Benedict Cumberbatch & Olivia Colman

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0:44I had from lovely Susanna beer on The Night Manager and I was massively pregnant. And she said, could you walk less pregnant? No. There's a head in my pelvis. So, no. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, sad, confused begins now. Hey, guys, I'm Josh, and welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused. Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman need I say more. They are the main event on the podcast today. Thanks, guys, as always, for checking out my podcast. Whether you're listening or watching, I appreciate you. a real treat to get these two dynamic, amazing, brilliant, very funny actors together talking about their new movie, The Roses, their collaborations, their pet peeves, all sorts of fun stuff in this episode.

1:37Brief things to mention before we get into the main event today. By the time you're listening or watching this, I will hopefully be in Telluride, Colorado for the Telluride Film Festival, which I've been going to for the last several years. It is such a privilege. So amazing to go. If you ever have the opportunity, it is a hard place to get into for a variety of reasons, but wow, what a treat to be there to see the best films emerge for the fall season. So I'm saying that not to brag, but just to say, this is something to look for for you guys on the podcast, because I'll be recording a couple episodes of the podcast on the ground in Telluride, if all goes according to plan.

2:13I will also then be talking from the Toronto Film Festival almost immediately thereafter. Yes, the fall movie season really comes at you really fast once it launches. So all which is to say, if you're into the quality movies coming out this fall, keep it right here on Happy, Say, Confused because I've got you covered with some really cool conversations slated from both Telluride and Toronto. As always, all our goodies are over on our Patreon, patreon.com slash happy, say, confused. I shouted out because honestly, if you support us there, it really does help me and us make more stuff for you here.

2:51Plus, we hopefully give you bank for your buck. Early access to every episode. You get discount codes for live events. You get upcoming guest announcements before anybody else. Merch, autograph posters, all sorts of cool stuff. So check it out if you can. Okay. This conversation is a delight. How could it not be? Cumberbatch and Coleman. Come on, guys. They are starring in the new remake of War of the Roses. Remember War of the Roses? I do. I grew up with that movie, Kathleen Turner, Michael Douglas. This is a reimagining. This comes to us with quite the pedigree. Not only is it directed by Jay Roach, not only is it written by Tony McNamara, amazing screenwriter, but front and center, you got Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch.

3:36I remember as soon as this movie was announced, I was like, yes, a thousand times. Yes, I am in. Very black comedy. They are both really fun together. They clearly, as you'll see in this conversation, go way back as friends, but had never worked together before. So this was a really rare and unique opportunity. I will say a couple just notes for this. We'd recorded this actually quite a ways back because they are both so busy and had trouble kind of like coordinating schedules. So I took the advantage of getting them when I could over Zoom a while back. Now doing it over Zoom, I will say was not my ideal.

4:13Obviously the podcast, I do a lot of different ways. Sometimes it's in person, sometimes at their live events, sometimes it is over Zoom. This one in particular was a little challenging, the Zoom aspect, I will be honest, because sometimes it's hard when you're talking to two people, let alone two very fast talking people talking to each other. Benedict is like such like a bundle of nervous, fun energy always that I think he's much easier to talk to, to be honest, when you're vibing in the room with him. We still had a great time, but there was like one, for instance, you'll hear or watch in this conversation, one total disconnect when I'm like quizzing them a little bit about Marvel and they totally didn't understand the question.

4:51Maybe it was me. Maybe it was the Zoom. Anyway, I'm in my own head about this. So I'm just like letting you guys know there's some times in this conversation where it feels like to me, I'm not like quite clear on what they're saying. They're not quite clear on what I'm saying. That being said, smiles all around, laughs all around. This is about 35 minutes of a lot of fun. So I know you'll dig it. I'm just saying it out loud because it was in my head. And I want to be transparent with you guys. I think that's it. I hope you guys enjoy this. It's also a little bit of a shorter conversation than we usually do.

5:23But again, how can I say no to 35 minutes with Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman? I mean, come on. Enjoy this chat. Check out The Roses. It's in theaters this Friday. And I'll see you on the next one from Telluride. Oh, Josh. It's so good to see you both. Your movie is delightful. A lot of people, look, their dream couple is like the Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, the Zendaya, the Tom Holland. This is my couple. Yes, Josh. You're our guy. Thank you. Thank you very much. Who would win in a fight to the death? You guys versus Tom Holland and Zendaya. How does it go down? Oh, they would win, wouldn't they?

6:05Sorry. No, that was awful. We've got maturity. You've only got one arm. You've probably got more resources. Why not? I'd be useless. Yes, it's true. Currently, we wouldn't win. No, we wouldn't. Give us some warning and don't give them any warning and maybe we'll be all right. Hang on a split second. The Art of Surprise. They're a real couple. What do you mean? A warring couple? As in them fighting us, you mean? Yeah, fighting us. Yes. That's what I imagined you meant. Sure, sorry. I just got a little lost into the sort of thing of what we're doing was a fighting couple, fictionally. Um hmm, but we have maturity on our side.

