Acclaimed actress Phyllida Law, the mother of Hollywood stars Emma Thompson and Sophie Thompson, has died at the age of 94 after a remarkable career that stretched across eight decades.
Law died “supremely peacefully at home, surrounded by all of her family,” her longtime personal manager Jacky Leggo confirmed Tuesday.
The Scottish actress became a familiar face on stage, television and the big screen, building a formidable career of her own while also frequently appearing alongside her famous daughters.
Born in Glasgow in 1932, Law originally had no plans to become an actress. She enrolled at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School hoping to work as a stage designer, only to discover a passion for performing instead — a career turn she later described as a “happy mistake.”
It was also at the Bristol Old Vic that Law met actor Eric Thompson, who would become her husband. The pair married in 1957 and welcomed daughters Emma and Sophie, both of whom eventually followed their parents into acting. Thompson died in 1982 at just 53 after suffering a heart attack.
Law began appearing on television in the late 1950s and rose to greater prominence during the 1960s, earning credits on British shows including Dr Finlay’s Casebook and Dixon of Dock Green.
Her theater career was equally prolific.
Among her notable stage performances was a role opposite legendary actor Alec Guinness in the 1971 production of John Mortimer’s A Voyage Round My Father. She also appeared in a wide range of Shakespeare, Arthur Miller and Alan Bennett productions over the course of her career.
By the 1980s and 1990s, Law was increasingly appearing on the big screen.
She starred alongside Emma Thompson in Kenneth Branagh’s 1992 ensemble comedy Peter’s Friends and reunited with her daughter for Branagh’s 1993 adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing.
Law later appeared in the 1996 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma alongside her younger daughter Sophie Thompson and Gwyneth Paltrow.
One of Law’s most memorable family collaborations came in 1997’s The Winter Guest, directed by Alan Rickman. Law played the mother of Emma Thompson’s character in the critically acclaimed drama.
She and Emma also appeared together in the hit 2005 family movie Nanny McPhee.
Other notable film credits included The Time Machine, Miss Potter and Albert Nobbs.
Law remained a regular presence on British television throughout the later years of her career, appearing in programs including Waking the Dead, Rosemary & Thyme, Doc Martin, Foyle’s War, Kingdom and New Tricks. Her final television appearance came in a 2013 episode of New Tricks.
Her final movie role arrived in the 2020 romantic comedy Then Came You, starring Craig Ferguson.
Away from acting, Law was also an author. Her books included Notes to My Mother-in-Law and How Many Camels Are There in Holland?: Dementia, Ma and Me, which drew on her personal experiences caring for her mother as she lived with dementia.
Her contributions to the arts were officially recognized in 2014 when she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, for services to drama and charity. A year earlier, she received honorary academic recognition from Glasgow Caledonian University and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
News of Law’s death quickly prompted emotional tributes.
Emma Thompson’s daughter and Law’s granddaughter, actress Gaia Wise, paid tribute on Instagram, writing, “Rest well my Queen,” alongside a red heart.
Fans also remembered Law for the warmth and humor she brought to a career that lasted generations, with many pointing to both her extensive acting résumé and her famous collaborations with her daughters.
Although Law was often introduced as Emma Thompson’s mother, she carved out a distinguished acting legacy entirely her own — moving effortlessly between theater, television and film for more than 60 years.
She is survived by daughters Emma and Sophie Thompson and four grandchildren.