Biography of Emily Watson
Emily Watson is one of the most outstanding British actresses, who shot to fame with her breakthrough role in the provocative film "Breaking the Waves." In 2019, Emily appeared in the HBO miniseries "Chernobyl," playing the role of a courageous female scientist, representing the collective spirit of all scientists who worked to contain the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster.
Childhood
Emily Watson was born on January 14, 1967, in Islington, one of London's most trendy and sought-after neighborhoods. Emily grew up with her sister, and their parents, an architect and an English teacher, were determined to give both girls the best education and upbringing possible.
At 18, Emily entered the University of Bristol, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree.Emily Watson on female upbringing at the School of Economic Science...No sex outside marriage, young women were encouraged to marry older men, live at home until you get married or start a family. We were told that 'women can join hands to change the world,' and I absolutely believe in that. But then we were urged to become mothers, nurses, and teachers. Independence was not encouraged.
First Roles
Though Emily had loved theater since childhood, she was painfully shy and her acting dreams felt impossibly out of reach. But joining a student theater troupe changed everything—she found her confidence and applied to the London Academy of Dramatic Art, though her first attempt failed.Her parents weren't thrilled with their daughter's choice and kept pushing her to go back to Bristol. For three years, Emily refused to give up—waitressing by day, performing in amateur theater by night, all while dreaming of drama school. Emily's third attempt was successful.
In 1994, Emily acted in the television film "Rosalie," but the world discovered this talented young Englishwoman two years later when she took on the lead role in Lars von Trier's film, later part of the "Golden Heart" trilogy.
Career Bloom
The provocative film "Breaking the Waves" launched Emily's extraordinary career as she entered her thirties. In this unconventional take on a woman with a pure, mystical spirit, Watson played Bess, a devoted and innocent wife who speaks directly with God and will do anything to save her beloved husband.The following year, Emily appeared as the love interest of Daniel Day-Lewis in the political drama "The Boxer," and in 1997, she portrayed the cellist prodigy Jacqueline du Pré in the biographical drama "Hilary and Jackie." The film was poorly received by conservative British audiences due to a script that critics felt distorted the life of one of England's most beloved classical musicians. The role earned Emily another Oscar nomination.
In 1999, Emily starred alongside Robert Carlyle, playing his character's wife in the drama "Angela's Ashes." In 2001, she co-starred with John Turturro in the adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's "The Luzhin Defence."
Between 2001 and 2009, the British actress, often hailed as "brilliant," starred in nearly twenty films, delivering consistently impressive performances that captivated audiences. Her standout roles from this era include blind Reba in the thriller "Red Dragon," Mary in the dystopian thriller "Equilibrium" alongside Christian Bale, and a housewife in the dramatic thriller "Separate Lies" with Tom Wilkinson.
That same year, she portrayed Einstein's wife in the biographical film "Genius," then joined the cast of "The Happy Prince," which depicted Oscar Wilde's final years. Rupert Everett took on the role of the legendary writer.
In the HBO miniseries "Chernobyl," hailed as spring 2019's best TV project, Emily played Ulana Khomyuk, a courageous Minsk scientist willing to defy orders to save lives. She starred alongside Jared Harris and Stellan Skarsgård, who played Soviet politician Boris Shcherbina.
Following "Chernobyl," Watson starred in another HBO miniseries, the experimental cult drama "The Third Day," where she played Miss Martin, the cult leader.
That same year saw the premiere of "Too Close," a miniseries about two psychologists on opposite sides of a prison barrier. Emily Watson and Denise Gough played the main roles. Watson's character investigates whether her colleague was in her right mind when she committed the crime.Mrs. Martin is unlike any character I've played before. She's an amazing, encouraging, and liberating personality. She's a very harsh, bold, foul-mouthed character, but she also has this natural, sensitive, instinctive emotional understanding of people. Though this doesn't align with the moral standards you or I would share.
Emily Watson's Personal Life
Emily has been married to Royal Shakespeare Company actor and screenwriter Jack Waters since 1995. Watson welcomed daughter Juliet in 2005, followed by son Dylan four years later.
Emily Watson Now
Fall 2022 brought exciting news: Emily Watson and Shirley Henderson were cast as leads in "Dune: Prophecy," the highly anticipated prequel series. The series explores the origins of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood and their millennia-long quest to create the Kwisatz Haderach—a prophesied figure who can access all ancestral memories, both male and female. Both actresses will portray members of the noble Harkonnen family.
Watson also starred as Queenie Epstein—Brian Epstein's mother—in the musical biopic "Midas Man," and delivered a standout performance in "Small Things Like These," the Irish independent drama that took home the Silver Bear at Berlin.It's a very compelling story—definitely not for children, and nothing like 'Star Wars.' There's real moral complexity here. I loved diving into this world knowing I had the skills to bring authenticity to the role.