Emma Thompson (born 15 April, 1959) is an Emmy, BAFTA, and two time-Academy Award-winning English actress, who portrayed Sybill Trelawney in the Harry Potter film series.
She is also a comedian, screenwriter, and patron of the Refugee Council.
Career[]
In 2004, Thompson played the eccentric Divination teacher Sybill Trelawney in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, her character described as a "hippy chick professor who teaches fortune-telling".[2] She later reprised the role in the fifth and eighth films,[3] and has described her time working on the popular franchise as "great fun".[4] She has named the film as one of the greatest experiences of her career, considering it to be a "masterpiece of withheld emotion".[5]
Thompson's other roles include: Stranger Than Fiction (2006), Last Chance Harvey (2008), and Beautiful Creatures (2013) and more. She worked on but was uncredited in I Am Legend (2007), and while she joined in 2011 and recorded narration, she was ultimately cut from the finished production of the 2016 documentary film Voyage of Time.[6]
Aside from acting, Thompson also wrote screenplays and produced films. She wrote Sense and Sensibility (1995), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, Nanny McPhee (2005) and its sequel Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (2010), Effie Gray (2014), Bridget Jones's Baby (2016), and Last Christmas (2019), which she herself also all starred in. She produced Last Christmas, and executive produced Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang and the 2014 film Sold.[7]
Personal life[]
Thompson was born in London[8] to the Scottish actress Phyllida Law, and the English writer–narrator Eric Thompson, who was involved in theatre and known for the popular children's television series The Magic Roundabout.[9][10] She has one sister, Sophie Thompson, who also works as an actress.[9]
She was formerly married to Kenneth Branagh who played Gilderoy Lockhart in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. She later married Greg Wise, her co-star in Sense and Sensibility.
Thompson, along with the activist Sam Roddick, instigated The Journey,[11] an art installation on the subject of human trafficking. Through a series of seven linked transport containers it depicts the experiences of women sold into the sex trade.[12] It is designed to highlight the work of the Helen Bamber Foundation, an organisation offering therapeutic treatment to those traumatised by violence and abuse.[13] The installation was first shown in Trafalgar Square in London between 23 and 30 September 2007.[14]
Selective filmography[]
| Year | Work | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Howards End / Peter's Friends | Evening Standard British Film |
Best Actress | Won |
| Howards End | Academy | Best Actress | Won | |
| BAFTA Film | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Won | ||
| Golden Globe | Best Actress – Drama | Won | ||
| 1993 | Grammy | Best Spoken Word or Non-Musical Album | Nominated | |
| The Remains of the Day | Academy | Best Actress | Nominated | |
| BAFTA Film | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Nominated | ||
| Golden Globe | Best Actress – Drama | Nominated | ||
| The Remains of the Day / Much Ado About Nothing | Evening Standard British Film |
Best Actress | Won | |
| In the Name of the Father | Academy | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |
| Golden Globe | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | ||
| 1994 | Junior | Golden Globe | Best Actress – Musical or Comedy | Nominated |
| 1995 | Sense and Sensibility | Academy | Best Actress | Nominated |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Won | |||
| BAFTA Film | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Won | ||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Nominated | |||
| Golden Globe | Best Actress – Drama | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | Won | |||
| 1996 | Evening Standard British Film |
Best Screenplay | Won | |
| 1998 | The Winter Guest | BIFA | Best British Actress | Nominated |
| 2002 | Treasure Planet | Annie | Voice Acting in a Feature Production | Nominated |
| 2003 | Love Actually | BAFTA Film | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Nominated |
| Evening Standard British Film |
Best Actress | Won | ||
| Satellite | Best Supporting Actress – Musical or Comedy | Nominated | ||
| 2004 | Empire | Best British Actress | Won | |
| Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | N/A | |||
| 2006 | Stranger than Fiction | Saturn | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| 2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | N/A | ||
| 2008 | Last Chance Harvey | Golden Globe | Best Actress – Musical or Comedy | Nominated |
| Brideshead Revisited | BIFA | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |
| Satellite | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | ||
| 2009 | IFTA | Pantene Best International Actress | Nominated | |
| 2010 | Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang | Grammy | Best Spoken Word Album for Children | Nominated |
| 2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 | N/A | ||
| 2012 | Men in Black III | N/A | ||
| 2013 | Saving Mr. Banks | BAFTA Film | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Nominated |
| Empire | Best Actress | Won | ||
| Golden Globe | Best Actress – Drama | Nominated | ||
| Satellite | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
| Saturn | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
| 2014 | Beautiful Creatures | Jupiter | Best International Actress | Nominated |
| 2016 | The Legend of Barney Thomson | Evening Standard British Film |
Comedy Award | Won |
| 2019 | Late Night | Golden Globe | Best Actress – Musical or Comedy | Nominated |
| Men in Black: International | N/A | |||
| Year | Work | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Fortunes of War / Tutti Frutti | BAFTA TV | Best Actress | Won |
| 1998 | Ellen: "Emma" | Primetime Emmy | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | Won |
| 2001 | Wit | Golden Globe | Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy | Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie | Nominated | |||
| Satellite | Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film | Nominated | ||
| 2003 | Angels in America | Satellite | Best Supporting Actress – Miniseries or Television Film | Nominated |
| 2004 | Primetime Emmy | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie | Nominated | |
| 2012 | The Song of Lunch | |||
| 2015 | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – In Concert with the New York Philharmonic (Live from Lincoln Center) | |||
| 2019 | Saturday Night Live: "Emma Thompson / Jonas Brothers" | Primetime Emmy | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated |
Selective gallery[]
Behind the scenes[]
- Emma Thompson has appeared in four films directed by her ex-husband Kenneth Branagh (Gilderoy Lockhart), who himself also acted in:
- Henry V (1989), which also featured Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid) and Patrick Doyle (composer of the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire).
