Benedict Cumberbatch And Olivia Colman Talk Friendship And ‘The Roses’

Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch attend “The Roses” UK Premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on August 28, 2025 in London, England.

WireImage

They are two of the most beloved and celebrated actors of our time – and following a longtime friendship together off-screen, Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman have now teamed up on-screen as bickering spouses in Searchlight Pictures’ The Roses – now playing in movie theaters.

Based off of the 1981 novel War of the Roses, which was then followed by the 1989 film adaptation starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, Colman and Cumberbatch play Ivy and Theo Rose in this razor-sharp comedic retelling, as they effectively showcase (with plenty of levity) the rather relatable power shifts and struggles of a modern couple. With them both being such seasoned actors, Cumberbatch and Colman bring a refreshingly authentic feel to the many layers of these often conflicted and agitated characters.

Sitting down with this cinematic duo, I was curious what Colman and Cumberbatch took away from this The Roses story and have since brought into their own lives.

Having such a natural rapport between one another as close friends, Colman began by joking, “Don’t have a plate of oranges on the kitchen worktop, just in case.”

Cumberbatch quickly replied, “Yeah, because you don’t know who’s going to pick those up.”

Colman said back, “It could be someone with a really good aim.”

Cumberbatch continued with, “Don’t have handguns in the house is definitely a big one.”

Colman replied to his comment, “That’s quite easy in the UK. I think that mainly just to be nice to each other. Listen to each other.”

With these two Hollywood stars not only leading this film on-screen, which also includes the likes of Andy Samberg, Ncuti Gatwa and Kate McKinnon, they are also both executive producers on The Roses. So, what does it mean to them to have such an active hand, not only in front of the camera, but within the development process?

Colman said, “I really don’t do much. My husband [producer Ed Sinclair] and your (gesturing towards Cumberbatch) heterosexual life partner – your work husband.”

Cumberbatch laughed and added: “My work husband, Mr. Adam Ackland. They do the heavy lifting. I love being involved from the sort of gestation of an idea to the completion of a project – the whole lifespan of something. You’re creating a family of creatives. You’re sorting out logistics – and sometimes, if you’re lucky enough, shaping them to our needs as people who have families and real lives and are working together; therefore, can kind of collate that into a reality. It’s fun – talking through editorial notes and all sorts of things. It’s a lovely, creative outlet.”

With Colman known for her Academy Award-winning performance as Queen Anne in The Favourite to her Emmy-winning performance as Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown, and Cumberbatch known for projects like his Academy Award nominated performances in The Imitation Game & The Power of the Dog to his years of playing Doctor Strange in various Marvel movies, I wondered if either of them have noticed their interests in the stories they want to tell, evolving or seeing a shift at this point within their careers.

Colman said, “I suppose they must. I’m a little more interested in something where I don’t have to be away from home. I suppose the story choices naturally change because I’m not going to be playing someone who’s 20. I find the older we get, the more interesting the parts, often – particularly, I find for the female parts. A woman who’s had more life experience and maybe a little angrier. I love that. I find these women that I’m reading in script form now, I love them.”

Cumberbatch added: “We were talking about this earlier, how we like to be a little bit scared – or a lot scared. I mean, just to be outside of our comfort zone to keep us fresh and hopefully our audiences, as well, with expectations – that, I definitely look for.”

Having to perform their many heated exchanges on-screen as a fictional married couple in The Roses, I next asked Cumberbatch and Colman my signature interview question, curious of what they would say to their The Roses characters, Theo and Ivy, if only they could, during the height of their many arguments in the film.

Cumberbatch said with his character Theo in mind, “Let go! Let go of your certainty and your ego and just have the conversation. What’s the thing between you that you’re losing? The relationship. You still love each other, you idiot.”

Colman added with Ivy in mind: “What did I used to have to do with my kids? I think when they were [younger], I’d make them look at each other and try not to giggle – and for some reason, that really diffused. Look at each other – don’t laugh, don’t laugh, don’t laugh! And then, they start to giggle. I’ve kind of won. I would use that – Theo and Ivy to do that.”

As I concluded my conversation with these two, knowing they both have also played many other great roles in the past – what joys did they get out of doing this The Roses film, as actors, that they perhaps did not get out of their previous projects?

Colman said, “I mean, it’s really very simple, but going to work with a friend is always so enjoyable.”

Cumberbatch added: “And this was crafted out of friendship – but primarily, it’s us as friends at various points in our lives saying, We really should work with each other. I want to work with you! I’ll leave it at that.”