Do Olivia Colman & Benedict Cumberbatch Know Their Movie Locations ｜ Condé Nast Traveler

I had the most amazing experience with a group of nuns, Buddhist nuns. Sorry. Oh, you're so filthy. I'm sorry, I know, I'm sorry. Hi, I'm Olivia Colman. And I'm Benedict Cumberbatch. And we're about to find out who knows their filming locations best. The Doctor Strange. It's the first film. The burning gap in the pool where he goes in search of Carmatage. We're looking for Carmatage. For an extra five points, what year was this? Oh, Christ. 2016? Holy shitballs, yes! Yeah, yeah. You're good. I remember that day very well. It was pretty much the first day we turned over on the film. And we began our journey of this sort of spiritual character, bringing this new dimension to the MCU in a very spiritual place, which has a very other-dimensional feel. It was an amazing experience. And these are steps going down to the Burning Gats. And as we were there... It's a bit morbid, but, you know... Actually, no, it's fine. Death, life, life, death. Some people have met their end on a car accident and there were bodies coming in, so that smoke was real smoke. Oh, God. Yeah, but it's part of life's cycle. It's monkeys. It's part of the end of it. And there were monkeys. Lots of people. And then behind there, lots of people started popping up on mobile phones. The security team were like, Oh, you're all right, we look after Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt. You are just Benedict. I was like, OK, no, no, it's fine, it's just Sherlock. No, no, you're fine. It's just Sherlock, it's on television. Yeah, yeah, you're going to be fine. And by the day after that, even though I had a big beard and wig on, it was insane. We couldn't go anywhere without him. Oh, no. It was fun, though. And what a place, what a people. Lovely place to film. Lucky me. I last went to Kathmandu when I was a teenager, a little school leaver, and I went there on a break from teaching in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery and went round Bodhanath Stupa. We went back there, Chuitul, myself and Adam Atkin. Ah! Yeah, and had the most amazing experience with nuns, Buddhist nuns. Sorry. Oh, you're so filthy. I'm sorry, I know, I'm sorry. They were in puja, which means prayer, not something dirty. OK. And so they were doing their, having walked around the Bodhanath Stupa three times, we then at sunset were gifted the opportunity to just be with them and meditate and watch them. It was just, it's a very powerful place to be. That's amazing. Yeah. OK, your turn. I think he's going to win this. Oh. I do remember that, yes. Yes. One of the really gorgeous things about the Crown was you turn up in beautiful houses when there's no public around. You can go, could I have, could you show me around? And someone will go, yes, I'll show you. This is all what the public can't see or you see these paintings. It was a proper treat. Wow. But I think my favourite was our trip to Scotland. You have to remember the episode number, the season. Stop it. And what you're doing. I'm driving with Gillian Anderson. She's playing Margaret Thatcher. Correct. This was a very old landy and the steering was baggy to say the least. Wow. So trying to reverse back up that for the beginning of the shot again. Such a beautiful place. Oh my goodness, yeah, that would have given me the heebie-jeebies. It was incredibly beautiful and it was on someone's private land and they had three or four locks. As you do. But there's a lovely right to roam in Scotland so people could go and camp and experience it. It's incredibly beautiful. I think from filming in Scotland I decided I wanted to film outside all the time. Did you have a day off? A day off? I really want to say that we went for a walk but we were in the pub. That's all right. That's allowed, especially in Scotland. Ta-da. Quite regal. I think series two. Yeah. And I think episode two. No, boo. Episode one. Yes. It was me going to meet the Queen because she's got one of the royals into trouble. A naughty princess has been a bit naughty with the dominatrix and she's got it all on film. Fantastic. Yes, that's why I'm summoned to the palace by Mycroft. I was in a sheet which he then stepped in because I refused to get dressed. I don't think I saw that episode. Do you remember the actual building that you used instead of Buckingham Palace? Yeah, it was Guildhall. That's the location, sorry. Oh, Goldsmith's Hall it says here. Similar though. Yeah, it was Goldsmith's Hall. That's impressive, isn't it? It's really extraordinary. I like filming outdoors. I was just craving them to write one in the tropics or in some big country house like how the Christies seem to have with butlers and stuff. But it never occurred. It was more urban and gritty so we were all over train depots and weird tunnels that we used as shooting ranges. St Bart's Hospital roof, that was pretty cool. That was pretty cool. Yeah, I bet not many people have been up there. No, we all jumped off it. That was fun. Didn't see that, did you? Christ, that was elegant. Hatfield House! Yes. Oh my God, that place is amazing. I thought it was a different scene when she says something really rude. It is that one, am I allowed to say? It's when the Queen says to Lady Sarah, I like it when she puts her tongue inside me. I should watch it again. I will watch it with you. I will impose myself. Yes, Hatfield House. And in there is a golden ceiling. Is it the Golden Gallery or something? It's a huge room with just gold ceiling. Because Yorgos didn't want to use any electric lights. So Robbie Ryan, who was the DOP, had to come up with a way with his lighting guys. Brilliant. So we had a tray on wheels with a stick and candles. Are you kidding me? And so as we were walking down the corridor, they'd try and do that in front of me. That's insane. I think we