Olivia Colman

I suppose I have played a lot of put-upon women, but it's never bothered me. They've never been weak - they've always got steel in them.

I spent years commuting into London when I was working as a temp, and I hated the monotony of it.

If I didn't have children I might be more of a lush than I am. I like booze. I struggle with smoking. And I'm a big swearer. I'm trying to rein it in but I do think it's a nice seasoning of language.

This may sound mad, but you sort of assume that no one's going to watch what you do. You go on set, have a lovely time, and then you forget anyone's going to see it. So it's always a bit of a shock to be recognized. I get terribly embarrassed.

I want everyone to know what they deserve in relationships: that they can demand equality and kindness. Because everyone will have a relationship at some point in their life. It's what we all do, every day, and we need to know how to do it.

I grew up in north Norfolk, which certainly used to have an enormous sense of community. There are more and more second homes there now, so I'm not sure how that has damaged it. But where I live in South London, there is a beautiful community; it's the friendliest place I have ever lived, which comes as a surprise to non-Londoners.

I'm always keen to have more training as a charity patron.

I want to be helpful to the charities I support. I think you can dilute it, the more you do. You have to be a bit strong about what you do... otherwise, you risk spreading yourself a bit thin, and you can be less useful.

It gets slightly daunting if you're watching the telly and everybody's gorgeous. It's just so rubbish. And I'm grateful that it's not so much anymore - it's great to see.

Actually, lots of women, when they're pregnant, feel like steel. They feel incredible.

I can't bear kissing scenes.

In general, I'm rubbish in heels. I love them, and I own a lot because it's like being in a sweet shop: they're pretty. But I'm not good in them. I don't walk nicely in heels.

My older brother, who was in the Army, now owns his own building company. My half-sister was a nurse and is now a psychotherapist.

I always assumed I'd be a terribly patient mum but it turns out I'm not!

I am a bit sickie happy. I am prone to black clouds too, but... I am embarrassed about them. It's like: 'My diamond shoes are too tight. My money clip doesn't fit all my fifties.' I mean - really. Shut up.

The first time I did a school play was the first time I felt I was good at anything at all. I just loved it.

I'm not a pin-up, thankfully. I'm not suggesting I feel unconfident. I am beautiful to my husband. I am beautiful to my friends. I feel sexy and all those things with the people I love.

I feel fortunate that I'm not a beauty. I'm not a classic beauty. I feel it is harder for girls who are like that. There are fewer parts.

In fact I was slightly badly behaved at school and got in trouble. I would get a bee in my bonnet about something I thought wasn't right, and I would ape about too, to make everybody laugh. That was my way through my girls' school, because I wasn't very academic.

I don't like the bullying, do-one-over style of comedy. It's so cheap.