Lesley Manville

The Crown Series 1 – 6 (2016-2023)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Actress Olivia Coleman as Queen Elizabeth II dressed in regimental uniform sitting on a black horse saluting. In the background is a crowd

Olivia Colman in The Crown (2020) © Netflix

Creator: Peter Morgan
Starring: Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Lesley Manville, Elizabeth Debicki, Dominic West
Production Company: Left Bank Pictures, Sony Pictures Television
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Brompton Barracks, Cobham Hall, Lydd, Discovery Park, Rochester

The Crown (2016-2023) is a Netflix Original historical drama series focusing on the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Based on real events, the series is a fictional dramatization of the political and personal events that shaped her reign.

Created by Peter Morgan (Rush (2013), The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)), The Crown was reportedly the most expensive series to be produced by Netflix when it first aired, estimated at £100 million.

In Series 1 – 2, Queen Elizabeth II is portrayed by Claire Foy (The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2022), A Very British Scandal (2021)) followed by Olivia Colman in Series 3-4 (Landscapers (2021), The Favourite (2019)). Imelda Staunton (Flesh and Blood (2020), Vera Drake) took over the role in Series 5-6, supported by a host of stars including Jonathan Pryce (Wolf Hall (2015), The Two Popes) as Prince Philip, Lesley Manville (Harlots (2017), Mr Turner (2014)) as Princess Margaret, Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby, Widows) as Princess Diana and Dominic West (Genius (2016), Johnny English Reborn (2011)) as Prince Charles.

The Crown production team chose to visit Kent to film at The Historic Dockyard Chatham for Series 1 where they filmed a dockside scene on Anchor Wharf after building part of the side of a ship. The Historic Dockyard Chatham dates back to the 17th century and contains over 100 buildings from the Georgian and Victorian periods. It is a popular film location that has previously featured on screen in Suffragette (2015), Downton Abbey (2013) and Les Miserables (2013).

In Series 4, production visited Brompton Barracks in Chatham, where they used the Parade Square and The Mall for scenes re-enacting Trooping the Colour at the Horse Guards Parade. Brompton Barracks is ideally suited as a location to double for iconic London landmarks with a large parade ground, vaulted cellars under the Officer’s Mess, statues, stone bridges, a museum, and a large ornate arch.

For Series 5, production revisited The Historic Dockyard Chatham where they filmed the Queen boarding a ship at Anchor Wharf. Filming also took place in the village of Lydd, at Hardy Hall and The Green, which was used to recreate Tony Blair, played by Bertie Carvel (Dalgliesh, Doctor Foster), and his family casting their votes in the 1997 General Election – a scene which sadly did not make the final cut. Production also visited Cobham Hall, which doubled as Eton College.

Production returned to Kent for Series 6, with filming taking place at Cobham Hall, which once again doubles for Eton College. A jogging scene was also filmed in a nearby private woodland and Discovery Park features as the Al-Fayed offices in Series 6 part 1.

Cobham Hall is a private school in a historic house which is located in 150 acres of Grade II listed parkland. Its features include a stunning ballroom, library, cobbled courtyards, formal gardens, water towers, modern classrooms and sport facilities, including a swimming pool. Previous productions to have filmed at Cobham Hall include Hetty Feather (2015-2020), High End Yaariyaan (2019) and Tulip Fever (2018).

The first series of The Crown (2016-2023) was released on Netflix on Friday 4th November 2016. All seasons are currently available to view on Netflix.

Series 6 of The Crown (2016-2023) will be released on Netflix in two parts. Part 1 will be released on Thursday 16th November 2023, with Part 2 following on Thursday 14th December 2023.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Harlots (2017)

Posted on by Kent Film Office

Charlotte Wells [Jessica Brown Findlay] and Daniel Marney [Rory Fleck-Byrne] © Monumental Television

Creators: Alison Newman, Moira Buffini
Writers: Moira Buffini, Jane English, Cat Jones, Debbie O’Malley
Starring: Samantha Morton, Jessica Brown Findlay, Lesley Manville, Eloise Smyth, Holli Dempsey, Kate Fleetwood
Production Company: Monumental Pictures, Independent Television (ITV)
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Already hotly debated in the press, ITV’s risqué eight part series, Harlots (2017-2019), takes us back to London 1763 when one in five women sold their body. The story follows brothel owner Margaret Wells (Samantha Morton), her daughters Charlotte (Jessica Brown Findlay) and Lucy (Eloise Smyth) and their rival, Madam Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville).

Marie-Louise D’Aubigne (Poppy Corby-Teuch) and three friends sitting in a row of chairs with curtains behind

Marie-Louise D’Aubigne (Poppy Corby-Teuch) and other Harlots © Monumental Television

The series was inspired by Jack Harris’ stories collected in Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies, a directory that contained a list of prostitutes, with their age, price and ‘specialities’.

