Claim: Emma Thompson is an actress who had her first film role in romantic comedy.

Emma Thompson -LRB- born 15 April 1959 -RRB- is a British actress , activist , author , comedienne and screenwriter . Born in London to English actor Eric Thompson and Scottish actress Phyllida Law , Thompson was educated at Newnham College , University of Cambridge , where she became a member of the Footlights troupe . After appearing in several comedy programmes , she first came to prominence in 1987 in two BBC TV series , Tutti Frutti and Fortunes of War , winning the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for her work in both series . Her first film role was in the 1989 romantic comedy The Tall Guy , and in the early 1990s she frequently collaborated with her then husband , actor and director Kenneth Branagh . The pair became popular in the British media and co-starred in several films , including Dead Again -LRB- 1991 -RRB- and Much Ado About Nothing -LRB- 1993 -RRB- .   In 1992 , Thompson won an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress for the period drama Howards End . In 1993 , she garnered dual Academy Award nominations for her roles in The Remains of the Day as the housekeeper of a grand household and In the Name of the Father as a lawyer . Thompson scripted and starred in Sense and Sensibility -LRB- 1995 -RRB- , which earned her -LRB- among other awards -RRB- an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay , and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress . Other notable film and television credits include : the Harry Potter film series , Wit -LRB- 2001 -RRB- , Love Actually -LRB- 2003 -RRB- , Angels in America -LRB- 2003 -RRB- , Nanny McPhee -LRB- 2005 -RRB- , Stranger than Fiction -LRB- 2006 -RRB- , Last Chance Harvey -LRB- 2008 -RRB- , Men in Black 3 -LRB- 2012 -RRB- , Brave -LRB- 2012 -RRB- and Beauty and the Beast -LRB- 2017 -RRB- . In 2013 , she received acclaim and several award nominations for her portrayal of P. L. Travers in Saving Mr. Banks .   Thompson is married to actor Greg Wise , with whom she lives in London . They have one daughter and an adopted son . She is an activist in the areas of human rights and environmentalism and has received criticism for her outspokenness . She has written two books adapted from The Tale of Peter Rabbit .