Emma Thompsonhas enjoyed a long, successful career and is often rightfully hailed as one of the best actors of our time. Beyond acting, Thompson has also proven to be a talented screenwriter and remains the only person to win Academy Awards for both acting and writing, a testament to her skill at both, as well as her contributions to film.
Thompson’s best roles in her decades-long career include everything from an eccentric professor in theHarry Potterfranchise to a number of characters in period dramas, including a total of six collaborations withKenneth Branagh,who she also marriedthen later divorced. Her work in acclaimed period pieces in particular has earned her multiple Oscar nominations and wins, and her body of work, especially her best films, showcase not just her talent for acting but her skill at balancing humor and drama.
10’Nanny McPhee' (2005)
Directed by Kirk Jones
Thompson plays the titular nanny inNanny McPhee, who uses magic to reign in the seven children in her care—after they had already driven dozens of previous nannies to quit—in 1860s Victorian England. The children meet their match with the mischievous Nanny McPhee, who inevitably has a profound impact on the family and helps keep them together when their great-aunt threatens to separate them. Thompson also wrote the screenplay for the film.
Thompson is just barely recognizable in the role of Nanny McPhee, with heavy makeup and prosthetics disguising her appearance—like Mary Poppins with a twist.It’s one of Thompson’s most well-known films, and she plays the character with the perfect balance of seriousness and cunning charm, as she teaches the children five lessons which go beyond just behaving at home. She revisited the role in the 2010 sequel Nanny McPhee Returns.
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9’Brave' (2012)
Directed by Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews
Animated Pixar filmBrave, set in the Scottish Highlands, follows the feisty, headstrong archer princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald) who, like any teenager, butts heads with her parents, King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Despite being expected to marry, Merida decides to forge her own path in life, and after being granted one wish, she accidentally turns her mother into a bear and is forced to find a way to change her back.
Braveis an underrated gem from Pixar—it’s a twist on Disney’s familiar princess stories about misunderstandings andthe relationship between mother and daughterthat’s heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure. It’s a great example of theheart, tight writing and touch of humorPixar has become known for. Thompson is great as the voice of the regal Elinor, infusing her with sincerity and strength, perfect for the character of a well-intentioned but difficult mother.
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8’Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' (2004)
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
The belovedHarry Potterseries follows the titular boy wizard as he fights to take down the evil Voldemort, responsible for killing his parents, while balancing life at the wizarding school Hogwarts. Thompson plays Hogwarts’ eccentric Divination teacher, Professor Sybill Trelawney, who does have some ability to predict the future but is often wrong and therefore dismissed as a fraud. Thompson has appeared in three of the franchise’s eight films, including its final installment,Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Thompson first appeared in the series in the third film,Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and is just one of many iconic British actors to appear in the franchise. The only downside to her role as Trelawney isaudiences didn’t see enoughof Thompson’s wonderful take on the character. Thompson was the perfect choice to bring Trelawney from page to screen, as she perfectly captured her odd personality, from her sense of style to her demeanor.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study, where they delve into the mystery surrounding an escaped prisoner, Sirius Black, who poses a dangerous threat to the young wizard.
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7’In the Name of the Father' (1993)
Directed by Jim Sheridan
In the Name of the Fathertells the story of petty thief Gerry Conlon (Daniel Day-Lewis) who was arrested as the prime suspect in an IRA bombing of a pub in Belfast in the 1970s. Gerry would then spend the next 15 years working to prove his innocence and clear his name. Thompson plays the lawyer working to help Gerry.The film is based on a true story, as well as Conlon’s autobiography.
In the Name of the Fatheris often overlooked in Thompson’s filmography, but it’s among her best.She delivers a memorable performance as lawyer Gareth Peirce—some of her best moments are Gareth’s impassioned moments in court presenting evidence to prove Gerry’s innocence. Lewis also impresses as the wrongfully imprisoned Gerry, and the film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including one for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Thompson.
6’The Remains of the Day' (1993)
Directed by James Ivory
Set in the 1930s in England,The Remains of the Dayfollows an English butler, James Stevens (Anthony Hopkins), who works for Lord Darlington (James Fox). James remains fiercely loyal to his employer, even as doing so comes at a cost to his personal life, but James begins to reconsider when he learns of the lord’s association with Nazis. The film is based on the novel of the same name.
The Remains of the Dayis a moving look at morality and how it affects one’s personal choices, but the film is also a love story. Thompson plays Miss Kenton, a housekeeper hired by James, and the two clearly have chemistry.Hopkins and Thompson both deliver memorable performances—Thompson in particular is both charming and bold as needed. The film also featuresa great appearance fromChristopher Reeveas an American millionaire who has recently purchased the estate.
The Remains of the Day
A butler who sacrificed body and soul to service in the years leading up to World War II realizes too late how misguided his loyalty was to his lordly employer.
