The Yours Members site has all the latest from the magazine, including exclusive celebrity interviews like this chat with Olivia Colman about BBC1’s riveting six-part series, Great Expectations...
The classic Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations, which brings us the story of Pip, an orphan who yearns for a greater lot in life, has been reimagined for the small screen. His future is changed when a twist of fate brings him to the attention of the eccentric Miss Havisham, played by Oscar-winner Olivia Colman. She shows him a dark world of possibilities – but these come at a cost that young Pip must weigh up.
When we sat down to chat to Olivia, the actress admitted she found the chance to play mysterious and manipulative Miss Havisham too enticing to pass up.
“I thought, ‘Oh she sounds great. I’d love to get my teeth into her.’
“I found it quite gripping. I worked with [writer] Steven Knight previously on Locke; I like a good script and he has written it very well.”
Olivia was also impressed with the wardrobe department and their recreation of the Miss Havisham character.
“Verity Hawkes and her costume department are basically my way into Miss Havisham. The first time I tried on Verity’s costume, she said, ‘I don’t want it dusty and old, I want it rotten. I think Miss Havisham is darker than that, she is rotten on the inside.’ It was so great, and the dress is sort of rotting. You know when you see a lemon left in the fruit bowl and it has gone those beautiful shades of green. The decay is growing up the dress, it’s amazing.”
Find out more about Olivia’s latest role in the full article on the Yours Members site…
Great Expectations is on Sundays, BBC1 at 9pm