Log in Sign up
Back to Discover
🎨

Emma Thompson

arts Maturity 11-13 war conflict
This article covers sensitive topics: war_conflict. Parents can manage visibility in Parental Controls.

Emma Thompson is an actress.

EmmaThompson05 (cropped).jpg
EmmaThompson05 (cropped).jpg
She acts in movies and plays. She also writes stories. She has won many big awards. People love her work. Do you like movies?

31 words

Emma Thompson is a famous actress.

EmmaThompson05 (cropped).jpg
EmmaThompson05 (cropped).jpg

She acts in many movies and plays. She also writes stories for the screen. She has won many big awards for her work.

Her parents were both actors too. She went to school at Cambridge. There, she joined a funny comedy group.

She can play many different parts. She was in the Harry Potter films. She also wrote books about Peter Rabbit.

People all over the world love her talent.

Emma Thompson at 2013 TIFF 2 (cropped).jpg
Emma Thompson at 2013 TIFF 2 (cropped).jpg

She works very hard at her art.

92 words

Emma Thompson is a famous British actress and writer.

EmmaThompson05 (cropped).jpg
EmmaThompson05 (cropped).jpg
She has worked in movies and plays for over forty years. She has won many big awards. These include two Academy Awards. She also won three BAFTA Awards.
Emma Thompson at 2013 TIFF 2 (cropped).jpg
Emma Thompson at 2013 TIFF 2 (cropped).jpg

Emma was born into a family of actors. Her father, Eric Thompson, wrote a show called The Magic Roundabout. She studied at Cambridge University. There, she joined a comedy group called the Footlights. Her friends even called her "Emma Talented."

Emma can play many different roles. She was in the Howards End film. This role won her an Academy Award. She also wrote the script for Sense and Sensibility. She is the only person to win Oscars for both acting and writing.

Bridleway by Efford House, 1996-geograph-3391607.jpg
Bridleway by Efford House, 1996-geograph-3391607.jpg
Many people know her from the Harry Potter films. She also wrote books about Peter Rabbit. In 2018, Queen Elizabeth II made her a dame. This was to honor her work in drama.
Emma Thompson receives the Leopard Club Award at the 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival 1.jpg
Emma Thompson receives the Leopard Club Award at the 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival 1.jpg

183 words

Emma Thompson is a famous British actress and screenwriter.

Emma Thompson (2008).jpg
Emma Thompson (2008).jpg
She has spent over forty years working on stage and in films. Her talent has earned her many big awards. These include two Academy Awards and three BAFTA Awards. She also won two Golden Globe Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2018, Queen Elizabeth II made her a dame. This honor was for her great work in drama.
Emma Thompson at 2013 TIFF 2 (cropped).jpg
Emma Thompson at 2013 TIFF 2 (cropped).jpg

Emma grew up in a very creative family. Her mother, Phyllida Law, was a Scottish actress. Her father, Eric Thompson, was an English actor. He was well known for writing the children's show The Magic Roundabout. Emma studied English at Newnham College in Cambridge. While there, she joined a comedy group called the Footlights. Her friends there even gave her the nickname "Emma Talented."

ADC Theatre Cambridge.jpg
ADC Theatre Cambridge.jpg

Her career grew through many different kinds of shows. In 1985, she starred in a musical called Me and My Girl. This was a big breakthrough for her. Later, she won a BAFTA for two TV series. These were called Tutti Frutti and Fortunes of War. She also worked with her first husband, Kenneth Branagh.

KennethBranaghApr2011.jpg
KennethBranaghApr2011.jpg
They worked together on many films like Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing.

Emma became a huge star in the early 1990s. She played an important role in the film Howards End.

AnthonyHopkins2.jpg
AnthonyHopkins2.jpg
This role won her an Academy Award for Best Actress. In 1993, she was nominated for two Oscars in the same year. She played a housekeeper in The Remains of the Day. She also played a lawyer in In the Name of the Father. She is a very special writer too. She won an Oscar for writing the script for Sense and Sensibility. She is the only person to win Oscars for both acting and writing.
Bridleway by Efford House, 1996-geograph-3391607.jpg
Bridleway by Efford House, 1996-geograph-3391607.jpg

Many people recognize Emma from many different movies. She was in the Harry Potter films from 2004 to 2011. She also appeared in films like Love Actually and Beauty and the Beast. She even wrote the movie Nanny McPhee. Beyond movies, she has written three Peter Rabbit books for children. Her work shows how one person can be many different things.

EmmaThompson05 (cropped).jpg
EmmaThompson05 (cropped).jpg

379 words

Dame Emma Thompson is a highly accomplished British actress and screenwriter.

