‘My natural ageing helped with the Queen’s look this season…’
The fabulous Oscar-winning Olivia Colman, 46, on playing Queen Elizabeth II – a role which comes with the added bonus of a warming headscarf…
What’s going on with the Queen this time? We’ll see a much more settled Queen and Philip – with a focus on the cracks appearing in their now grown-up children’s relationships. This leads to the Queen having some self-doubt about her mothering skills when they were younger...
There’s now a female Prime Minister in town?
On the face of it, Elizabeth and Margaret [Thatcher] should get on. They’re the same age and have the same drive, same devotion to their fathers, same work ethic... But yet, they don’t. It’s not the beautiful friendship the Queen hopes it’s going to be. Does Gillian Anderson do a good job playing her?
Gillian is incredible to work with, and every now and then I got a proper chill – she was so like the real thing, but yet we were able to be silly the moment we cut.
How does the Queen take to Diana? She is unlike any creature Elizabeth has come into contact with before. The Queen is very aware of Diana’s youth and inexperience. There are ways of doing things – head down, don’t complain, come to an agreement… Diana doesn’t play by the same rules and it makes things very difficult.
Tell us about your look...
There is a bit of grey coming into the temples – and less in the eyelash department. My natural ageing may have helped a bit!
My make-up artist is the greatest joy of the day. She’s the fastest worker; she does my wig and make-up and I’d already have drunk a cup of tea and be out of the chair laughing at her jokes before anyone else had even said good morning!
What about the costumes?
My job is three-quarters done before I even step on set. One of the most impressive things the costume department do is to recreate an iconic outfit or dress by finding cheaper fabrics and paying attention to detail. I’ve loved my fittings and they know how to adapt something to fit my very different shape from the Queen’s – she was very tiny waisted! They’re also hilarious. Can you tell us about the amazing locations you filmed in? Wilton House [in Wiltshire] was one of our favourites, and Somerleyton Hall [in Suffolk] was a new addition this year that we all adored. It’s no easy task when 200 people turn up with lorries, lights, props and costumes!
And Balmoral plays a part? Balmoral is where the family properly get to escape, enjoy the outdoors, and do what they really love. It was so breathtakingly beautiful and filming outside by those lochs and on those hills was thrilling. I normally start to fade by 3pm, but I never had that feeling there. I loved it. And who knew a silk headscarf actually does keep your ears warm?
How do you feel about leaving the character of the Queen behind? [Imelda Staunton takes over for the next two seasons]
As an actor, I’m excited to play other roles, but I have enjoyed this job so much, and I will miss sitting and laughing with everyone on set so much. We really were having the time of our lives, and that group of people will be a very hard act to follow.
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