Is To Leslie Based On A True Story? The Real-Life Inspiration, Explained

"To Leslie," the 2022 drama film directed by Michael Morris, isn't exactly an easy watch. Written by Ryan Binaco, it follows struggling alcoholic Leslie Roland (Andrea Riseborough) who won the lottery six years prior but wasted the money on liquor and drugs. She reconnects with her estranged son, James (Owen Teague), who lets her stay with him on the condition that she doesn't drink, but her alcoholism continues to be a problem, getting in the way of Leslie's relationship with her son and her wish to move forward.

It's a powerful film, with performances that were praised up and down the board — Riseborough even received an Oscar nomination (although not everyone was happy with this development). With such grounded performances within a familiar yet powerful story, one might wonder if Leslie's story is based on any truth.

Well, as it turns out, the film is loosely based on true events, as Binaco pulled from his late mother's life when he was writing the screenplay.

In an interview with Deadline, "To Leslie" star Andrea Riseborough discussed how that autobiographical element affected the ways in which she processed the story and the experience. Riseborough revealed that she thinks the fact that the film is based on a real person and on real experiences contributed to the strength of the project as a whole.

Riseborough explained that she thinks audience members gain a better understanding of Leslie and her relationship with her son because of the nonlinear structure of the film — two phases of her life are played out side by side, showcasing the ways in which one affects the other. Riseborough continued, sharing, "I think all of those things hold because it's based on a true story. It's written from the perspective of a child who watched their mother experience this very same thing."

Further, she thinks that "To Leslie" was a way for screenwriter Ryan Binaco to connect with his late mother in a new way while being able to realistically depict a struggle that many individuals go through (both from Leslie's perspective and from her son's perspective).

The actress said, "It's as if Ryan has given his mother, who was from a very different place and background, a chance at redemption. What's important about the story is that it's this that makes the film so beautifully hopeful, but Leslie isn't just set free as a mechanism for the storytelling. The film doesn't rely on her being redeemed. She will continue to pull out a bottle and put it away for the rest of her life. It's a realistic depiction of what the aftermath of that maelstrom looks like."