Amongst a graceful list of gifted actresses, Olivia Colman continues to cement her legacy as one of the very best that Hollywood has to offer. The Academy Award-winning actress has easily become one of the most sought-after talents of the modern generation, and rightfully so, given that her remarkable performances will go down in cinematic history as highly memorable roles. While several of her roles feature dark, gritty performances, she has become widely known for her rapier wit, as seen during her exceptional acceptance speeches at award shows.
Update August 25, 2023: This year has been a great year for Olivia Colman, so this article has been updated with even more great roles from the Academy Award-winning actress.
As her already successful career continues to blossom, the British actress has received numerous accolades for her emotionally-driven performances that have beautifully graced the silver screen, including her Oscar-winning role as Queen Anne in The Favourite. 2023 has been a particularly busy year for the actress; with lead roles in Marvel's Secret Invasion, a second season of Heartstoppers, and the miniseries Great Expectations as well as a memorable guest role in an episode of The Bear. And with Wonka still to be released, now seems like a good time to take a look at Olivia Colman's best performances so far.
13 The Lobster
Before collaborating on the award-winning period drama in The Favourite, Colman and Lanthimos first teamed up in The Lobster, a dystopian black-comedy extravaganza where single people are placed in the same setting of a hotel and given 45 days to fall in love or be transformed into animals. Colman memorably played the Hotel Manager, an absurd preceptor-type of authority that provides the hotel guests with odd instructions and keeps a tight leash on the rules and restrictions. Despite her character's general lack of humor and outright blandness, the British actress managed to deliver a healthy dose of comedic relief in one of the most appealing performances of her successful career.
12 Heartstopper
Netflix's LGBTQ+ comedy-drama Heartstopper follows the flourishing romance between teenagers Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke). Based on the webcomic series of the same name, over its two seasons, the show has gained critical acclaim for its sensitive storytelling and representation of characters from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
With the drama primarily focussing on the teenage characters, Colman's role is a relatively small, though important, one. She plays Nick's mother, Sarah; a caring mom if ever there was one. A key scene in season one sees Nick coming out to his mother, who lovingly accepts him for who he is. Colman naturally exudes warmth and humility, and she puts them both into this role.
11 Flowers
Flowers is a British dark comedy series that was created by The White Lotus's Will Sharpe. Gloomy and cynical, it is the antithesis of Heartstopper, which only highlights how large the range of projects Colman has taken on is. The series revolves around the eccentrics Flowers family, which consists of a husband and wife who can't stand each other, their two unstable grown-up children, and their senile grandmother. As well as starring Colman, it also features Loki's Sophia Di Martino in an early role.
Colman once again shows off her comic chops, particularly in scenes where the character gets into hilariously petty squabbles with her husband, Maurice (Julian Barratt). Flowers may not be very well known, but it's a favorite of Hollywood director Paul Thomas Anderson, and Colman's performance makes it essential viewing.
10 The Lost Daughter
Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal in her feature directorial debut, The Lost Daughter stars Colman as university professor Leda, whose past troubles resurface when she goes on a beach holiday to Greece. The film makes use of flashbacks to fill the audience in on Leda's emotional journey, with Jessie Buckley playing a young Leda. Based on the novel of the same name by Elena Ferrante and featuring supporting roles from Dakota Johnson, Paul Mescal, and Ed Harris, The Lost Daughter is a subtle and tense film about the darker sides of parenthood. It's primarily held together by Colman's strong central performance, for which she received her third Academy Award nomination.
9 Landscapers
Another dark comedy-drama in Colman's extensive repertoire, Landscapers is loosely based on the true story of a married couple who killed the wife's parents and buried them in the back garden. Colman plays Susan alongside David Thewlis as Christopher; both are mild-mannered and, on the face of it, normal. However, both are inspired by real-life killers William and Patricia Wycherley. The mini-series reunited Colman with Flowers creator Will Sharpe, who directs all four episodes of Landscapers. Colman's performance and her chemistry with Thewlis has been praised, with both of them finding the right balance between absurd humor and grounded characters.