The new drama stars Samantha Morton (The Walking Dead, Minority Report) as Margaret Wells, Jessica Brown Findlay (Victor Frankenstein (2015), Brave New World (2020)) as Charlotte Wells, Lesley Manville (Mr Turner (2014), All or Nothing (2002)) as Lydia Quigley, Eloise Smyth (The Frankenstein Chronicles, Fortitude) as Lucy Wells, Holli Dempsey (Derek (2013), The Aliens) as Emily Lacey and Kate Fleetwood (Victoria, The Wheel of Time) as Nancy Birch.

The Tarred Yarn Store at Chatham Dockyard was used as the interior and exterior of a riverside tavern in Series One.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a popular filming location with variety of Georgian and Victorian architecture, maritime environment, dry dock, cobbled streets and industrial buildings. Call the Midwife (2012-2022), SS-GB (2017) and The Crown (2016-2020) are just a few of the productions that were filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

Harlots premieres on ITV Encore on Monday 27th March at 10:00PM and on Hulu on Wednesday 29th March.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Mr Turner (2014)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Mr Turner (Timothy Spall) standing in front of a painting

Mr Turner © Entertainment One

Director/Writer: Mike Leigh

Starring: Timothy Spall, Paul Jesson, Dorothy Atkinson, Marion Bailey, Karl Johnson, Ruth Sheen, Lesley Manville

Production companies: Film4, Focus Features International, Lipsync ProductionsT, hin Man Films, Xofa Productions

Kent locations: The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Stangate Creek

Mr Turner was written and directed by the acclaimed Mike Leigh and chronicles the last twenty-five years of one of the most celebrated artists in British history – J.M.W. Turner.

The biographical drama takes us back to the nineteenth century when Turner travelled and painted some of his renowned works, even though he was struggling with the death of his esteemed father. The film also highlights Turner’s eccentric behaviour which resulted in his being both celebrated and reviled by the public and royalty alike.

Mr Turner looking at a painting in his study. Paintings are also on the walls behind

Mr Turner © Entertainment One

Turner is played by BAFTA winner Timothy Spall (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The King’s Speech) and also stars Paul Jesson (Vera Drake, Rome), Dorothy Atkinson (Call the Midwife, All or Nothing), Marion Bailey (Persuasion, Meantime), Karl Johnson (The Illusionist, Hot Fuzz), Ruth Sheen (Run Fatboy Run, Vanity Fair) and Lesley Manville (Maleficent, Another Year).

The Mr Turner production visited The Historic Dockyard in Chatham where they used HMS Gannet which doubled for a pleasure vessel on the Thames as well as the scenes where Turner is tied to the mast of a ship in a storm to make some sketches for his painting Snow Storm- Steam-Boat off a Harbour’s Mouth.  Stangate Creek was also used to film a rowing scene.

Turner had a rich history with Kent and drew inspiration for his works from a variety of locations including Stangate Creek, Margate and Whitstable. Now, the Turner Contemporary gallery in Margate celebrates Turner’s association with the area.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham  lies on the River Medway which boasts a dry dock, cobbled streets, industrial buildings and extraordinary Georgian and Victorian architecture. The location has previously featured on screen in productions such as Muppets Most Wanted (2014), Call The Midwife (2012-2014) and Sherlock Holmes (2009).

Stangate Creek is on the River Medway and has been used by feature film adaption Great Expectations (2012) as well as the BBC’s Great Expectations (1999).

Mr Turner is released in cinemas on Friday 31st October 2014.

 

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

All Or Nothing (2002)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Car driving through a isolated background with lighthouse

All or Nothing Screenshot © Thin Man Films/StudioCanal

Director: Mike Leigh

Starring: Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville, Ruth Sheen, James Corden

Production Company: Les Films Alain Sarde, Thin Man Films

Kent location used: Dungeness

All Or Nothing is a film set on a London housing estate and centres around three working-class families and the struggles they face; including unemployment, violence unplanned pregnancy and alcoholism.

The film was nominated for many awards and won two at the London Critics Circle Film Awards – British Film of the Year and British Actress of the Year for Lesley Manville.

The film is directed by the acclaimed Mike Leigh (Secrets & Lies, Happy-Go-Lucky, Vera Drake) and stars Timothy Spall (Mr Turner, The King’s Speech, Enchanted), Lesley Manville (Maleficent, Another Year, Secrets & Lies) Ruth Sheen (Run Fatboy Run, Misfits, Vanity Fair) and James Corden (Begin Again, Into the Woods, The History Boys).

driving through fields looking out onto the beach

All or Nothing Screenshot © Thin Man Films/StudioCanal

Dungeness features in the film when Phil drives to the beach to contemplate his problems.

Set in the Shepway district of Kent, Dungeness is a unique location with a shingle beach, old and modern homes, two lighthouses, a historic railway station and a Power Station. Dungeness has been used as a film location by productions such as Ginger and Rosa (2012), Derek (2008) and I Want You (1998).

All Or Nothing was released in cinemas on 18th October 2002 and is now available to buy on DVD.

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.