Olivia Colman Takes New Steps in 'Tyrannosaur'

How does an actor with well-established comedic chops turn in a shattering performance in one of the year's darkest, most disturbing films? Olivia Colman says she did it in "Tyrannosaur" by doing what's real for her characterwith the help of a pitch-perfect script. "I didn't go anywhere different for it," Colman says. "You just go to where you need to go to do her justice." Her work in this film by writer-director Paddy Considine was dubbed the breakout performance at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.One more breakout is coming her way, however. She more than holds our attention as Margaret Thatcher's daughter, Carol, opposite Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady."But in "Tyrannosaur," Colman plays Hannah, a Christian woman who works in a thrift shop and who holds out a literal and figurative hand to the damaged, raging Joseph (Peter Mullan). Yet Hannah bears her own scars, caused in large part by her marriage to the monstrous James (Eddie Marsan). The film began life as Considine's short; in the feature film he expands Hannah's role to show her background and develop her relationship with Joseph.Back Stage: How did you meet Paddy Considine, and how did he cast you in this project?Olivia Colman: We met on a film called "Hot Fuzz." We met the first day of our rehearsals. I knew Paddy was coming, and I was so excited to meet Paddy Considine. And he came up the stairs, and I opened the door for him, and he said, "After you," and I went, "Oh, no, no, after you." And he says that at that point he thought, "Oh, right, she's the one for my short film." I'm so pleased I held the door open for him.Back Stage: How much time did you have to prepare your character for the short?Colman: I didn't. I read the script, but then I had to fly to Glasgow and do my scenes just in one day, because I was in the middle of a job. The short went down very well. It won a BAFTA for best short. After that, people were saying, "I want to know what happens with these characters." And then it was just about four years between the short and the feature. Back Stage: If there was no back story for Hannah, did you make one up for her?Colman: Everything was on the page. She worked in this charity shop; she was the only person who extended a hand of friendship to this man who most people would have walked to the other side of the street away from. I didn't need to know an awful lot more about that. I know lots of actors might disagree with me, but to me I just did what was on the page. She was a lovely, warm person. And when you come to the feature, she just shows herself as a lovely, warm person. She doesn't show what's going on, anyway, in her back story. It's unveiled during the course of the film. But I think it's right that she doesn't show everybody, and that's what's more interesting. And the whole film is about challenging perceptions: You make snap decisions, snap judgments about people, and you're invariably wrong. Looking at the film after you've witnessed what Joseph's done, you can't believe you can feel so differently. But I don't think you need to demonstrate everything, because that's not what people do. They keep their secrets, and they keep them well.Back Stage: Any other research?Colman: I went to this charity called Refuge, in the U.K., which tries to help victims of domestic violence. I talked to women who work for the charitynot to any of the women, or men, they helpbecause I couldn't promise I wouldn't cry. So they gave me a case study to look at, which was so shockinga hundred times worse than anything you saw onscreenand that was enough. I'll never get rid of that now, the horrible images from that. That was enough to inform what I thought Hannah was.Back Stage: What was Paddy's set like? Formal? Funny?Colman: Informal and very, very safe, very friendly. They're all funny people: Paddy, Eddie, and Peter. All lovely, warm people who tell funny stories and joke with each other. Also the crew. When you're feeling exposed when you're doing something, you don't want to hear someone giggling 'cause they're doing a private joke over there. No one did that [on this film]. Everyone was completely committed.Back Stage: What kind of rehearsals did you have?Colman: We had one day that had been put aside, before we started the shoot. Paddy and Peter and I sitting. But it ended up we didn't really talk about the piece at all. We ended up going to the pub and having a drink. The characters were already so whole, so multifaceted, so complete on the page, I didn't want to talk about it. It feels like you're taking the lid off the pressure cooker. If I can feel it, it's all there; please don't make me say it before we have to do it. I told Paddy, "I'm really nervous about rehearsing for this; I don't want to." And he felt the same. Because I felt it so deeply, I would be sobbing during a rehearsal. He said, "No, don't say a word. Roughly when you get to that point, where do you think you might go? [The camera will] just follow you and make sure we get it." That was lovely. It was liberating. Back Stage: What did you learn about acting while working on this film?Colman: There's a certain feeling I have a bit more now, which is I do deserve to be here. I always thought, "I'm going to be found out." I couldn't have done "Iron Lady" three years ago. I did "Iron Lady" three years after this, and I thought, "It's all right; I can hold my own," after Paddy giving me confidence like that.Back Stage: What