Inside LADY, Sian Clifford’s New Mockumentary Filmed At A Glorious English Estate

Though we often see her in serious roles, Sian Clifford has that comedy je new sais quoi. And in LADY, a new mockumentary landing in cinemas this week, the British uptightness we know from Fleabag shines even brighter through the beacon of Lady Isabella, a narcissistic aristocrat who invites a struggling documentarian (Laurie Kynaston) into her home to film her every move. ‘When the director discovers that the promise of a Netflix commission was a lie, and that Isabella only wants him there to film her taking part in a ridiculously low-stakes regional talent show, he’s ready to quit – until he realises the narcissistic Lady is, quite literally, turning invisible,’ LADY’s director and co-writer Samuel Abrahams teases.

Described by the Guardian as ‘like Saltburn on shrooms’, despite the aristocratic setting, ‘the initial spark for LADY came after stumbling across an aspiring influencer’s first video post,’ Samuel tells C&TH. ‘Every decision – the editing, song choice, subject matter – was gloriously off. She was to YouTube what Tommy Wiseau is to cinema. Yet beneath the ridiculous was something heartbreaking: a need to be seen, to connect, to matter. That mix of delusion, humour, and sadness stayed with me as Miranda [Campbell Bowling, co-writer] and I created the character of Lady Isabella: a bombastic, lonely narcissist, marooned in her stately pile, Ravenhyde Hall.’

Indeed, all of the film’s action takes place across this glorious English estate. Below, we peek behind the curtain.

‘Driving through the grounds of Somerleyton and turning towards stag statue flanked gates evoked a sense of mystery.’ (MetFilm)

Where Was LADY Filmed?

The entirety of LADY was filmed at Somerleyton Hall, a Grade II* listed country house and 5,000 acre estate in Suffolk over three weeks in early 2025. Dating back as far as 1240, the house has been transformed several times across its history, but today stands as a Victorian Anglo-Italian marvel utilising redbrick and mellow stone. It is currently home to Hugh Crossley, 4th Baron Somerleyton and his wife Lara, who Samuel says ‘were such generous and gracious hosts’.

When she first visited, LADY’s production designer Agnieszka Debska recalls: ‘Driving through the grounds of Somerleyton and turning towards stag statue flanked gates evoked a sense of mystery. On the other side the building unfolded in its glory, and getting to know it in one day prompted endless gasps of wonder at the architecture and exuberance of its decor.’

In Britain, we are rather spoiled for choice when it comes to screen-worthy estates – as the likes of Bridgerton and The Crown have proved. But for LADY, Somerleyton Hall was top of mind right from the start. ‘Miranda and I had visited Somerleyton Hall many times, so always had the house in mind when writing,’ director Samuel notes. ‘Then, in pre-production when I was asked to write a location brief, it was the simplest brief I’ve ever written. Three words: “Somerleyton Hall please”.

Somerleyton Hall dates back as far as 1240. (John Fielding from Norwich, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

‘Thankfully we were able to secure Somerleyton,’ Samuel adds. ‘It’s our one and only location, as the entire film takes place on the estate, so along with casting Sian and Laurie, “who will play Ravenhyde Hall?” was one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle. The house really is one of the main characters of the movie.’

Among the 5,000 acres surrounding the house, 12 are formal gardens comprising a yew hedge maze created by William Andrews Nesfield in 1846 and a ridge and furrow greenhouse designed by Joseph Paxton, the same man who designed The Crystal Palace. There is also a walled garden, a kitchen garden, an aviary, a loggia and a 90-metre (300 ft) long pergola blanketed with roses and wisteria. Elsewhere, 1,000 of the 5,000 acres have been dedicated to a rewilding project, inspired by Knepp Wildland; black pigs, Exmoor ponies and 100 free-roaming cattle now call the land home.

Alongside Sian and Laurie, he house is one of the main characters of the movie. (MetFilm)

As striking as Somerleyton Hall’s exterior is, the interiors are just as important to LADY. ‘An image of an exotic bird trapped in a gilded cage kept coming up in meetings with Sam,’ production designer Agnieszka says. ‘The idea that Lady Isabella ramps up comfort and fun inside her house, turning it into a three storey dressing up box, in order to escape the painful memories tied to it was my guiding light.’

In some spaces, this led to a total transformation. ‘During initial conversations with Sam, we established that Lady Isabella’s bedroom needed to stand out from meticulously designed and perfectly ordered guest rooms – it was her domain, in which she could let go of the carefully curated image of poise and control,’ Agnieszka says. ‘It was an immensely satisfying process of design and gathering props reflecting Lady Isabella’s inner world, and dressing it was pure joy. Samuel encouraged me to fully embrace Issy’s sense of fun, childishness and irreverence and hiding her turmoil behind an armour of extravagant outfits, and the design of her bedroom reflects that.’

‘If you watch Sian’s performance closely, you’ll see that Isabella’s relationship with the house is not only an emotional one, but also physical,’ Samuel adds. ‘She is always touching, resting, caressing the house, grounding herself, connecting herself with the thing that she believes gives her meaning.’

‘Isabella’s relationship with the house is not only an emotional one, but also physical.’ (MetFilm)

Release Date

LADY lands in cinemas Friday 14 August 2026. Find your nearest screening here.