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Table of
Contents
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Message Board!
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Chat!
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Emma Thompson
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Biography
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Theater
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Television
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Films
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Audio Recordings
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Books
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Future Projects
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Awards
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On-Line
Information
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Addresses
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Other Activities
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Videos & Merchandise
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Fun Facts
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Media Watch
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Thanks
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Comments

The Divine
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BIOGRAPHY

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What is the biography of Emma Thompson?
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BIRTH
1. April 15, 1959 at St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington, England (a small central district in London).
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FAMILY
"I was brought up by very witty people who were dealing with quite difficult things - disease and death....I was brought up be people who tended to giggle at funerals." (Vanity Fair 2/96)

1. father: Eric Norman Thompson; actor/director
1.1 b. c1929; d. 1982
1.1 creator of the UK's 'The Magic Roundabout'
2. mother: Phyllida Ann Law; actress
2.1 b. ?
2.2 has appeared in 6 of Ms. Thompson's projects, including:
"Thompson" (1988)-various roles/sketch comedy
Peter's Friends (1992)-Vera
Much Ado About Nothing (1993)-Ursula
Blue Boy, The (1994)-Marie's Mother
Junior (1994)-doctor
Winter Guest (1997)

3. siblings: Sophie; actress
3.1 b. c1962
3.2 worked together on "Thompson"

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ROMANCE
1. Hugh Laurie; dated
1.1 dated for a time during their first year at Cambridge (see EDUCATION)
2. Kenneth Branagh; divorced
2.1 met 1986 (on set of "Fortunes of War"); married August 20, 1989 (photo); separation announced September 30, 1995
2.2 The couple have appeared in 12 projects together, including:
Fortunes of War
"Thompson"
Look Back in Anger (play)
Look Back in Anger (film)
King Lear
King Lear (audio recording) Midsummer Night's Dream
Henry V (photo)
Dead Again (photo)
Peter's Friends
Much Ado About Nothing (photo)
Hamlet (audio recording)

3. Greg Wise; dating
3.1 began dating during the filming of "Sense and Sensibility" (photo)
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CHILDREN
1. Gaia Romilly Wise (photo)
1.1 b. 4 December 1999
1.2 Gaia was known as "Jane.com" for two weeks after her birth as her parents decided on a proper name.
1.3 Empire Online reported the following on baby Gaia's name: The name Gaia refers to the Goddess of the Earth. A spokesperson from London's Institute of Classical Studies explains the origin of the name: 'Gaia was a beautiful goddess in Greek mythology, but the child is not necessarily going to be a good one, as although she is the mother of the earth, she is the offspring of chaos. They may have trouble on their hands if she lives up to her reputation.' Proud dad Greg says, 'We spent ages looking through books of names and eventually settled on Gaia because of its environmental connotations. 'Romilly, on the other hand, was the name of our friend's child and we thought it was beautiful and wanted to follow suit.'
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EDUCATION
1. Camden School for Girls in North London
2. Newnham College at Cambridge University (grad. 1982)
2.1 studied English Literature
2.2 vice president (1981) of the Footlight Club, a mainly-male undergraduate club which puts on three comedy revues each year at a theatre in Cambridge (as well as other, less formal productions at different venues). Alumns include: Eric Idle, Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry.
2.3 co-founded, co-wrote, co-directed, and co-produced "The Woman's Hour" (first Cambridge all-female revue)
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VITAL STATS
eyes: blue
height: 5'7"
hair: light brown

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