6:35Are you talking about fisticuffs? They're very mature as well though for their age every day experience experience is the word. Yeah, you're right I would do something and then run the other way pull my finger and fart the whole room They just said they couldn't they wouldn't be able to fight after that. They'd be giggling or coughing Livya has the power of laughter and do they as much? I don't know I bet they did You won't know until the crossover movie happens. Until the Spider-Man or the Rose. That's all they're going to be able to talk to me about. Guys, talk to me a little bit about, I mean, this is a dream scenario, I would imagine, as an actor.

7:08Not only do you get to work with somebody you love and respect, but you get paid to insult them for weeks at a time and be vile to each other. With Tony McNamara's words, don't forget. Yeah, so the insults are better than we would do ourselves. Possibly. I mean, yeah, he's a genius. and it was a joy and we wanted to do this for a while insult each other publicly in the film and it's come about just just about time um no but seriously yeah it's just it's a heaven it's heaven you have to kind of pitch yourself and get well and these these are rare jobs that all of those ingredients to line up yeah and yeah she's phenomenal and i've been you know friends but also as a friend just going i'm so proud of this person who's just you know taking on the world and making the whole world fall in love with us the way we all do as her friends and then to get the chance to enter that and and experience it on a set and and just to work with a friend is a joy but especially this one it really was a lot of fun ben has an amazing skill of of saying beautiful things first and then you then you go well i feel that just caffeine no same ditto yeah exactly it's so lovely you're incredibly he's the nicest kindest person ever says the nicest things too don't you?

8:22I wish that was always true but in this instance it is because it's very easy, it's authentic because she is authentic so yeah I'm asking you guys, have you ever whether in this film or any project said something so vile in a scene to a co-star, in the script of course, that you found yourself having to apologise immediately after like oh my god I'm so sorry I mean well with children yes I've had to lose my patience with children I'm acting, I really love you I'm sorry I'm shouting in your faces You know, it's a very very bizarre thing to being a film set as a kid let alone Les miserables yes, and I was meant to hit this little girl Oh god, and she had padding all down her back, but I had a belt and I was meant to hit her And then I I hit her once the half-heartedly and I burst into tears and I can't do it.

9:08I can't either And she's going no do it look Oh Yeah, I struggled and there was also one little girl who was the younger version who didn't speak English and and and I said out well she started to look like she's crying and I went out shut up and because I thought she was acting but she actually started to cry and then oh it was yeah you're right shouting at children is horrendous the child in me was a little bit perturbed when things go very awry in our film and as characters and I did have a moment of going I need to check in with my friends This is feeling quite that I'm smarting from some of this, but I'm too good at this.

9:50This is too real Yeah, she was and I was like is this coming from a place of? It's stupid, but you know you get you get a bit wrapped up in yourself down sometimes Full stop especially when you pretend to be people in that situation But yeah, I just had a moment going okay, we're good I just want it as she was more like we'd had such fun and then it did it does get very dark this film There's a lot of nuance to it and and some Pathos because of the humor in a way and when it got a little bit I've worked out what we have to do. What do we have to do? So you know when dogs are fighting? You know what we have to do on the day?

10:19What is there? This is making me go stop and make me laugh But you know when dogs are fighting or play fighting, but then they go You notice that? No, they do little false sneezes. It means I still leave you. I'm not actually cross That's what they're doing. So we need to go and then we'll be fine just the baby like sneeze means you still love each other blow snot on each other exactly that's the true demonstration of love lip sync territory where'd it come from you know Olivia I just caught up with our mutual buddy Dakota Johnson the other day did you actually hang out go out or were you doing press things just press please just the real stuff How is she?

11:04She's amazing. She got really ugly. Yes, she got. I knew it. I knew it. Don't you have to bang. Thank God. You guys said you were the funniest person she's ever worked with. Who, respectively, take your co-star in the room out of both equation, who is the person that has made you laugh the most in your career on set that's been tough to get through a scene with? Other than her, oh, Martin Freeman. Ben Daniels as well. We both struggled with him. Ben Daniels as well, yeah. Oh, I do remember what I did with Ben. With us, it was all about our wigs in Tudor England. It was in the Roses and, you know, the horse that was out of control farting a lot as we were kind of trotting past heads we'd probably ourselves as characters put on a spike.

11:44And he was my wingman as Richard III, which means he was Gloucester. It's a long time ago. And, yeah, we couldn't... That's a really good one. That's a really good one. He perpetually... He's so naughty. And he's the nicest man as well, but he's really naughty. He's lovely. Oh, fun. He's adorable Ben Daniels and Martin I think is Quite literally the finest person I've ever met me. Oh so whip smart and yeah So I've just remembered a deal actor as well Who in in miserables again? He there was a fight thing and he actually went out really Really high-pitched and really loudly and he was meant to be a bit of a geezer and and I literally held my nose and I had to sit on the floor, so I was trying not to wet myself and hide from the camera.

12:35And we were giggling so much while this great big bar brawl was happening. Yeah, I love that. You know, like when you're in assembly at school and someone goes, who put itching powder on my seat? I know. All control is lost. One of the scenes, one of the sequences I enjoy running through this film is your character, Benedict, Has a bit of a viral video meltdown? Yes. I'm not really responsible for how that was put together, so I can laugh at that without it seeming like self-indulgence. It's so funny, that meme. Very funny. Very funny. But have either of you had an experience like talking to someone like me on a carpet at a point where you were like, oh my god, I just did something that is going to end me, like that is really going to compromise my career?

13:21I think I probably do. Every single interview, I think I've said something that's going to compromise my life, let alone my career. I, if in doubt, will do something really childish or say a rude word. And so far, no one seems to have minded. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, maybe one day. I don't look too closely, but yeah. I mean, I also got very overexcited at the Oscars the first time I went and photobombed you too. And it was just because... Me? No, I did. You photobombed me? Did I fit in my mood as well? No, did, is that what you said? Oh, you too. No, you too, as in the band. I see. You too. I was going to say, sorry.

13:59There must be a lot of that with their band name. I mean, they were all lined up. It was so easy. But I'd also been fed. It was the jump, right? It was the jump, but, you know, I'd also been given a loss of alcohol on a red carpet. I don't think things have probably changed now. Was that a bad thing? Well, seemingly not. But I think people obviously knew they were going to get a really out of control version of me. They just got to give me little miniatures. I love it. It was the Ellen Show gang in particular. They gave me, they were like, here, have some Smirnof vodka. Not necessarily, it could be any brand of vodka.

14:25I'm not being brand specific. This isn't an endorsement. Drink responsibly. Yeah, or drinking in general. Yes, always, always. Or a particular brand because, you know, I want to keep my options open there. But also because, I can't remember, I just do remember, and the world does because it's kind of there, me going over the top of that. Oh, I want to find that. And I think the minute after I did that, I was like, that is possibly going to be the serious thing I've done. I think I might have photobombed behind Was it your goss? It's quite tall. Yeah, yeah I did I did something similar but not but no one really noticed but that sounds brilliant I don't know if they're sure but everyone thought I've been superimposed I've got quite high but I think honestly I was I might just steps on someone to get the height I was not right there was a My right mind on the Oscar car but they don't yeah calls but the famous actor But you know I just kind of went boink on them.

15:15I don't know you know I it's the the memories vague because I was just sort of acting on impulse in front of the world. So yeah, I do, we do, but I don't, trouble, trouble. It's amazing how much fun you can have in an interview. And I come away going, that's going to be a new story. That's going to be a clip. That's going to be a thing that's going to be extracted and turned into something out of context. That makes this process dull. Not with you, my friend. But you did ask the question. How about this? Let's create a rift between the two of you. Who's a better detective? Ellie Miller of Broadchurch or Sherlock?

15:48I'm not sure that's fair. Well, she didn't even know it was her husband in that spot. Yeah, hey, spoiler! Wow! I'm sorry, but people don't deserve to anymore. Well, Sherlock Holmes is famously brilliant. I don't think he ever failures, does he? You can't really top Sherlock, and that's not me competing against her. That's just, you know, that's the writing. Yeah. Doyle. Okay. Doyle. Wasn't it? Yeah, I got you. Arthur Conan Doyle. I remembered. What accent was that? You tried an Irish? Arthur Conan Doyle. Did you? Was it Irish? I hate peering. I guess I've got to say, sorry. Okay, stop. I guess I'll stop.

16:21Just a deep breath. We'll talk about other people's Irish actors. I'll talk for a little while. So, who are you? Who's a bigger Marvel fan? I think it's Olivia. I think Olivia knows Marvel better than even you, Ben. Unreduitedly. Right? Yeah. Try her. Oh, no, don't test me. No, I'm not going to test you. How many Marvel films as of Fantastic Four have there been? Do you know that? Three? Three? Three, the one coming up? Four, two. Three. No, I meant MCU films, total in the MCU. With the four in? Yeah. I actually don't know. Well, with the new one coming up, I would say three. No, as in repeat?

17:00Yeah, I'd say three. The entire MCU, I'm saying. This is the American English problem. I don't really understand. You don't mean standalone films. It's a Josh problem. You mean the characters appearing in how many films? What the fuck is that? I was going to say, how many MCU films have there been? How many MCU films have there been? Not with the Fantastic Four. Are they in all of them? I said, as of the Fantastic Four, how many will have there been? MCU films. Oh, I see. Very badly put, John. Characters of period. Or how many versions of that franchise? Plus that one that's coming out. I have no idea.

