Parkinson – “ ... But first up an actress who’s won two academy awards. One for “Howards End” and one for the screenplay for “sense and Sensibility” but even that rare achievement is only part of the story. Her latest film is “Love Actually” written and directed by Richard Curtis. She plays a woman struggling to play the part of loving wife to an unfaithful husband.

*Cuts to clip of Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman in “Love Actually” *cuts back to Parky*

Ladies and Gentleman Emma Thompson!  

*Cut to Emma Thompson, traditional down the stairs entrance*

How very good to see you! It’s been a long, long time.

Emma- Yeah

Parkinson – Since I saw you!

Emma- We met but not in this situation

P-In this context

E-I did write to say that if there were stairs I was going to fall down them!

P- You did yeah! *Indistinct trademark Parky mumble* ... What’s been keeping you out of the circuit ? Having a baby I suppose?!

E – Yes, Yes well I thought um. I had the baby and thought I’d never work again!  In fact I’ll never get up again  ... and then *audience luagh* ... Very exhausting! And then  I thought I’d stay with her for as long as possible before, before I go back to work.

P- Yes yes

E- and then I ran out of money I had to get back to work which was great actually! I enjoyed it more because I stopped for a bit.

P- So she’s four now is she?

E- She’s nearly four in December?

P- and did you take her on location with you? No?

E- I did. She came on set with me. Infact I did a film where I played a cancer victim, so that was cheery and um she came on set and I was bald and everything and Sean Connery happened to wander in, as he does! Occassionally! And um he asked her out for unch! She was only eighteen months old and she had to refuse him! Though I’ve written it down in her diary! Your first date was Sean Connery. *does Sean Connery  impression* “would you like to come out to lunch Miss...” *does baby wail* “ Nooo! I’m not, I’ve got a headache!”

P – So what about this new film? It wouldn’t have taken much a decision to make to do, to do a Richard Curtis movie?

E- No, no. I believe you actually get struck off equity if you say no to Richard Curtis!

P- You do, do you?

E-Yes I think they just say  “I’m so sorry you can’t belong to the union anymore, you’re not allowed to be an actor anymore! If you say no!”

P- “Love Actually” ...

E- You see the man held up the British film industry for the last ten years.

P- He certainly has and he makes very comercial movies too and it’s extrordinary and quality movies!

E- Except the first one he made, in wich I was, which wasn’t commercial.

P- Which was that?

E- “The tall guy”

P- I remember that!

E- yes!

P- Jeff, Was that Jeff Goldblum?

E- yes

P-yes that’s right!

E- Sunk like a stone!

P- did it?

E mmm

P- Oh well we all have one failiure I supposse, mine was Meg Ryan

*Everyone laughs and applauds*

E- Bless you!

P – but listen let’s talk about serious things , now. I mean the thing about this film “Love Actually” is ten interweaving stories of of love and loss and romance and all that and you sit there and you know you’re being manipulated but you don’t mind. It’s lovely it makes you cry, it makes you laugh and it’s full of romance isn’t it?

E- I think Richard’s  very good at it cos he does tend to under cut it. You know. You have, you have something very, very as you say sort of twisting you a bit, you think ...

P- yes

E- “oh get off! Stop it! Stop it!” and then he tells you a joke which sort of just stops you at that prepitice of sentimentallity .

p- well Alan Rickman as your, as your husband in the film

E- as usual!

P – As usual! You’ve played husband and wife on many occassions but um but this scene it’s with Liam Nieson, Liam Nieson plays a guy who’s lost his wife.

E- yes

P- and is very sad and is getting over it and you’re his mate.

E- indeed

*cut to clip of emma and liam in the kitchen*

P- That’s what we’re talking about wasn’t it? Leads you down one path and then ...

E- exactly

P- “shag” and ...

E – Exactly

P – People think it’s funny. It’s lovely

E- grief, grief counselling, I’m your bird!

P- Alright now let’s get back on to your career. Do you. Did you like You’ve done with your child, did your mum take you on set with her. She’s an actress too Phillidia Law. Your dad was too Eric Thompson.

E- She was indeed! Um she did and it was very um I wasn’t really starstruck as a child but I was taken back stage where there were these strong smells of you know grease paint  litterally they were lighting a five to nine and everything. I remember very particular moments like being told by Kenneth Williams when I was about eight not, never to get drunk on champagne because that’s the worse hang over you can have, you know. I’m eight ! allright then! He’s right ofcourse you know but um and then, and then Nicky Kenthon. Do you know who i mean?

