Dame Emma Thompson is known as one of the greatest actors in British history. She has appeared in a variety of incredible films and TV shows, taking home a long list of accolades spanning her career. She is the winner of two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, three BAFTAs, and an Emmy. Very impressive.
From her work on TV in the late 1980s to her collaborations with Kenneth Branagh in the 1990s and her many Hollywood roles later in life, we’ve consulted IMDb to compare her five best roles to her five worst roles. Prepare for great comedies to clash with intense dramatic roles.
BEST: Love Actually (7.6)
Alongside just about every well-loved British actor, Emma Thompson appeared in the 2003 Christmas rom-com Love Actually. She plays Karen, the partner of Harry (Alan Rickman) in what is considered one of the film’s main stories.
Her story is one of the darker ones told in the film, as it ends with her finding out about Harry’s affair, which ruins their relationship and ‘makes a mockery’ of her.
WORST: The Love Punch (5.8)
Starring alongside Pierce Brosnan, this 2013 wasn’t the finest hour for either of the well-loved actors. The comedy, directed by Joel Hopkins, wasn’t considered to be terrible, but it also wasn’t a game-changer.
Critics agreed that it was a ridiculous, but uplifting film, but it hasn’t exactly stayed relevant.
BEST: The Remains Of The Day (7.8)
One of Thompson’s most serious roles came from her starring position opposite Anthony Hopkins in The Remains Of The Day. Typically, you’d associate a romantic story starring Emma Thompson to comedy in some way, but this drama avoided pretty much all comedy moments, and instead focused on a complex rekindled relationship.
It doesn’t exactly sound thrilling, but the film won a multitude of awards and is considered to be one of the best British films of all time.
WORST: Maybe Baby (5.7)
Another of the many, many comedies of the early 2000s, that saw Emma Thompson appear in a relatively minor role was Maybe Baby.
Despite being directed by Ben Elton and Huge Laurie, the film failed to make an impact at all and received very bad reviews despite its excellent cast.
BEST: Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (7.9)
The first Harry Potter film to introduce us to Hogwarts's Professor Trelawney was The Prisoner Of Azkaban. Thompson is almost unrecognizable draped in shawls and a long wig while putting on a hilariously dreamy voice.
Her character might be a phony as far as her teaching ability goes, but she is actually incredibly important in the world of Harry Potter. It was her that gave two very real prophecies that allowed the world to prepare for the rise and fall of Lord Voldemort.
WORST: Men In Black: International (5.7)
The fourth entry into the Men In Black franchise ditched the film’s major selling point: Will Smith. However, Emma Thompson did return to reprise her role from the third film and was just about the only part of this film that was well-received.
Despite a big budget and an impressive cast, the film as a whole was considered a huge disappointment.
BEST: In The Name Of The Father (8.1)
You might not have heard of it, but In The Name Of The Father was a huge hit when it was released back in 1993. It saw Emma Thompson star opposite Daniel Day-Lewis in a film about the Guildford Pub Bombings (a 1974 IRA terrorist attack in Guildford, UK).
Her role was praised across the board and led to her being nominated for the Best Actress In A Supporting Role at the Academy Awards.
WORST: Dolittle (5.6)
For some reason, it was decided that the brilliant legacy of Doctor Dolittle wasn’t enough and that the series needed a reboot. With Stephen Gaghan at the helm, Robert Downey Jr. took on the titular role, with a huge cast of famous (but often not exactly... good) supporting actors.
Emma Thompson voiced a macaw called Polynesia, an advisor to Dolittle.
BEST: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (8.1)
The final Harry Potter film is considered to be the franchise’s strong point. The film is effectively a two-hour-long action sequence in which Harry and pretty much everyone else in the cast fights against Voldemort and his forces.
We don’t see much from Sibyl Trelawney (in fact, she doesn’t speak in the film), but she is certainly present. It’s actually quite impressive that they were able to get such a successful actress to return to the series for such a tiny role.
WORST: How To Build A Girl (5.3)
One of Emma Thompson’s most recent roles is a very small cameo in Coky Giedroyc’s comedy, How To Build A Girl.
The film was created with a very small budget and achieved similarly small returns at the box office, but its critical reception was rather mixed. It isn’t considered to be a well-made film, but its purpose has been occasionally praised.