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Olivia Colman

Acting

Born January 30, 1974 · Norwich, Norfolk, England, UK

Also known as Sarah Caroline Colman · Sarah Caroline Olivia Colman · Sarah Caroline Olivia Sinclair

Biography

Sarah Caroline Sinclair CBE (born January 30, 1974), known professionally as Olivia Colman, is an English actress. Known for her comedic and dramatic roles in film and television, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Emmy Awards, three British Academy Television Awards and three Golden Globe Awards. She was acclaimed for her performance in the ITV crime-drama series Broadchurch (2013–2017), for which she received a British Academy Television Award for Best Actress. She played Queen Elizabeth II from 2019 to 2020 in the Netflix period-drama series The Crown, for which she received a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. For her portrayal of Anne, Queen of Great Britain in the period black-comedy film The Favourite (2018), Colman received the Academy Award for Best Actress. She received additional Academy Award nominations for her performances in The Father (2020) and The Lost Daughter (2021). Other notable film and television credits include Hot Fuzz (2007), Tyrannosaur (2011), The Iron Lady (2011), Hyde Park on Hudson (2012), Locke (2013), The Lobster (2015), Fleabag (2016-2019), Murder on the Orient Express (2017), The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021), Landscapers (2021), Empire of Light (2022), Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022), Secret Invasion (2023), Wonka (2023), Wicked Little Letters (2023) and Paddington in Peru (2024).

Awards & recognition

  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series · 2021
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Actress – Television Series Drama · 2020
  • Academy AwardBest Actress · 2019
  • BAFTA AwardBest Actress in a Leading Role · 2019
  • European Film AwardBest Actress · 2019
Show all 15 awards →
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · 2019
  • Volpi CupBest Actress · 2018
  • Chortle Awards
  • Commander of the Order of the British Empire
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Actress – Motion Picture Drama · 2023 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Actress · 2022 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Supporting Actress · 2021 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Actress · 2019 · nominated
  • European Film AwardBest Actress · 2019 · nominated
  • European Film Award – People's Choice AwardBest European Film · 2019 · nominated

Filmography50+ titles

Nasrin

2020as Narrator

Heartstopper

2022as Sarah Nelson

Fleabag

2016as Godmother

Jimpa

2025as Hannah

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

2022as Mama Bear (voice)

The Bear

2022as Chef Terry

The Crown

2016as Queen Elizabeth II

People Like Us

The Father

2020as Anne

Accused

2010as Sue Brown

Skins

2007as Gina

Peep Show

2003as Sophie Chapman

Black Books

2000as Tanya

Attenborough at 90

2016as Self

Look Around You

2002as Pam Bachelor

The Simpsons

1989as Lily (voice)

Ron's Gone Wrong

2021as Donka (voice)

Staged

2020as Olivia

Broadchurch

2013as DS Ellie Miller

Green Wing

2004as Harriet Schulenburg

The Mitchells vs. the Machines

2021as PAL (voice)

Would I Lie to You?

2007as Self

The Office

2001as Helena

The Night Manager

2016as Angela Burr

W1A

2014as Sally Owen

Hot Fuzz

2007as PC Doris Thatcher

Doctor Who

2005as Mother

Murder in Suburbia

2004as Ellie

The Favourite

2018as Queen Anne

Rev.

2010as Alex

Midsomer Murders

1997as Bernice

Twenty Twelve

2011as Sally Owen

ShakespeaRe-Told

2005as Ursula

Natural World

1983as Narrator

Les Misérables

2018as Madame Thénardier

Flowers

2016as Deborah Flowers

Tyrannosaur

2011as Hannah

Exile

2011as Nancy Ronstadt

The Graham Norton Show

2007as Self

Wonka

2023as Mrs. Scrubbit

The Lobster

2015as Hotel Manager

The Time of Your Life

as Amanda

Becoming You

as Self - Narrator (voice)

Wicked Little Letters

2023as Edith Swan

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain

2021as Narrator

Watership Down

2018as Strawberry (voice)

The Murder in Angel Lane

2013as Susan Spencer

Run

2013as Carol

Locke

2013as Bethan (voice)

Who Do You Think You Are?

as Self