had two or three weeks of rehearsals. Did you? Unheard of, isn't it? Yeah, that's brilliant. And they were hilarious. Is that his way? Yeah, because he comes from theatre, and so he would play theatre games. For example, we'd all hold hands, all of us. So all of us were there all the time, and go through the whole script of the film. So by the time you get there, you finally know it, and you know everybody's story. He'd say, don't say the words, say blah, blah, blah. And with the intention, you should go blah, blah, blah. And you'd hold hands, take turns talking, and then you'd have to do a knot. So I follow this person under that arm, and then you end up sort of with your face by someone's bum, and someone's foot up your nose. So you end up giggling with no inhibitions. Oh, brilliant. Really fun. Imitation game. Yes. That's Tuppence Middleton being brilliant in her one scene. I mean, really brilliant. Holding a pint, which I think I put in her hand when I had a moment of, I got it! And ran off, as Alan did. Where, I'm going to say Bletchley Park, but I'm not sure if it was Bletchley Park. Yes, yes. The scene was that. It was a moment of... Turing realises the key to the Enigma Code here. Yes. And it was thanks to her, as a decoder, talking about sign-offs in German messages. That's how they actually cracked it. They realised that people would be lazy with how you sign off, because everyone has a sort of signature. Turns out that's the only German you need to know to break Enigma. It was an amazing thing to actually be on site. We'd all been there to sort of soak up what it was that they achieved and look at the actual bomb and Enigma machines, real Enigma machines, one of which we were loaned on the film itself. What? The studio audience doesn't... No, no, I'm joking. OK, sorry. Oh, that is the Tate Modern Fleabag. I'm really impressed with myself. It's brilliant. It's pretty iconic. I haven't seen the photograph myself. Clumsy? Oh, yes. Do you remember anything about being a Fleabag? There was the Great Cock Wall. Yes. I can't remember what it was called. Great Wall of Penis? Cock. Based on the Great Wall of Vagina. Yeah, I don't know why she... Where's my penis? Oh, it's on the wall over there. Second from the left. Your character was so awful in that. So awful. I mean, really fun to play her, man. Really fun. Yeah. Did you end up having too much fun and having to do a lot of it again because you made each other laugh a lot? Gosh, haven't you got a lovely thick neck? You'd be amazed at how very sensible we both are together. Time pressure or just work? I didn't want to, because Phoebe had written it, I didn't want to be... Yeah. I didn't want her to go, I will never put her in anything I write ever again. Aww, little horsey. Aww. Central Otago. Oh, it was in New Zealand. Yeah, we faked Montana. Oh. That's a stuntman, being Peter, falling off a horse that we set him off on. Let him out. And he goes riding off and falls off after about five minutes. Yeah. We all laugh at him as the cruel menfolk we are. It was the most astonishing location. That is amazing. There was no human interference with the landscape. We had a Maori blessing at the beginning of the shoot, which was extraordinary. It was so intoxicating to work there as an environment. And it was a character in the film. Gorgeous. It really literally was. The dog was somewhere up there in the mountains. I went there quite a few times before we started filming, just laying in the grass and kind of Walt Whitman-ed my ass into the room. Wow. Just feeling the ground and just being one with the earth and trying to find places to swim and just do things with the cattle. I even wanted to get on the roof and start sort of banging wooden shingles into the fake town we made down the road where they drive the cattle to. They went no. Oh. They didn't let me do that. How's your Kiwi accent? Fantastic. Benedict. Been. Have you been in a bin? It's very confusing. What does that mean? Have you been in a bin? Ben, have you been in a bin? But it's all been. Have you been in a bin? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Cool. This is fun. It might just be fun for us and nobody else, but I'm really enjoying this. Ah. That's the Winking Prawn. Mm-mm. For the roses. Where exactly were we? Solcombe. Yes, but what was the name of the beach? That's really unfair. Do you, would you know? North Sands Beach. Would you have known that? Well, because we swam on South Sands where the hotel was, the Harbour Hotel. How would you remember that? Me being your husband and you were at work. Yeah. I wouldn't know. I don't know why I remember ---- like that. But it was lovely. It was so nice. And the woman who owns that, the Winking Prawn, was so nice. She was amazing. About us taking over her pride and joy. Her lovely restaurant. Yeah. And she said, you must come back and I'll cook for you. We went, oh my God, yes, we haven't done it yet. That's what we should do. We should do that. Do you have a favourite food city in the world? Favourite food city? Ooh. I mean, anywhere in Italy, pretty much. Rome's pretty damn amazing. I went to Sri Lanka for a sort of holiday of a lifetime. With the family. Wow. And that was the best food. Tokyo is extraordinary if you like your sushi, obviously. Oh, I've never been to Japan. I think it's amazing. Can't wait. One day in my dream. London's got amazing food. All the food you could want. Go on. Artusi is a little Italian on Bellenden Road. St John's. Love St John's. I also went there for a friend's wedding. Yes. Gorgeous food. Spring round the corner in London, there's a great restaurant in Somerset House. Fours of Wine on the roof of the National, that started in Peckham. Scullies and Mayfair. Also, French's Fish and Chips, can I just say, well's key, best. And my grandad was born in the flat above it. Best curry sauce.