Mike Leigh was made a patron of Humanists UK for his exploration of the human condition through the arts.
Writer and director
Writer-director Mike Leigh was born in 1943 in Salford. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Camberwell and Central Art Schools in London, and at the London Film School, of which he was Chairman until 2018. He is best known for his pioneering technique of using extensive improvisation and collaboration during the rehearsal period.
His first feature film was Bleak Moments (1971); this was followed by the full-length television films, Hard Labour (1973), Nuts in May(1975), The Kiss of Death (1976), Who’s Who (1978), Grown-Ups(1980), Home Sweet Home (1982), Meantime (1983), and Four Days In July (1984).
Other feature films are High Hopes (1988), Life Is Sweet (1990), Naked (1993) (Cannes: Best Director and Best Actor), Secrets and Lies (1996) (Cannes: Palme d’Or and Best Actress; 4 Oscar nominations),Career Girls (1997), Topsy-Turvy (1999) (two Oscar Awards, 5 nominations), All Or Nothing (2002), Vera Drake (2004) (Venice: Golden Lion & Best Actress; 6 BIFA’s, 3 BAFTA’s including Best Director, 3 Oscar nominations), Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) (one Oscar nomination), and Another Year (2010) (one Oscar nomination).
He has written and directed over twenty stage plays, including Babies Grow Old (1974), Abigail’s Party(1977), Ecstasy (1979), Goose-Pimples (1981), Smelling A Rat (1988) and - commissioned by the National Theatre - Two Thousand Years (2005) and, most-recently, Grief (2011).
We want pupils from all different backgrounds educated
together in a shared environment, rather than separated
according to the religious beliefs of their parents. Find
out more.
We want a country where institutions such as Parliament
are separate from religious organisations, and everyone
is treated equally, regardless of their beliefs. Find out more.
As humanists, we support the right of every person to be
treated with dignity and respect, and to be allowed to
speak, and believe, as they wish. Find
out more.
Humanist marriages are currently legally recognised in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but not England and Wales. Elsewhere, couples having a humanist ceremony must also have a separate civil marriage. We work to change that.
Find out more.
We think it’s vital that every young person learns about the different religions that are common in the UK today, as well as humanism.
We work to ensure that such education is critical, objective, and pluralistic. Find out more.
26 Church of England bishops sit as of right in the
House of Lords, amending legislation. This unique
privilege is unfair, unjustified and unpopular. Find
out more.
We believe individuals should have a right to decide to
end their life if they are suffering, and that relatives
and doctors should be able to assist that person. Find
out more.
Sign up as a supporter and we'll keep you up to date by email about all of our work for a fair and equal society. Click here to see our Privacy Policy.
Sign up as a supporter and we'll keep you up to date by email about all of our work for a fair and equal society. Click here to see our Privacy Policy.
Postcode is optional but will help us send you information relevant to your local area.