Wikipedia

Sophie Thompson

Sophie Thompson(born 20 January 1962) is a British actress. She has worked in film, television and theatre and she won the 1999Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musicalfor the London revival ofInto the Woods.She has been nominated for theOlivier Awardfive other times forWildest Dreams(1994),Company(1996),Clybourne Park(2011)Guys and Dolls(2016) andPresent Laughter(2019).

Sophie Thompson
Thompson in 2014
Born(1962-01-20)20 January 1962(age 62)
Hampstead,London,England
Alma materBristol Old Vic Theatre School
OccupationActress
Years active1977–present
Spouse
​
​
(m.1995;sep.2015)​
Children2
Parents
RelativesEmma Thompson(sister)
Thompson's voice
recorded 2012, as part of anaudio description of the Golden Jubilee Bridges, London,forVocalEyes

Thompson's film appearances includeFour Weddings and a Funeral(1994),Persuasion(1995),Emma(1996),Dancing at Lughnasa(1998),Gosford Park(2001) andHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1(2010). Her television roles include playingStella Crawfordin theBBCsoap operaEastEnders(2006–2007) andRosemary Piperin theITVsoap operaCoronation Street(2018).

Life and work

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Early life, training and early career

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Thompson was born 20 January 1962 in London, and is the daughter of actressPhyllida Law,[1]and actorEric Thompson.She is the younger sister of actress and screenwriterEmma Thompson.[1]

She made her television debut at the age of 15, starring in the BBC adaptation of theAlison UttleyclassicA Traveller in Time,oppositeSimon Gipps-Kent,before going on to study at theBristol Old Vic Theatre School.[2]

In 1979, Thompson made her professional theatre debut at the age of 17 in the playThe SchoolmistressbyArthur Wing Pineroat theRoyal ExchangeinManchester.[3]

Film

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Big-screen roles includeFour Weddings and a Funeral,[2]Eat Pray Love,Emma,[2]Dancing at Lughnasa,Gosford Park,Fat Slags,[2]Relative ValuesandMorris: A Life with Bells On.In 2010, Thompson appeared inHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.[2]

Television

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Thompson starred alongside British comediansAlan Davies,inJonathan Creek,[4]andLee EvansinSo What Now?She also played Agatha oppositteJeremy Brettin the feature length episode ofThe Case-Book of Sherlock HolmestitledThe Master Blackmailer(1992). Other television appearances includePersuasion,[4]Midsomer Murders,A Harlot's Progress,and the TV movieMagnolia.[4]She played Miss Bartlett inAndrew Davies'2007 adaptationofE.M. Forster'sA Room with a View[4]and also appeared in the last episode of series 4 ofDoc Martin.[4]

Thompson played the role of child abuserStella Crawfordin theBBC Onesoap operaEastEnders.[2]She came into the show asPhil Mitchell's lawyer and they gradually developed a romantic link. Stella later became jealous of Phil's relationship with his sonBenand began to emotionally and physically abuse him, becoming one of soap's most-hated villains. Thompson leftEastEnderson 20 July 2007, after the exposure of Stella's evil ways on her wedding day led to the character's suicide. She won theInside SoapBest Bitch award for her portrayal of Stella. In 2009, Thompson appeared in the BBC One comedy seriesBig Top.[4]During 2012, Thompson appeared inLove LifeandLightfields,both of which were aired on ITV. In the same year she also appeared in aKeaton Henson's music video for "You Don't Know How Lucky You Are".[5]Her recent television credits includeDetectorists,Professor Branestawm,A Gert Lush Christmas,JerichoandCoronation Street(2018).[4]

Thompson was the winner ofCelebrity MasterChefin 2014, beatingJodie KiddandCharley Boormanin the final.[6] She played Jan in the episode "last Gasp" of BBC comedy Inside no. 9

