She has wowed critics with her portrayal of the Queen in The Crown and now, Olivia Colman has sung her own praises for the monarch. The Oscar-winning actress, who plays Her Majesty during the years 1964 and 1977, told HELLO! of her great respect for the Queen, having played her during some of the darkest days of her reign, including the Aberfan tragedy, the oil crisis and miners' strikes, along with her own family conflicts in the run-up to the Silver Jubilee.
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Speaking ahead of the premiere for the third series of The Crown, Olivia said: "Having never really considered what I thought of her and now having played her, I think she is extraordinary. She said she would serve her country and that is what she has done – and she is now in her 90s and still serving her country. I think she is amazing. I would have definitely retired by now!"
© Photo: NetflixOlivia plays Her Majesty during the years 1964 and 1977
Olivia, 45, has been keeping a closer eye on the monarch since she signed up to the show and said she was moved to see the Queen wipe away a tear at the Remembrance Day service earlier this month. "I don't blame her for shedding a tear," she said.
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"A lot of the people she remembers from that time have been dead a very long time, so it must be a very emotional day for her – and she has never failed to be there at the Cenotaph. We have had ridiculous extremes in this country over the past few years – as we can all see – and there is something about them being there, that I feel has kept it all from going awry. Perhaps that is because I have just fallen in love with the Queen, but it feels that way to me."
© Photo: NetflixSeason three of The Crown returned on Sunday
In a recent interview with Harper's Bazaar, the actress revealed what it took for her to play the Queen. "I don't really enjoy research," she said. "But for this, I have to accept it. I can't just sit like me, I have to sit like her, and look like pictures of her. They have been teaching me how to walk – I'm really terrible at that, I have no physical awareness."
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She also revealed she particularly struggled with the Queen's voice, despite being British herself. Olivia explained: "I thought that general 'posh' would do it, but apparently not. Really unusual vowel sounds. If you're saying 'yes', you say 'ears'." The actress then giggled: "It's fun to do, isn't it? It's very hard to stop. Ears."
Pick up this week's issue of HELLO! out now for the full interview.
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