Is To Leslie based on a true story?

The wait is over. To Leslie starring Andrea Riseborough has made its way to Netflix, and it’s already secured a spot on the top 10 movie list after being on the platform for only two days. As of June 2, it’s sitting at the No. 6 spot, meaning that tons of people are streaming the film. But this comes as no surprise, seeing as though it received critical acclaim when it came out in theaters.

To Leslie is a drama movie helmed by Michael Morris in his feature directorial debut. Previously Morris directed episodes of TV shows such as Bloodline, Kingdom, Preacher, House of Cards and Better Call Saul. Additionally, Ryan Binaco wrote the screenplay. He’s known for writing the script for the sci-fi film 3022.

The story follows Leslie, a down-and-out West Texas single mother, who after winning a life-changing lottery jackpot, squanders it all and is forced to return to her hometown. Now she must work to rebuild her life and find redemption. Riseborough stars in the leading role of Leslie. The rest of the cast includes Andre Royo, Owen Teague, Stephen Root, James Landry Hebert, Marc Maron, Allison Janney, and others.

Since many movies are based on true stories nowadays, you might be wondering if To Leslie joins that list of films. As always, that’s no problem for us. We shared if the drama is based on a true story below.

Is To Leslie based on a true story?

To Leslie is loosely based on a true story. It’s inspired by the life of Ryan Binaco’s real-life mother and his experiences growing up with her. He based the main character on his mother and drew from his personal experiences to write the story.

Here’s what the movie’s director Michael Morris had to say about the inspiration behind the film.

"“Ryan wrote this script and had been brought up by a version of Leslie. But it’s important to note that Leslie, as embodied by Andrea (Riseborough) in the film, is not Ryan’s mother. This is very much a film, and a character that was built by Andrea in every beat of the film. Ryan wrote this script to try and understand his mother and the pain she dealt with, often by herself, and to work through the pain he had growing up without his mother for much of his young life.”"

Leading star Andrea Riseborough also spoke about the inspiration behind the film and her character in an interview with Deadline.

"“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. It’s as if Ryan has given his mother, who was from a very different place and background, a chance at redemption.”"

So, there you have it. To Leslie is inspired by actual events drawn from Binaco’s own life.

After you’re done watching To Leslie, we recommend checking out some more of Riseborough’s content on Netflix, such as Bloodline, Black Mirror, Nocturnal Animals, Matilda the Musical and Shepherds and Butchers.