P- Yes I do. Nicky Kenthon

E – Just opening the door to us, the dressing room door and me just on a level with his crotch  and there was this, he was wearing a very tight G string thing and there was no um embarssment about that sort of thing. I allways found that very attractive,that’s why mum said she wanted to become an actor because she felt that you could ask even John Gillgood where the loo was you know which in those days was, it’s much more relaxed now.

P- but were you smitten? Did you at the time then know as a child as you were looking at gazing at Nicky Kenthons tight underwear that yuo wanted to be an actress?

E- No, no I didn’t want to be an actess at all I wanted to be a comedian

P – But you did stand up for a while didn’t you? One of the first  I mean real stand up comedians going into the clubs and things was it bad?

E – I just thought one day I thought I am actually going to die! If I do this anymore I’m going to die because the heart, the terror. You know, I stood on Nelson’s collumn and told jokes to a CND crowd about sixty thousand people about herpes, not alot of laughs I have to tell you and then went round on the tube for weeks afterwards you know thinking  “you were there weren’t you? And you hate me!” and then the trouble with stand up is if  the people hate you they hate you! If they hate you and if you’re in a part  you can say “Yeah it’s the role, it’s the play, it doesn’t matter!” If it’s stand up they hate you, you, you! Personally!  You know! So I just , I can’t take it!

P – What about, What about the time when you were married to Kenneth Brannagh? You became that, that couple that the press to loved to say were Viv and Larry.

E- I know and even less like Viv and Larry could not be imagined, virtually, I mean Let’s face it!

P- In what sense?

E – We were just so not them it  made us feel ridiculouse, I think.

P – What was your feeling about that? That kind of media interest that you created at that time.I mean you said it upset you. Did it make the marriage difficult? Did it make the relationship ...

E – I don’t think it helped.

P – No

E – I don’t think that kind of  spot light helps any relationship to be honest.

P – No

E – and then when you go through the real helly bit and you have to do it with people, you know with cameras trained on you.

P – yes

E – It’s very hard. I mean I think that’s why thats one of the reasons why I don’t do much here in my own country because I live  such a normal quiet life on  the same street I was, grew up. I mean I’ve lived in the same street for fortyfour years you know. My mother lives opposite. I walked out this evening she looked at me  and said “My god how long did that take you?” and then my five year old nephew came out screamed and ran back in to the house then came back out and said  are you dressed up for halloween? “thanks” I said “No”

P – Then again it didn’t stop ofcourse when you got maried to Greg, Greg Wise, well ...

E – Yes

P – First of all you were with him for eight years. After eight years he proposed to you.

E – Yes. That was romantic actually

P – That was romantic isn’t it? Did he get down on one knee?

E – Both knees!

P- Both knees?

E – Both knees for steadiness!

P – Yes?

E – Because he was on a bridge in Venice at the time. So that was very romantic except he then he opened  the box with the ring in, that ring and instead of saying “Will you marry me?” he said  “ Don’t drop the ring in the river”

*audience laugh*

So I just said “Oh all right then”  and the whole thing was sort of understood and nothing more was said and we went and had a coffee and an ice cream.

P – What about the buisness of your career I mean  because there was a time there is a time when you have the old hollywood offers and you’ve got the oscar, the two films opposite Anthony Hopkins. Which, which I suppose gave you this image of a repressed woman. Which is unlikely  I know which , which the Americans loved that. Didn’t they?

E – Yeah they did?

P – The sort of aristocrat repressed, simmering fire burning just beneath the surface. Hey? They bought that one  didn’t they?

E – I think so yes. I think they assumed I was somehow related to the royal family in some mysterious way! Or I might have regular meetings witht the Queen or ... There was  just this very strange  attitude, it was lovely! They were very nice to visit but I think that if I went there I would become deeply neurotic within the space of about ten minuits because the body image thing. I mean you know with my diet , my cakes, biscuits and cream cheese sandwiches  diet wouldn’t go down well let’s face it!

P – What was the story about you and  “Baisic Instinct”? Were you offered that part, the Sharon Stone part?

E – No

P – You were not?

E – I wasn’t

P – But there was a story about it wasn’t there?

E – Well I did go and see Paul Hogan

P – You did?

E – A strange cove if ever I met one!

P – Really?

E – Yes he said *puts on accent* “Well you sort of fall between the two stools!” and I tought “Well there are worse places to be I suppose”  but I think what he meant was I was niether Sharon or what’s the other one? I can’t remember anyway but she , they had equally good bodies is the point.you know had he put me in any of those costumes I would have looked like a sort of ruit stall in tights!

