When someone mentions Olivia Colman you might think of ‘Broadchurch’ or ‘Peep Show’ but that could all be about to change.
Before making her debut as Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix’s ‘The Crown’, Olivia is taking on another monarch, playing Queen Anne in new film ‘The Favourite’.
And if the hype is to be believed (which we reckon, in this case, it is), the actress’s star power could be about to reach stratospheric levels.
Allow us to explain...
So what is ‘The Favourite’?
Out on New Year’s Day, the movie is a period drama and comedy, telling the story of two cousins (Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone) battling to be favourites in the court of Queen Anne (Olivia). To complicate matters, at some point they both embark on sexual relationships with the unconfident, temperamental monarch.
The Guardian describes it as “a tragicomic tale of personal and political jealousy and intrigue in 18th-century England”.
Who else is involved?
‘The Favourite’ is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, who previously took charge of the critically-acclaimed movie ‘The Lobster’, which starred Olivia and Rachel.
British stars Nicholas Holt and Joe Alwyn are also in the cast.
Why is there so much hype?
Well, the movie was premiered at the Venice Film Festival back in August where it immediately won two huge prizes; the Grand Jury award and the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for Olivia.
This is a Very Big Deal and the early reviews, from critics who saw it at the festival, were incredibly enthusiastic.
“It’s a perfectly cut diamond of a movie – a finely executed, coldly entertaining entry in the genre of savage misanthropic baroque costume drama,” wrote Variety, while the Independent’s five star review labelled the script “sensational” and described its three main female stars as “all on phenomenal form”.
Could Olivia become an Oscar winner?
In short, yes. The nominations aren’t out until late January but her Venice win means she’s already being touted as someone set for the shortlist.
She’s also nominated for Best Actress at the Golden Globes (which are less than a week away).
Bonus story: Here’s how Olivia alleviated awkwardness in sex scenes
On ‘The Graham Norton Show’, the actress revealed how she made sure things were a little less weird when filming intimate moments.
“Emma was worried about me though because she had to touch me intimately under the sheets,” she explained. “So, I put a big wet sponge there as a barrier.
“She was going up my leg and her face was a picture when she reached it!”
Nicely done.