Olivia Colman's Guide to British Curses (With Benedict Cumberbatch) ｜ ELLE UK

Somebody told me once, and they got chased for it, was that they went like that to someone who gave them a bit of road rage, which means you've got a small willy. Oh. And they chased them, they got chased. Oh. 14-carat, copper-bottomed, ocean-going. Hello, my name is Ferb, I'm here with Elle UK, and we're here with the cast of The Brothers. How are you both doing today? Good, thank you. Good, thank you. Yes. My first question for you both is, what did you enjoy the most about working with each other on this very funny film? The most? Difficult list. Freaky. Difficult list. I would say, you know, we've been friends for a long time, and I've always wanted to work with Olivia, and it came up as an idea a while ago, and it just didn't disappoint. Every day was a joy, you know, and she has a preternatural, or pre-natural, preternatural, I think preternatural is the word, gift to elevate the mood of an entire set, and that's quite something when you've got crew. Whoever joists the materials, however fun it is to set up to work, it's still a long day. People have family, and other things going on in their lives after all, and it was a happy place. Just a very happy place. Oh, Ben. Mainly thanks to this one, honestly. That's not true. It is true. Ben is really good at saying things to make you feel incredible. Yeah, it's true, though. But that's very nice. And he gets in with the compliments first as well, which is sneaky. It's annoying. But I agree with everything he said. About herself. No, that sounds so weird. It's true. She believes that she is a good person. No. I mean, working with Ben was an absolute joy. I was excited to come to work every day, and you don't get that on every job, do you? No, you don't, you don't. And it's like, okay. It was just- Didn't want to go back with Ben. Yeah, exactly. And just this- Joyful, and we laughed a lot. You just feel very, on a level, you feel very simpatico when it's someone who's as trustedly brilliant as she is, and who raises your game, and who you just know as a friend as well. It's just, you just feel very safe and held. You don't feel there's anything you can't talk about, or discuss, or, you know, giggle about, and it's just, it's dreamy. We had the best time. Yeah, we had to remind ourselves we were working sometimes. Yeah, and just, we'd get into a really big chat, and then Jo would go, guys. Oh, sorry, I'm so sorry, yes, yes. Well, that is wonderful, and you've got such an incredible ensemble cast. Who out of the cast was most likely to make you laugh on set? Do you have any favourite on-set memories? Hayden, Hayden, and- YK, it's obvious, but YK. Well, I mean, Andy as well, and I have to say, also Zoe on the plane killed me. I had less with Shuti and Sunita, but I, he, Zoe on the plane was- Zoe, yeah, on the plane, because I was meant to be sleeping, and I kept going, sorry. And then Jamie, when he's doing that, oh, you were laughing, you were laughing in your sleep, I remember, and then Jamie in the scene where we go back after the gun shoot, and she goes, I always knew Theo would do something special, and he goes, really? I didn't, I didn't, I didn't see that. How could you see that? I mean, he just, it's a brilliant characterisation, the voice, everything about it, and I'm a huge fan of his work, and his sisters, for that matter, so it was just a joy. Everywhere you looked, there was entertaining, brilliant work going on. I remember, we had a read-through on Zoom, and Ben and I, I think we were texting each other, going, what's that? This is so good. I know Andy, Andy would appear, Kate would appear, Zoe, Shuti, no, Jamie, we just couldn't quite believe what was happening. Very lucky, because, you know, and they stuck around as well. They were there for the whole shoot, pretty much, but I think Kate, during that dinner scene, she'd start, I looked at her script once, and she had loads of alt lines already written in, but often on the day, she'd be sort of in the corner, kind of mumbling to herself, and she'd come on, and this day was one of them, and she'd start on a line, and she'd start laughing before she'd finished the new idea that she hadn't said yet, so she hadn't bedded it in. So she was outside and inside at the same time, and that was it, but all of us were like, oh my God, there's no way we're going to get through a take and watch it without laughing. What line in the script made you giggle the most, if there are any? I'm sure there's so many to choose from. You've got so many killer lines. I mean, it's painful to say this one, but it is brilliant, when, you know, sometimes I don't know what Ivy's saying, sometimes I don't know, oh, I'm going to throw up. Oh, and I can't really tell. Sometimes she's crossing me, and I can't really tell. Sometimes, Theo's got his eye on me, and I can't really tell, and the whole room just goes, and then Theo goes, okay, gang, more like a laugh, and then everyone thought, it's brilliant, it's really horrible as well. It's infused with tarragon, it adds a bit of bitterness. Ivy likes to leave a little bit of herself in everything she does. I love this fun banter you guys do. Sometimes Ivy's mad at me, and I can't even tell. Sometimes he's got his cock in me, and I can't even tell. As you've got such a brilliant big cast, who in the cast would you go to for the best advice? This one's very nice. That's nice. Yeah, it's true. I think, depends what advice. How do you get dog sick out of a carpet? I'm your man. How do you get the perfect flan? Flan? Yeah, are you good at cooking? I'm quite good at baking. There you go, there you go. I bet you're better at cooking than me, though. That would be ironic. We should have a cook-off. We should do that as part of some kind of stunt for this film. Part two, part two. Certainly, when you're really good at architecture, I'll have a go in the kitchen. No, it's true. I think you'd be great for advice, and Andy. You are good for advice. No, I'm not that good for advice. I'm good at this thing. I'm that good to Zoe as well. Zoe, really? Yeah, I think so. Yeah. Good choices, very good choices. If, like Theo, in the film, you were designing your dream home, what would be in it, and why? I mean, this is- I have the longest shopping list. What's going on? Did you get any of it? Jay kept catching me taking photos of the table and everything. I've got, if I