Emma Thompson was born on 15th April 1959 in Paddington,
London, England. She is the eldest of two daughters born to the late Eric
Thompson, creator of the children's programme The Magic Roundabout, and
actress Phyllida Law, with whom she has frequently appeared on screen.
Her sister is actress Sophie Thompson. Emma graduated from Newnham College,
Cambridge University in 1982 and had intended to become a writer, however
whilst at Cambridge she was persuaded to join the Footlights and so impressed
agent Richard Armitage that he signed her to a contract while she was
still two years away from graduation. After leaving Cambridge Emma spent
several months as a stand-up comic but eventually joined up with her fellow
former Footlights colleagues Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry for a sketch
comedy television series called Alfresco in 1983.
During the filming of The Fortunes of War Emma and Kenneth Branagh fell
in love and were finally married in August 1989.
In 1992 Emma won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award for her role opposite
Anthony Hopkins in Howards End. She followed this in 1993 with Golden
Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her
role as Gareth Pierce in In the Name of the Father with Daniel Day-Lewis,
and Best Actress for the role of Miss Kenton in The Remains of the Day
again with Anthony Hopkins.
Emma's only attempt at writing a screenplay resulted in the box-office
smash hit Sense and Sensibility in 1995 in which she played the role of
Elinor Dashwood. Her screenplay won her a second Oscar and she also received
a nomination for Best Actress.
In 1995 her marriage fell apart after a rumoured extra-marital affair
between Kenneth and Helena Bonham Carter (his Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
co-star), they divorced in 1995. Executive Producer 'Johnny Hit and Run
Pauline' 1999.
Now married to Greg Wise with a daughter Gaia Romilly Wise.
Filmography
Angels in America (2003) .... The Angel
Imagining Argentina (2003)
Love Actually (2003)
Treasure Planet (2002) (voice) .... Captain Amelia
We Know Where You Live (2001) (TV) .... Herself
... aka Amnesty International's We Know Where You Live Live! (2001) (TV)
(UK: complete title)
Wit (2001) (TV) .... Vivian Bearing
Maybe Baby (2000) .... Druscilla
Junket Whore (1998) .... Herself
Judas Kiss (1998) .... FBI Agent Sadie Hawkins
Primary Colors (1998) .... Susan Stanton
... aka Mit aller Macht (1998) (Germany)
... aka Perfect Couple (1999) (Japan: English title)
... aka Primary Colors (1998) (France)
Winter Guest, The (1997) .... Frances
Hospital! (1997/II) (TV) .... Elephant woman
Sense and Sensibility (1995) .... Elinor Dashwood
Carrington (1995) .... Dora Carrington
Junior (1994) .... Dr. Diana Reddin
Blue Boy, The (1994) (TV) .... Marie Bonnar
My Father the Hero (1994) (uncredited) .... Isabel
... aka My father, ce héros (1994) (France)
In the Name of the Father (1993) .... Gareth Peirce
Remains of the Day, The (1993) .... Miss Sally Kenton
Much Ado About Nothing (1993) .... Beatrice
Peter's Friends (1992) .... Maggie Chester
Howards End (1992) .... Margaret Schlegel
Dead Again (1991) .... Amanda Sharp
Impromptu (1991) .... Duchess D'Antan
Look Back in Anger (1989) (TV) .... Alison Porter
Night of Comic Relief 2, A (1989) (TV)
Henry V (1989) .... Katherine
Tall Guy, The (1989) .... Kate Lemmon
"Thompson" (1988) TV Series .... Various roles
Winslow Boy, The (1988) (TV) .... Catherine Winslow
"Fortunes of War" (1987) (mini) TV Series .... Harriet Pringle
"Tutti Frutti" (1987) TV Series .... Suzy Kettles
"Assaulted Nuts" (1985) TV Series
"Alfresco" (1983) TV Series .... Various roles
