Emma Thompson - Biography

Last Editor: serenaspruce				Emma Thompson Biography -   Name : Emma Thompson Birthdate : April 15, 1959 Birthplace : Paddington, London, U.K. Height : 5' 7 Education : Cambridge University (majored in English Literature); Cambridge Footlights Revue Nationality : British Profession : Actress, producer, writer Claim to fame : As Miss Kenton in the Remains of the Day (1993)

Emma Thompson Trivia -

Thompson will portray one of Harry Potter's teachers at Hogwarts School in the third movie of J.K. Rowling's magical books -- In HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, Thompson takes the role of Sybill Trelawney, the eccentric and dubiously skilled professor of divination. (October 11, 2003) Emma Thompson and Greg Wise have denied reports that they have married in secret – the couple, who met when making SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, sparked speculation about their possible nuptials when they began wearing what looked like wedding bands; however, they were quick to counter claims they were married. (January 20, 2003) Ranked #91 in Empire (UK) magazine's The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time list. (October 1997) Originally slated to play the role of God in Kevin Smith (II)'s DOGMA (1999). She was unable to perform due to her pregnancy. She co-wrote, co-produced, and co-directed Cambridge University's first all-female revue WOMAN'S HOUR in 1983. She was initially cast as the lead in BASIC INSTINCT (1992), but refused later on. Speaking French fluently. Turned down the Jodie Foster role in ANNA AND THE KING (1999). Phyllida Law, who plays Vera the housekeeper in PETER'S FRIENDS (1992), is her mother.

Emma Thompson Detailed Biography -

Emma Thompson was born on 15th April 1959 in Paddington, London, England. She is the eldest of two daughters born to the late Eric Thompson, creator of the children's programme The Magic Roundabout, and actress Phyllida Law, with whom she has frequently appeared on screen. Her sister is actress Sophie Thompson. Emma graduated from Newnham College, Cambridge University in 1982 and had intended to become a writer, however whilst at Cambridge she was persuaded to join the Footlights and so impressed agent Richard Armitage that he signed her to a contract while she was still two years away from graduation. After leaving Cambridge Emma spent several months as a stand-up comic but eventually joined up with her fellow former Footlights colleagues Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry for a sketch comedy television series called Alfresco in 1983. This led to her own TV special Up For Grabs. In 1985 Emma appeared in the West End revival of Me and My Girl with Robert Lindsay which was a huge success. This lead to many television offers including in 1987 Tutti Fruitti and her first dramatic role as Harriet Pringle in Fortunes of War with Kenneth Branagh. In 1988 Emma played the part of Catherine in the TV film The Winslow Boy and had her own TV series called Thompson. During the filming of The Fortunes of War Emma and Kenneth fell in love and were finally married in August 1989. Emma made her feature film debut as Katherine in Kenneth's widely acclaimed adaptation of Henry V. She also appeared in two other movies directed by Kenneth in which they played romantically involved characters - Dead Again (1991) and Much Ado About Nothing (1993). Emma also belonged to Kenneth's Renaissance Theatre Company and appeared on stage with him in several plays including Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing. During 1989 Emma also appeared as Alison Porter in Look Back in Anger and as Kate Lemmon in the film The Tall Guy. In 1991 she appeared in Impromptu and in 1992 she made another film with Kenneth, Peter's Friends, in which once again worked with her Footlights companions Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry. In 1992 Emma won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award for her role opposite Anthony Hopkins in Howards End. She followed this in 1993 with Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Gareth Pierce in In the Name of the Father with Daniel Day-Lewis, and Best Actress for the role of Miss Kenton in The Remains of the Day again with Anthony Hopkins. In 1994 she made another television film, The Blue Boy and two more films, My Father the Hero and Junior with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Emma's only attempt at writing a screenplay resulted in the box-office smash hit Sense and Sensibility in 1995 in which she played the role of Elinor Dashwood. Her screenplay won her a second Oscar and she also received a nomination for Best Actress. In 1995 her marriage fell apart after a rumoured extra-marital affair between Kenneth and Helena Bonham Carter (his Mary Shelley's Frankenstein co-star). Since 1996 Emma has been living with Greg Wise, who played Willoughby in Sense and Sensibility. Following a year's sabbatical in 1996, Emma performed alongside her mother, Phyllida Law, in Alan Rickman's The Winter Guest which she then followed in 1998 with her portrayal of Susan Stanton in Primary Colours with John Travolta. Her next film due to be released shortly is Judas Kiss with Alan Rickman. On 4th December 1999 Greg and Emma became parents when Emma gave birth to daughter Gaia Romilly, a healthy 7lb baby born in a private hospital in St. John's Wood, London, who has inherited her father's dark hair. The baby's arrival was extremely welcome to Emma who had a miscarriage back in 1997. She took the decision to put her career on hold for a while in order to be "in the right state to conceive". In 2000 Emma played Druscilla in the comedy film Maybe Baby with Hugh Laurie, Joely Richardson and Joanna Lumley. This was followed in 2001 with the TV drama Wit in which she played Vivian Bearing alongside Christopher Lloyd and Eileen Atkins; and Amnesty International's TV movie We Know Where You Live. In the same year she started filming the comedy romance Love Actually with Hugh Grant and Imagining Argentina with Antonio Banderas (both due 2003). She also suppied the voice for Captain Amelia in the animated movie Treasure Planet (2002). In July of 2003 Emma and Greg Wise got married.