Midsomer Murders

Play for Today

Play for Today

Play for Today

Play for Today

Play for Today

The One Show

Crown Court

All Movies (89)

• Joke2026 · as Vet
• Here We Go: Our New Year’s Fireworks Fantasaganza2025 · as Sue Jessop
• Stitch Head2025 · as Nan (voice)
• Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell2025 · as Self
• Gavin & Stacey: The Making of the Finale2024 · as Self
• Better Man2024 · as Betty
• The 1970s Dinner Party2023 · as Self - Narrator (voice)
• Here We Go: Mum's Classic Family Christmas2023 · as Sue Jessop
• Wake2023 · as Grace
• Queen and Country2022 · as Narrator (voice)
• The King's Man2021 · as Rita
• Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse2020 · as Dora
• We Love Gavin and Stacey2020
• 23 Walks2020 · as Fern
• Gavin & Stacey: A Special Christmas2019 · as Pam Shipman
• Off Grid2019 · as Grace Tanner
• Care2018 · as Mary
• Yours Faithfully, Edna Welthorpe (Mrs)2017
• Becky Watts Killed for Kicks2017 · as Narrator
• We Can Be Heroes2017 · as Granny Evans
• Burn Burn Burn2016 · as Diana
• Let's Do It: A Tribute to Victoria Wood2016 · as Self
• Dad's Army2016 · as Mrs. Fox
• Peterman2015 · as Auntie Jean
• The One and Only Mike Leigh2014 · as Self
• A Civil Arrangement2012 · as Isobel
• French Exchange2011 · as Mrs. Phillips
• Come Rain Come Shine2010 · as Dora Mitchell
• Fry and Laurie Reunited2010 · as Self - Narrator (voice)
• Caravans: A British Love Affair2009 · as Narrator
• Who Gets the Dog2007 · as Jenny Evans
• All About 'Abigail's Party'2007 · as Self
• Fanny Hill2007 · as Mrs. Brown
• The Dinner Party2007 · as Juliet
• The Man from Montevideo2007 · as Karen Horner
• The 50 Greatest Television Dramas2007 · as Self
• Loony in the Woods2006 · as Crazy Butcher
• Confetti2006 · as Sam's Mum
• The Life and Death of Peter Sellers2004 · as Casting Agent
• Chunky Monkey2003 · as Beryl
• D.I.Y. Hard2002 · as Woman
• Ivor the Invisible2001 · as Auntie Barbara (voice)
• Bob the Builder: A Christmas to Remember - The Movie2001 · as Mayoress Bunty Ferguson (voice)
• Happy Now2001 · as Bronwyn Race
• Topsy-Turvy1999 · as Madame Leon
• Jack and the Beanstalk1999 · as Mother / Veronica
• Santa's Last Christmas1999 · as Mrs Whatnot (voice)
• The Ugly Duckling1997 · as The Hen (voice)
• The Missing Postman1997 · as Christine Peacock
• Secrets & Lies1996 · as Woman with Dog
• The Snow Queen's Revenge1996 · as Pearl
• Gotta Get Out1995 · as Maggie
• Do You Remember the First Time?1994
• Degas and Pissario Fall Out1994 · as Emma Dumay
• Selling Hitler1993 · as Edda Goering
• Blame It on the Bellboy1992 · as Rosemary Horton
• Life Is Sweet1991 · as Wendy
• News Hounds1990 · as Jackie Johns
• A Small Mourning1989 · as Marjorie
• Shirley Valentine1989 · as Jane
• Wilt1989 · as Eva
• Virtuoso1989 · as Brenda
• Monster Maker1989 · as Perriwinkle
• 7 Deadly Sins: Stage Acting1989 · as Janista Maine
• The Adventures of Baron Munchausen1988 · as Daisy
• Stormy Monday1988 · as Mayor
• The Short & Curlies1987 · as Betty
• Clockwise1986 · as Gwenda Stimpson
• Coming Through1985 · as Kate
• Number One1985 · as Doreen
• The Caucasian Chalk Circle1985 · as Kato/Natella/Aniko
• A Private Function1984 · as Mrs. Allardyce
• Champions1984 · as Mary Hussey
• Tartuffe, or The Imposter1983 · as Elmire
• P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang1982 · as Miss Land
• Mike Leigh: Making Plays1982 · as Self
• The Muscle Market1981 · as Susan
• Pasmore1980 · as Kay Pasmore
• Two Days That Shook the Branch1978 · as Norma Hardy
• Abigail's Party1977 · as Beverley
• Our Flesh and Blood1977 · as Jan Blincoe
• Bag of Yeast1976 · as Margaret Hudson
• Nuts in May1976 · as Candice Marie
• Through the Night1975 · as Christine Potts
• Early to Bed1975 · as Helen
• Taking Leave1974 · as Nonie
• Girl1974 · as Jackie
• Hard Labour1973 · as Veronica Thornley
• King of the Teds— · as Tina

