Sundance Chats with Olivia Colman, John Lithgow, Benedict Cumberbatch & More

Not just movie screenings, the Sundance Film Festival also features many opportunities to interact with and hear from filmmakers and celebrities. 

These include private areas like the Apple House and multihyphenate playwright Ericka Nicole Malone’s Indie Directors & Creators Lounge, as well as public places like The Audible Listening Lodge, with complimentary hot drinks and snacks, and the Acura House of Energy, which featured a discussion with Jeff Morrow, who composed the scores of Sundance documentary SALLY and the upcoming Disney musical film SNOW WHITE. 

The Dropbox house hosted several industry panels and events during the festival, such as a premiere afterparty for Sundance film PLAINCLOTHES, including the director, Carmen Emmi (who hopes to one day direct a musical), actors from the movie such as Russell Tovey (HISTORY BOYS, ANGELS IN AMERICA) and Amy Forsyth (NBC’s RISE), and guests such as GLEE’s Chris Colfer.

One space that received raves from its invitation-only visitors was The Elvis Suite at Park City’s Firewood, featuring film critic Elvis Mitchell holding intimate conversations with on- and off-screen luminaries such as Rose Byrne (2014’s ANNIE) and Quentin Tarantino, who after flying in solely for the chat announced he is working on writing a play. 

The tasteful, retro 1970s-themed suite was created by Mitchell with his producing partners Stacey Frost, co-founder of development/production company Darling&Co, and Cheri Barner, co-founder of Indiewire. 

Mitchell, who hosts KCRW's nationally syndicated pop culture and entertainment show THE TREATMENT, has a deep wealth of knowledge about all aspects of entertainment and was as prepared as anyone could possibly be with a range of thoughtful insights to discuss with each guest.

“I wish I thought as deeply as you,” said Olivia Colman (WONKA) when he mentioned something he had noticed in her Sundance film JIMPA.  “It’s lovely to hear that you took all that from it.”

“I like things to be shown with your eyes and with your heart,” she said about her acting style. “It lets people take what they will from it.”

“I felt incredibly connected to Olivia,” said her co-star John Lithgow, who led the original cast of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, among many other Broadway credits.  “She just has so much access to her emotional life.”

“My Broadway debut was in a play called THE CHANGING ROOM,” he said when asked whether he’d had any experience with nudity. “And I won a Tony for that two weeks after my debut.  So that was positive reinforcement and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Cynthia Erivo reflected on her Oscar nomination for WICKED the day after receiving the news on the plane to Utah.  “I guess I didn’t know how much I wanted it, how much it would mean to me,” she said, adding that a flight attendant brought her tissues. “I couldn’t stop crying.”

She and Mitchell discussed the iconic roles she has taken on throughout her career.  “I want to tell the truth of the character,” she said.  “I can’t mimic someone else and tell the truth at the same time.”  (You can read more of this conversation here.)

“I find it hard to watch myself,” Olivier winner Benedict Cumberbatch said while discussing his Sundance film THE THING WITH FEATHERS. “I started out on stage where there’s a fourth wall….  To sit there and watch it is very, very odd.”

When asked about how some of his most beloved characters like Dr. Strange and Sherlock are more harsh than his own gentle disposition, the West End star said mischievously, “It’s a vicarious pleasure to be given limitless rope to be rude with.”

“I don’t have an agent anymore, so I’m not the first person people think of for bigger, agent driven-films,” said Bill Murray (Disney’s live action THE JUNGLE BOOK) in a rare public appearance, although he conceded he was recently part of a Marvel film. 

“You have to be completely unafraid to die—in life, on stage, and in a movie,” he said about the importance of fearlessness.  “You die a lot, and then you’re not afraid.”

Writer/director Bill Condon (DREAMGIRLS) talked about his innovative film adaptation of KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN, which premiered at Sundance. “It was fun to create one movie in this that's also new,” he said, referring to a 1950s-style musical that is intercut throughout.

“If you do love this form and you want to re-watch it, even in your favorite musical from 1949 you have to slog through a five-minute salad tossing comedy scene,” he said. “So I thought, for people who are doing this, you are getting the good 40 minutes of it, you know what I mean, and you don't have to watch the rest of it.”  (You can read more of this conversation here.)

Sarah Jessica Parker, who was in the original production of ANNIE as a child and recently starred in PLAZA SUITE, joined a panel discussion about the Sundance documentary she executive produced, THE LIBRARIANS.  “I very much wanted to be part of it in the tiniest way,” she said.  “Our libraries are everything.  They’re everything to communities.”

“I was raised in a library—I’m one of eight kids,” Parker said.  “I don’t know who I might be without access to books and information.”

“I was always a crazy reader—I was just a reader,” said John Hamm (2024’s MEAN GIRLS) in a later conversation.  “I read things like the almanac.  Whatever I could get my hands on really….  That was the entryway for me.  Just reading and learning.”

“Everyone said that a show about advertising would never be successful—everybody,” he said, referring to MAD MEN.  “The best way to show everyone that something can be done is to do it.”

"I'm honored to return to Sundance with a space that allows me to talk with talent whose work has such a long-lasting impact on culture,” Mitchell said.  “From those who got their starts on the stage to those who've been key movers in the independent film makers force that has forever altered movies, and epitomized Sundance's ongoing spirit.”

“The Elvis Suite at Sundance isn’t just a space for conversation,” added Frost. “It’s a chance to build connections and inspire fresh perspectives.” 

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