- Dead Again (1991)
- Peter's Friends (1992), which also featured Stephen Fry (UK audiobook narrator) and Imelda Staunton (Dolores Umbridge).
- Much Ado About Nothing (1993), which also featured Patrick Doyle and Imelda Staunton.
- Thompson has appeared in two films outside the Harry Potter films with Molly Weasley actress Julie Walters and Robbie Coltrane: the 2012 film Brave and the 2014 film Effie Gray.
- The former also featured Kelly Macdonald (Helena Ravenclaw) and Patrick Doyle.
Thompson on the set of Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in the role of Sybill Trelawney.
- The former also featured Kelly Macdonald (Helena Ravenclaw) and Patrick Doyle.
- Thompson has also starred alongside several other actors and actresses from the Harry Potter films in various projects:
- Kenneth Branagh in the 1987 TV series Fortunes of War.
- Robbie Coltrane in the 1987 TV series Tutti Frutti.
- Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) in the 1989 film The Tall Guy.
- Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) in the 1992 film Howards End.
- Four projects with Severus Snape actor Alan Rickman:
- Sense and Sensibility (1995), which also featured Gemma Jones (Poppy Pomfrey), Robert Hardy (Cornelius Fudge), Elizabeth Spriggs (Fat Lady), and Imelda Staunton.
- Judas Kiss (1998)
- Love Actually (2003), which also featured Bill Nighy (Rufus Scrimgeour) and Andrew Lincoln (Quidditch Through the Ages 2018 audiobook narrator).
- The Song of Lunch (2010)
- Sean Biggerstaff (Oliver Wood) in the 1997 film The Winter Guest, which was co-written and directed by Alan Rickman.
- Dawn French (Fat Lady) in the 2000 film Maybe Baby.
- Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledore) in the 2003 miniseries Angels in America, the 2008 film Brideshead Revisited, and the 2018 film Johnny English Strikes Again.
- Kelly Macdonald and Imelda Staunton in the 2005 film Nanny McPhee.
- Two films with Xenophilius Lovegood actor Rhys Ifans:
- The Boat That Rocked (2009), which also featured Kenneth Branagh and Bill Nighy.
- Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (2010), which also featured Maggie Smith (Minerva McGonagall) and Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort).
- Colin Farrell (Percival Graves) in the 2013 film Saving Mr. Banks.
- Timothy Spall (Peter Pettigrew) in the 2013 film The Love Punch.
- Two films with Horace Slughorn actor Jim Broadbent:
- Bridget Jones's Baby (2016), which also featured Gemma Jones, James Faulkner, and Jessica Hynes (voice of Mafalda Hopkirk).
- Dolittle (2020), which also featured Ralph Fiennes, Ralph Ineson (Amycus Carrow), Frances de la Tour (Olympe Maxime), and Bob Venables (Pottermore commissioned artist).
- Brendan Gleeson (Alastor Moody) in the 2016 film Alone in Berlin.
- Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) and Ray Fearon (voice of Firenze) in the 2017 film Beauty and the Beast.
- Watson and Thompson shared the same given name and birthday (15 April).
- Ralph Fiennes in the 2017 film Sea Sorrow.
- Frank Dillane (Teenage Tom Riddle) in the 2019 film How to Build a Girl.
- Spencer Wilding in the 2019 film Men in Black: International.
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Internet Movie Database biography page
- ↑ "Emma Thompson: English rose. Flower of Scotland. And all-round thorn in the side", The Guardian. Retrieved on 10 March 2019.
- ↑ Emma Thompson – Biography. Yahoo!. Retrieved on 12 October 2013.
- ↑ Thompson, Emma (24 November 2014). Interview with Boyd Hilton London. A Life in Pictures. BAFTA
- ↑ Howe, Desson (28 March 2010). "Andrew Marr interview with Emma Thompson", BBC. Retrieved on 19 January 2014.
- ↑ Jagernauth, Kevin (August 17, 2011). "Emma Thompson Signs On As Another Narrator For Terrence Malick's 'Voyage Of Time' Documentary", Indiewire. Retrieved on April 27, 2016.
- ↑ How Emma Thompson Got Involved With Sold, A Film On Child Trafficking, Boemagazine.com
- ↑ "Emma Thompson", All Media Guide / Rovi via The New York Times. Retrieved on 12 October 2013.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Grice, Elizabeth (23 February 2013). "Phyllida Law: my mother's dementia had its funny side". Retrieved on 14 September 2013.
- ↑ Moorhead, Joanna (20 March 2010). "Emma Thompson: 'Family is about connection'". Retrieved on 14 September 2013.
- ↑ The Journey (installation) on Wikipedia
- ↑ "Container Exhibit Highlights Plight of Trafficking Victims". United Nations press release, 6 February 2008.
- ↑ "Acts of compassion". Guardian, 3 October 2007.
- ↑ "Art exposes reality of sex trade". BBC News website, 24 September 2007.
