Emma Thompson, born in 1959 at Paddington, is an English screenwriter, comedian, and actor whose career encompasses four decades across film, television, and stage. Her body of work includes diverse contributions as a writer of children's literature, a voice actor, and a director, marked by multiple international accolades and a professional background rooted in the Cambridge Footlights troupe.
Academic and Early Performance Foundation
Educated at The Camden School for Girls and Newnham College at the University of Cambridge, Thompson established her comedic footing early. As a member of the Footlights, she participated in university sketch productions and collaborated with contemporaries such as Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. Her formative professional period included work on the television series Alfresco between 1983 and 1984. Her career expanded with a notable West End role in the musical Me and My Girl in 1985 and high-profile television performances in the 1987 BBC series Tutti Frutti and Fortunes of War, both of which garnered her a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
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Thompson achieved significant recognition in the 1990s through collaborations with Kenneth Branagh on films including Henry V, Dead Again, and Much Ado About Nothing. Her performance in the period drama Howards End secured her the BAFTA Award and the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993. Demonstrating versatility, she received simultaneous Academy Award nominations for acting in The Remains of the Day and In the Name of the Father. Her screenplay for Sense and Sensibility earned her a Golden Globe in 1996 and an Academy Award, distinguishing her as the only individual to win Oscars for both acting and writing.
Diverse Roles and Professional Recognition
Her filmography features a wide range of productions including the Harry Potter saga, Nanny McPhee, Saving Mr. Banks, Brave, and Beauty and the Beast. Thompson has also demonstrated range in television projects such as Wit, Angels in America, and Years and Years. Beyond acting, she has authored children's literature based on the character Peter Rabbit. In 2018, she was designated a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and in 2021, she was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
Fast facts
- Born: 1959, Paddington
- Citizenship: United Kingdom
- Academy Award for Best Actress: 1993
- Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay: 1996
- Education: Newnham College, University of Cambridge
- Languages: French, Spanish, English
Questions readers ask
Which major awards has Emma Thompson won for screenwriting?
She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay in 1996 and the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Sense and Sensibility.
Did Emma Thompson act in the Harry Potter films?
Yes, her film credits include roles within the Harry Potter saga between 2004 and 2011.
Achievements
- Academy Award for Best Actress — 1993
- Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay — 1996
- Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama — 1993
- Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire — 2018
- BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role — 1992
- Notable work: Sense and Sensibility
- Notable work: Beauty and the Beast
- Notable work: Saving Mr. Banks
- Notable work: Brave
- Worked as actor, television actor and film actor
