Olivia Colman
| Olivia Colman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sarah Caroline Olivia Colman 30 January 1974 Norfolk, England, UK[1] |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouse(s) | Ed Sinclair |
| Children | 2 |
Olivia Colman (born Sarah Caroline Olivia Colman; 30 January 1974)[2] is an English actress, well known for her supporting roles in comedy shows including Sally Owen in Twenty Twelve, Sophie Chapman in Peep Show, Alex Smallbone in Rev. and Harriet Schulenburg in Green Wing. Her performance in the 2011 film Tyrannosaur received critical acclaim.[3] In 2013 she won BAFTA awards for her roles in Accused and Twenty Twelve.[4] She also received widespread acclaim for her role as DS Ellie Miller in ITV series Broadchurch
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Personal life [edit]
Colman was born in Norfolk, to a nurse mother and a chartered surveyor father.[5][6] She was educated at two local independent schools: Norwich High School for Girls and Gresham's School in Holt. She went on to Homerton College, Cambridge and spent a term doing a primary school teacher training course. While at Cambridge she first met future co-stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb[7] and auditioned for the Footlights.[8] Eventually she decided to switch to drama and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.[9]
Colman lives in south London with her husband Ed Sinclair, an actor turned writer whom she met at Cambridge,[8] and their two sons.[9]
Television [edit]
Colman has appeared in roles in numerous BBC, ITV and Channel 4 television programmes such as Bruiser, People Like Us, Look Around You, Black Books, The Office, The Time Of Your Life and provided the voice-over for Five's poll for Britain’s Funniest Comedy Character. She regularly features in BBC Radio 4 comedies, such as Concrete Cow, Think the Unthinkable, The House of Milton Jones and Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. She is also the voice of Minka, the Polish secretary in the Radio 4 comedy Hut 33, set in a fictional codebreaking hut of the real-life Bletchley Park during World War II.[10]
Colman has worked with the comedians Mitchell & Webb on several projects. Colman met the duo when they were all students at Cambridge University.[9] She has appeared with them in numerous TV and radio series, such as radio's That Mitchell and Webb Sound, and the television version, That Mitchell and Webb Look. She decided to leave the programme after deciding that she was becoming too closely associated with the duo and needed to widen her horizons: a decision that was made "with tears".[11] She continued to appear on Peep Show until 2010.
In October and November 2008, Colman appeared in the BBC sitcom Beautiful People, based on the life of Simon Doonan, as Debbie Doonan, Simon's mother. She also made a guest appearance in Skins, in the third-series episode "Naomi" as Naomi's mother Gina. In 2010, Colman took a leading role as Alex Smallbone, the wife of an inner city vicar, in the BBC sitcom Rev. Also in 2010, she played "Mother" in Matt Smith's debut Doctor Who story.
In spring 2011, Colman appeared in the BBC drama Exile, written by Danny Brocklehurst and starring John Simm and Jim Broadbent. In 2011-12 she played Sally Owen, the love-lorn secretary to Hugh Bonneville's character Ian Fletcher in Twenty Twelve, a successful television comedy series about planning for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
In 2013, Colman played DS Ellie Miller in the hit ITV drama Broadchurch. This eight-part drama set in the fictional Dorset town of Broadchurch follows the reaction of a tight-knit community when a young boy is killed under suspicious circumstances.
Film [edit]
Colman's film credits include the British mockumentary film Confetti (in which she plays a naturist with Robert Webb, a role the described as "the worst experience of my life"),[9] Alice in Grow Your Own, Doris Thatcher in Hot Fuzz, and I Could Never Be Your Woman. Colman appeared as 'Bev', alongside Mark Burdis as 'Kev', in a series of television adverts for AA car insurance. She provided voices for the Andrex "be kind to your behind" adverts and Glade fragrance adverts, where her character is a gorilla.
Colman was a leading cast member in Paddy Considine's first two films: Dog Altogether and Tyrannosaur. Colman has worked several times with Considine, having acted together in Hot Fuzz, where they met, and also in Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee.[12] She also acted alongside him in the second The Suspicions of Mr Whicher film in 2013.
Colman played Carol Thatcher in the Academy Award-winning 2011 film The Iron Lady. In her BAFTA acceptance speech for Best Actress, lead actress Meryl Streep thanked Colman and described her as "divinely gifted". In 2012 she was nominated twice in the "Best Actress" category at the British Comedy Awards.[13]
Awards [edit]
In January 2011, Colman won a Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Special Jury Prize for Breakout Performances for her role in the film Tyrannosaur.[14] Her performance also received the 2012 Kermode Award for Best Actress.