did you learn watching Streep?Colman: She has a very strong work ethic. There is no ego; there's no vanity; there's no place for that. That's why she is so extraordinarily good at what she does. I don't want to? see the working behind a performance. To be; that's it. And to feel it. And laying on extra stuffI don't enjoy watching that. She takes what she needs to, to make that person real. People would have paid to sit there and watch her in the flesh doing it. And she was amazing, and you completely forgot that underneath the prosthetics she looked different. She became the person.Back Stage: In "Tyrannosaur," what was the most difficult scene for you?Colman: The one I was always terrified of, from the moment I got the script, was Hannah's breakdown. I was scared of doing it justice. I didn't want to let Paddy down. And he shot us chronologically, which was brilliant. Because he's an actor, he knows how important that is. So the whole journey, you've already done it. It makes your job very easy. There was [another] scene which didn't make it to the final cut. I think we all felt it wasn't working. Paddy kept trying. And then I traveled home for the weekend. And Paddy called me and said, "We're going to reshoot that scene." And I was so upset that I hadn't done it right, I've let him down, he'd taken the gamble. And then he says, "It wasn't you. I was saying all the wrong things, and I was directing it wrong." Which is sweet of him.Back Stage: And the one scene you wouldn't mind reshooting?Colman: The scenes I found hardest were the scenes that were re-creating the short. It was weirdit was like an echo. We did it four years previously, and I was trying to make it? fresh again now, but I could still kind of hear my own voice. I found those the hardest, which is why I wouldn't want to shoot them again, 'cause it would just get worse.Back Stage: What was your worst audition ever?Colman: It was for the Donmar [Warehouse, in London]. I was going to be meeting [casting director and creative associate] Anne McNulty, and I was so excited. Quite early on [in my career]. Wanted to be taken on by my agent. And the script had a lot of mention of camera shot things. And it was for the part of a whore. So I had a short skirt and tried to look as whorish as I couldor as I could bear. Got there, took my coat off, and she looked at me and said, "What do you think of the script?" And I said, "Oh, it's good." And she still looked puzzled. And then she said, "Should we have a little read?" And it wasn't the script that I'd been sent. It was for the part of a nun. We did laugh about it, but it was humiliating. And I didn't get that part.Back Stage: That's because the casting director had no imagination. By Dany Margolies December 30, 2011 Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman. PHOTO CREDIT Dave J. Hogan/Getty Images How does an actor with well-established comedic chops turn in a shattering performance in one of the year's darkest, most disturbing films? Olivia Colman says she did it in "Tyrannosaur" by doing what's real for her characterwith the help of a pitch-perfect script. "I didn't go anywhere different for it," Colman says. "You just go to where you need to go to do her justice." Her work in this film by writer-director Paddy Considine was dubbed the breakout performance at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.One more breakout is coming her way, however. She more than holds our attention as Margaret Thatcher's daughter, Carol, opposite Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady."But in "Tyrannosaur," Colman plays Hannah, a Christian woman who works in a thrift shop and who holds out a literal and figurative hand to the damaged, raging Joseph (Peter Mullan). Yet Hannah bears her own scars, caused in large part by her marriage to the monstrous James (Eddie Marsan). The film began life as Considine's short; in the feature film he expands Hannah's role to show her background and develop her relationship with Joseph.Back Stage: How did you meet Paddy Considine, and how did he cast you in this project?Olivia Colman: We met on a film called "Hot Fuzz." We met the first day of our rehearsals. I knew Paddy was coming, and I was so excited to meet Paddy Considine. And he came up the stairs, and I opened the door for him, and he said, "After you," and I went, "Oh, no, no, after you." And he says that at that point he thought, "Oh, right, she's the one for my short film." I'm so pleased I held the door open for him.Back Stage: How much time did you have to prepare your character for the short?Colman: I didn't. I read the script, but then I had to fly to Glasgow and do my scenes just in one day, because I was in the middle of a job. The short went down very well. It won a BAFTA for best short. After that, people were saying, "I want to know what happens with these characters." And then it was just about four years between the short and the feature. Back Stage: If there was no back story for Hannah, did you make one up for her?Colman: Everything was on the page. She worked in this charity shop; she was the only person who extended a hand of friendship to this man who most people would have walked to the other side of the street away from. I didn't need to know an awful lot more about that. I know lots of actors might disagree with me, but to me I just did what was on the page. She was a lovely, warm person. And when you come to the feature, she just shows herself as a lovely, warm person. She doesn't show what's going on, anyway, in