All TV Shows (71)

• Alison & Larry: Billericay To Barry2023 · as Alison Steadman
• Remembers…2022
• Remembers…2022 · as Self
• Here We Go2022 · as Sue Jessop
• Rules of the Game2022 · as Anita Jenkins
• Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig2021 · as Self
• Life2020 · as Gail Reynolds
• DNA Journey2019
• Butterfly2018 · as Barbara
• Hold the Sunset2018 · as Edith
• Gareth's All Star Choir2014 · as Self - Choir Member
• Boomers2014 · as Joyce
• The Great War: The People's Story2014 · as Hallie Eustace Miles
• Inside No. 92014 · as Anne
• Yonderland2013 · as Barbara
• Orphan Black2013 · as Kendall Malone
• Gadget Man2012
• Playhouse Presents2012 · as Tina
• The Syndicate2012 · as Rose Wilson
• The Great Sport Relief Bake Off2012 · as Self - Contestant
• Comedy Blaps2011
• Celebrity Antiques Road Trip2011 · as Self - Participant
• All Roads Lead Home2011 · as Herself
• Little Crackers2010 · as Alison's Mother
• Fanny Hill2007 · as Mrs. Brown
• Gavin & Stacey2007 · as Pam Shipman
• Lewis2007 · as Rev. Martha Seager
• The One Show2006 · as Self
• Great British Menu2006 · as Self - Guest Judge
• Twisted Tales2005 · as Margery Faversham
• The Worst Week of My Life2004 · as Angela Cook
• Bosom Pals2004
• Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairytale2002 · as Mrs. Meisling
• Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years2001 · as Pauline Mole
• Lenny Henry in Pieces2000
• Fat Friends2000 · as Betty Simpson
• Let Them Eat Cake1999
• Stressed Eric1998
• The Missing Postman1997 · as Christine Peacock
• Midsomer Murders1997 · as Abigail Tonev
• No Bananas1996 · as Evelyn Hamilton
• Karaoke1996 · as Mrs Haynes
• Crapston Villas1995
• Pride and Prejudice1995 · as Mrs. Bennet
• Kavanagh Q.C.1995 · as Evelyn Marie Kendall
• The Wimbledon Poisoner1994 · as Elinor Farr
• GMTV1993 · as Self
• Gone to Seed1992 · as Hilda Plant
• Gone to the Dogs1991 · as Lauren Patterson
• Selling Hitler1991 · as Edda Goering
• Screen One1989 · as Jackie Johns
• The Jim Henson Hour1989 · as Perriwinkle
• Countryfile1988 · as Self
• The Singing Detective1986 · as Mrs Marlow
• The Singing Detective1986 · as Mrs Marlow / Lili
• ScreenPlay1986 · as Marjorie
• Screen Two1985 · as Brenda Ogdon
• Red Letter Day1976 · as Margaret Hudson
• Oil Strike North1975
• The Wackers1975 · as Bernadette Clarkson
• Second City Firsts1973 · as Jackie
• Second City Firsts1973 · as Helen
• Crown Court1972
• Bel Ami1971 · as Fencer (as Allison Steadman)
• Play for Today1970 · as Nonie
• Play for Today1970 · as Veronica
• Play for Today1970 · as Jan Blincoe
• Play for Today1970 · as Kay Pasmore
• Play for Today1970 · as Susan
• ITV Playhouse1967 · as Norma Hardy
• The BAFTA Awards1949 · as Self