Actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman may be among the most acclaimed names in film and television, but both admit they remain deeply affected by public scrutiny. Speaking ahead of the release of their new film The Roses, the pair reflected on why social media is a space they choose to avoid.

Cumberbatch, 49, said he is still surprised by how vulnerable he feels despite years in the spotlight. “I am shocked at how fragile I am still. I don’t go anywhere near it because it feels like walking into a place where people either want to marry you or kill you. Those extremes are exhausting,” he explained.

Colman, 51, echoed the sentiment. The Oscar-winning actress admitted she is “thin-skinned” and relies on her husband to filter reviews. “If it’s nice he’ll show me, but if it’s unkind he knows not to. My advice to anyone young starting out is simple: don’t do it. Delete it all. If you want a happy life, don’t have it.”

Main points in focus:

• Both Cumberbatch and Colman avoid social media for mental health reasons.

• Colman says she has never used it and warns young actors to stay away.

• Cumberbatch admits success has not made him immune to criticism.

• Their film The Roses explores themes of ambition, marriage and sacrifice.

Directed by Jay Roach and written by Tony McNamara, The Roses reimagines Warren Adler’s classic novel The War of the Roses. Unlike the 1989 film version, this new take is a darkly comic story about Ivy and Theo Rose, a couple balancing parenthood with high-pressure careers in California.

Cumberbatch noted that the story goes beyond satire. “You can’t do it all without there being a cost. You just have to weigh up the balance.” Colman added that every relationship involves “little sacrifices along the way.”

The film, which also stars Ncuti Gatwa and Kate McKinnon, is not a remake but a fresh interpretation. “We wanted to find a project to do together,” said Colman. “Hopefully this will stand on its own.”

The Roses is now showing in UK cinemas.