15 Roles That Prove Olivia Colman Is One Of The Greats

When it comes to acting, there is nobody doing it better than Olivia Colman. The prolific powerhouse actor received her third Oscar nomination in four years for her incredible performance in Maggie Gyllenhaal's Elena Ferrante adaptation, The Lost Daughter. 

But Colman's journey to superstardom was a long and winding road; she first established herself as a comic actor, then became a reliable character actor, before finally getting recognized as a full-fledged movie star. 

To honor her one-of-a-kind talent and career, I whittled down her filmography to 15 notable roles — "genuinely quite stressful!" — that function as a guide to understanding and appreciating the arc of this modern legend. 

In the early days of her career, Colman appeared in a number of popular British sitcoms, including the final episode of The Office (excluding the two-part Christmas Special). Colman plays Helena, a reporter at an industry magazine who is sent to the titular office to interview David Brent (Ricky Gervais). Helena's attempt to have a candid conversation about his thoughts on leadership and business prove futile, as he continually tries to tell her how she should write the story in a way that makes him look as flattering as possible. In just a few minutes of screen time, Colman gets to show off her natural comedic talent, as Helena uncomfortably watches in stunned silence as David repeatedly humiliates himself. It's a small part, but it's a sign of things to come for Colman as a comedy star across the pond.

Watch it on HBO Max.

After a solid string of TV guest appearances, Colman finally had her breakout role as Sophie, Mark's coworker and on-again, off-again love interest. While Sophie is initially introduced as the voice of reason, to contrast the boundless depravity of Mark (David Mitchell) and Jeremy (Robert Webb), the role evolved over the course of the show, in large part thanks to Colman. By the end of Peep Show's 12-year run, Sophie revealed herself to be every bit as narcissistic, self-destructive, and cowardly as her male counterparts. Sophie and Mark's dysfunctional romance ended up becoming one of the funniest storylines throughout the show, as they keep coming back to each other, more out of exasperation than actual desire or connection. Through her portrayal of Sophie, Colman proved that she had no problem keeping up with some of Britain's best comedic actors. 

Watch it on Hulu.

After proving to be too good at his job as a police constable in London, Nicholas (Simon Pegg) is relocated to Sandford, a small rural town that is widely considered the safest place in all of England. Among Nicholas' mostly incompetent new coworkers is Doris (Colman), who specializes in the art of the double entendre. It's a relatively one-note character, but Colman's complete commitment to delivering each sexual innuendo with such wide-eyed gusto helps make it one of Hot Fuzz's funniest performances. The performance proved to be another stepping stone for Colman's acting career, as she had appeared in a handful of films before, but it wasn't until Hot Fuzz that she proved she could deliver laughs on the big screen.

Watch it on Peacock.

By 2008, Colman was well known as one of the premiere comedic actors in Britain, and she once again put her one-of-a-kind talents on display in Beautiful People, playing Debbie, the brash but loving mother of Simon (Luke Ward-Wilkinson). Colman is as reliably hilarious as ever, with many of the funniest moments in the series coming from Debbie. But what really makes this performance stand out at this point in her career, is that there is an internal depth to Debbie that is not present in most of Colman's previous characters. Many of Beautiful People's more emotionally resonant moments are found in the relationship between Simon and Debbie, as she always encourages her son in his journey toward discovering who he is and what he wants in life.

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More than a decade into her career, it had become increasingly clear that Colman was far too talented to continue to only receive supporting roles, as she was routinely proving to be the funniest part of whatever show or movie she was in. And that includes Twenty Twelve, where she plays Sally, the assistant to Ian Fletcher (Hugh Bonneville), who is in charge of preparing London for the Summer Olympics in 2012. While Colman's role starts small, she becomes a crucial part of the show during its 10-episode run, with Twenty Twelve's final cliffhanger focusing on the relationship between Sally and Ian. It also marked the beginning of Colman's decade of award dominance, as she won the BAFTA for Best Female Performance in a Comedy Programme in the show's second season. 

Rent it on Prime Video.

Up to this point in her career, Colman had worked almost exclusively in comedy, and given the amount of success she had experienced, there seemed to be no reason for her to veer out of her comfort zone. But that all changed with Tyrannosaur, where Colman shocked everyone by delivering a powerhouse performance that showed she was equally talented as a dramatic actor. Colman plays Hannah, a middle-aged shop owner who is trapped in a marriage to a man who physically, sexually, and emotionally abuses her. Despite the film underperforming at the box office, it was a hit among critics, who awarded Colman with a Special Jury Prize for Breakout Performance at the Sundance Film Festival. 

Watch it on Tubi.

Spoiler alert for Locke

On the evening before he is supposed to supervise a massive concrete pour in Birmingham, Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) drives to London when he learns that Bethan (Colman) is set to give birth to their child that night. The entirety of Locke takes place during Ivan's drive to get to Bethan for the childbirth. Colman never appears on screen in Locke yet she manages to leave a massive impact with just her voice, as we learn that the pregnancy is a result of a one-night stand and that Bethan and Ivan have no actual relationship to speak of. Yet in a series of a few phone calls, you find yourself rooting for Ivan to reach Bethan, who is trying to make the best of a messy situation. The movie reaches its emotional climax during the final phone call between the two, where Colman does some of her best acting without ever being seen.

Watch it on Prime Video via Showtime.