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5’Saving Mr. Banks' (2013)
Directed by John Lee Hancock
InSaving Mr. Banks, a biopic about Mary Poppins creator P.L. Travers, Thompson plays Travers herself as she resistsWalt Disney’s (Tom Hanks) attempts to buy the movie rights from her. The film follows Travers’ life as a child in the Australian outback through to her time in Los Angeles as Disney tries to win her over. The film also featured a star-studded supporting cast, includingColin Farrell,B.J. Novak, Paul Giamatti,Jason Schwartzman,Bradley WhitfordandRuth Wilson.
It’s fitting that Thompson played Nanny McPhee, a character similar to Mary Poppins, and then went on to play the creator of Mary Poppins herself,a role she embodies perfectly.She and Hanks play wonderfully off of each other, especially in Travers’ more curmudgeonly moments as she butts heads with just about everyone. Thompson’s acting skills are on full display here, and she earned multiple awards for her work as Travers.
Saving Mr. Banks
A compelling drama that explores the challenging process of bringing “Mary Poppins” to the silver screen. The story centers on the tense negotiations between Walt Disney and P.L. Travers, the author of the Mary Poppins series, who is initially resistant to Disney’s adaptation. Through flashbacks, the film reveals Travers' childhood and the inspiration behind her beloved character, shedding light on her protectiveness over her work
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4’Howards End' (1992)
Howards End, set on a British estate of the same name, follows the Schlegel sisters, as Helen (Helena Bonham Carter) falls for and is rejected by Paul Wilcox and her older sister, Margaret, befriends his mother, Ruth (Vanessa Redgrave). Ruth leaves the estate to Margaret in her will, who then marries her husband and Paul’s father, Henry (Anthony Hopkins). The film is based on the novel of the same name byE.M. Forster.
Howards Endis a moving film and faithful adaptation of its source material which explores class relations in turn-of-the-century England through the two sisters and their intertwined families, each in very different financial situations. Each member of the star-studded cast impresses. The film has been acclaimed since its release and wasnominated for nine Academy Awards, winning three, including one for Thompson, making it her first win. The film is still relevant today thanks to its themes.
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3’Much Ado About Nothing' (1993)
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
In Shakespearean adaptationMuch Ado About Nothing, young couple Hero (Kate Beckinsale) and Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) scheme in the week before their own wedding to play matchmakers to the quick-witted Beatrice (Thompson) and Benedick (Kenneth Branagh)—complicated by their hatred for each other. Meanwhile, Don John (Keanu Reeves) has a plot of his own to ruin the wedding. In addition to starring as Benedick, Branagh both adapted the original play for the screen and directed.
Much Ado About Nothingis one of Shakespeare’s famed comedies, and Branagh’s film adaptation is a great one.Thompson’s skill at both comedy and drama made her the perfect choice to play the clever Beatrice, and she and Branagh play wonderfully off each other as enemies-to-lovers couple Beatrice and Benedick.The rest of the cast is equally enjoyable to watchin their respective roles, from young lovers Hero and Claudio to Michael Keaton as the constable, Dogberry.
Much Ado about Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing is a William Shakespeare play that follows two pairs of lovers, Claudio and Hero, and Beatrice and Benedick, as they navigate romance and deception. It has been translated to the big screen numerous times, including Kenneth Branagh’s 1993 adaptation starring the director, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Robert Sean Leonard, and Kate Beckinsale, as well as Joss Whedon’s 2013 version, which includes appearances by Nathan Fillion and Clark Gregg.
2’Love Actually' (2003)
Directed by Richard Curtis
Love Actuallyexplores the complexities of love, from its excitement and beauty to heartache,through eight different couples, all connected to each other in some way, set during the month before Christmas in London. The star-studded cast includesHugh Grantplaying a politician, Thompson as his sister andAlan Rickmanas her husband suspected of having an affair, among many others. The movie was written and directed byRichard Curtis.
Love Actuallyhas become a modern holiday classicandstill holds up 20 years after its release, despite some of the polarizing responses to it. Thompson’s character and her story is among the most memorable—and heartbreaking—in the film. Her performance is among its best, along with Grant and Rickman, plus a memorable role fromAndrew Lincolnbefore he would become known as Rick onThe Walking Dead.
Love Actually
Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England
1’Sense and Sensibility' (1995)
Directed by Ang Lee
The Dashwood’s family struggles financially after the death of their father, leading very different sisters Elinor (Thompson) and Marianne (Kate Winslet) to move to a cottage in Devonshire inSense and Sensibility. Marianne becomes torn between two men—John Willoughby (Greg Wise) and Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman)—while Elinor is interested in Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant). The film is based on the classic Jane Austen novel of the same name and was directed byAng Lee.
Of all the literary adaptations Thompson has starred in,Sense and Sensibilityremains one of the best, as well as one of the best and most beloved of the many film adaptations of Austen’s work. The film is alsoan early but fantastic work for Winslet. But Thompson’s performance isn’t her only contribution to the film—she also wrote its screenplay, which went on to win an Oscarthanks to its more modern approach to Austen’s classic romance.
Sense and Sensibility
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