Sometimes a happy relationship can turn into a nightmare. That’s the situation for Ivy (Olivia Colman) and Theo Rose (Benedict Cumberbatch), the main couple in The Roses, a new film directed by Jay Roach. It’s an adaptation of the 1989 dark comedy The War of the Roses. Ivy is a chef, and Theo is an architect. They meet in London, feel an instant spark, and move together to Northern California, where they start a family. They raise two children and seem to have a perfect, picture-book life—until a natural disaster hits and their careers take very different turns. Suddenly, Ivy’s restaurant gets a glowing review in the San Francisco Chronicle, while Theo, after a work crisis, becomes a stay-at-home dad.
The Roses is about a marriage falling apart, but it’s also a laugh-out-loud comedy. Sunita Mani, an actress, comedian, and sometimes clown, plays Jane, a server at Ivy’s restaurant, We’ve Got Crabs. Jane is also Ivy’s close friend and one of the film’s funniest supporting characters. (Other cast members include Ncuti Gatwa, Kate McKinnon, and Andy Samberg.)
On one of the hottest summer days in New York, Mani—known for her roles in Mr. Robot, Save Yourselves!, and Netflix’s GLOW—sat down with Vogue to talk about working with British acting royalty, her real-life restaurant experience, and how she uses her platform to engage in local politics.
Vogue: Jane works as a server at Ivy’s restaurant. Have you ever worked in a restaurant yourself? Are there skills from that world that translate to a film set?
Sunita Mani: Yes. When I first moved to New York, I did all kinds of jobs, including two or three part-time service gigs at once. I catered, waited tables, and hosted. I loved how quickly the work environment could feel like family—it was instant. That really translated to the movie, too. I worked for a catering company at BAM that hired artists as servers, which felt very Party Down. And once, when I was hosting, Meryl Streep came into the restaurant. I seated her and was dying to know what she ordered. I kept wondering: What did she get? Did she finish it all?
Vogue: You and Ncuti Gatwa play Ivy’s closest friends and employees in the film. Had you two worked together before?
Sunita Mani: No, everyone was new to me on set. I like that we’re kind of the platonic couple. Everyone else is paired off romantically, and we get to be the non-traditional duo just watching these traditional relationships fall apart—meanwhile, Jeffrey’s giving blowjobs in the parking lot and I’m hooking up with guys in the freezer. It seems to work for us.
Vogue: The Roses has a cast full of heavy hitters from the acting and comedy worlds. I’ve read that you never had formal acting training. Was it intimidating to work with such an experienced group?
Sunita Mani: Yeah, you’re touching on something that often haunts me—imposter syndrome—because I don’t come from a formal background. It does pop up for me on projects sometimes. It’s part of the process, so I try to embrace it and give it a little playful shake. But from day one, this set was so generous, welcoming, and down-to-earth—I couldn’t have felt more comfortable. It was really about being with good people. I remember calling my manager and saying, “This is one of the best sets I’ve ever been on.”
Also, Olivia Colman is an angel on earth. Since our scenes were together with Ncuti, she was like an angel with open arms, and we were under her wing. It was so sweet. During the first week of shooting, we had tea and scones. She made tea and wanted to make sure I had a proper scone with clotted cream. So there was a big scone delivery between takes. It couldn’t have been more soothing.It really eased any intimidation I might have felt. Clotted cream!
Mani, Olivia Colman, and Ncuti Gatwa in The Roses
Photo: ©Searchlight Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Without giving too much away, The Roses is a pretty faithful adaptation of Danny DeVito’s The War of the Roses. Had you seen the original before making this one?
I hadn’t heard of it, but I watched it to prepare before going to London to shoot, and I loved it. I thought it was really absurd and super clown-like—especially the physical comedy. The fact that the mother is a gymnast just struck me as so ridiculous.
