Olivia Colman says she has ‘always felt sort of nonbinary’

Olivia Colman has opened up about her personal connection to the queer stories she has been a part of.

The actress plays the parent of a nonbinary child in the new film Jimpa. In a recent interview with Them, Colman was asked how it feels to be part of so many stories rooted in the queer community.

“I find the most loving and the most beautiful stories are from that community. And I feel really honored to be welcomed,” Colman said.

The actress, who is married to actor Ed Sinclair, noted she has always felt as though she is “sort of nonbinary.”

“Throughout my whole life, I’ve had arguments with people where I’ve always felt sort of nonbinary,” Colman said. “Don’t make that a big sort of title! But I’ve never felt massively feminine in my being female. I’ve always described myself to my husband as a gay man. And he goes, ‘Yeah, I get that.’ So I do feel at home and at ease. I feel like I have a foot in various camps. I know many people who do.”

Jimpa‘s director, Sophie Hyde, agreed, saying the idea of binaries and gender are problematic.

“The idea of being a woman or womanhood. It doesn’t necessarily fit for all of us. I think these binaries of gender are problematic for many of us. It’s like, how can you fit? There are problems sometimes,” Hyde said.

Colman continued this thought, saying that these binaries limit men, too.

“And men are limited, too, in that — in the expectation they have to live up to. I think with my husband and I, we take turns to be the ‘strong one,’ or the one who needs a little bit of gentleness,” Colman said. “I believe everyone has all of it in them. I’ve always felt like that.”