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Mike Leigh

Mike Leigh

Director, writer and actor · Born February 20, 1943 (83) · Salford, Greater Manchester, England, UK

5 BAFTA Awards · Oscar nominee · 7 other major award bodies

Mike Leigh (born 20 February 1943) is a retired British writer and director of film and theatre. He studied theatre at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and studied further at the Camberwell School of Art and the Central School of Art and Design. He began as a theatre director and playwright in the mid 1960s. In the 1970s and 1980s his career moved between work for the theatre and making films for BBC Television, many of which were characterized by a gritty "kitchen sink realism" style. His well-known films include Life is Sweet (1990), the comedy-drama Career Girls (1997), the Gilbert and Sullivan biopic Topsy Turvy (1999), and the bleak working-class drama All or Nothing (2002). His most notable works are arguably Naked (1993) for which he won the Best Director Award at Cannes, the BAFTA-winning (and Oscar-nominated) Palme d'Or winner Secrets & Lies (1996) and Golden Lion winner Vera Drake (2004). His films and stage plays, according to the critic Michael Coveney, "comprise a distinctive, homogenous body of work which stands comparison with anyone's in the British theatre and cinema over the same period."  Coveney further noted Leigh's role in helping to create stars – Liz Smith in Hard Labour, Alison Steadman in Abigail's Party, Brenda Blethyn in Grown-Ups, Antony Sher in Goose-Pimples, Gary Oldman and Tim Roth in Meantime, Jane Horrocks in Life is Sweet, David Thewlis in Naked – and remarked that the list of actors who have worked with him over the years – including Sheila Kelley, Paul Jesson, Phil Daniels, Lindsay Duncan, Lesley Sharp, Kathy Burke, Stephen Rea, Eric Richard, Julie Walters – "comprises an impressive, almost representative, nucleus of outstanding British acting talent."  Ian Buruma, writing in the New York Review of Books in January 1994, noted: "It is hard to get on a London bus or listen to the people at the next table in a cafeteria without thinking of Mike Leigh. Like other wholly original artists, he has staked out his own territory. Leigh's London is as distinctive as Fellini's Rome or Ozu's Tokyo." Description above from the Wikipedia article Mike Leigh, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 20, 1943 (83)
From
Salford, Greater Manchester, England, UK
Works as
Director, writer and actor
Titles
17 on MovieCove · 54 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 34% in 30 days

What are Mike Leigh's films like?

Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.

Genres

Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 92nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Documentary movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 83rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
25%
Society
20%
Self
20%
Power
13%
Ideas
12%
Morality
6%
Survival
4%
Family bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 17 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 7 · Charged 8 · Intense 4

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 13 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 13 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
11
Warm
9
Contemplative
8
Tense
7
Bittersweet
4
Other
7

How their films linger

Bittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Mike Leigh's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 17 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Mike Leigh's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

54 credits, 17 with a MovieCove page; 25 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Tender Loving Care(2026)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Hard Truths(2024)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Peterloo(2018)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Production Director

  • Mr. Turner(2014)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • A Running Jump (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Writer

  • Another Year(2010)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • In Confidence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Writer

  • Happy-Go-Lucky(2008)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • British Film Forever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Le Cercle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Vera Drake(2004)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Cinema16: British Short Films (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director · as Self - Commentary, The Short & Curlies (voice)

  • All or Nothing(2002)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Welcome to Hollywood(1998)

    as Mike Leigh

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Topsy-Turvy(1999)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Career Girls(1997)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Secrets & Lies(1996)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Naked(1993)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Naked (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show Creator

  • Two Mikes Don't Make a Wright (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director

  • A Sense of History (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director

  • Life Is Sweet(1990)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • High Hopes(1988)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Short & Curlies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director · Writer

  • Four Days in July (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director · Writer

  • Meantime(1983)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Afternoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director · Writer

  • A Light Snack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director · Writer

  • Probation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director · Writer