showed you my phone from that, it says- Were you allowed to push anything, or was it all- If it's hired, they can't sell it to you. And so it's going- I'm not allowed to tell. Is this bought or hired? It's all hired. Yeah, they started lying to us after a while. Just tell her it's all hired. They said for what, no, that huge rug in the hallway, they did say that was for sale. But then they said they'd have to keep hold of it in case we needed reshoots. Ooh! You can have it now. Like my costumes, in some farm warehouse somewhere. I quite like some of my clothes. Your costume's beautiful. Really? Yeah. This is great. This is, you've unleashed- Yeah, you've unleashed a torrent of trouble for Fox Searchlight. Watch out. All your assets are going to be put in removal bags. Sorry. What was the actual original question? I can't remember. Oh, if you were designing your dream home, what would be in it? Oh, what would be in it? I don't know about an indoor swimming pool. I like outdoor swimming pools, but something like an infrared sauna or something swish like that. I'd have an in and out. A cryo chamber. An in and out? What's that? So, a bit inside, but you go under and then you're outside. Oh! Yeah! That's cool. Natural pool. That would be nice, wouldn't it? A natural pool. But I think that would have to be outside. But then they're really cold. I love, well, I love that. And I just like some more space. I mean, that building was a masterpiece of our designer, Mark. I mean, it was an extraordinary piece of real architecture and design. You can imagine architects just crying. They go, well, he's not an architect and look what he's made. What are your favorite restaurants, if you have any? Luca. Mm, that Italian. Scully's at Mayfair. Locanda Locatelli, which is closed. Artusi, Peckham, and the Begging Bowl, Peckham. Big shout out for the Bull and Lass, my Castro Barbera corner, which is fantastic. I mean, there are just amazing places. Camberwell Arms. Camberwell, yeah. Best Sunday lunch. River Cafe. Oh, and the Towpath Cafe. And the Ivy and Cheeky's and all of that. Yeah, all Cheeky's. Got a little as long as my arm, though. Yeah, it's a very long list, so we could be here all interview. Cricket. Cricket, Cricket is a game. What? And Boxwalla in Peckham as well. Oh. I love the South London sleep. Oh my God. Can I just tell you about Meadow Suite in North Norfolk as well? Okay. Give them a big shout out because I'd love a free lunch there. What are your love languages and how do you show them? To go really deep, you have to practise all of them. I think, yes, you're right. It's simple, really, you know. I think I'm possibly a little overwhelming. For every year of my birthday, my husband, we've been together 30 years, and he goes, what do you want for your birthday? I'm going to cry now. I'm going to try not to. Stop it. But I go, I want you to stare at me all day. And he goes, no. Oh my God, that's so lovely. Oh, I'm going to cry. It's coming. But I just want that. I literally, when we first met, I just wanted to have a giant papoose and him carry me around. I just wanted to look at his face all day. And I still want to, you know, I've got a bit busy. But yeah, I think I might be a bit much. It is that? No, I think that it's connection. Yeah. It's connection. It can start by looking and it can lead to all sorts of other fun things. Doing a quiz together. Yeah. Jigsaw. Driving somewhere together. Yeah. Kids. I love everybody. Everyone could be all in the same room all the time. Our kids, dogs, you know. She holds it. Just carrying them all. Yeah. A gorgeous, like a Christmassy family film and all of us together. So what are your favourite British words or phrases to use in an argument? Dangleberry. Dangleberry? Yeah. That would diffuse an argument, surely. Somebody told me once and they got chased for it. It was like, they went like that to someone who gave them a bit of road rage, which means you've got a small willy. Oh. They chased them. They got chased. Oh. There is a phrase which I'm sort of taking. I've never hurled it at anyone, but I just find it quite funny. What's that? Which is a 14-carat copper-bottomed, ocean-going. I like it because it's such, it's so long-winded. I've never been able to use it anywhere. It ends with Olivia's favourite word. My favourite word. That is actually my next question. What is your favourite curse word and why? So why is it your favourite? Well, it has cultural undertones as well because Chaucer used it. Quintet. One of our oldest English words. Spanish, yes. I think he's called someone a massive quintet. Oh, that's very cultured. Isn't it? Yeah. And it's sort of... That's good, I like that. But there are people... I just love the consonants. Yeah. I love, but also I love that it can be also a term of affection, of endearment. Terrible old... That sort of look, you know. Yeah. But I think also we have to acknowledge that it is also a term, a very offensive term for some people. Yeah. But it is about how usage... Well, then I would try not to use it in front of them. Yes, yes, yes. But I love it. And I feel like I'm allowed to own that word. See, this is why I love it. Yeah, maybe in a way that men can't. Yeah. Do you have any favourite curse words? That's another one. The consonants are so good, aren't they? I also love... You're a massive... Because I... Well, not so much a massive, you're just being a... It's funny. There you go. Who needs social media when you say... repetitively in an old interview? What is your go-to way to win an argument, if you have any? Walk away. Walk away, though, is an act of aggression, isn't it? Not always, no. I think it can douse water on the flames. Oh. Yeah, if you're ready to... and sort of fire back, it's like, oh, no. Take a deep breath. Don't do that, take a deep breath. Walk away if you have to. Don't just walk away. So I say, I... Sorry, I just need a minute. I'm sorry. That's good. I'll come back, but I just need a minute. And then, come back and I go, ah, you... Got in again. Yeah, I get in again. Olivia never argues. And when she does, she doesn't need to win because she is a winner and she wins. Oh, he's good. Closed. Is this how you win? No, not really. If we were having an argument and if you said that... I'd run a mile if we were having an argument. Me too. No, I couldn't do it. That is all my questions. Oh, thank you so much. That was really fun. Good, good, good. Thank you.