Emma Thompson

Emma Thompson
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Emma Thompson photo 1 Emma Thompson photo 2 Emma Thompson photo 3 Emma Thompson photo 4
Name:
Emma Thompson
Who is:
,
Birth date:
(66 y.o.)
Place of birth:
Height:
5'8 ft ( )
Relationship:
married
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Birth Sign:
( characteristic )
Chinese zodiac:
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Photos: Emma Thompson

Emma Thompson Biography

Emma Thompson is a two-time Oscar winner, a brilliant British actress and screenwriter. Fame came to her with the film "Howards End", where she played her Oscar-winning role of Margaret Schlegel. Then came the period drama "Sense and Sensibility", for which Emma wrote the screenplay that earned her a second Oscar, while bringing the lead character Elinor Dashwood to life on screen.
Pictured: Emma Thompson
Pictured: Emma Thompson
She holds the title of Dame Commander of the British Empire. Thompson firmly believes that life's most interesting chapters usually begin after the words "and they lived happily ever after."

Childhood, Youth, Family

Emma was born in spring 1959 to a creative London family - Scottish mother Phyllida Law, an actress, and English father Eric Thompson, who worked as a director, performed at the Old Vic theatre, and hosted the children's TV program "The Magic Roundabout."
Emma Thompson as a child (center)
Emma Thompson as a child (center)
Emma was three when her younger sister Sophie arrived, who would also become an actress. The girls were raised according to British traditions, with the help of governesses. The older sister was an obedient child who sometimes liked to take charge of her younger sister's upbringing, but they hardly ever fought. The daughters saw that their father was often ill and tried not to upset him.
Emma Thompson with her parents and sister
Emma Thompson with her parents and sister
As Emma grew up, she attended the prestigious private Camden School, spending holidays in Scotland with her grandparents in the village of Ardentinny. There she played with local kids, loved walking by Loch Long, and dreamed of becoming a great writer someday.

Those dreams didn't come from nowhere - Emma learned to read very early and adored books. Her parents encouraged her imagination. Emma also studied music and was an active participant in school celebrations and theatrical productions. But books always came first:
From childhood I was passionately in love with Sherlock Holmes and always wanted to play him. I'm still upset that both in film and literature, there are very few memorable female characters.
But filming was still far off. After finishing school, Thompson chose the philology department at Cambridge University, though she immediately joined the Footlights theatrical troupe (as its first female student), where she successfully showcased her comedic talent. Other future British film stars studied alongside her: the trio of Emma Thompson - Hugh Laurie - Stephen Fry is still remembered at their university with nostalgia.
Young Emma Thompson with friends from the Footlights student theater
Young Emma Thompson with friends from the Footlights student theater
Showing her revolutionary spirit, she dyed her hair red, then shaved it completely, and began supporting the feminist movement. She also picked up a new hobby - Emma started riding motorcycles.

She had to grow up fast when her father died from a pulmonary embolism:
Dad always wanted me to become a director, like him. I thought about it more than once but never took the leap. Dad died very young, at 53. I had just finished studying at Cambridge. It was such a difficult time for our family. I still admire my mother's strong character and how bravely she handled our loss.