Colman was recognised for her versatility at the 2013 BAFTAs, receiving awards for Best Supporting Actress for her turn in The Accused, and Best Female Comedy Performance in Twenty Twelve.[15]
Filmography [edit]
Films [edit]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Terkel in Trouble | Terkel's Mum | Dub of Danish film |
| 2005 | Zemanovaload | TV Producer | |
| One Day | Ian's mother | Short film | |
| 2006 | Confetti | Joanna | |
| 2007 | Hot Fuzz | PC Doris Thatcher | |
| Grow Your Own | Alice | ||
| I Could Never Be Your Woman | Hairdresser | Direct-to-DVD release | |
| Dog Altogether | Anita | Short film | |
| 2009 | Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee | Olivia | |
| 2011 | Tyrannosaur | Hannah | British Independent Film Award for Best Actress Chlotrudis Award for Best Actress Empire Award for Best Actress London Film Critics Circle Award for British Actress of the Year also for The Iron Lady Nominated - Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture |
| Arrietty | Homily | English dub | |
| The Iron Lady | Carol Thatcher[16] | London Film Critics Circle Award for British Actress of the Year also for Tyrannosaur | |
| 2012 | Hyde Park on Hudson | Queen Elizabeth (later The Queen Mother) | British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| 2013 | I Give It a Year | Marriage Counsellor | |
| 2014 | Locke | post-production |
Television [edit]
| Year | Series | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Bruiser | Various characters | Six episodes | |
| 2001 | The Mitchell and Webb Situation | Various characters | Five episodes | |
| People Like Us | Unnamed character | Episode 2.1: "The Vicar" | ||
| Mr Charity | Distressed mother | Episode 1.5: "Nice to Feed You" | ||
| Comedy Lab | Linda | Daydream Believers: "Brand New Beamer" | ||
| 2002 | Rescue Me | Paula | Episode 1.4 | |
| Holby City | Kim Prebble | Episode 4.45: "New Hearts, Old Scores" | ||
| The Office | Helena | Episode 2.6 | ||
| 2003 | Gash | Various characters | Three episodes | |
| Eyes Down | Mandy Foster | Episode 1.3: "Stars in Their Eyes" | ||
| The Strategic Humor Initiative | Various characters | |||
| 2003-2010 | Peep Show | Sophie Chapman | 32 episodes Nominated for British Comedy Award for Best Comedy Actress in 2008 |
|
| 2004 | Black Books | Tanya | Episode 3.2: "Elephants and Hens" | |
| Swiss Toni | Linda Byron | Episode 2.1: "Troubleshooter" | ||
| NY-LON | Lucy | Episode 1.5: "Something About Family" | ||
| Coming Up | Receptionist | Episode 2.1: "The Baader Meinhoff Gang Show" | ||
| 2004–2006 | Green Wing | Harriet Schulenburg | 18 episodes | |
| 2005 | Angell's Hell | Belinda | ||
| Look Around You | Pam Bachelor | Six episodes | ||
| Help | Unnamed character | Episode 1.6 | ||
| The Robinsons | Connie | Episode 1.3 | ||
| Murder in Suburbia | Ellie | Episode 2.6: "Golden Oldies" | ||
| ShakespeaRe-Told | Ursula | Episode 1.1 "Much Ado About Nothing" | ||
| 2006–2008 | That Mitchell and Webb Look | Various characters | 13 episodes | |
| 2007 | The Grey Man | Linda Dodds | ||
| The Time of Your Life | Amanda | Six episodes | ||
| 2008 | Love Soup | Penny | Episode 2.2: "Integrated Logistics" | |
| Hancock and Joan | Marion | TV film | ||
| Consuming Passion | Janet/Nurse Violetta Kiss | TV film | ||
| 2008-2009 | Beautiful People | Debbie Doonan | 12 episodes | |
| 2009 | Skins | Gina Campbell | Episode 3.6: "Naomi" | |
| Midsomer Murders | Bernice | "Small Mercies" | ||
| Mister Eleven | Beth | Two episodes | ||
| 2010 | Doctor Who | Mother/Prisoner Zero | Episode 5.1: "The Eleventh Hour" | |
| 2010- | Rev | Alex Smallbone | 13 episodes | |
| 2011 | Exile | Nancy Ronstadt | Three episodes | |
| 2011-2012 | Twenty Twelve | Sally Owen | Eight episodes BAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance (2013) Nominated - (2012) |
|
| 2012 | Accused | Sue | Epidode 2.2: "Mo's Story" Royal Television Society award for Best Actress[17] BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress (2013) |
|
| 2012 | Bad Sugar | |||
| 2013 | Broadchurch | Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller | ||
| 2013 | The Suspicions of Mr Whicher II: The Murder In Angel Lane | Susan Spencer |
References [edit]
- ^ Hamilton, Fiona. "Warning over debt and mental health". The Times (London).
- ^ {England and Wales Birth Index 1916-2005}
- ^ Maloney, Alison. "Ladies in red light up Empire Awards". The Sun (London).
- ^ "Olivia Colman".
- ^ Fitzherbert, Henry (2012-01-02). "Olivia Colman on the fast-track to becoming a national treasure". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
- ^ TV and Radio. "Olivia Colman interview". Telegraph. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
- ^ "Maggie, Meryl, and my modest career". The Herald. 29 December 2011.
- ^ a b "Sarah Dempster talks to Olivia Colman". guardian.co.uk. 18 June 2007.
- ^ a b c d Dempster, Sarah (18 June 2007). "Fame is quite scary". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2007-07-17.
- ^ Cary, James (3 February 2009). "Starting Writing an Episode". Hut 33 blog. Retrieved on 10 March 2009.
- ^ "2008 Interview with Olivia Colman — Beautiful People". Entertainment.timesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-12-03.
- ^ Matthewman, Scott (30 June 2010). "Olivia Colman: The Stage Podcast #67". The Stage (London). Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "BBC News — British Comedy Awards: Olivia Colman nominated twice". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-12-03.
- ^ "2011 Sundance Film Festival Announces Awards | Sundance Institute". Sundance.org. 2011-01-29. Retrieved 2012-12-03.
- ^ "BBC News - Olivia Colman wins two Bafta awards". Bbc.co.uk. 2013-04-09. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
- ^ "Make way for Maggie in the Maxi: Meryl Streep's Iron Lady gives her daughter a driving lesson". Daily Mail (London). 12 February 2011.
- ^ "BBC News — Sean Bean awarded for cross-dressing Accused role". bbc.co.uk. 2013-03-20. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
External links [edit]
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- 1974 births
- Alumni of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
- Alumni of Homerton College, Cambridge
- English film actresses
- English stage actresses
- English television actresses
- English voice actresses
- English women comedians
- Living people
- People educated at Gresham's School
- People educated at Norwich High School for Girls
- People from Norfolk
- 20th-century English actresses
- 21st-century English actresses