After displaying her versatility as an actor in Tyrannosaur and Locke, Colman erased any remaining doubt that she was an outright star as Ellie Miller in Broadchurch. The show focuses on detectives Miller and Alec Hardy (David Tennant) trying to solve the murder of an 11-year-old boy in a small English town. The show was a massive hit in England among fans and critics, with Broadchurch running for three seasons and developing a massive fanbase. And while Tennant was certainly praised for his performance, it was Colman's subtle and emotionally devastating work that blew everyone away, earning her a third television BAFTA and unquestionably establishing her as one of the most beloved living English actors. It felt like a worthy career peak for Colman but it turned out, she was just getting started.

Watch it on Prime Video via PBS Masterpiece.

In this dystopian future, single people are sent to a hotel where they have 45 days to find a partner, or be turned into the animal of their choosing. Colman plays the manager of the hotel, a role that involves her encouraging guests to find partners via social functions and relationship propaganda, as well as making sure everybody is following the rules, including no masturbating. It's a relatively minor part, but Colman fits perfectly into this absurdist dark comedy, as the hotel manager's no-nonsense approach is hilariously juxtaposed to the nonsensical nature of the entire situation. But it's not only a comedic performance, as one of the most tense and dramatic scenes in The Lobster comes when the manager and her husband are taken hostage by a group called the loners and given the choice to kill one another in order to stay alive. 

Watch it on Prime Video via Showtime.

Based on the novel of the same name, The Night Manager tells the story of Jonathan Price (Tom Hiddleston), a former British soldier who works as the night manager at a luxury hotel in Cairo. Price is recruited by intelligence officer, Angela Burr (Colman), to help bring down arms dealer Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie). The role was originally written as a man, but you wouldn't know it watching Colman, who makes the role entirely her own by bringing a tough-as-nails attitude to Angela, along with a maternal energy as she tries to protect everyone around her in her mission to capture Roper. The mini-series was met with overwhelming critical acclaim and Colman won her first of three Golden Globes for her performance, as well as her first Emmy nomination.

Watch it on Prime Video.

It's always a delight getting to watch a truly great actor get to play a villain, and Colman did not disappoint as the wicked godmother in Fleabag. Shortly after the death of Fleabag and Claire's mother, the godmother starts up a relationship with their father, and it is made immediately clear that Fleabag has nothing but disdain for her. And it doesn't take long for the viewer to understand why, as the godmother's cheerful disposition reveals itself to be nothing more than a thinly-veiled facade hiding her vain, manipulative, and spiteful nature. Colman is clearly having a blast playing such an unlikable villain, as every passive aggressive comment, or insincere smile from the godmother, contains the perfect amount of villainous venom. 

Watch it on Prime Video.

After she nailed her small but significant role in The Lobster, Yorgos Lanthimos chose to work with Colman again in The Favourite. However, this time around, Colman was tapped for the starring role as Queen Anne, whose affection is the source of an ongoing battle between Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) and Abigail (Emma Stone). Colman delivers some of the finest acting of her career here, as she manages to display the Queen's petty and borderline cruel nature without entirely robbing her of the underlying humanity. While Queen Anne has little desire to do any actual ruling, she strongly desires to feel loved, which is displayed brilliantly by Colman, both dramatically and comedically. Colman ended up receiving her first Oscar nomination for her outstanding work, and even though it was widely believed that she had little chance of winning, she ended up taking home the trophy and making it clear, once and for all, that she is acting royalty.

Rent it on Prime Video.

Colman took over the lead role of Queen Elizabeth II from Claire Foy for the third and fourth seasons of The Crown, as the show transitioned from the early years of the queen's time on the throne, into her reign through the end of the 20th century. There is an unmistakable air of melancholy to Colman's portrayal of Her Majesty, as she faces a never-ending series of tribulations in both her role as queen, and in her family life. Colman shows how the queen has been worn down by time, yet she never lets her sense of dignity waver, at least in the public eye. It's a challenging performance that requires Colman both to celebrate Queen Elizabeth and examine her flaws as both a ruler and human being. For her remarkable portrayal of such an iconic figure, Colman was awarded a Golden Globe and Emmy.

Watch it on Netflix.

The Father pulls no punches in its devastating portrayal of Anthony (Anthony Hopkins), a man being broken down by dementia. We get a front row seat into how the condition robs him of his ability to remember the past and function in the present. The film also shows how the people around Anthony are affected, most notably his daughter Anne (Colman), who tries to balance taking care of her father while living her own life. Rather than going over-the-top, Colman takes a grounded approach to playing a daughter who is forced to watch her father's mind deteriorate, knowing that there is nothing that she can do. It's impossible not to sympathize with Anne's growing exasperation in such a heartbreaking situation, and Colman showed her range with the most emotional performance she'd given up to this point. Colman earned her second Oscar nomination here, proving that she had reached the highest tier of acting.

Watch it on Prime Video via Starz.

While on vacation in Greece, Leda (Colman), a middle-aged professor and translator, meets Nina (Dakota Johnston) and her young daughter, Elena (Athena Martin). As she gets to know Nina more, Leda begins to reflect on her own difficult journey as a mother, a role which she never felt she was a natural fit for. Leda is a complex, almost unknowable character, as she seems just as perplexed by her own choices as the viewer throughout most of the movie. Her struggles are mostly internal, as she wrestles with her guilt over what she feels obligated to do and what she truly wants in life. Playing such an enigmatic person is a challenge for any actor, but Colman is up for the task, delivering one of her most spell-binding performances that shows her continuing to evolve and grow as an artist. Just three years after her surprising, but well-deserved Oscar win, Colman earned her third nomination for The Lost Daughter, and in a wide-open Best Actress race, don't be shocked if she takes home her second trophy.

Watch it on Netflix.