Acclaimed British actress Olivia Colman has confessed that her coveted Academy Award is not given pride of place in her home, but is instead kept discreetly hidden on a bookshelf.
A Humble Approach to Hollywood's Highest Honour
The star, who won the Oscar for Best Actress in 2019 for her portrayal of Queen Anne in The Favourite, revealed the trophy's modest whereabouts during a festive appearance. While filming a special Peep Show reunion episode for The Great Christmas Bake Off on Boxing Day, host Alison Hammond inquired about the award's location.
Colman, 51, candidly explained: 'It's now on a bookshelf, but hidden behind a book'. When pressed for a reason, the humble actress stated she feared having it on display was 'a bit showy-offy', a sentiment that left Hammond stunned, who admitted she would proudly exhibit it outside her own house.
From Cupboard to Bookshelf: The Oscar's Journey
This is not the first time the Broadchurch and The Crown star has discussed downplaying her Oscar. During an appearance on The Graham Norton Show in December 2022, she confessed the statuette had been kept in a cupboard, feeling it 'ostentatious' to have it out. She noted it was displayed for the first year after her win, but then she believed she should 'crack on, forget it happened and keep working'.
The trophy's relocation to the bookshelf was prompted by a practical concern. Speaking on the SmartLess podcast in August, Colman revealed her handyman, Darren, discovered the cupboard was damp in her centuries-old home. 'He made me take it out', she recalled, leading to its new, semi-concealed spot.
Bake Off Glory Takes Centre Stage
In a charming contrast, Colman insisted she would proudly exhibit a different accolade. After winning the festive Bake Off special with her stained-glass biscuits, technical turkey pie, and apple and cinnamon show-stopper, she was presented with the show's iconic plate.
When judge Paul Hollywood quipped she should make space for it by moving her Oscars, Colman enthusiastically agreed: 'I will! This will be the only one I have on display.' The episode marked a joyful reunion with her Peep Show castmates David Mitchell, Matt King, Isy Suttie, and Sophie Winkleman, reminiscing about the cult sitcom that ran from 2003 to 2015.
Colman's memorable, tearful Oscar acceptance speech in 2019 began with the line: 'I used to work as a cleaner and I spent quite a lot of my time imagining this.' It seems that even after achieving cinema's highest honour, the beloved British icon prefers to keep her feet firmly on the ground, with her golden trophy tucked quietly behind a book.