Career Journey

To cope with her grief, Thompson threw herself into work. She moved to television, started appearing in period dramas, created the BBC comedy program "Open Air," where she frequently invited her university friends. She also began establishing herself as a dramatic actress in Shakespearean productions on the London stage.
Emma Thompson in her youth
Emma Thompson in her youth
But comedy was really her calling, and soon film directors took notice of the rising star. Emma was cast as Mrs. Walley in the TV movie "Nothing to Worry About!", which aired in 1982. Next came her appearance as the flighty Suzie in the comedy "Tutti Frutti," a girl with red pigtails in the series "Alfresco," and Catherine Winslow in the dramatic comedy "Theatre Night." She then played Harriet Pringle in the war drama "Fortunes of War" and nurse Kate Lemon in the melodrama "Tall Guy." After that, roles came regularly.
Emma Thompson in the miniseries "Fortunes of War"
Emma Thompson in the miniseries "Fortunes of War"
Worldwide fame came to the actress after starring in James Ivory's period drama "Howards End" (1992), where she appeared as Margaret Schlegel. Her brilliant pairing with Anthony Hopkins made the film an Oscar triumph, with the actress receiving the coveted statuette with the words "for the definitive embodiment of British female character." Emma also won BAFTA and Golden Globe awards.
Emma Thompson in "Howards End"
Emma Thompson in "Howards End"
The same director reunited Hopkins and Thompson for his next picture, "The Remains of the Day," an adaptation of Japanese writer Kazuo Ishiguro's novel, which created an equal sensation and earned another Oscar nomination.
A scene from "The Remains of the Day"
A scene from "The Remains of the Day"
Then came another landmark role. A crime he didn't commit but spent nearly 15 years in prison for – that's the storyline of "In the Name of the Father," based on true events, where Emma played one of the central characters, Gareth Peirce. Once again she was nominated for an Oscar, as her performance was so piercing and precise that audiences openly wept. Thompson's co-star was Daniel Day-Lewis.
Emma Thompson in "In the Name of the Father"
Emma Thompson in "In the Name of the Father"
Next, the actress was invited to the Hollywood comedy "Junior," where she was joined by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, and in the thriller "Imagining Argentina" Emma starred alongside Antonio Banderas. Another famous Hollywood actor, John Travolta, worked with Thompson in the political comedy that satirized Bill Clinton called "Primary Colors." They brilliantly played a "political" power couple.
On the set of "Junior"
On the set of "Junior"
In 1995, a new masterpiece of American-British cinema hit screens – "Sense and Sensibility," based on Emma Thompson's own screenplay. She also played the lead role of the eldest of the three Dashwood sisters. This time her screenplay won both the Oscar and Golden Globe.
The film "Sense and Sensibility" was shot from Emma's own script
The film "Sense and Sensibility" was shot from Emma's own script
The actress recalled that she was finishing work on it during a period when everything in her life seemed to have collapsed. But the work distracted her from personal problems, and when filming began, she paid very close attention to the process, even keeping a diary where she recorded her thoughts and opinions each day. For example, about the actress who played her middle on-screen sister, Emma had this to say:
Kate Winslet looks paler than usual. If there's one thing this girl has in spades, it's courage. I can't even imagine what would have happened to me if I'd had to take on a role of this scale at nineteen. But she's full of energy, smart, and on top of all that, she's fun to be around.
After the film's triumph, Thompson retreated from the spotlight for several years, occasionally accepting acting offers. She appeared as Professor Sybill Trelawney in the Harry Potter film series, but the actress herself believes her character wasn't entirely successful, since the directors wouldn't let her give Sybill certain distinctive features.
In "Harry Potter," Emma Thompson played Professor Trelawney
In "Harry Potter," Emma Thompson played Professor Trelawney
But her Karen from Richard Curtis's Christmas tale "Love Actually" delighted audiences with Emma's signature exuberance and sense of humor. And the company assembled for the film was exactly to the actress's liking: Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, and other famous faces who created a wonderful atmosphere on set. And of course, Alan Rickman, with whom Emma Thompson had worked multiple times (and each time their pairing delighted audiences).
Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman ("Love Actually")
Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman ("Love Actually")
For several years, Thompson wrote, rewrote, and added to a screenplay that ultimately became the entertaining family film with fantasy elements "Nanny McPhee." In it, Emma played the lead role of nanny Matilda McPhee with subtle irony and brilliance. The actress then appeared in the comedy-drama "Stranger Than Fiction" (Karen Eiffel), the drama "Last Chance Harvey" (Kate Walker), and the comedy "The Love Punch" (Kate). In the latter, her co-star was Pierce Brosnan.
Emma Thompson's makeup in the film "Nanny McPhee"
Emma Thompson's makeup in the film "Nanny McPhee"
Thompson considered the role of writer Pamela Travers, whose most famous work was the fairy tale "Mary Poppins," to be an interesting project. "Saving Mr. Banks" tells the story of how the eccentric and perpetually dissatisfied Travers refused to agree to Walt Disney's film adaptation of the book. Her demands bordered on absurd—for instance, the writer wanted all red removed from the film entirely. Emma, as always, brilliantly created the character, while the legendary producer and director was brought to life just as vividly on screen by Tom Hanks.
A shot from the film "Saving Mr. Banks"
A shot from the film "Saving Mr. Banks"
Quite serious work came in the form of German resistance fighter Anna Quangel in the social drama "Alone in Berlin" and federal judge Fiona Maye in the adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel "The Children Act" under the title "The Children Act."

In 2017, alongside Dustin Hoffman, Ben Stiller, and Adam Sandler, the actress appeared in Noah Baumbach's tragicomedy "The Meyerowitz Stories." The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
The cast of "The Meyerowitz Stories"
The cast of "The Meyerowitz Stories"
As 2020 rolled around, the comedy "Last Christmas" hit theaters, with Emma also serving as co-writer on the screenplay.

2021 turned out to be a busy year for the actress. Production kicked off on Sophie Hyde's "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande," where Emma played Nancy Stokes, a former teacher and widow. Thompson, who'd celebrated her 60th birthday back in 2019, promised she'd be doing intimate scenes, as her character was a "merry widow" determined to make up for lost time by hiring twenty-something Leo for bedroom adventures. The role earned her a Golden Globe nomination, though she lost to Michelle Yeoh for "Everything Everywhere All at Once."
"Good Luck to You, Leo Grande": Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack
"Good Luck to You, Leo Grande": Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack
That same year, Thompson appeared as the Baroness in "Cruella," which tells the backstory of the infamous Disney villain. On top of that, Emma got the green light to adapt her "Nanny McPhee" screenplay for the stage.
Emma Thompson in the early 2020s
Emma Thompson in the early 2020s
In fall 2022, "Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical" had its world premiere at the London Film Festival. Thompson took on the role of Miss Trunchbull, the tyrannical headmistress at the school where the main character studies.

The transformation into the character took about three and a half hours every single day: a padded costume for bulk, heavy undergarments, a fake chest, plus facial prosthetics. Thompson sang live on set, and she performed one of the toughest numbers at the top of an 80-foot structure while her legs trembled from the strain. The young actors weren't particularly scared of her, though—they saw her as the kind Nanny McPhee from her earlier films, which amused Emma to no end.
Emma Thompson in makeup and costume with prosthetics in front of a historic building
Emma Thompson in "Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical"
Source: IMDb
In 2022, the romantic comedy "What's Love Got to Do with It?" starring Lily James and Shazad Latif hit theaters. Thompson played Cath, the heroine's eccentric mother who was so "inappropriate" that the actress was thrilled with her character.

Emma Thompson's Personal Life

Emma Thompson met Hugh Laurie at university. They became not just partners in Cambridge's student theater – Hugh struck her as a talented and interesting person. Soon they started dating. The relationship was easy-going, the pair constantly cracking each other up and creating sketches together for performances. Gradually, romance gave way to friendship, which Thompson and Laurie maintain to this day.
Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson dated
Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson dated
On the set of "Fortunes of War," the budding actress met Kenneth Branagh, already famous for his roles as Henry V and Hamlet. The attraction was so intense that Emma didn't notice either their five-year age gap (she was older) or her lover's excessive ambition and self-centeredness.
Emma Thompson's first husband was Kenneth Branagh
Emma Thompson's first husband was Kenneth Branagh
They married in 1989. At first they worked together in other directors' films, then Branagh started his own production company. After Emma won her first Oscar, their relationship grew somewhat strained. Later, she discovered her husband was having an affair with her friend Helena Bonham Carter.

The breakup was long and painful. To keep from sinking into depression, Thompson threw herself into adapting Jane Austen's novel, wrote the screenplay, and then played the lead role in "Sense and Sensibility". On set, she met actor Greg Wise. At first, the young bachelor made a play for the only single woman on the production – Kate Winslet. But according to Kate herself, there were no sparks between them, so things didn't go beyond hanging out at cafes and catching a rock concert together.
A frame from the film "Sense and Sensibility"
A frame from the film "Sense and Sensibility"
One day, Winslet convinced Thompson – who she'd become close friends with during filming – to join them at a cafe. Greg turned out to be fascinating company, and Emma didn't even notice how quickly time flew by. She was in the middle of her divorce and didn't immediately respond to the actor's feelings, but Wise didn't back off, despite being seven years younger. Thompson learned about a prediction made for Greg by a psychic friend: supposedly, he'd meet his destiny on the set of "Sense and Sensibility". And that destiny, in Greg's view, was Emma.
Emma Thompson and Greg Wise
Emma Thompson and Greg Wise
In 1995, Emma finalized her divorce from Branagh and moved in with Wise. The couple desperately wanted a big family, but even IVF didn't work at first. Finally, in 1999, they had a daughter they named Gaia.
Emma Thompson with her husband and children
Emma Thompson with her husband and children
In 2003, two more major events happened in Thompson's life: she and Greg adopted a boy named Tindyebwa Agaba, a refugee from Rwanda, and finally tied the knot. Emma was completely certain of her partner's love and was absolutely happy.
Emma Thompson hugs her daughter on the red carpet of the film festival
Emma Thompson and her daughter at the Locarno Film Festival, 2025
Source: Reddit
In September 2023, Thompson shared her thoughts on long-term relationships: if couples claim they've lived twenty years in uninterrupted bliss – they're lying. According to Emma, in lasting relationships you live through several different connections with the same person: old relationships die and are reborn, and this happens 4-5 times. She also joked that Greg is emotionally "closed up like a clam": she's spent years trying to pry open his shell, but it keeps snapping shut again.

Emma Thompson Now

Winter 2024 saw production begin on the thriller "Freezing Point," shot in Finland. Thompson was so impressed with the Finnish crew that she wrote them a glowing letter of praise, which was published by local newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. Finnish President Alexander Stubb called the actress to thank her for her kind words.
Emma Thompson in winter clothing stands against a snowy backdrop, blue-tinted photo
Emma Thompson in "Freezing Point"
Source: IMDb
In this action thriller, Thompson played a Minnesota widow who accidentally witnesses a young woman's abduction during a blizzard. The character was completely new territory for the British star: covered in dirt, wearing a putty-colored work jumpsuit, she fought for a rifle in the middle of a frozen lake and even stitched up her own bullet wound.

The world premiere took place on August 8, 2025, at the Locarno Film Festival, with the film hitting theaters on September 26. Thompson noted in interviews that shooting action scenes at 66 wasn't easy, but what mattered most to her was that her character helps a young woman find "the will to live."

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