I always assumed I would leave drama school and do 'Lady Macbeth' and all sorts of serious things. It just didn't happen.
Olivia ColmanI had a lovely, feral, free childhood - out and then come back when you're hungry or it gets too dark. I feel slightly cruel that I'm not offering my children the same.
Olivia ColmanEverything with me is pretty close to the surface, but having kids has completely ruined my emotional equilibrium.
Olivia ColmanIf I didn't have children I might be more of a lush than I am. I like booze. I struggle with smoking. And I'm a big swearer. I'm trying to rein it in but I do think it's a nice seasoning of language.
Olivia ColmanI love my job and I know I am very lucky but still, if you audition and you don't get it, it still affects you.
Olivia ColmanThe first time I did a school play was the first time I felt I was good at anything at all. I just loved it.
Olivia ColmanI am a bit sickie happy. I am prone to black clouds too, but... I am embarrassed about them. It's like: 'My diamond shoes are too tight. My money clip doesn't fit all my fifties.' I mean - really. Shut up.
Olivia ColmanYou see thousands of films you forget the minute you come out of the cinema, don't you? Because they don't mean anything. It's the tough ones like 'Breaking the Waves' and 'Nil By Mouth' that stay with you, that you never forget. I'd like to leave a few of those behind if possible.
Olivia ColmanIn fact I was slightly badly behaved at school and got in trouble. I would get a bee in my bonnet about something I thought wasn't right, and I would ape about too, to make everybody laugh. That was my way through my girls' school, because I wasn't very academic.
Olivia ColmanIf the script's good, everything you need is in there. I just try and feel it, and do it honestly.
Olivia ColmanIf a script is good, you are 10 steps into the part just reading it. But my choices are not all down to my taste. It is about people you have worked with before.
Olivia ColmanIf the script's good, everything you need is in there. I just try and feel it, and do it honestly. I also don't learn things for auditions, because I feel like it's just a test of memorizing rather than being real. Maybe every other actor would think that was terrible, I don't know. But it seems to have worked for me, so far.
Olivia ColmanI feel fortunate that I'm not a beauty. I'm not a classic beauty. I feel it is harder for girls who are like that. There are fewer parts.
Olivia Colman