Emma Thompson

Dame Emma Thompson (born April 15, 1959) is a British actress and screenwriter. Regarded as one of the finest actresses of her generation, she has received numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over four decades, including two Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2018, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama. Born to actors Eric Thompson and Phyllida Law, Thompson was educated at Newnham College, Cambridge, where she became a member of the Footlights troupe, and appeared in the comedy sketch series Alfresco (1983–1984). In 1985, she starred in the West End revival of the musical Me and My Girl, which was a breakthrough in her career. In 1987, she came to prominence for her performances in two BBC TV series, Tutti Frutti and Fortunes of War, winning the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for her work on both series. In the early 1990s, she often collaborated with then-husband, actor and director Kenneth Branagh, in films such as Henry V (1989), Dead Again (1991), and Much Ado About Nothing (1993). For her performance in the Merchant-Ivory period drama Howards End (1992), Thompson won the BAFTA Award and the Academy Award for Best Actress. In 1993, she received two Academy Award nominations—Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress—for the respective roles of the housekeeper of a grand household in The Remains of the Day and a lawyer in In the Name of the Father, becoming one of the few actors to achieve this feat. Thompson wrote and starred in Sense and Sensibility (1995), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay—making her the only person in history to win Oscars for both acting and writing—and once again won the BAFTA. Further critical acclaim came for her roles in Primary Colors (1998), Love Actually (2003), Saving Mr. Banks (2013), Late Night (2019), and Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022). Other notable film credits include the Harry Potter series (2004–2011), Nanny McPhee (2005), Stranger than Fiction (2006), An Education (2009), Men in Black 3 (2012) and the spin-off Men in Black: International (2019), Brave (2012), Beauty and the Beast (2017), Cruella (2021), and Matilda the Musical (2022). Her television credits include Wit (2001), Angels in America (2003), The Song of Lunch (2010), King Lear (2018) and Years and Years (2019). Authorised by the publishers of Beatrix Potter, Thompson has also written three Peter Rabbit children's books.

Known For

Birth Location Paddington, London, England, UK
Born 1959-04-15

Movies

Merchant Ivory as Self
2023
Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical as Agatha Trunchbull
2022
2022
2021
Cruella as The Baroness
2021
Hannibal Hopkins et Sir Anthony as Self (archive footage)
2021
2020
Dolittle as Poly (voice)
2020
Last Christmas as Petra Andrich
2019
2019
2019
Missing Link as Dora the Yeti Elder (voice)
2019
Late Night as Katherine Newbury
2019
Johnny English Strikes Again as Prime Minister
2018
2018
The Children Act as Fiona Maye
2018
King Lear as Goneril
2018
Sea Sorrow as Self
2017
2017
Beauty and the Beast as Mrs. Potts
2017
To the Ends of the Earth as Narrator (voice)
2016
Bridget Jones's Baby as Dr. Rawlings
2016
Alone in Berlin as Anna Quangel
2016
2015
Burnt as Dr. Rosshilde
2015
A Walk in the Woods as Catherine Bryson
2015
2015
Men, Women & Children as Narrator (voice)
2014
Effie Gray as Lady Eastlake
2014
And the Oscar Goes To... as Self (archive footage)
2014
2014
The Love Punch as Kate Jones
2014
Saving Mr. Banks as P.L. Travers
2013
Beautiful Creatures as Mrs. Lincoln / Sarafine Duchannes
2013
Brave as Elinor (voice)
2012
Walking the Dogs as The Queen
2012
Men in Black 3 as Agent O
2012
2010
2010
An Education as Headmistress
2009
The Boat That Rocked as Charlotte
2009
Last Chance Harvey as Kate Walker
2008
Brideshead Revisited as Lady Marchmain
2008
I Am Legend as Dr. Alice Krippin
2007
Stranger Than Fiction as Karen Eiffel
2006
A Tribute To Ismail Merchant as Self (archive footage)
2005
Nanny McPhee as Nanny McPhee
2005
2004
Imagining Argentina as Cecilia Rueda
2003
Love Actually as Karen
2003
Treasure Planet as Captain Amelia (voice)
2002
Wit as Vivian Bearing
2001
Maybe Baby as Druscilla
2000
Judas Kiss as FBI Agent Sadie Hawkins
1998
Primary Colors as Susan Stanton
1998
The Winter Guest as Frances
1997
Hospital! as Elephant Woman
1997
Sense and Sensibility as Elinor Dashwood
1995
Carrington as Dora Carrington
1995
Junior as Dr. Diana Reddin
1994
The Blue Boy as Marie Bonnar
1994
My Father the Hero as Isabel (uncredited)
1994
In the Name of the Father as Gareth Peirce
1993
The Remains of the Day as Miss Kenton
1993
1993
Peter's Friends as Maggie Chester
1992
Howards End as Margaret Schlegel
1992
Dead Again as Margaret Strauss / Grace
1991
Impromptu as Duchess D'Antan
1991
Look Back in Anger as Alison Porter
1989
Henry V as Katherine
1989
The Winslow Boy as Catherine Winslow
1989
The Tall Guy as Kate
1989
Slags as Young Woman
1984
The Crystal Cube as Jackie Meld
1983
The Cellar Tapes as various
1982

Movies

Last Christmas Screenplay
2019
Last Christmas Producer
2019
Ponyboi Co-Producer
2019
2016
Sold Executive Producer
2016
Effie Gray Screenplay
2014
Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang Executive Producer
2010
Nanny McPhee Screenplay
2005
Wit Teleplay
2001
Eight Thanks
1998
1995
1982