logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2025
8m 47s

Cumberbatch and Colman team up to play a...

NPR
About this episode

So many movies are made about the beginning of a relationship. That first spark of attraction. That first kiss. 

The new dark comedy “The Roses” is about the other end – when it's all falling apart. 

Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman star as Theo and Ivy, a couple who was once very much in love. Two children and a transatlantic move later, they’re now struggling to save their marriage.

No one thinks it’s going to work – including their therapist.

Cumberbatch and Colman sit down with host Mary Louise Kelly to discuss how they leveraged their real-life friendship to play two people who love to hate each other.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This holiday episode was produced by Kira Wakeam and Kathryn Fink. It was edited by Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.


See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

Up next
Yesterday
What do Tuesday’s primaries signal about where the Democratic Party is headed?
Tuesday's Democratic primaries were a success for both the establishment and progressive wings of the party.These results are fueling a tug-of-war between two sides -- over who gets to control the party's message and priorities ahead of the midterm elections.What do Tuesday's pri ... Show More
7m 52s
Apr 2026
What can Montgomery Alabama teach Americans about Civil Rights?
The landscape of Montgomery, Alabama is a monument to Civil Rights, but is America losing touch with the lessons of that movement?Montgomery, Alabama was the setting for much of the battle for Civil Rights. As the country celebrates its 250 anniversary, NPR’s Debbie Elliot went t ... Show More
9m 52s
Aug 4
What are the implications of a shrinking supply of U.S. missiles?
After months of war with Iran, the United States is facing a new challenge: stockpiles of some precision missiles are almost depleted, NPR has learned from a U.S. official who is not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.In this episode, we hear more about the implications o ... Show More
10m 52s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2025
The Roses And What's Making Us Happy
First a novel and a 1989 hit film, the story of The Roses has been told before. This time around, Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman play a couple whose love curdles into resentment and then hatred. The film features Andy Samberg and Kate McKinnon, and is directed by Jay Roac ... Show More
25m 14s
Jul 2023
Love Commandos: After the Wedding
Threatened by their families, an inter-caste couple in India hits a breaking point. Their last option to stay together? The Love Commandos. Want to hear episodes of Love Commandos a week before everyone else? Sign up for Embedded+ at plus.npr.org/embedded. See pcm.adswizz.com for ... Show More
32m 26s
Sep 2025
Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch, a roast spatchcock chicken and a Zibibbo Sicilia
We’re back for a new season and are celebrating with two huge stars, who take our Fast Food Quiz VERY seriously. The long wait is over. Dish returns for Season 8 and Nick and Angela welcome two British actors who have conquered Hollywood. Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman j ... Show More
42m 49s
Aug 2025
Together
Every couple goes through certain rites of passage. You date, maybe you move in together, maybe you get married. And maybe a visit to a mysterious cave makes your bodies start to fuse together. That's what happens in the new horror film Together, starring real-life married couple ... Show More
15m 45s
Feb 2024
Modern Love at the Movies: Our Favorite Oscar-Worthy Love Stories
<p>The New York Times’s film critic Alissa Wilkinson has a theory about movies: They’re all about relationships. No matter how big the action, the suspense and tension we experience when watching a film is often really about the feelings between the characters.</p><p>But romantic ... Show More
31m 35s
Sep 2018
with Cate Blanchett and Jack Black
Cate Blanchett and Jack Black talk to Simon about The House With A Clock In Its Walls. Plus the UK Box Office Top 10 and Mark reviews the week's new films including The House With A Clock In Its Walls, The Little Stranger and Mile 22. Download the Kermode and Mayo podcast at bbc. ... Show More
1h 56m
May 2018
Committed: Trailer
These are the hilarious, heartbreaking and inspiring stories of couples of all kinds who’ve soldiered through unimaginable circumstances, and after the longest of days, still want to wake up next to one another in the morning. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.ihear ... Show More
3m 3s
Oct 2022
Exes For End Times - Trailer
Meet Cute Presents: Exes For End Times. It’s March 2020: recent exes Rosemary and Ben agree to share an apartment for lockdown. But their sourdough starter isn’t the only thing that turns as these “roommates” navigate unraveling career plans, lingering romantic feelings, and new, ... Show More
2m 31s