Olivia Colman, whose full name is Sarah Caroline Sinclair CBE, is an accomplished English actress and producer with a net worth of $12 million. Known for her versatility and exceptional talent, she has won numerous awards for her roles in films like The Favourite (2018), The Father (2020), and The Lost Daughter (2021), as well as her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown (2019-2020). Colman also gained recognition for her performance as DS Ellie Miller in the ITV crime drama Broadchurch (2013-2017).
Colman’s impressive career spans over 100 acting credits across television and film. She appeared in popular movies such as Hot Fuzz (2007), Tyrannosaur (2009), The Iron Lady (2011), and Murder on the Orient Express (2017). Her television work includes the sitcoms Peep Show (2003-2015), Green Wing (2004-2006), Flowers (2016-2018), and Fleabag (2016-2019). In addition to her acting roles, she also served as an executive producer for The Lost Daughter and the 2021 miniseries Landscapers. In 2019, she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of her services to drama.
Olivia Colman’s Early Life
Olivia Colman was born on January 30, 1974, in Norwich, Norfolk, England. She is the daughter of Mary, a nurse, and Keith, a Chartered Surveyor. Colman attended Norwich High School for Girls before continuing her education at Gresham’s School. At age 16, she made her acting debut in a school production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, playing the title role.
After high school, Colman briefly studied primary teaching at Homerton College, Cambridge, before enrolling at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where she graduated in 1999. While at Cambridge, she appeared on the television series The Word. When she started her professional acting career, Colman had to adopt a different first name due to a member of the actors’ union, Equity, already using the name Sarah Colman. She chose Olivia, a name she had always loved, which felt natural to her as she had been nicknamed “Colly” during her time at university.
Career Beginnings and Breakthrough
Colman’s acting career took off in 2000 when she appeared in the BBC2 sketch comedy show Bruiser. She followed that with roles in The Mitchell and Webb Situation (2001), People Like Us (2001), Rescue Me (2002), and The Office (2002). From 2003 to 2015, Colman portrayed Sophie Chapman on the popular Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show, and she starred as Harriet Schulenburg on the show Green Wing from 2004 to 2006.
Colman’s first film role came in 2004 when she voiced Terkel’s Mother in the English dub of Terkel in Trouble. She appeared in several other films, including Zemanovaload (2005), Confetti (2006), Grow Your Own (2007), and I Could Never Be Your Woman (2007). She also played Pam Bachelor on the BBC Two series Look Around You in 2006. One of her breakout roles came in 2007 when she co-starred with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in the comedy Hot Fuzz.
From 2006 to 2008, Colman was part of the sketch comedy series That Mitchell and Webb Look. She also starred as Debbie Doonan on the BBC Two show Beautiful People from 2008 to 2009. Between 2010 and 2014, Colman played Alex Smallbone on Rev., a BBC Two sitcom. She also appeared in the film Tyrannosaur in 2011 and portrayed Carol Thatcher in The Iron Lady, starring alongside Meryl Streep.
Rise to Prominence and Critical Acclaim
Olivia’s career truly flourished with her performance in the 2013 ITV crime drama Broadchurch, where she starred as DS Ellie Miller. Her performance in this role earned her multiple awards, including BAFTA Awards. She also portrayed Queen Elizabeth in the film Hyde Park on Hudson (2012) and continued to build her film career with roles in I Give It a Year (2013), Cuban Fury (2014), and The Lobster (2015).
Colman played Janet Sloane in the 2014 Sky Atlantic series Mr. Sloane, followed by a role as Angela Burr in the 2016 BBC One/AMC series The Night Manager. She also starred as Deborah Flowers in the Channel 4 series Flowers (2016-2018), and her portrayal of Godmother in Fleabag (2016-2019) earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination. In 2017, Colman starred in Murder on the Orient Express as Hildegard Schmidt.
In 2018, Colman won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Queen Anne in The Favourite. She received additional nominations for her roles in The Father (2020) and The Lost Daughter (2021). 2019 marked a pivotal year when she began playing Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown, a role that earned her both a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe. She also lent her voice to animated films such as The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021) and Ron’s Gone Wrong (2021).
In 2021, Olivia starred in Mothering Sunday and produced and starred in Landscapers. Later that year, she joined the Disney+ series Secret Invasion, a project within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Olivia Colman has been married to Ed Sinclair since August 2001. Together, they have three children, two sons and a daughter. Sinclair, a writer and producer, created the 2021 miniseries Landscapers.
Outside of her acting career, Colman is an active philanthropist. In 2014, she signed an open letter opposing Scottish independence, and in 2020, she supported a letter condemning violence against transgender women. She is also a patron of Tender, a U.K. charity dedicated to preventing domestic abuse and promoting healthy relationships. Colman has worked with several other charities, including the Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal and the Alzheimer’s Society’s Holkham Hall Memory Walk.
In 2018, Colman became a patron of Anthony Nolan, a charity that helps people with blood cancer and blood disorders. She has spoken about how the charity helped a close friend find a donor, inspiring her to support the cause. Olivia was appointed an ambassador for UNICEF UK in 2015 and became president of the organization in 2020.
Awards and Nominations
Olivia Colman has earned three Academy Award nominations, winning Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Queen Anne in The Favourite (2019). She was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Father (2021) and Best Actress in a Leading Role for The Lost Daughter (2022).
Throughout her career, Colman has received six Golden Globe nominations, securing wins for her performances in The Night Manager (2017), The Favourite (2019), and The Crown (2020). She has been nominated for eight BAFTA Awards, winning four, including Best Leading Actress in both television and film categories. Colman also won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for The Crown in 2021.
Olivia Colman’s Real Estate Ventures
In 2022, Olivia and her husband, Ed Sinclair, purchased a historic Grade II-listed barn in Norfolk for £1.3 million. Prior to this, they sold their five-bedroom home in Peckham for £2.4 million, which they had bought for £875,000 a decade earlier. The couple’s move signifies their ongoing investment in real estate.