P – When you saw the film were you delighted that you didn’t  fit?

E – I was quite relieved!

P – Were you?

E – Yes

*flashes a bit of leg and the audience laugh *

Thighs! Couldn’t have done the gusset thing! Don’t go down that road!

P -  *mumbles* But you couldn’t have imagined doing that.

E – I don’t think I could. I couldn’t!  Look Sharon Stone looks as though she’s been laminated! Not an inch of her body moved durring those wild sort of sex scenes and the thing about those sex scenes as well is that everyones allways so serious about it you know and there’s no sense of comfort or happiness or joy it’s all kind of

*Pulls a serious face and grunts*

And it’s really not very enjoyableto watch!  And you can’t imagine it’s very enjoyable to do, to do. Where as I have done sex scenes, I have! I was taken by, from behind by Jeremu Northam.

P – Ooh!

E – Who’s a jolly, sweet, young man and um and that was very good fun because we had a laugh you know! So did the crew! Let me tell you! Most of whom were sort of at genetallia level  you know, moving things because we were suppossed to be love making on board a ship. So everything had to move, cupboard doors had to move and there and all these members of crew sort of down here going

*gets on her knees and mimes  opening and closing doors *

You know, just about where you know the buisness was occurring! It was jolly good fun anyway!

P – Which film was this? I must go and see it!

E – Carrington

P – Oh Carrington! Oh yes?  Yes indeed yes!

E – Shagged alot of men!

P – You must, You must keep a snse of humour doing a job like that ? Mustn’t you?

E – oh yes you must, You must!

P – but ofcourse the oscars, let’s talk about that because I mean very few actresses have done or people who’ve worked in movies have done what you’ve done which is to get an academy award as an actress and as a screenwriter too.

E – Yes I think I’m the only one actually

P – Yes you are the only one are you?  Clever girl!

*Emma mumbles*

Is it fun? It’s great being  a winner in America isn’t it? So going to the oscars as a winner must be wonderful!

E – Oh it was! It was. It was. It was really special because when I first went I was thirtytwo  or whatever and my, I went with my mum and I’d never been in that kind of situation where you know my mums wearind a long dress, a train  you know, and everyone who trod on it was famous. You know  so she’d  be walking along and suddenly “ugh!” and she’d turn round and there would be Clint Eastwood, you know and then the next person would be ... I can remember it was Al Pacino, Clint Eastwood, Richard Gere who tapped me on the shoulder  and said “Is that your mother? My god she’s so beautiful!” Creep! Anyway um and it was so like being, you were standing there and all these people who I’ve like grown up watching were there. Were there infront of me and, and clint Eastwood infact won the same year and we went to the post thingy bash you know I was sitting there clutching it you know and he came and sat down  and put his oscar next to mine  and said “Well we did it!

P – Oh we!

E – We! We! Me and Clint! I just couldn’t  credit it  really. My mum and I were you know every, every moment like that is unforgetable  because of those things and actually thats the best thing  about it is you get to meet these extrodinary people.

P – And obviously doing “Harry Potter”

E – Yes

P – You’ve actually done that?

E – I’ve done that Yes, I was  I’m playing Trewlawney, the professor of divination.

P – I see

E – And infact  as I discovered to my horror half way through I’m chanelling Alister Sim in ST Trinians. I thought god! He’s coming through! He’s coming through my body! It was extrodinary! I love Alister Sim! He was my great hero!

P - * at the same time* Me too! He was wonderful

E – So one of my great, great heros. I would have given my eyeteeth to work with him.

P – It’s a very strange job you do really isn’t it really?

E – Very odd!

P- *mumbles somthing about Jeremy Northam*  ... Alister Sim it’s, it’s odd.

E – and and then here with Rod (stewart) and Luciano ( Pavarotti)  and Micheal (Palin)  I’m like ... I’ve been wandering round the corridors  hoping to sort of bump into them you know, hello. How are you?

P – Well they’ll  all come down and sit next to you

E – Yes I know! I know that  but that’s, that’s  infront of these people!

P – I know we’ll arange a private  audition later on!

E – I can’t suggest dates or anything!

P – The film itself is wonderful

E – Thank you

P – I mean “Love Actually”. It’s going to clean up over christmas time I reackon. I mean it’s funny and it’s er it’s got alot of sort of charm about it and it’ll do really, really well and so nice to see you. I enjoyed talking to you. Emma Thompson!