Theatre

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She played Ophelia in the Renaissance Theatre Company production ofHamletin 1988 inBirmingham,later touring England with the production.[7]Directed by SirDerek Jacobi,it starred her future brother-in-lawKenneth Branaghas Hamlet,Richard Eastonas Claudius andDearbhla Molloyas Gertrude. A film documentary,Discovering Hamlet,[7]detailing the process of producing and rehearsing the play was released in 1990.[7]A DVD version was released in 2010.[7]

In 1996, Thompson appeared as Amy inSam Mendes' acclaimedDonmar Warehouserevival ofCompany,receiving anOlivier Awardnomination for her performance.[2]Her performance of the Baker's Wife in the Donmar's revival ofInto the Woodsgarnered her the 1999 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.[2]

She played Kathy/Bev inDominic Cooke's 2011 production ofClybourne Parkat The Royal Court, which transferred to The Wyndhams. Thompson received an Olivier nomination for Best Actress.[2]

Thompson's recent theatre credits include the role of Mrs Hardcastle inShe Stoops To Conquerat the National Theatre, directed by Jamie Lloyd, and also the part of Doctor Mathilde von Zahnd inJosie Rourke's production ofThe Physicistsat the Donmar.[2]

Writing

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In 2015, Thompson's recipe book,My Family Kitchen,[8]was published, and her first children's book,Zoo Boy,was published in 2016.[8]

Personal life

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In 1995, Thompson married actorRichard Lumsden;the couple separated in 2015. They have two sons: Ernie James Lumsden born in 1997, and Walter Ernest Thompson, born in 2000.[4]

Thompson has been an active charity ambassador over the years for Dan's Fund For Burns. She also ran the 2010 Marathon for CINI, a charity supporting vulnerable families in India, and 24th Tottenham, a London-based group for children and young adults with special needs.[9]She is also a patron of the charity Firefly International.[10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1982 The Missionary Mission Girl
1991 Twenty-One Francesca
1994 Four Weddings and a Funeral Lydia, the Bride – Wedding Two
1995 Persuasion Mary Musgrove
1996 Emma Miss Bates
1998 Dancing at Lughnasa Rose Mundy
2000 Relative Values Dora Moxton
2001 Gosford Park Dorothy
2002 Nicholas Nickleby Miss Lacreevy
2004 Fat Slags Tracey
2009 Morris: A Life with Bells On Glenda
2010 Eat Pray Love Corella
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Mafalda Hopkirk
2011 Monte Carlo Auction Bidder 2
2014 That Day We Sang Dorothy
Mohammed Emily Short film
2015 Viking Cathy Short film
2019 A Disappearance Dame Alvera Short film
Tales from the Lodge Emma
Present Laughter Monica Reed

Television

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Theatre

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References

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  1. ^ab"Sophie Thompson".filmreference.com.6 April 2012.
  2. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrs"Sophie Thompson".nationaltheatre.org.uk.4 July 2015. Archived fromthe originalon 7 October 2015.
  3. ^"Sophie Thompson:" I've cunningly managed to keep a low profile "".The Stage.Retrieved2 May2023.
  4. ^abcdefgh"Sophie Thompson".listal.com.Retrieved12 November2022.
  5. ^"Keaton Henson – You Don't Know How Lucky You Are"(Video).YouTube.15 June 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 21 December 2021.Retrieved2 May2019.
  6. ^"Celebrity MasterChef final 2014: Sophie Thompson wins final with her 'original' dishes".wn.com.Retrieved19 July2014.
  7. ^abcd"Discovering Hamlet".bufvc.ac.uk.Retrieved12 June2015.
  8. ^ab"Books by Sophie Thompson".goodreads.com.Retrieved21 November2016.
  9. ^"When Sophie met Karl the cage fighter".BBC.14 April 2010.
  10. ^"About Us".
  11. ^"TV – What to watch on TV tonight, latest news and clips – MSN UK".tv.uk.msn.com.Archived fromthe originalon 11 April 2013.
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