Emma Thompson (2008).jpg
Emma Thompson (2008).jpg
Her career has spanned more than four decades of work in both film and theater. She has received many of the most prestigious honors in the entertainment industry. These include two Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. She also holds a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2018, Queen Elizabeth II appointed her a dame. This title was awarded for her significant contributions to the world of drama.
Emma Thompson at 2013 TIFF 2 (cropped).jpg
Emma Thompson at 2013 TIFF 2 (cropped).jpg

Thompson was born in Hammersmith, London, on April 15, 1959. She grew up in a family deeply rooted in the arts. Her mother, Phyllida Law, is a Scottish actress. Her father, Eric Thompson, was an English actor and writer. He was well known for writing the children's television series The Magic Roundabout. Thompson's education included studying English at Newnham College, Cambridge. During her time there, she joined the Cambridge Footlights, a famous sketch comedy troupe.

ADC Theatre Cambridge.jpg
ADC Theatre Cambridge.jpg
She was even given the nickname "Emma Talented" by her peers. Her time at Cambridge also served as a turning point for her personal beliefs. Reading the book The Madwoman in the Attic inspired her interest in feminism.

Her professional journey began with various stage and television roles. In 1985, she appeared in a West End revival of the musical Me and My Girl. This production served as a major breakthrough for her career. In 1987, she achieved further prominence through two BBC miniseries. These were the drama Fortunes of War and the comedy Tutti Frutti. Her performances in these series earned her the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress. During the early 1990s, she frequently collaborated with her first husband, Kenneth Branagh.

KennethBranaghApr2011.jpg
KennethBranaghApr2011.jpg
They worked together on several productions, including Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing.

Thompson reached international stardom through her work in period dramas. A major turning point occurred in 1992 with the film Howards End. In this Merchant-Ivory production, she played an intellectual woman in Edwardian Britain.

AnthonyHopkins2.jpg
AnthonyHopkins2.jpg
Her performance earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress and a BAFTA. In 1993, she achieved a rare feat by receiving two Academy Award nominations in a single year. She was nominated for Best Actress for The Remains of the Day. She was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for In the Name of the Father. This made her one of the few actors to ever reach this milestone.

Beyond acting, Thompson is a celebrated screenwriter. She wrote and starred in the 1995 film Sense and Sensibility.

Bridleway by Efford House, 1996-geograph-3391607.jpg
Bridleway by Efford House, 1996-geograph-3391607.jpg
This work earned her the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. By winning this award, she became the only person in history to win Oscars for both acting and writing. She has continued to write for the screen, including the film Nanny McPhee. Her writing and acting skills allow her to contribute to the creative process in multiple ways.

Her filmography includes a wide variety of genres and roles. She appeared in the Harry Potter film saga between 2004 and 2011. Other notable films include Love Actually, Saving Mr. Banks, and Good Luck to You, Leo Grande. She has also appeared in major franchises like Men in Black and Beauty and the Beast.

EmmaThompson05 (cropped).jpg
EmmaThompson05 (cropped).jpg
In addition to film, she has performed in television series such as Angels in America and Years and Years. She has even brought her talents to children's literature. Thompson is an authorized author of three Peter Rabbit books.

Thompson's career demonstrates the breadth of talent possible within the dramatic arts. She has moved seamlessly between comedy and heavy drama. Her ability to master both screenwriting and acting sets her apart from her peers. She has influenced the industry through her diverse roles and her commitment to complex storytelling. From the stages of Cambridge to the global stage of the Academy Awards, her work remains highly respected. She continues to be a significant figure in modern cinema and theater.

668 words
🖼️ Images & Media (12)
File:ADC Theatre Cambridge.jpg
ADC Theatre Cambridge.jpg
File:KennethBranaghApr2011.jpg
KennethBranaghApr2011.jpg
File:AnthonyHopkins2.jpg
AnthonyHopkins2.jpg
File:Bridleway by Efford House, 1996-geograph-3391607.jpg
Bridleway by Efford House,...
File:EmmaThompson05 (cropped).jpg
EmmaThompson05 (cropped).jpg
File:Emma Thompson (2008).jpg
Emma Thompson (2008).jpg
File:Emma Thompson at 2013 TIFF 2 (cropped).jpg
Emma Thompson at 2013 TIFF 2 (cropped).jpg
File:Cannes 2017 19.jpg
Cannes 2017 19.jpg
File:Emma Thompson receives the Leopard Club Award at the 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival 1.jpg
Emma Thompson receives the Leopard Club...
File:Boodles London Flagship Launch (cropped).jpg
Boodles London Flagship Launch (cropped).jpg
File:Greg Wise.jpg
Greg Wise.jpg
File:Emma Thompson at climate march.jpg
Emma Thompson at climate march.jpg
Up Next
🎨
Maggie Smith
Arts
More to explore

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.