ET
Emma Thompson
Actor, Writer, Producer, Additional CreditsBorn April 15, 1959 (66 years)
Dame Emma Thompson (born April 15, 1959) is a British actress and screenwriter. Her work spans over four decades of screen and stage, and her accolades include 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 her contributions 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 became famous for her performances in two BBC 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).
Thompson won the BAFTA Award and the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the Merchant-Ivory period drama Howards End (1992). 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). She portrayed Mrs. Lovett in a Lincoln Center production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in 2014. Authorised by the publishers of Beatrix Potter, Thompson has also written three Peter Rabbit children's books.
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 became famous for her performances in two BBC 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).
Thompson won the BAFTA Award and the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the Merchant-Ivory period drama Howards End (1992). 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). She portrayed Mrs. Lovett in a Lincoln Center production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in 2014. Authorised by the publishers of Beatrix Potter, Thompson has also written three Peter Rabbit children's books.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Featured Videos
Emma Thompson Filmography
| 2026 | |
| 2025 | Down Cemetery Road (TV Series) · as Zoë Boehm |
| 2025 | Dead of Winter · as Barb |
| 2025 | Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy · as Dr. Rawlings |
| 2022 | What's Love Got to Do with It? · as Cath Stevenson |
| 2022 | Matilda: The Musical · as Agatha Trunchbull |
| 2022 | Good Luck to You, Leo Grande · as Nancy Stokes |
| 2022 | Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (TV Series) · as Lady Marcham |
| 2021 | Cruella · as The Baroness |
| 2020 | Dolittle · as Poly (voice) |
| 2019 | How to Build a Girl · as Amanda |
| 2019 | Last Christmas · as Petra Andrich |
| 2019 | Men in Black: International · as Agent O |
| 2019 | Late Night · as Katherine Newbury |
| 2019 | Years and Years (TV Series) · as Vivienne Rook |
| 2019 | Missing Link · as Dora The Yeti Elder (voice) |
| 2018 | Johnny English Strikes Again · as Prime Minister |
| 2018 | King Lear · as Goneril |
| 2017 | The Children Act · as Fiona Maye |
| 2017 | The Meyerowitz Stories · as Maureen Meyerowitz |
| 2017 | Beauty and the Beast · as Mrs. Potts |
| 2016 | To the Ends of the Earth · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2016 | Alone in Berlin · as Anna Quangel |
| 2016 | Bridget Jones's Baby · as Dr Rawlings |
| 2016 | Upstart Crow (TV Series) · as Queen Elizabeth |
| 2015 | A Life on Screen: Stephen Fry · as Cast |
| 2015 | Burnt · as Dr. Rosshilde |
| 2015 | A Walk in the Woods · as Catherine Bryson |
| 2015 | Barney Thomson · as Cemolina |
| 2014 | Men, Women & Children · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2014 | Effie Gray · as Lady Eastlake |
| 2014 | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street · as Mrs. Lovett |
| 2014 | Effie Gray: Interview with Dakota Fanning · as Lady Eastlake |
| 2013 | Saving Mr. Banks · as P.l. Travers |
| 2013 | The Love Punch · as Kate Jones |
| 2013 | Beautiful Creatures · as Mrs. Lincoln / Sarafine Duchannes |
| 2012 | Brave · as Elinor (voice) |
| 2012 | Men in Black³ · as Agent O |
| 2012 | Playhouse Presents (TV Series) · as The Queen |
| 2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 · as Sybill Trelawney |
| 2010 | The Song of Lunch · as She |
| 2010 | Nanny McPhee Returns · as Nanny Mcphee |
| 2009 | An Education · as Headmistress |
| 2009 | The Boat That Rocked · as Charlotte |
| 2008 | Last Chance Harvey · as Kate Walker |
| 2008 | Premio Donostia a Antonio Banderas · as Cecilia Rueda |
| 2008 | Brideshead Revisited · as Lady Marchmain |
| 2008 | Strictly Courtroom · as Gareth Peirce |
| 2007 | I Am Legend · as Dr. Alice Krippin |
| 2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix · as Sybill Trelawney |
| 2007 | A Brief History of Merchant and Ivory · as Margaret Schlegel |
| 2006 | Stranger Than Fiction · as Karen Eiffel |
| 2006 | Wrestling with Angels: Playwright Tony Kushner · as The Angel Of America |
| 2005 | Nanny McPhee · as Nanny Mcphee |
| 2004 | Creating the Vision · as Prof. Sybil Trelawney |
| 2004 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban · as Sybill Trelawney |
| 2004 | Strictly Come Dancing (TV Series) · as Audience Member |
| 2003 | Angels in America (TV Series) · as Nurse Emily / Homeless Woman / The Angel |
| 2003 | Love Actually · as Karen |
| 2003 | Imagining Argentina · as Cecilia Rueda |
| 2002 | Treasure Planet · as Captain Amelia (voice) |
| 2002 | Sense and Sensibility: Deleted Scenes · as Elinor Dashwood |
| 2001 | The 53rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards · as Cast |
| 2001 | Wit · as Vivian Bearing |
| 2000 | Maybe Baby · as Druscilla |
| 1998 | Judas Kiss · as Fbi Agent Sadie Hawkins |
| 1998 | Primary Colors · as Susan Stanton |
| 1997 | The Winter Guest · as Frances |