  • Old Chums (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director · Writer

  • Five-Minute Films (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 5 episodes · Director · Creator · Writer

  • The Birth of the Goalie of the 2001 F.A. Cup Final (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director · Writer

  • Home Sweet Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director · Writer

  • Grown-Ups (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director · Writer

  • Who's Who (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Director · Writer

  • The South Bank Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Abigail's Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director · Writer

  • The Kiss of Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director · Writer

  • Shuttlecock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Title Designer

  • Fast Hands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Title Designer

  • Nuts in May (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director · Writer

  • The Permissive Society (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director · Writer

  • Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Writer

  • Second City Firsts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Writer

  • Hard Labour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director · Writer

  • A Mug's Game? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director · Writer

  • Bleak Moments (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director · Writer

  • Play for Today (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Writer

  • West 11 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Actor

  • Two Left Feet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as Jim (uncredited)

  • Maigret(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Untitled 13 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

A full career of 54 titles, 52 of them dated from 1960 to 2024.

Biggest box office

Mr. Turner (2014)

$22M worldwide

Highest rated

Secrets & Lies (1996)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Hard Truths (2024)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting9 of 54: 9 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting40 of 54: 3 only directing, 37 with another role · typical Midcredits score91stWriting38 of 54: 1 only writing, 37 with another role · typical Midcredits score91stOther crew5 of 54: 4 only other crew, 1 with another role

54 titles, 37 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 37 of them.

By decade

1960s3 · acting1970s14 · 1 acting · 13 crew1980s12 · crew1990s8 · crew2000s8 · 3 acting · 5 crew2010s6 · 1 acting · 5 crew2020s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

5 BAFTA Awards and 10 other major awards from 48 major nominations, 1984–2025.

WinNomination
  1. 2025
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Outstanding British Film of the Year
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best International Film
  2. 2018
    • Venice award, won
    • Venice award, nominated · Best Film
  3. 2015
    • BAFTA Award, won · Film
  4. 2014
    • Cannes award, nominated
  5. 2011
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Writing, Original Screenplay
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Screenplay, Original
  6. 2010
    • Cannes award, won
    • Cannes award, nominated
  7. 2009
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Writing, Original Screenplay
  8. 2008
    • Berlinale award, nominated
Show 13 earlier years
  1. 2005
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Directing
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Writing, Original Screenplay
    • BAFTA Award, won
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Screenplay - Original
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
  2. 2004
    • Venice award, won
  3. 2002
    • Cannes award, nominated
  4. 2000
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Screenplay - Original
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Foreign Film
  5. 1999
    • Venice award, nominated
  6. 1997
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Director
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Screenplay - Original
    • BAFTA Award, won
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Film
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
    • +3 other major bodies · 1 win and 2 nominations
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Foreign Film
  7. 1996
    • BAFTA Award, won
    • +1 other major body · 2 wins
      • Cannes award, won ×2
  8. 1994
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Foreign Film
  9. 1993
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Short Film
    • +1 other major body · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Cannes award, won
      • Cannes award, nominated
  10. 1992
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Foreign Film
  11. 1990
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Foreign Film
  12. 1988
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Short Film
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 wins
      • Venice award, won · Parallel Sections
      • Berlinale award, won
  13. 1984
    • Berlinale award, won

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Mike Leigh's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 90th percentile, the median of all 16; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 85th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Approval · how many liked their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Reach · how many have seen their films

87thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Midcredits score across 17 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th1
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 17 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser13

Most divisive · actor

Welcome to Hollywood (1998)

84th percentile spread · 36% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer

Secrets & Lies (1996)

Midcredits 98th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 79/100 and the pacing 45/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Mike Leigh's work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films and violence & gore and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles5–49 · median 19 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles13–58 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles32–88 · median 69 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles32–67 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles15–73 · median 29 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Mike Leigh work with?

People who share at least 2 of Mike Leigh's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Dick Pope shares the most, 10.

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers