Mike Leigh retirement looks likely after Tender Loving Care
Mike Leigh says illness means his new film Tender Loving Care will very likely be his last, after a six-decade career.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Mike Leigh retirement talk has moved from speculation to the director’s own lips: the 83-year-old filmmaker told Indiewire at a Golden Globes-hosted event in London that his new feature, Tender Loving Care, is very likely to be his last.
Asked whether the film, which has recently joined the Toronto lineup, would mark his final feature as director, Leigh answered: “Absolutely. I think very likely, yes,” according to Indiewire. He added that he believed “that is the case.”
The comments put a possible endpoint on one of British cinema’s most distinctive careers. Variety described Leigh as a major figure in independent film across six decades, with honors including multiple BAFTA wins, the Palme d’Or and the Golden Lion.
Is Mike Leigh retiring after Tender Loving Care?
Leigh has not announced a formal retirement date, but he said it is very likely that Tender Loving Care will be the final feature he directs. His reason, according to his comments at the London event, is the physical toll of illness.
Leigh has previously discussed having myositis, Variety reported. Myositis is a condition in which the immune system attacks the muscles, and Variety said it has sharply affected his mobility.
At the event, Leigh said he had been fortunate while making the new film because people around him had helped. He noted that two friends would assist him in standing up, and said he probably could not do much more, according to Indiewire.
He also said stage work would be tougher for him than directing a movie. On a film set, he said, he can be moved around, while putting on a play is more physically demanding, according to the report.
What is Tender Loving Care?
Tender Loving Care is a comedy drama led by Marion Bailey, Leigh’s longtime collaborator and partner. The cast also includes Paul Jesson of All or Nothing, Kate O’Flynn of Happy-Go-Lucky and Alice Bailey Johnson of Hard Truths.
Details of the story remain under wraps. Variety reported that the only description released so far calls the film “an insightful exploration of the contemporary world.”
The behind-the-camera team includes several frequent Leigh collaborators: costume designer Jacqueline Durran, hair and make-up designer Nora Robertson, production designer Jane Brodie, composer Gary Yershon, editor Tania Reddin, director of photography Lucy Bristow and casting director Nina Gold.
Bleecker Street will distribute the film in the United States, while StudioCanal will handle the United Kingdom, the same arrangement used for Leigh’s previous film, Hard Truths, according to Variety.
If Tender Loving Care does become Leigh’s final feature, it would close a filmography that includes Naked, Happy-Go-Lucky, Another Year, Life Is Sweet, Mr. Turner and Secrets & Lies.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.