| 1997 | Hospital! · as Elephant Woman |
| 1996 | E! True Hollywood Story (TV Series) |
| 1995 | Sense and Sensibility · as Elinor Dashwood |
| 1995 | Carrington · as Dora Carrington |
| 1994 | Junior · as Dr. Diana Reddin |
| 1994 | The Blue Boy · as Marie Bonnar |
| 1994 | My Father the Hero · as Isabel (uncredited) |
| 1994 | In Ismail's Custody · as Actress |
| 1993 | In the Name of the Father · as Gareth Peirce |
| 1993 | The Remains of the Day · as Miss Kenton |
| 1993 | Much Ado About Nothing · as Beatrice |
| 1992 | Peter's Friends · as Maggie Chester |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV Series) |
| 1992 | Howards End · as Margaret Schlegel |
| 1991 | Rabbit Ears - The White Cat · as Narrator (voice) |
| 1991 | Dead Again · as Margaret Strauss / Grace |
| 1991 | Impromptu · as Duchess D'antan |
| 1989 | Look Back in Anger · as Alison Porter |
| 1989 | Henry V · as Katherine |
| 1989 | The Tall Guy · as Kate |
| 1987 | Fortunes of War (TV Series) · as Harriet Pringle |
| 1987 | Tutti Frutti (1987) (TV Series) · as Suzi Kettles |
| 1985 | Theatre Night (TV Series) · as Catherine Winslow |
| 1985 | Saturday Live (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1984 | Screen Two (TV Series) · as Marie |
| 1984 | |
| 1983 | The Crystal Cube · as Jackie Meld |
| 1983 | Alfresco (TV Series) · as Various |
| 1982 | The Young Ones (TV Series) · as Miss Money-Sterling |
| 1982 | The Comic Strip Presents... (TV Series) · as Young Woman |
| 1982 | Cheers (TV Series) · as Nanny Gee |
| 1982 | There's Nothing to Worry About! (TV Series) · as Various |
| 1982 | Cambridge Footlights Revue · as Various |
| 1976 | Live from Lincoln Center (TV Series) · as Mrs. Lovett |
| 1975 | The Val Doonican Music Show (TV Series) |
| 2019 | Last Christmas · as Screenplay |
| 2016 | Bridget Jones's Baby · as Screenplay |
| 2014 | Effie Gray · as Screenplay |
| 2010 | Nanny McPhee Returns · as Screenplay |
| 2005 | Nanny McPhee · as Screenplay |
| 2001 | |
| 1995 | Sense and Sensibility · as Screenplay |
| 1988 | Thompson (TV Series) |
| 1983 | Alfresco (TV Series) |
| 1982 | There's Nothing to Worry About! (TV Series) |
| 1982 |
| 2024 | |
| 2023 | Merchant Ivory · as Self |
| 2023 | 2023 EE BAFTA Film Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2022 | |
| 2022 | Climate Crisis: Hurricanes · as Self |
| 2022 | Ukraine on Fire 2 (TV Series) · as Self - Actress Speaking For Ukraine |
| 2021 | An Audience with Adele · as Self |
| 2021 | Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2020 | 2020 Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2019 | The Kelly Clarkson Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2019 | Hollywood's Dark Secret · as Self |
| 2018 | Beyond Boundaries: The Harvey Weinstein Scandal · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2018 | |
| 2017 | Sea Sorrow · as Self |
| 2017 | Front Row Late (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2017 | Hollywood First Look Features (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2017 | Full Circle: The Making of Bridget Jones's Baby · as Self - Writer |
| 2016 | Sunday Today with Willie Geist (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2015 | The Resurrection of Victor Jara · as Self |
| 2015 | The 67th Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | Good Morning Britain (TV Series) · as Self - Writer And Stars In Last Christmas |
| 2014 | And the Oscar Goes to... · as Self |
| 2014 | Late Night with Seth Meyers (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | 2014 EE British Academy Film Awards · as Self - Nominee & Presenter |
| 2014 | 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Presenter & Nominee |
| 2014 | 19th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2014 | 71st Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Presenter & Nominee |
| 2014 | Effie Gray: Interview with Emma Thompson · as Self |
| 2013 | The Hollywood Reporter Roundtables (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2013 | High Road (TV Series) · as Emma Thompson |
| 2013 | The Real Mary Poppins · as Self |
| 2011 | When Harry Left Hogwarts · as Self |
| 2011 | The Jonathan Ross Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2011 | Dish Nation (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2011 | |
| 2011 | Close Up (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee |
| 2010 | Fry and Laurie Reunited · as Self |
| 2009 | |
| 2009 | Live from Studio Five (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2009 | C à Vous (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2009 | Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2009 | Skavlan (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2009 | Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee & Presenter |
| 2009 | The Time of Jose Mota (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2008 | TV's Believe It or Not · as Self |
| 2007 | Stephen Fry: 50 Not Out · as Self |
| 2007 | The Hidden Secrets of Harry Potter · as Self |
| 2007 | Xposé (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | |
| 2007 | Comic Relief 2007: The Big One · as Self |
| 2007 | The Graham Norton Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | The ONE Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2006 | The 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards 2006 · as Self - Presenter |
