Emma Thompson

Emma Thompson was literally born into show business, with her father, Eric Thompson, a theatre director and writer, and her mother, Phyllida Law, an actress.  Studying English at Cambridge, she was invited to join the school's Footlights comedy troupe.  She also co-directed Cambridge's first all-women revue, "Women's Hour."  While still a student, she made her television debut on the BBC's "Friday Night, Saturday Morning."

Throughout the 1980s, Thompson appeared frequently on British television, including the telefilm "The Crystal Cube" and a recurring role on the series "Alfresco," both with Hugh Laurie.  In 1985, Channel 4 offered Thompson her own TV special, "Up for Grabs," and, in 1988, she wrote and performed in her own BBC series called "Thompson."

Emma Thompson is one of most honored talents for her work as both an actress and a screenwriter.  In 1993, she swept the Academy Award®, Golden Globe Award, and BAFTA Award, in addition to Best Actress Awards from the New York and Los Angeles Film Critics, for her role in the Merchant Ivory drama "Howards End."  The following year, Thompson earned dual Oscar® and Golden Globe nominations: for Best Actress in James Ivory's "The Remains of the Day," and for Best Supporting Actress in Jim Sheridan's "In the Name of the Father."

In 1996, Thompson again garnered dual Academy Award® nominations, receiving a nod for her role in Ang Lee's "Sense and Sensibility" and winning the Oscar® for her screenplay, adapted from the book by Jane Austen.  Additionally, she took home a Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay, as well as Best Adapted Screenplay Awards from the Writers Guilds of America and Great Britain, along with honors from numerous critic associations.  For her role in the film she also earned a Golden Globe nomination and won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress.

In 2012, Thompson starred in Pixar's animated "Brave," and Barry Sonnenfeld's "Men in Black 3."  She also completed filming on the romantic comedy caper "Love Punch," opposite Pierce Brosnan, and "Saving Mr. Banks," with Tom Hanks and Paul Giamatti.

Thompson reprised the title role of the magical nanny in 2010's "Nanny McPhee Returns," which she also wrote and executive produced.  She originally created the character for the screen in 2004, starring in and scripting "Nanny McPhee," directed by Kirk Jones.  She reunited with Dustin Hoffman in Joel Hopkins' romance "Last Chance Harvey" in 2008, receiving a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for her performance.  She previously worked with Hoffman in 2006, co-starring along with Will Ferrell and Maggie Gyllenhaal in Marc Forster's "Stranger Than Fiction," produced by Thompson's frequent collaborator, Lindsay Doran.  In 2004, she brought to the screen JK Rowling's character Sybil Trelawney in Alfonso Cuaron's "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and in 2007 reprised the role in David Yates' "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."

Thompson's feature film debut came in 1988, starring opposite Jeff Goldblum in the comedy "The Tall Guy."  Her other film credits include Kenneth Branagh's film-directing debut "Henry V," as well as 1991's "Dead Again," 1992's "Peter's Friends" and 1993's "Much Ado About Nothing"; Ivan Reitman's 1994 comedy "Junior," Christopher Hampton's "Carrington";  and Alan Rickman's 1997 drama "The Winter Guest."  She has starred in three projects directed by Mike Nichols: the 1998 feature "Primary Colors" and the HBO telefilms "Wit," for which she received a Golden Globe nomination, and "Angels in America," for which she received Screen Actors Guild Award® and Emmy Award nominations.  Also in 2002, she starred in Hampton's "Imagining Argentina" and Richard Curtis' "Love Actually."  For the latter film, Thompson garnered a number of accolades, including the 2004 Evening Standard Film Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress, and the 2004 Empire Film Award for Best British Actress.

For her performance in Masterpiece's "Song of Lunch," Thompson was nominated for a 2012 Emmy Award.  Also in 2012, she portrayed Elizabeth II in the Sprout/SKY ARTS production "Walking the Dogs."

Active in the theatre, Thompson appeared in "A Sense of Nonsense," in a tour of England; the self-penned "Short Vehicle" at the 1983 Edinburgh Festival; "Me and My Girl," first at Leicester and then in London's West End in 1985; and "Look Back in Anger" at the Lyric Theatre in 1989.

To mark the 110th anniversary of Peter Rabbit, Emma Thompson was commissioned to write the 24th tale in the existing collection of Peter Rabbit stories.  It is the first time that Frederick Warne, the publisher, has published an additional title to the series, which Beatrix Potter wrote between 1902 and 1930.  The book, entitled The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit was published on September 6, 2012 to great critical acclaim.

Thompson is Chair of the Helen Bamber Foundation, a UK-based human rights organization, co-curating the interactive art installation "Journey," on its behalf.  She is also an Ambassador for the international development agency ActionAid, addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic that continues to sweep across Africa, and has served as President of the Teaching Awards since 2010.

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