Question 1

True or false: Olivia Colman played Queen Elizabeth II in 'The Crown' and won an Emmy for it.

Accepted Answer

True. Colman won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in season 3 and 4.

Question 2

True or false: Olivia Colman is a cousin of actor Benedict Cumberbatch.

Accepted Answer

False. No relation—though they worked together in 'The Electrical Life of Louis Wain,' they aren’t cousins.

Question 3

True or false: Olivia Colman won an Oscar for her role in 'The Favourite' as Queen Anne.

Accepted Answer

True. She won Best Actress for her portrayal of Queen Anne in 2019, beating Glenn Close and Lady Gaga.

Question 4

True or false: Before acting, Colman was a professional dancer with the Royal Ballet.

Accepted Answer

False. She studied teaching but joined Cambridge Footlights; no ballet career—though she danced in 'Broadchurch' for a scene.

Question 5

True or false: Olivia Colman turned down a role in 'Harry Potter' to focus on theater.

Accepted Answer

False. Colman has stated she wasn't offered a role in the Harry Potter films, so she couldn't have turned one down.

Question 6

True or false: Olivia Colman's real name is Sarah Caroline Colman.

Accepted Answer

True. She was born Sarah Caroline Colman. She adopted the stage name Olivia because another Sarah Colman was already registered in the actors' union Equity.

Question 7

True or false: Colman once filled in for an ill actor on stage with only 30 minutes' notice.

Accepted Answer

True. In 2007, she replaced an ill actor in 'The Hothouse' at the National Theatre, learning the lines in half an hour.

Question 8

True or false: Olivia Colman is a trained midwife and worked in a hospital before acting.

Accepted Answer

False. Olivia Colman studied primary education at Cambridge and worked as a cleaner and secretary, not a midwife. She never trained as a midwife.

Olivia Colman Trivia Questions