For years, she was the secret weapon of British comedy. You knew her as the perpetually exasperated Sophie in Peep Show , or the sweet, dim Harriet in Green Wing . She was the "funny friend." And while she was brilliant at it, Hollywood wasn't calling. She was too "ordinary," too "soft."

She also keeps her process refreshingly simple. In interviews, she admits she doesn't "stay in character" between takes. She wants to eat biscuits and talk about her kids. This separation is key—it allows her to go to dark places on set without losing herself.

Colman is married to writer and director Ed Sinclair, whom she met while attending Cambridge University. The couple has three children together and is known for their down-to-earth and private lifestyle.

In a 2020 interview, she famously said, "I don’t feel like a movie star. I feel like a jobbing actor who has gotten very, very lucky."