I know! When she’s cartwheeling down the stairs and swinging from the chandeliers…
Exactly. Our version is very dialogue-driven, while the original is so slapstick in some ways. It’s strange, but the setup is so fun—I knew we’d have a good time. I was happy to be a supporting cast member in this modern take. I’m impressed by how grounded it can be while still being over-the-top. You get these brutally honest, relatable moments, and then it pushes that honesty even further. It’s hard to watch at times. My character Jane says it, but there’s this undercurrent of discontent.
Sometimes it hits a little too close to home. And you’re married! Did the film make you think differently about marriage?
In my relationship and in my marriage, there’s room for what it means to evolve over time. I didn’t always see myself wanting marriage—I had a lot of preconceived ideas that it would be a trap, and it didn’t seem to align with my values. But now I feel more free and confident having stability in a partnership. We can shape it however we need to. I’m lucky to have a really compatible partner; we’re both independent and free-spirited.
But isn’t marriage whatever you make it? I think there’s more freedom now to break away from outdated traditions. Relationships can feel like a constant balancing act between personal expectations and relationship expectations, but I see marriage as something alive and porous. I feel like I’m describing goo, but that’s fun—you can stick your fingers in it.
Before we wrap up, I wanted to ask about your recent involvement in the NYC mayoral primary. You appeared in Jeff Seal’s video for the Zohran Mamdani campaign. How did that come about?
Jeff Seal is a clown friend of mine—a very funny actor, comedian, and clown. I’ve known him forever. We ran into each other at a ceasefire protest, and he asked if I was available to do the video. That’s how it happened. We were screaming at the protest, and then he said, “ALSO, ARE YOU AROUND TO MAKE THIS ZOHRAN VIDEO?” and I said, “TEXT ME!” It was scrappy, and he wrote a script.
With Zohran, people really didn’t think it was going to happen. I’m so excited! There was this little ray of hope that kept growing. I’m so proud of New York City for showing up. We’d be lucky to have a candidate like him. It felt great to vote without fear and vote for the world I want to see.
How are you feeling about the upcoming mayoral election?
I’m a little scared again. I’m not sure how I feel. I’ll throw my money at it. I’ve always felt, subconsciously, that the personal is political. I think more people are catching on to that idea—that it’s not just an issue for Black and brown people. I’ve often felt like I had to be a little anarchic because there wasn’t space for me, so this is how I create it. And I think there’s growing strength in numbers of people who feel the same way.
This conversation has been edited for clarity. The Roses is in theaters starting August 29.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Sunita Mani on Embracing Clowning in The Roses
1 Who is Sunita Mani
Sunita Mani is an actress and dancer known for her roles in shows like GLOW and Mr Robot and films like Save Yourselves and Evil Dead Rise
2 What is The Roses
The Roses is an upcoming film directed by Jay Roach starring Olivia Colman and Kate Winslet Sunita Mani plays a supporting role in the movie
3 What does embracing clowning mean in this context
In The Roses clowning refers to a physical and expressive style of comedy that uses exaggerated gestures facial expressions and body language to convey humor and emotion
4 Why did Sunita Mani use clowning in her role
She used clowning to bring a unique playful and deeply human layer to her character making her more memorable and relatable amidst the films dramatic themes
5 What are the benefits of using clowning in acting
Clowning helps actors access spontaneity vulnerability and physical expressiveness making performances feel more authentic and engaging
6 Is clowning just about being funny
Nowhile it often includes humor clowning can also highlight sadness awkwardness or other emotions in a heightened truthful way
7 Did Sunita Mani have prior clowning experience
Yes she has a background in dance and physical theater which helped her adapt to the clowning techniques required for the role
8 Whats an example of clowning in The Roses
Though specific scenes arent fully revealed yet expect moments where Sunita uses exaggerated reactions or playful physicality to contrast with more serious characters
9 Can clowning be used in noncomedic roles
Absolutelyclowning techniques can add depth and nuance to dramatic roles by emphasizing raw unfiltered human behavior
10 How can actors learn clowning
Many study through physical theater workshops improv classes or working with coaches who specialize in movement and expressive performance
11 Whats challenging about clowning in acting
It requires bravery to be silly or vulnerable in front of others