Biography
With her uncanny ability to combine humor and poignancy, actress-writer Emma Thompson rose from the London stage to international film and television acclaim. Alongside her then-husband, revered Shakespearian actor-director Kenneth Branagh, she impressed with early film work in such projects as "Henry V" (1989) and "Dead Again" (1991). Thompson was touted as one of the finest actresses of the day after her performances in the Merchant Ivory …
Career Milestones
2012 | Voiced Queen Elinor in Disney Pixar animated feature "Brave" |
2012 | Cast in "Men in Black III" opposite Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones |
2011 | Reprised role of Professor Sybill Trelawney for the seventh and final installment of the series directed by David Yates, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" |
2010 | Earned a Grammy nomination for narrating Nanny McPhee Returns |
2010 | Reprised the title role and wrote the screenplay for the family comedy "Nanny McPhee Returns"; also executive produced |
2008 | Nominated for the 2008 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy ("Last Chance Harvey") |
2008 | Co-starred with Dustin Hoffman in the romantic comedy "Last Chance Harvey" |
2007 | Reprised role of Professor Sybill Trelawney in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" |
2006 | Voiced the narrator dictating Will Ferrell's life in the Marc Forster comedy "Stranger Than Fiction" |
2006 | Played a governess who uses magic to rein in the behavior of seven ne'er-do-well children in "Nanny McPhee"; also wrote screenplay |
2004 | Cast as Sibyl Trelawney, the ethereal and quirky professor of divination in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" |
2003 | Re-teamed with Nichols to play the Angel in the HBO miniseries adaption of "Angels in America"; earned SAG and Emmy nominations |
2003 | Starred in Richard Curtis' directorial debut "Love Actually" |
2001 | Returned to acting in Mike Nichols' TV adaption of the the Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Wit" (HBO), playing a professor who develops ovarian cancer; also co-wrote the screenplay with Nichols; earned Emmy nominations for writing and acting |
1998 | Cast as the wife of a presidential candidate (John Travolta) in the Mike Nichols directed "Primary Colors" |
1997 | Appeared on the ABC sitcom "Ellen" as a British actress named 'Emma Thompson' who reveals she's a lesbian from Ohio |
1997 | Played on-screen mother and daughter, opposite her real-life mother in "The Winter Guest"; directed by Alan Rickman |
1995 | Made screenwriting debut with an adaptation of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility"; directed by Ang Lee; also co-starred; received a Best Actress Academy Award nomination |
1994 | Starred in the British TV drama "The Blue Boy"; first collaboration with mother Phyllida Law, who played her on-screen mother |
1994 | Played a rare comic lead in "Junior" opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger |
1993 | Received an Oscar nomination for her role as the lawyer for the Guildford Four in Jim Sheridan's "In the Name of the Father" |
1993 | Earned an Oscar nomination for her performance as a housekeeper in Merchant-Ivory's "The Remains of the Day"; again co-starred with Hopkins |
1992 | Breakthrough screen role, co-starring with Anthony Hopkins in the Merchant-Ivory production "Howards End" |
1992 | Made memorable guest role on the NBC sitcom "Cheers" as Nanny Gee, a woman from Dr. Frasier Crane's past |
1989 | Acted the role of Katherine in "Henry V"; again directed by Branagh, who also co-starred |
1989 | Cast opposite Kenneth Branagh in stage revival of "Look Back in Anger"; directed by Judi Dench |
1989 | Made film debut in "The Tall Guy" |
1988 | Hosted and wrote own BBC-TV comedy-variety series "Thompson" |
1987 | Starred with Robbie Coltrane in the six-hour BBC miniseries "Tutti Frutti" |
1987 | Played Harriet Pringle opposite Kenneth Branagh in the BBC miniseries "Fortunes of War" |
1985 | Co-starred opposite Robert Lindsay in the West End hit musical "Me and My Girl" |
1984 | Wrote and performed the one woman show "Short Vehicle" at the Edinburgh Fringe |
1983 | Worked with Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry in the sketch comedy series "Alfresco" |
1981 | Co-wrote, co-produced, co-directed and performed with Cambridge's first all-female revue "Woman's Hour" |
1979 | Acted with Cambridge University's theatrical club the Footlights |
Awards
2012 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie in The Song of Lunch |
2010 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in An Education |
2008 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Last Chance Harvey |
2006 | Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in Stranger Than Fiction |
2004 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie in Angels in America |
2004 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in Angels in America |
2003 | BAFTA Award for Actress In a Supporting Role in Love Actually |
2002 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in Wit |
2001 | Critics' Choice Award for Best Actress in a Picture Made For Television in Wit |
2001 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television in Wit |
2001 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie in Wit |
2001 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing For a Miniseries or a Movie in Wit |
1998 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress In a Comedy Series in Ellen |
1996 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Sense and Sensibility |
1996 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in Sense and Sensibility |
1995 | BAFTA Award for Actress In a Leading Role in Sense and Sensibility |
1995 | Academy Award for Actress In a Leading Role in Sense and Sensibility |
1995 | BAFTA Award for Adapted Screenplay in Sense and Sensibility |
1995 | National Board of Review Award for Best Actress in Sense and Sensibility |
1995 | Critics' Choice Award for Best Original Screenplay in Sense and Sensibility |
1995 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama in Sense and Sensibility |
1995 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay in Sense and Sensibility |
1995 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay in Sense and Sensibility |
1995 | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay in Sense and Sensibility |
1995 | Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture in Sense and Sensibility |
1995 | Academy Award for Writing (Screenplay Based On Material Previously Produced or Published) in Sense and Sensibility |
1994 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Junior |
1994 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead in Much Ado About Nothing |
1993 | Academy Award for Actress In a Supporting Role in In the Name of the Father |
1993 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in In the Name of the Father |
1993 | BAFTA Award for Actress In a Leading Role in The Remains of the Day |
1993 | Academy Award for Actress In a Leading Role in The Remains of the Day |
1993 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama in The Remains of the Day |
1992 | Academy Award for Actress In a Leading Role in Howards End |
1992 | BAFTA Award for Actress In a Leading Role in Howards End |
1992 | National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress in Howards End |
1992 | National Board of Review Award for Best Actress in Howards End |
1992 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress in Howards End |
1992 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress in Howards End |
1992 | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress in Howards End |
1992 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama in Howards End |
1992 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female in Impromptu |