The film Olivia Colman calls the “turning point” of her career
Olivia Colman has emerged as one of the most talented actors in the industry, especially after delivering incredible performances on highly acclaimed projects such as The Crown. Having worked on all kinds of films and shows with wildly different demands, Colman has repeatedly demonstrated her remarkable versatility.
Born in Norwich, Colman began her journey as a performance artist during her school years when she appeared in a production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. According to the actor, she found the motivation to pursue a career in acting by looking at her mother, whose journey as a professional ballet dancer was unfortunately interrupted.
Colman continued to study drama during her time at Cambridge University, eventually managing to make her professional debut in the BBC show Bruiser. In an interview with The Talks, Colman was asked about a possible “turning point” that changed the trajectory of her career, but the actor was hesitant to commit to one.
While talking about the project, Colman responded: “I don’t actually know that there was one! I think it’s just been a long slow burn. I’ve worked fairly consistently, and I’m really grateful — even for the years of not getting so many acting jobs because that means I really appreciate being able to do what I love now.”
Initially, Colman claimed that there was no specific turning point, even though her work on the iconic sitcom Peep Show is often cited as her breakthrough. However, the actor later admitted that she considers the 2011 drama Tyrannosaur as the film that completely changed her career and brought her more recognition.
Colman commented on the impact of Tyrannosaur, the film that brought her multiple accolades, including a Best Actress win at the British Independent Film Awards. She revealed: “There was a film called Tyrannosaur, and I think from that point on, I was offered different things. Also for me from a bravery point of view, after that job, I was so scared of doing it well…”
During the same conversation, Colman explained the importance of the character she played: “That character was a survivor of domestic abuse, and I thought if anyone watching had experienced that, I didn’t want them to think, ‘That’s not how it is.’ I wanted to do that one well. And things did probably change after that.”