her back story. It's unveiled during the course of the film. But I think it's right that she doesn't show everybody, and that's what's more interesting. And the whole film is about challenging perceptions: You make snap decisions, snap judgments about people, and you're invariably wrong. Looking at the film after you've witnessed what Joseph's done, you can't believe you can feel so differently. But I don't think you need to demonstrate everything, because that's not what people do. They keep their secrets, and they keep them well.Back Stage: Any other research?Colman: I went to this charity called Refuge, in the U.K., which tries to help victims of domestic violence. I talked to women who work for the charitynot to any of the women, or men, they helpbecause I couldn't promise I wouldn't cry. So they gave me a case study to look at, which was so shockinga hundred times worse than anything you saw onscreenand that was enough. I'll never get rid of that now, the horrible images from that. That was enough to inform what I thought Hannah was.Back Stage: What was Paddy's set like? Formal? Funny?Colman: Informal and very, very safe, very friendly. They're all funny people: Paddy, Eddie, and Peter. All lovely, warm people who tell funny stories and joke with each other. Also the crew. When you're feeling exposed when you're doing something, you don't want to hear someone giggling 'cause they're doing a private joke over there. No one did that [on this film]. Everyone was completely committed.Back Stage: What kind of rehearsals did you have?Colman: We had one day that had been put aside, before we started the shoot. Paddy and Peter and I sitting. But it ended up we didn't really talk about the piece at all. We ended up going to the pub and having a drink. The characters were already so whole, so multifaceted, so complete on the page, I didn't want to talk about it. It feels like you're taking the lid off the pressure cooker. If I can feel it, it's all there; please don't make me say it before we have to do it. I told Paddy, "I'm really nervous about rehearsing for this; I don't want to." And he felt the same. Because I felt it so deeply, I would be sobbing during a rehearsal. He said, "No, don't say a word. Roughly when you get to that point, where do you think you might go? [The camera will] just follow you and make sure we get it." That was lovely. It was liberating. Back Stage: What did you learn about acting while working on this film?Colman: There's a certain feeling I have a bit more now, which is I do deserve to be here. I always thought, "I'm going to be found out." I couldn't have done "Iron Lady" three years ago. I did "Iron Lady" three years after this, and I thought, "It's all right; I can hold my own," after Paddy giving me confidence like that.Back Stage: What did you learn watching Streep?Colman: She has a very strong work ethic. There is no ego; there's no vanity; there's no place for that. That's why she is so extraordinarily good at what she does. I don't want to? see the working behind a performance. To be; that's it. And to feel it. And laying on extra stuffI don't enjoy watching that. She takes what she needs to, to make that person real. People would have paid to sit there and watch her in the flesh doing it. And she was amazing, and you completely forgot that underneath the prosthetics she looked different. She became the person.Back Stage: In "Tyrannosaur," what was the most difficult scene for you?Colman: The one I was always terrified of, from the moment I got the script, was Hannah's breakdown. I was scared of doing it justice. I didn't want to let Paddy down. And he shot us chronologically, which was brilliant. Because he's an actor, he knows how important that is. So the whole journey, you've already done it. It makes your job very easy. There was [another] scene which didn't make it to the final cut. I think we all felt it wasn't working. Paddy kept trying. And then I traveled home for the weekend. And Paddy called me and said, "We're going to reshoot that scene." And I was so upset that I hadn't done it right, I've let him down, he'd taken the gamble. And then he says, "It wasn't you. I was saying all the wrong things, and I was directing it wrong." Which is sweet of him.Back Stage: And the one scene you wouldn't mind reshooting?Colman: The scenes I found hardest were the scenes that were re-creating the short. It was weirdit was like an echo. We did it four years previously, and I was trying to make it? fresh again now, but I could still kind of hear my own voice. I found those the hardest, which is why I wouldn't want to shoot them again, 'cause it would just get worse.Back Stage: What was your worst audition ever?Colman: It was for the Donmar [Warehouse, in London]. I was going to be meeting [casting director and creative associate] Anne McNulty, and I was so excited. Quite early on [in my career]. Wanted to be taken on by my agent. And the script had a lot of mention of camera shot things. And it was for the part of a whore. So I had a short skirt and tried to look as whorish as I couldor as I could bear. Got there, took my coat off, and she looked at me and said, "What do you think of the script?" And I said, "Oh, it's good." And she still looked puzzled. And then she said, "Should we have a little read?" And it wasn't the script that I'd been sent. It was for the part of a nun. We did laugh about it, but it was humiliating. And I didn't get that part.Back Stage: That's because the casting director had no imagination.

