Alison Steadman
Known for: Acting
Born: August 26, 1946
Place of birth: Liverpool, England, UK
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).
Advertisement
Filmography
91 movies · 67 TV shows, newest first
6.0
Joke
2026
NR
Here We Go: Our New Year’s Fireworks Fantasaganza
2025
7.1
Stitch Head
2025
7.5
Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell
2025
NR
Gavin & Stacey: The Finale
2024NR
Gavin & Stacey: The Making of the Finale
2024
7.6
Better Man
2024
NR
The 1970s Dinner Party
2023
NR
Here We Go: Mum's Classic Family Christmas
2023
NR
Alison & Larry: Billericay To Barry
2023
NR
Wake
2023
NR
Queen and Country
2022
7.0
Remembers…
2022
6.5
Here We Go
2022
6.2
Rules of the Game
2022
6.7
The King's Man
2021
6.0
Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig
2021
6.0
Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse
2020
7.4
Life
20209.0
We Love Gavin and Stacey
2020
6.8
23 Walks
2020
9.3
Gavin & Stacey: A Special Christmas
2019
10.0
Off Grid
2019
6.0
DNA Journey
2019
6.4
Care
2018
6.1
Butterfly
2018
6.4
Hold the Sunset
2018
8.0
Yours Faithfully, Edna Welthorpe (Mrs)
2017
NR
Becky Watts Killed for Kicks
2017
NR
We Can Be Heroes
2017
6.5
Burn Burn Burn
2016
NR
Let's Do It: A Tribute to Victoria Wood
2016
5.0
Dad's Army
2016
6.7
Peterman
20159.0
The One and Only Mike Leigh
2014
NR
Gareth's All Star Choir
2014
6.0
The Secrets
2014
6.3
Boomers
2014
6.6
The Great War: The People's Story
2014
8.1
Inside No. 9
2014
7.4
Yonderland
2013
6.0
Love and Marriage
2013
7.8
Orphan Black
2013
7.0
Gadget Man
2012NR
A Civil Arrangement
2012
6.0
Playhouse Presents
2012
7.6
The Syndicate
2012
NR
The Great Sport Relief Bake Off
2012NR
Comedy Blaps
2011
6.0
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
2011
NR
All Roads Lead Home
2011
6.5
French Exchange
2011
5.0
Come Rain Come Shine
2010
6.8
Little Crackers
2010
6.8
Fry and Laurie Reunited
2010
NR
Caravans: A British Love Affair
2009
NR
Gavin & Stacey Christmas Special 2008
2008
5.0
Who Gets the Dog
2007
6.3
All About 'Abigail's Party'
2007
5.8
Fanny Hill
2007
7.2
Fanny Hill
2007
6.0
The Dinner Party
2007
NR
The Man from Montevideo
2007
7.4
Gavin & Stacey
2007
7.6
Lewis
2007
NR
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas
2007
4.4
The One Show
2006
2.1
Loony in the Woods
2006
5.4
Confetti
2006
6.5
Great British Menu
2006
7.7
Twisted Tales
2005
6.6
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
2004
8.2
The Worst Week of My Life
20048.0
Bosom Pals
2004
4.5
Chunky Monkey
2003
9.0
D.I.Y. Hard
2002
7.1
Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairytale
20027.0
Ivor the Invisible
2001
7.7
Bob the Builder: A Christmas to Remember - The Movie
2001
6.0
Happy Now
2001
6.0
Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years
20016.0
Lenny Henry in Pieces
2000
7.9
Fat Friends
2000
6.6
Topsy-Turvy
1999
6.8
Jack and the Beanstalk
1999
7.5
Let Them Eat Cake
1999
5.0
Santa's Last Christmas
1999
6.2
Stressed Eric
1998
5.7
The Ugly Duckling
1997
7.5
The Missing Postman
1997
5.0
The Missing Postman
1997
7.5
Midsomer Murders
1997
7.6
Secrets & Lies
1996
7.7
No Bananas
1996
6.8
Karaoke
1996
6.4
Dalziel and Pascoe
1996
5.7
The Snow Queen's Revenge
1996
7.5
Crapston Villas
1995
8.2
Pride and Prejudice
1995
7.3
Kavanagh Q.C.
1995
8.0
Gotta Get Out
1995
4.0
The Wimbledon Poisoner
1994
7.0
Do You Remember the First Time?
1994
8.0
Degas and Pissario Fall Out
1994
8.0
Selling Hitler
1993
5.8
GMTV
1993
3.3
Gone to Seed
1992
5.4
Blame It on the Bellboy
1992
6.3
Gone to the Dogs
1991
7.0
Selling Hitler
1991
7.0
Life Is Sweet
1991
NR
News Hounds
1990
9.0
A Small Mourning
1989
7.2
Screen One
1989
6.3
Shirley Valentine
1989
6.4
Wilt
1989
9.0
The Jim Henson Hour
1989
10.0
Virtuoso
1989
6.7
Monster Maker
1989
NR
7 Deadly Sins: Stage Acting
1989
7.0
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
1988
5.4
Countryfile
1988
5.7
Stormy Monday
1988
6.4
The Short & Curlies
1987
7.6
The Singing Detective
1986
6.0
ScreenPlay
1986
6.2
Clockwise
1986
4.7
Coming Through
1985
6.7
Number One
1985
7.1
Screen Two
1985
NR
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
1985
6.4
A Private Function
1984
6.6
Champions
1984
7.0
Tartuffe, or The Imposter
1983
6.8
P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang
1982
8.0
Mike Leigh: Making Plays
1982
7.0
The Muscle Market
1981
NR
Pasmore
1980NR
Two Days That Shook the Branch
1978
7.4
Abigail's Party
1977
NR
Our Flesh and Blood
1977
NR
Bag of Yeast
1976
7.1
Nuts in May
1976
6.0
Red Letter Day
1976
NR
Through the Night
1975
7.5
Oil Strike North
1975
3.0
Early to Bed
1975
6.3
The Wackers
1975
NR
Taking Leave
1974
5.5
Girl
1974NR
Second City Firsts
1973
6.7
Hard Labour
1973
5.7
Crown Court
197210.0
Bel Ami
1971
6.6
Play for Today
1970
7.0
ITV Playhouse
1967
10.0
The BAFTA Awards
1949
NR
King of the Teds
—