- Olivia Colman
-
Olivia Colman Born Sarah Caroline Colman
30 January 1974
Norfolk, England[1]Occupation Actress Olivia Colman (born 30 January 1974) is an English actress, best known for her supporting roles in various comedy shows, such as Sophie Chapman in Peep Show and Harriet Schulenburg in Green Wing. She trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and has appeared in radio, television and theatre.
Contents
Personal life
Colman was brought up at Freethorpe near Acle in Norfolk.[citation needed] She was educated at Norwich High School for Girls and Gresham's School, Holt, briefly at Homerton College at the University of Cambridge, before finally training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.[2]
She lives in London with her husband Ed Sinclair and their two children.[2]
Career
Colman has appeared in roles in numerous comedy films and other 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, 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 WWII.[3]
Her film credits include the British mockumentary film Confetti (in which she plays a practising naturist with Robert Webb - she has described the role as "the worst experience of my life"),[2] 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.
In October–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 story of Doctor Who.
In January 2011 Colman won a Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Special Jury Prize for Breakout Performances for her role in the film Tyrannosaur.[4] In spring 2011, Colman appeared in the BBC drama Exile, starring John Simm and Jim Broadbent, written by Danny Brocklehurst.
Mitchell & Webb
Colman is a central member of comedians Mitchell & Webb's acting ensemble. Colman met the duo when they were all students at Cambridge University, and has stated that she "adores" them.[2] She has appeared with them in numerous TV and radio projects, 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".[5] She will continue to appear on Peep Show.
Paddy Considine
Colman is a major collaborator of actor/director Paddy Considine's acting ensemble. Colman met Considine when they were both acting in Hot Fuzz, and she has stated that he "is extraordinary and amazing".[6] She has acted with Considine in two films, Shane Meadows Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee and Hot Fuzz. Colman was also a leading cast member in Considine's first two directorial exploits; Dog Altogether and Tyrannosaur. It is for her role in Tyrannosaur that Colman has won several awards including; World cinema special jury prize, dramatic for breakout performance at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
Filmography
Films
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 2010 Tyrannosaur Hannah 2011 Arrietty Homily English dub 2011 The Iron Lady Carol Thatcher[7] Filming Television
Year Series Role Notes 2000 Bruiser Various characters Appeared in all six episodes 2001 The Mitchell and Webb Situation Various characters Appeared in 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 Appeared in three episodes Eyes Down Mandy Foster Episode 1.3: "Stars in Their Eyes" The Strategic Humor Initiative Various characters 2003- Peep Show Sophie Chapman 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 Appeared in 18 episodes 2005 Angell's Hell Belinda Look Around You Pam Bachelor Appeared in all six episodes of the second series. 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 2007 The Grey Man Linda Dodds The Time of Your Life Amanda Appeared in all six episodes 2008 Love Soup Penny Episode 2.2: "Integrated Logistics" Hancock & Joan Marion Consuming Passion Janet/Nurse Violetta Kiss Beautiful People Debbie Doonan Appeared in all six episodes 2009 Skins Gina Campbell Episode 3.6: "Naomi" Midsomer Murders Bernice "Small Mercies" Beautiful People Debbie Doonan Appeared in all six episodes Mr Eleven Beth 2 episodes 2010 Doctor Who Mother Episode 5.1: "The Eleventh Hour" Rev Alex Smallbone 2011 Twenty Twelve Sally Owen Exile Nancy References
- ^ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/article1976833.ece
- ^ a b c d Dempster, Sarah (18 June 2007). "Fame is quite scary". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2105219,00.html. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
- ^ Cary, James (3 February 2009). "Starting Writing an Episode". Hut 33 blog. Retrieved on 10 March 2009.
- ^ http://www.sundance.org/press-center/release/2011-sundance-film-festival-announces-awards1/
- ^ 2008 Interview with Olivia Colman - Beautiful People
- ^ Matthewman, Scott (30 June 2010). "Olivia Colman: The Stage Podcast #67". The Stage (London). http://blogs.thestage.co.uk/podcasts/2010/06/olivia-colman-the-stage-podcast-67/. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Make way for Maggie in the Maxi: Meryl Streep's Iron Lady gives her daughter a driving lesson". Daily Mail (London). 12 February 2011. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1356339/Meryl-Streep-set-Iron-Lady-MAggie-Thatcher-giving-driving-lesson.html.
External links
Mitchell and Webb David Mitchell · Robert Webb TV shows Radio shows That Mitchell and Webb Sound · Daydream BelieversTours Films Books This Mitchell and Webb BookSee also Categories:- English television actors
- English film actors
- English stage actors
- English voice actors
- English comedians
- Old Greshamians
- Alumni of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
- 1974 births
- Living people
- Alumni of Homerton College, Cambridge
- People from Norfolk
- People educated at Norwich High School for Girls
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