Fashion Slam: The Entire Year In Fashion

First Released: December 28, 2011 11:57 AM EST Credit: Getty Images La, Calif. -- Caption Kate Middleton waves as she heads in to the Abbey to got married, London, April 29, 2011As we summary 2011, we glance back in a couple of from the years large fashion moments and trends. The Gown Yeah, that certain which had Everybody on the planet watchingwhen Kate Middleton married Prince William in April. Collective gasp. Utter Perfection. Congratulations, Kate, congratulations. FASCINATORS The hats so loved through the British grew to become a family group title within the Statesmost people had not heard about a fascinator before. Princess Beatrices over-the-top hat grew to become a late evening joke or even a popular Costume. She got the final laugh though auctioning from the hat for charitable organisation. MISSONI MANIA A lot of fashion-loving folks (including this writer) were crazy in love with the Missoni for Target line the chains website crashed on September 13. Down All of us demonstrated our bohemian side with the addition of down to the hair. The women inside my kids pre-school like this, its that large of the trend. RETRO STYLE Basic steps Pan Am and NBCs The Playboy Club both displayed 60s style and made it happen well. COLORED Jeans Red-colored jeans were among the greatest trends this season. Royal blue and Kelly eco-friendly were other large colors and that we saw stars putting on from deep crimson to vibrant yellow. Joes Jeans even introduced its 55 colors assortment of yep an astonishing 55 colors from the rainbow. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Pat Robertson to SNL: Leave Tim Tebow Alone!

Saturday Evening Live Pat Robertson's latest target? Saturday Evening Live. The televangelist railed against a skit mocking Colorado Broncos' quarterback Tim Tebow, an empty and devout Christian, calling it "anti-Christian bigotry." Inside the sketch, Jason Sudeikis came out as Jesus and told Tebow to pay attention to his game and ease around the praise. The breakout stars of 2011 "When the happen to be a Muslim country and so they attempted that, combined with Muhammad doing that stuff, you'd have found tanks being thrown off!" Robertson mentioned round the Christian Broadcasting Network. "Tebow is certainly a good example, but he is a superb individual,Inch Robertson mentioned. "We would like more religious belief in present day world. We're losing our moral compass inside our nation which guy remains put in a unique position which i applaud him. God bless him." Watch Robertson slam SNL, because of Mediaite: As well as the original sketch:

Golden Globe Nominations 2012: Snubs and Surprises

It wouldn't be an awards show without some controversial nominations -- and lack of nominations. While Albert Brooks and Michael Fassbender weren't unceremoniously snubbed by the Golden Globes like they were by the SAG Awards on Wednesday, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association still managed to leave a great many major contenders off its invite list. Sorry, Steven Spielberg, Melissa McCarthy, Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock! Better luck at the Oscars? Ahead, nine head-scratching snubs and surprises from the 2012 Golden Globes nominations. Golden Globe Nominations 2012: Snubs and Surprises SNUBBED: Steven SpielbergSURPRISE: Ryan GoslingSNUBBED: Melissa McCarthySURPRISE: Kristen WiigSNUBBED: 'The Muppets'SURPRISE: Jodie Foster and Kate WinsletSNUBBED: 'The Tree of Life' and Terrence MalickSURPRISE: Rooney MaraSNUBBED: 'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close' See All Moviefone Galleries » RELATED: Is 'My Week With Marilyn' Actually a Musical and/or Comedy? EARLIER: Golden Globe nominations 2012: 'The Artist' and 'The Help' Lead the Way [Top Photo: Warner Bros.] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Thesps up f/x respect