17:37I have no idea. I mean, what? 18. Oh, we don't know. 37. 37 Yeah, 37 I win 37 That's a lot, isn't it? How many have you seen? I have not seen 37 I have? Okay Well, you've got some work to do I haven't seen all of them I don't think I've Have I seen all of them? I don't think I've seen 37 So I can't Do you count series as films? So I count which? Series as films So yeah, 37 feature films That's amazing That's enormous, isn't it? It's extraordinary I think I I think I haven't seen them Have you? Okay, he's a bigger fan than me Okay Okay

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21:40What have you learned about your friend? Look, you've known each other for a while. There's the work self and there's the, you know, out of work self. Did you learn something new about each other, seeing each other in this environment? I mean, it's the first time I've I've been in the working environment, which I'd heard about with her, and it's obvious to the world from people who've already worked with her, but to see the alchemy she brings to set every day and to see what joy it is, and it's genuine. I'm like, God, that's got to cost you, but it doesn't because it's her. It's authentically who she is.

22:07And that, I guess I knew it in a way, but I really witnessed it for the first time. So that was my kind of novel experience and acting with her, obviously, which was a marvel. But, you know, it was that. It was that kind of alchemy with everyone around us. Oh, Ben. It's true. He did it again. He did it again. Many times. It does this. And that you could pull her finger and she often farts. Yeah. Well, I did. I used that, especially when I knew that he needed a little. Yeah. Reassuring that I'm not actually hated by the person I'm acting with. I'm a bit pathetic, isn't it? Good bad. Pathetic. Do you want to do it in real time?

22:42Here we go. Whatever in post. Bit of a delay. You can edit that. Is it... Yeah. Gone. I was gonna say is it is it more enjoyable as an actor? As an actor watching her to how intuitive she is Given it how great she it gets she gets us so quickly so quickly I know I try and I'd a lot more trial and error I don't think so those emotional scenes It was so lovely to look into your eyes and you're absolutely there that was that I would you I have to sort of put myself there for those bits, but everything especially commonly I feel like I've just got her. This isn't what I haven't done nearly as much as Olivia.

23:22I've had funny bits in films and never quite this focused. And it was all there at your fingertips. You were napped. Well, no, I think I had to really kind of do it. I think because it's scary if you haven't done much of it before. To trust it. Yeah, I agree. But you totally got it. But not as quick. She's been very kind, but I will say not as quickly as Olivia. It is, yeah. It does. It is kind of true. Do you remember, Benedict, the sketch that we did that you had not even read the script for? You walked into and you were unbelievable. There you are. You see? What was it? This was a master class actor parody.

23:56Oh, the abusive acting coach. You were unbelievable. It was great until I actually, I think I did punch someone in it. I mean, no. You did. You punched my friend Sammy. You fake punched her, but she loved it. It was a fake punch and we talked about it. Oh, like that sort of punch. It was in the stomach. It was right in the gut. It was scripted. I think that bit was in the script. It was. You're right. I didn't know what it was until I watched in the room. But that was fun that you always give me in those those scenarios in the past You've always give me something really fun to do And so I know I knew when I was being I knew that Josh was on the car So I knew it was gonna be a fun thing But thank you amazing amazing Do you guys enjoy the like I always think about these the relationship comedies or dramas the montage of falling in love Must be so difficult like it when you have to kind of laugh for hours at an end you have to kind of gaze at each other longingly.

24:46Is that something that is as awkward as it seems to me with my second self thinking about it? I find some bits awkward. Anything with skin touching, I find cripplingly embarrassing. Yeah. It's the least sexy or romantic thing you'll ever do as an actor. Or I'll ever do. Especially with a friend. Yeah, it's super weird. Ben, all right, how's Sophie? Yeah, fantastic. All right, let's do it. Yeah, yeah. And then, quick, let's get this over with. I know those sounds, the English making. But no, seriously, the, um, what was the thing? Oh, yeah, the meet cute in this is so well scripted. And it's so immediate.

25:23And it's very fast. So it's kind of like, ah. So it's less embarrassing. And we laughed a lot when we went into that ice cooler. We were, like, falling over with our legs and arms scratching the wall. And because it's left to your imagination, really, we could just do the hand thing and then giggle. It's a very generous bit of filmmaking. Yeah. I think because they could tell that I was... And the montage of love, no, not at all. Because it works. the montage of of love in this i think is quite nice because you jump around in time very fast you know you're you're in the problem you're in well you're in you're in the high peak of their familydom and then you're pretty straight into the the shift yeah where it all kind of gets tested so what yeah when you think about look i love i love the the war of the roses back in the 80s with Kathleen and Michael.