Olivia Colman reveals she uncontrollably giggled when Brad Pitt told her he was a ‘huge fan’

She is arguably one of the most acclaimed British actresses of all time and won an Oscar last year for her portrayal of Queen Anne in The Favourite. 

But that didn’t stop Olivia Colman from uncontrollably giggling when Brad Pitt told her he was a ‘huge fan’ at the Academy Awards after-party in February last year.

The Crown actress, 46, said she was so starstruck but Fight Club star Brad, 56, she was left speechless and could only laugh rather nervously, before he walked off. 

The interaction happened on the same night Brad won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. 

Talking to her friend and former England rugby star Will Greenwood on his podcast, the A-list actress said: ‘Brad Pitt came up to me and went ”Huge fan” and I giggled. And then he just walked off.’

After winning her own Oscar last year Olivia tearfully thanked her director and family before admitting she was a bit drunk during her acceptance speech. 

The mother of three added: ‘Awards are the most terrifying. Ed gets upset with me not prepping my speeches.

‘He sends me a text saying ”Just in case, could you look at these names”.

‘I was not expecting to win that at all. When we turned up, Ed said ”We should relax, I don’t think it will happen”. We were stuck right in the corner, at the side.

‘Glenn Close was sat in the middle dressed as an Oscar so we were like “She’s gonna win'”. There was no way I was going to win it.’

Olivia, who is originally from Norfolk and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, used to have a job as a cleaner. 

She says being forced to struggle to find acting work for many years has made sure she will always appreciate her current success. 

After performing in her first play at the age of 16, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Olivia’s mind was made up that she would become an actress.  

She said she had finally found something she loved doing that she was also good at. 

Olivia met her former Peep Show co-stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb while she trained to become a primary school teacher in Cambridge and auditioned for the university’s Footlights, which the men were members of. 

In 2003 she got her first big onscreen break in Peep Show and since then has gone from strength to strength acting in Broadchurch, The Favourite, The Crown and Fleabag.  

The Crown, Netflix’s hit show about the royal family, is up for three awards in the BAFTA TV awards this July although Olivia herself isn’t nominated.   

Despite all her success, she said she still struggles with imposter syndrome.

She explained: ‘You still think ”Oh God, I’m going to be found out”. The best feeling is getting the job and then it’s downhill from there. 

‘You think I’ve got to do it now, they’re going to realise they’ve picked the wrong person. All of those doubts come in. I have to tell myself I know I can do it.’