David Leland

David Leland (20 April 1947 - 24 December 2023) was a director, screenwriter and actor who came to international fame with his directorial debut Wish You Were Here in 1987. After a few acting roles, he collaborated with British director Alan Clarke in 1981. Their film Made in Britain was critical... More

David Leland (20 April 1947 - 24 December 2023) was a director, screenwriter and actor who came to international fame with his directorial debut Wish You Were Here in 1987. After a few acting roles, he collaborated with British director Alan Clarke in 1981. Their film Made in Britain was critically acclaimed and marked the beginning of Tim Roth's career. After a few more screenplays, he began writing a screenplay about the life of Cynthia Payne, resulting in Personal Services, directed by Terry Jones and starring Julie Walters. The film was supposed to have an opening segment about the character's adolescence, but this introduction grew so large that it became a standalone film, leading to Leland's first directing effort, Wish You Were Here; this film was a success and earned the young actress Emily Lloyd recognition and awards. This was followed by a film with Rachel Weisz and Anna Friel, The Land Girls, and then a role in the TV series Band of Brothers.