Director Mike Leigh likely to retire after his next film due to illness
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- Mike Leigh said at a Golden Globes-hosted London roundtable that his next film 'Tender Loving Care' is 'absolutely' likely to be his last, telling attendees that two friends had to help him stand up.
- The 83-year-old director has been diagnosed with myositis, a disease causing chronic muscle inflammation, and said another film would be 'very difficult' and 'not going to be possible.'
- 'Tender Loving Care' stars Leigh's longtime collaborator and partner Marion Bailey alongside Kate O'Flynn and is described as 'an insightful exploration of the contemporary world,' with its world premiere predicted at Telluride before a Canadian premiere at Toronto.
- Leigh said making a play is 'even more physically demanding' than a film, suggesting his directing career overall — not just film — may be ending.
- His last film 'Hard Truths' (2022), starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste, was a four-star critical hit and marked his final collaboration with cinematographer Dick Pope, who died in October 2024.
Why it matters: Leigh's retirement closes a nearly 50-year career that produced Oscar-nominated landmarks like 'Secrets & Lies' and 'Mr Turner.' The fact that his previous film coincided with the death of cinematographer Dick Pope in October 2024 means British cinema is losing both a signature director and his defining visual collaborator within the span of a few years.