| 2005 | Made In Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | Entertainment Tonight Canada (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2004 | The Culture Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | The Tony Danza Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | Le grand journal de Canal+ (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | Words in Progress · as Self |
| 2004 | 101 Biggest Celebrity Oops · as Self - #93 Celebrity Rejections: Basic Instinct |
| 2004 | Tavis Smiley (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2003 | QI (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | The Ellen DeGeneres Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2002 | Timeshift (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2001 | Richard & Judy (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2001 | Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2001 | Lorraine (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2001 | Breaking the Silence: The Making of 'Hannibal' · as Self - N.y. Premiere |
| 2001 | We Know Where You Live. Live! · as Self |
| 2000 | BBC Breakfast (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1999 | Premiere Bond: The World Is Not Enough · as Self |
| 1999 | Loose Women (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | Junket Whore · as Self |
| 1998 | ARTE Journal Clips (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | B-Roll · as Self |
| 1997 | The View (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | Leute heute (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | HARDtalk (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | Very Important Pennis: Uncut · as Self |
| 1996 | Access Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The Daily Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1996 | The Rosie O'Donnell Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1996 | The 68th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Presenter & Winner |
| 1995 | E! Live from the Red Carpet (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | WGN Morning News (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | Ellen (TV Series) · as Emma Thompson |
| 1994 | The 66th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Nominee & Presenter |
| 1993 | Space Ghost Coast to Coast (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1993 | Late Night with Conan O'Brien (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1993 | Late Show with David Letterman (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1993 | The 65th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 1993 | The 50th Annual Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 1993 | GMTV (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | HBO First Look (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1991 | Movie Days (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee |
| 1991 | Charlie Rose (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1988 | Inside Edition (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1988 | Thompson (TV Series) · as Self - Host |
| 1988 | This Morning (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1988 | LIVE with Kelly and Mark (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1987 | NPA (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1987 | Biography (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1985 | Larry King Live (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1982 | Wogan (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1981 | Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1981 | Wetten, dass..? (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1980 | Granada Reports (TV Series) · as Self - Actor |
| 1980 | Newsnight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1979 | Friday Night Saturday Morning (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1976 | César Awards (TV Series) · as Self - Presenter |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live (TV Series) · as Self - Host |
| 1975 | Good Morning America (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1973 | AFI Life Achievement Award (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1972 | Pebble Mill at One (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1972 | ITV Lunchtime News (TV Series) · as Self - Protester |
| 1971 | Film (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1971 | Parkinson (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1968 | 60 Minutes (TV Series) · as Self - Actress (segment "movie Mavericks") |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1953 | The Academy Awards (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1952 | Today (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2025 | Down Cemetery Road (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2025 | Dead of Winter · as Executive Producer |
| 2023 | Mediha · as Executive Producer |
| 2023 | Good Boy · as Executive Producer |
| 2019 | |
| 2019 | Ponyboi · as Co-Producer |
| 2014 | |
| 2010 | Nanny McPhee Returns · as Executive Producer |
| 2005 | Pride & Prejudice · as Additional Dialogue |