Andy Serkis within the motion capture suit round the number of 'Rise in the Planet in the Apes'Chris Evans was reduced to 'Skinny Steve' size in 'Captain America.'Visual effects have extended been the province of engineers and specialists, though digital figures going to the forefront, stars are progressively more some the vfx process.The alteration possibly began with Andy Serkis' memorable turn as Gollum in "The Master in the Rings" trilogy, and faster through several recent vfx Oscar individuals who win: "King Kong," "The Curious Situation of Benjamin Button" and "Avatar."2011 saw the bond between acting and effects deepen. "Rise in the Planet in the Apes" put Serkis' performance capture role as Caesar, a genetically enhanced chimpanzee, at the center of the drama. "Real Steel" taken artists actions two other ways to produce its robots to existence. "Captain America: The Initial Avenger" offered within the striking "Skinny Steve" effect, which shrank burly Chris Evans lower for the proverbial 98-pound weakling.Serkis states that although performance capture has become excellent at recording an actor's performance round the set, there's an advantage on photography: "There's nothing locked.""All the emotional signs and symptoms of this performance are information for your artists to take advantage of and to interpret," states Serkis. "Every frame is animated. The heavens indicate a mental moment as well as the artists as well as the director either can do an excessive amount of that moment or play in the moment more subtly. It's this kind of fantastically malleable medium."Within the original turn as Gollum, before facial capture technology, Serkis labored carefully while using artists at Weta Digital, re-undertaking moments to ensure that they'd good reference footage of his face."It's become a real transparent process," according to him. "You're just being that role now, however suppose previously it needed an extremely wider, bigger engagement while using character and being the protector of the character's emotional journey."That doesn't mean thesps have quit that protector role. On "Captain America" Lola Visual Effects offered a choice of creating "Skinny Steve" with either "Benjamin Button" style mind alternative or possibly a harder process: digitally diminishing Evans. Helmer Joe Johnston and Evans agreed the diminishing process was best."Chris could identify the subtleties in your body performance so he was always driving us to take advantage from the diminishing technique," describes vfx producer Thomas Nittmann of Lola. "The means by that they walked lower a platform, he wanted to ensure that it's him."When there's no choice but to employ a body double, they did face alternative. Evans themselves found record his facial performance, that was grafted onto a slender double.On "Real Steel," Digital Domain stood a different challenge: making the robots, which have been animated with performance capture, look properly mechanical.Erik Nash, visual effects supervisor round the pick, states "most of the subtle human nuance, which is probably the top reasons to do motion capture, we required to remove to make sure that the robots made an appearance as though robots, nothing beats people."Boxers and stunt males did the robot boxing moments in performance capture suits, with one artist designated to each robot. That gave it a unique personality and movement style. People moments were shot three several days before principal photography started.When the robots required to contact live stars, DD used Image-Based Capture where they shoot the scene with several reference cameras. Artists carried out the moments looking at painters' stilts to enhance themselves around the right height and supply the heavens the best eyeline. When Hugh Jackman shadowboxes while using robot Adam outdoors a motel, artist Eddie Davenport practiced with Jackman, then shot the scene wearing stilts. After artists needed only make small tweaks for his or her timing.Nash recounts "It absolutely was amazing to find out since they were perfectly practiced and therefore dead synchronized. We understood after we shot it the succession could be terrific. Hugh could have the punch sequence as rapidly because he wanted and Eddie was right with him."Eye round the Oscars: Vfx, Appear & Editing Thesps join f/x party Longtime teams keep work fresh Randy's Rules to get the best appear Appear editing: Always make dramatic sense Appear Mixing: Which causes it to be all feel real Digital tools add quality, cut back Contact David S. Cohen at david.cohen@variety.com

