Olivia Colman Quotes

I always used to say, as a director, that I could make anybody good in a movie if you found the right part. It all comes down to casting.

It's always tempting to cast someone you enjoy being with. You've got to hang out with these people for a number of months.

I think the most important thing for an actor is reading the script and trying to figure out if you can play that character well. The last thing on my mind is if the director made good movies previously. It's not my job to know if that director's last movie was any good - it's my job to know if I can play the role.

When I attack a role, be it TV, film or stage, the first thing I say is, I don't want to know anything. If it's good I don't want to hear it; if it's bad I don't want to hear it. The only thing either thing can do is distract me. I like to stay focused.

Working with actors is something I've never done before. I find it tremendous. It's hard work.

As a director, it is important to understand the actor's process.

Acting is reacting, and it's always easier to react when someone is doing a good job.

To be able to work with actors who are doing such good work, not only makes it easier for you, but it makes you better.

I'm not a huge kind of visual director. For me, it's all about the acting. There's no greater buzz than working with actors and seeing what they can do and how much they can improve on what you'd written. That will always be on the top of my list. It's a real privilege to see it live before anyone else sees it.

When I choose projects, I don't stipulate between film or theatre or television. I receive scripts and I read scripts - and when I read a script that's good, I then get married to it and talk to my agent about what happens next.

There are a lot of people out there who offer roles to actors because they'll elevate their movie to a place the movie would never reach.

I keep saying this, but the most important part of directing is casting, and the rest of it is pretty easy.

I think, like every actor, you've just to pick what you're interested in.

As a director, one of my biggest jobs is trying to see what actually works for the actor.

I'm very instinctive when I choose my roles, and usually, the number one thing has to be the director.

I do try to look at scripts and keep an eye out for challenging roles.

I loved 'Les Miz' and 'Into the Woods' - I used to cast 'Into the Woods' with my friends, even if they'd never stepped on stage before.

I primarily look at how a role is laid out by the director. I take into consideration my co-stars, before signing a role.

I love to choose the right actors. It's kind of a pleasure to work with them and watch them imbue your concepts that you write.

To be fair, when I started doing 'Verdict' I literally had no idea what I was doing. I wanted to do some theatre, as I wanted to do something different. I wanted to learn and get an understanding of the craft.

Whenever I get a good script, I don't care whether it's telly or theatre or big screen - I'm not bothered.

When I do the roles, when I'm in the room and auditioning, I'll ask the director if they're cool with me adding stuff, or just improvising while we're doing it. And I would say, like, 90 percent of the time, they say, 'Absolutely.'

For most of my career, I've played roles that were written for other actresses.

As an actor, my main focus is finding good writing and attacking a good role.

It doesn't matter if you're doing a studio movie or you're doing an independent movie. When you get to set and you're doing a scene, it's always going to be the same job. I really don't think about my career, in terms of planning it out and what this does for me.