Sometimes a happy relationship devolves into the stuff of nightmares. Such is the predicament of Ivy (Olivia Coleman) and Theo Rose (Benedict Cumberbatch), the central couple in The Roses, a new film directed by Jay Roach, adapting the 1989 black comedy The War of the Roses. Ivy, a chef, and Theo, an architect, meet in London, experience an immediate and intense attraction, and move together across the pond to Northern California, where they start a family. They raise two children and have what looks to be a blissful, cookie-cutter life—that is, until natural disaster strikes and their career paths drastically diverge. Overnight, Olivia’s restaurant receives a rave review in the San Francisco Chronicle and Theo, following a nightmare at work, becomes a stay-at-home dad.
The Roses is about the dissolution of a marriage, but it is also a laugh-out-loud comedy. Sunita Mani, actress, comedian, and occasional clown, plays Jane, a server at Ivy’s restaurant, We’ve Got Crabs, as well as her close confidante and one of the film’s great comic foils. (Ncuti Gatwa, Kate McKinnon, and Andy Samberg are among the other supporting players.)
On one of the hottest days of the summer in New York, Mani, known for her work in projects like Mr. Robot, Save Yourselves!, and Netflix’s Glow, sat down with Vogue to discuss working with near-British royalty, her real-life experience in the restaurant business, and how she has used her platform to get involved in local politics.
Vogue: Jane is a server at Ivy’s restaurant. Have you worked in a restaurant before? Are there any transferable skills from a restaurant to a film set?
