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Olivia Colman calls out ‘threatening’ people who take selfies without asking

Olivia said fans in the UK put their phone in her face, but she has never faced the same in the US

By Jen Thomas

Olivia Colman in The Lost Daughter
Olivia Colman (pic credit: Netflix YouTube)

Olivia Colman has revealed that some people are “unspeakably rude and threatening” and take photos with her without permission.

The star of ‘The Crown‘ and ‘The Favourite’ was talking about the difference it has made to her life since she left London for the countryside.

The Oscar-winning actor has since been enjoying added privacy since relocating.

She told The Guardian:“I’m happy here. I like being able to be outside and no one can see me. I wear a woolly hat and I’m loving the mask thing.”

Colman described an incident when she was walking her dogs, and experienced an uncomfortable encounter with a group of people who walked towards her.

Worried, she pulled a scarf up to cover her face in an attempt to not be noticed.

She explained: “I panicked and put my thing up, and this woman went, ‘I do recognise you, Olivia!’ Well, don’t say anything then – I’m clearly trying to hide! What is wrong with everyone?”

Colman continued: “Sometimes in the UK, someone will literally hold a phone to my face; that has never happened to me in America.

“Over there, they’ll say, ‘Excuse me, may I take a photograph?’ And you say, ‘Oh well, thank you for asking so nicely!’ But here most people don’t ask and I think that’s unspeakably rude and threatening.”

Her next project is a drama written by her husband, Ed Sinclair, called Landscapers.

She explained: “You know, he’s my biggest fan, and I’m his biggest fan… he just wanted to write something for me, which was lovely.”

Olivia will also be coming to Netflix screens soon in ‘The Lost Daughter’, starring alongside Paul Mescal, Dakota Johnson and Jessie Buckley.

The film will be Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut. ‘Normal People’ star Mescal shared his news on Twitter, posting: “I’m a very excited boy!”

The new project is an adaptation of Italian author Elena Ferrante’s 2006 novel of the same name.

Colman will play a college professor who becomes obsessed with a young mother and her daughter while on holiday.

It will be released on Netflix December 31.