The Lady in the Van The Lady in the Van The Lady in the Van is a 2015 British comedy-drama film directed by Nicholas Hytner, and starring Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings, based on the novel of the same name created by Alan Bennett. It was written by Alan Bennett, and it tells the (mostly) true story of his interactions with Mary Shepherd, an elderly woman who lived in a dilapidated van on his driveway in London for 15 years. He had previously published the story as a 1989 essay, 1990 book, 1999 stage play, and 2009 radio play on BBC Radio 4. Smith had
The Lady in the Van It was released in UK theatres on 13 November 2015, while there was a limited theatrical release on 15 January 2016 in the US. The first trailer was released on 26 February 2015, followed by a teaser poster on 5 March. A new and extended trailer was released on 4 September. , "The Lady in the Van" has grossed $41.3 million worldwide; $31.3 million in the United Kingdom and $10.0 million in North America. "The Lady in the Van" received positive reviews, with particular praise being aimed at Smith's acting. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a rating of 91%, based