Lesley Sharp is one of Britain’s most respected and versatile actors.

With a career spanning four decades across film, television and theatre – from her BAFTA nominated roles in The Fully Monty and Bob & Rose, to Olivier Award nominated roles in A Family Affair and Uncle Vanya – Lesley is truly one of the UK’s most impressive exports.

Lesley tackles complex, groundbreaking stories with fearlessness. Her work consistently challenges stereotypes and pushes boundaries, making her a true icon of British screen and stage.

She currently stars in the film Pillion as Peggy – a mother navigating her son’s entry into a BDSM relationship – playing opposite Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgard. She’s also reprising her role in the second series of the acclaimed Red Eye.

On this episode of The Pieces, Bimini and Lesley discuss the complexity of BDSM relationships (reflecting on Lesley’s role in Pillion) and why playing a morally upstanding character in Red Eye feels important in today's climate of political dishonesty.

Lesley also shares the impact of adoption on her identity, why understanding human behaviour is central to her craft and her healing and how therapy at 25 became transformative. She also reflects on the unexpected global success of The Full Monty, the toxic culture of celebrity shaming in the 2000s, and why she never reads reviews of live theatre.

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