Mark Burnett Signs on With Young Interactive-TV Company

Dick Van Dyke will reunited with his former TV wife Mary Tyler Moore at the 18th annual SAG Awards in January.our editor recommendsMary Tyler Moore Reacts to SAG Life Achievement HonorMary Tyler Moore Receives 2011 Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement AwardRelated Topics• The actor will present his Dick Van Dyke Show co-star with the group's life achievement award, which honors her career achievement and humanitarian accomplishments. PHOTOS: THR's Emmy Icon Covers Van Dyke and Moore played husband and wife Rob and Laura Petrie on the CBS sitcom, which was based on the experiences of Carl Reiner. They later appeared together on the variety special Dick Van Dyke and the Other Woman, an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Hour, PBS' The Gin Game and on TV Land's The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited. Moore has won seven Emmys, a Tony and was nominated for an Academy Award. COVER STORY: Hollywood's Emmy Icons SAG national president Ken Howard said of her life achievement honor, "Mary Tyler Moore won our hearts as Laura Petrie and Mary Richards, our respect as her production company became synonymous with quality television, our awe as she tackled difficult subject matter in film and on Broadway, and our admiration she turned her public recognition into a catalyst to draw attention to critical and deeply personal health and social issues. "She truly embodies the spirit behind SAG's Life Achievement Award." The 2012 SAG Awards airs on TBS and TNT on Jan. 29. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Behind the Scenes of THR's Emmy Icon Shoots Related Topics SAG Awards Dick Van Dyke Mary Tyler Moore SAG Awards 2012

'Star Wars' And 'Star Trek' Fans Rallied Against 'Twilight' By George Takei

A really very long time ago, in the world far, far, there has been no sexy vampires of the underworld from the underworld whose skin sparkled inside the sunlight--which is simply how some fans prefer it. A completely new, unforeseen competition seems being starting to warm up between two sci-fi franchises in the "Twilight" series, as well as the person leading the charge is certainly a similarly unforeseen party. Get particulars on that new feud plus much more after we to check out the dunia ngeblog today! George Takei Declares "Star" War After several days of half-joking, half-serious back-and-forths between stars well renowned for their link with the "AlienInch and "Star WarsInch franchises, "Trek" icon George Takei has known for peace involving the two fan bases for war against another: the "Twilight" series. Takei, who carried out Sulu inside the original "Trek" series, released a 3-minute video calling the values of "Twilight" into question, while championing the minds assist with by both "Star" brands. Follow the link to check out the whole video, offered at Huffington Publish. Whose side are you currently presently on? "Star" Snow In further, more fun "AlienInch news, you are prepared to celebrate the classic sci-fi property getting a vacation special! No, much less holiday special, we will not ruin every day such as this. Rather, we'll direct your concentrate on Blastr, who released five amazing "AlienInch paper snowflakes along with instructions concerning how to make certain they're. Very awesome project for the whole nerdy family! "Rise" in the Graffiti More awesome art to relish today, but also for a very different sci-fi franchise. The La Occasions highlights some amazing "Rise in the Planet in the Apes" graffiti art noticed in the city of Angels. Australian artist Anthony Lister was apparently hired by last century Fox to create the "Apes"-minded mural on Melrose Avenue, and perhaps the very first time throughout my entire existence, I'm prone to mutter these words: If perhaps I used to be in LA at this time around. "Walking" Shirt Finally, posted my way from Twitter user @curtisblack72 comes this incredibly awesome "Walking Dead" T-shirt starring Norman Reedus' impossibly awesome Daryl Dixon. "Got bit. Fever hit. World attended s---. Might as well quit," reads the shirt, calling towards the famous tree-hanging zombie in the 2009 season. Unsure that I'll dive right in myself, however when a number of you fine folks available need to get me this just like a holiday gift, well, I wouldn't complain! Seen another factor awesome across the dunia ngeblog? Send it my way by tweeting @roundhoward! And reveal everything you consider current day edition of ATB inside the comments section and also on Twitter!