8 Peep Show
For many Brits, particularly those with a penchant for comedy, Peep Show is what they most associated Colman with. The series, which ran from 2003-2015, starred British comedy actors David Mitchell and Robert Webb as flatmates with very different personalities. Its unique selling point was that the scenes were predominantly filmed using point-of-view shots, while voice-over was used to portray the thoughts of the main characters.
Colman played Sophie, the co-worker and love interest of Mitchell's character, Mark. At the start of the show, Sophie is a bubbly and kind woman who is often the voice of reason. As the series progresses, however, Sophie becomes increasingly unstable and bitter, and often turns to alcohol and drugs. Peep Show came early in Colman's career, but over the course of nine seasons, she expertly demonstrated her immense comic acting abilities.
7 The Night Manager
Based on the novel by John le Carré, The Night Manager features a notable cast, including Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie. Colman stars in the lead as Angela Burr, an impressive task force operative who enlists the aid of Jonathan Pine (Hiddleston), a former British soldier now serving as the night manager of an opulent hotel in Cairo, for a mission of infiltration. The spy-drama construct proved to be a concrete source of entertainment despite its run being unfortunately short-lived. Colman's performance is brilliantly cunning and went on to win her a Golden Globe.
6 Tyrannosaur
Written and directed by Paddy Considine, Tyrannosaur is an emotionally-heavy drama that depicts the troubles of severe alcoholism and domestic abuse. Colman portrays Hannah, a warm-hearted Christian shop employee who meets Joseph, a struggling alcoholic with a world full of regret and sorrow. Together, they try to help each other along the way of their stressful, yet completely opposite lives. Critically praised for her haunting performance, Colman portrays the stressful grief and turmoil that abuse victims endure, while still selflessly lending a hand to others in need.
5 Broadchurch
In the action-packed British crime drama, Olivia Colman plays DS Ellie Miller, a no-nonsense type of detective that finds herself in dramatic situations that test her loyalty and commitment to the difficult job. Opposite the magnificent David Tennant, Colman's obvious dedication to the role is the reason fans adored her character from the very beginning. Critically praised for its imperative character development, many would argue that Broadchurch was the breakout role that resulted in Colman becoming a household name.
4 The Crown
When it comes to flourishing in British monarch portrayals, Olivia Colman is certainly no stranger to the pressure. Critics and audiences alike applauded the wildly impressive and staggering performance that Colman delivered in her role as Queen Elizabeth II in seasons 3 and 4 of The Crown. Colman's season 3 portrayal of The Queen takes place from 1964-1977, while her decorated portrayal in the fourth season takes place from 1979-1990. Colman expertly navigates the monarch's quieter moments, including moments of self-doubt and reflection, between the series' grander exploration of despair, burden, and reputation.
3 The Father
In Florian Zeller's critically-acclaimed masterpiece, Olivia Colman and Anthony Hopkins give the performances of their lives when they portray a father and daughter whose relationship becomes strained as the father's awareness slowly begins to slip. The Father captures a particular aura of hopelessness and the bitter sense of loneliness upon the tragic effects of dementia. Colman's outstanding performance earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and it's a role that is still being discussed nearly two years later.
2 Fleabag
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Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s pioneering series continues to create controversy years after the conclusion of Fleabag's award-winning second (and so far final) season. Colman portrays the overambitious, antagonistic stepmother to Waller-Bridge's Fleabag. Colman's Godmother is insanely manipulative and narcissistic, though undoubtedly shines in hilariously funny moments between her character and Fleabag herself. Despite her distaste for Fleabag's reckless lifestyle and self-absorbed choices, Colman's stand-out performance easily rings in as one of the best in her illustrious career.
1 The Favourite
In the role that earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress, Colman once again portrays a notorious British monarch in the form of Queen Anne in The Favourite. Colman portrays the British Queen amidst professional and personal problems which have deeply affected her judgement and character. She breathed life into the notable presence, with many critics and audiences alike deeming it as the most impressive and breathtaking performance of her career. This period masterpiece marked the second collaboration between Colman and director Yorgos Lanthimos, with the latter believing that Colman took on the role she was destined to play.