Emma Thompson

Emma Thompson is a celebrated British actress, screenwriter, and activist, renowned for her intellectual depth and versatility across stage and screen. She gained prominence with the BBC series Tutti Frutti and later achieved international fame with performances in films like Howards End and Sense and Sensibility. A prominent figure in both Hollywood and the British film industry, she is also a dedicated advocate for humanitarian and environmental causes.

Early life and education

Emma Thompson was born in Paddington, London, to actor Eric Thompson and actress Phyllida Law. Her early life was immersed in the arts, with her father known for narrating The Magic Roundabout and her mother performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company. She attended Camden School for Girls before studying English Literature at Newnham College, Cambridge, where she became a member of the famed Footlights comedy troupe alongside contemporaries like Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. This period honed her skills in writing and performance, laying the foundation for her future career in both comedy and dramatic arts.

Career

Thompson's professional breakthrough came with the BBC television series Tutti Frutti, for which she won a BAFTA TV Award. Her film career ascended with her role in The Tall Guy and the Disney film The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. She achieved critical acclaim and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Merchant Ivory's Howards End. Further success followed with starring roles in The Remains of the Day opposite Anthony Hopkins and In the Name of the Father. Thompson showcased her screenwriting talents by adapting Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, winning the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Notable later film work includes the Harry Potter series, Love Actually, Saving Mr. Banks, and Cruella. On television, she earned an Emmy Award for her role in Wit and starred in the HBO series Angels in America.

Personal life

Thompson was married to actor and director Kenneth Branagh from 1989 to 1995, during which they collaborated on films like Dead Again and Peter's Friends. In 2003, she married actor Greg Wise, whom she met on the set of Sense and Sensibility; they have one daughter together. The couple also adopted a son from Rwanda. Thompson's family includes her sister, actress Sophie Thompson, and she is a stepmother to Wise's daughter from a previous relationship. She has been open about her experiences with fertility struggles and depression, and maintains homes in London and Argyll.

Activism and philanthropy

A committed activist, Thompson is a long-standing supporter of Amnesty International and Greenpeace, frequently participating in campaigns for refugee rights and environmental protection. She has been a vocal advocate for action on climate change, joining protests with Extinction Rebellion in Parliament Square and speaking at the COP26 summit in Glasgow. She served as a board member for the Helen Bamber Foundation, an organization supporting survivors of human trafficking, and has worked extensively with the ActionAid charity, visiting projects in countries like Uganda and Bangladesh. Her philanthropy also includes support for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and various arts education initiatives.

Filmography and awards

Thompson's extensive filmography spans genres from period drama to fantasy and comedy. Key films include Howards End (1992), The Remains of the Day (1993), Sense and Sensibility (1995), Primary Colors (1998), Love Actually (2003), Nanny McPhee (2005), Last Chance Harvey (2008), Men in Black 3 (2012), Saving Mr. Banks (2013), Beauty and the Beast (2017), and Late Night (2019). Her television work includes Wit (2001) and Years and Years (2019). Among her numerous accolades are two Academy Awards, three BAFTAs (including the BAFTA Fellowship), two Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Award. She has also received recognition from the Screen Actors Guild, the London Film Critics' Circle, and was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2018 New Year Honours.

Category:English film actresses Category:English screenwriters Category:English activists Category:Academy Award winners