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Spencer Leigh

Spencer Leigh

Acting

Biography

Born in Liverpool, Spencer Leigh is an actor who first came to prominence in the 1980s as Icky Higson in the Willy Russell series One Summer. Face Magazine called him one of the Brit Pack actors, alongside the likes of Tim Roth, Colin Firth and Gary Oldman, tipping him for international fame. However Leigh favoured arthouse overall, and worked almost exclusively with Derek Jarman in a series of the auteur's films from the mid '80s through to his death. Moving to the States Leigh commenced a secondary career directing TV commercials and resurfaced in 2012, taking the part of Nunzio in Hitchcock.

Known For

Depuis le Jour

Derek Jarman's interpretation of the aria 'Depuis le jour' from the final act of Gustave Charpentier's opera Louise (1900) features Aimée Delamain as an aging opera singer taking her final bow and recalling a love affair from her youth. As the aria goes: 'Et je tremble délicieusement au souvenir charmant du premier jour d'amour! (And I tremble deliciously at the delightful memory of the first day of love!)' – Her reveries feature Tilda Swinton and Spencer Leigh wandering around the topiaries of Swinton's family garden and at various seaside locations. The film was made for Aria (1987), the portmanteau project of producer Don Boyd who invited ten directors to create short films set to operatic arias of their choice. The particular performance used in Depuis le jour is by esteemed African-American soprano Leontyne Price.

Depuis le Jour

1987Movie