While Kardashian’s role was as delicious and ephemeral as a piece of cotton candy, Lesley Manville’s part in Murphy’s series “Grotesquerie” was the real substantial meal. Manville, one of the industry’s most unassuming titans, initially seemed like an odd fit for a Murphy project — especially one that, on its face, was more like a combination of the television mogul’s favorite buzzwords (Murder! Apocalypse! Adultery! Sex! Nuns!) than an actual show. But unpredictability has long been one of Manville’s strong suits, and the cruel, hard-nosed Nurse Redd fit perfectly into her diverse set projects from this year alone.
Alongside “Grotesquerie,” Manville had a banner year in 2024. Not only did she work with Murphy, perhaps television’s most reliable madman, but she collaborated with some of the most prestigious directors working today. In Alfonso Cuarón’s Apple TV+ limited series “Disclaimer,” Manville gave a knockout performance as a grieving mother, navigating her pain through stoic anger and going toe-to-toe with Cate Blanchett’s character in the process. Manville emerged elsewhere in an almost unrecognizable bit part in Luca Guadagino’s latest film “Queer,” a role that any actor would covet but few could pull off with the same conviction. That’s not even mentioning the fact that Manville is still a staple across the pond, popping up in Masterpiece mystery series and Britbox shows like "Sherwood," making noteworthy turns look as easy as taking out the bins.
