Olivia Colman Praises 'Jimpa' Director's Collaborative Approach

Colman says the film helped her rediscover her love of acting after a previous job where she felt "used like a wall prop."

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Actress Olivia Colman opens up about her experience working on the indie film "Jimpa" with director Sophie Hyde. Colman says the collaborative and creative environment on set was a welcome change from a previous job where she felt constrained. Meanwhile, Hyde discusses how the personal nature of "Jimpa" allowed her to explore her own family dynamics. The film, which features a nonbinary teenager played by Hyde's own child, faced distribution challenges due to Hollywood's perceived fear of queer stories.

Why it matters

Colman's comments highlight the importance of directors fostering an environment that allows actors to thrive creatively. The struggles "Jimpa" faced in finding distribution also underscore the ongoing challenges for LGBTQ+ stories to gain mainstream acceptance in the film industry.

The details

Colman stars in "Jimpa" as a filmmaker who takes her nonbinary teenager to visit her aging father, a prominent gay academic. The low-budget family drama was written and directed by Sophie Hyde, whose own experiences and family inspired the personal nature of the film. Colman says "Jimpa" was the "antithesis" of a previous job where she felt constrained, praising Hyde's collaborative approach. Meanwhile, Hyde notes that "Jimpa" faced distribution difficulties, which she attributes to a general industry hesitance around queer stories.

  • "Jimpa" premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, coinciding with the inauguration of President Trump.
  • The film was eventually acquired and released in theaters this month by indie studio Kino Lorber.

The players

Olivia Colman

An acclaimed British actress who has won an Oscar, two Emmys, and multiple BAFTAs.

Sophie Hyde

The writer and director of "Jimpa," whose previous work includes "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande."

Aud Mason-Hyde

The nonbinary teenager who plays the child of Colman's character in "Jimpa," and is also Hyde's own child.

John Lithgow

The veteran actor who plays the aging gay father in "Jimpa."

Kino Lorber

The independent film studio that eventually acquired and released "Jimpa" in theaters.

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What they’re saying

“I was given freedom. It was such a creative process. It's the antithesis of what I had just done, where I was sort of used like a wall prop, and was told 'chin up a bit, chin down a bit.' You know, that's not acting. It's not the work I enjoy. And Sophie was the absolute opposite of that.”

— Olivia Colman (Variety)

“I think all my movies are very personal; they're just a little bit more opaque about it. This is explicit. I have named the film after my own father, and I have a character that's a filmmaker in it, and she has a nonbinary teenager, and that non binary teenager is played by my own nonbinary teenager, Aud. So it's just deeply upfront in its connection to me.”

— Sophie Hyde, Director (Variety)

“It has been a challenge. Do I think it's political? Yeah, I think we watched the film industry slide away from diversity and play fairly it safe in certain ways. I think queer stories don't get much airtime. I think stories by and about women don't get much airtime. We found out last year that there was a lot of pushing queer stories to the side.”

— Sophie Hyde, Director (Variety)

“There's an awful lot of mistrust and hatred about things that there is no need to be hateful about. I love the fact that this film is about learning how to listen to each other without throwing the toys out the crib. I don't understand how you can get so upset about it when someone is different...It would be great if films about queer stories were mainstream. It would be wonderful. I don't know why it's not, but I think people are too nervous.”

— Olivia Colman (Variety)

“We lost so many queer characters from the TV screens. We didn't see many queer stories told publicly. We certainly saw fewer queer directors working. And then up pops 'Heated Rivalry' out of nowhere, a tiny Canadian gay streaming romance and everyone just loves it. Clearly, we are craving these stories.”

— Sophie Hyde, Director (Variety)

What’s next

The film is expected to continue its festival run and theatrical release in the coming months, potentially building momentum and awareness around its themes of LGBTQ+ representation and acceptance.

The takeaway

"Jimpa" highlights the value of directors fostering collaborative, creative environments for actors, as well as the ongoing challenges for LGBTQ+ stories to gain mainstream acceptance in Hollywood. Colman and Hyde's comments underscore the industry's perceived fear of queer narratives, despite evidence of audience demand for such stories.