Emma Thompson was an actor.
Emma Thompson ( born 15 April 1959 ) is a British actress , activist , author , comedienne and screenwriter . 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 . In 1992 , Thompson won an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress for the period drama Howards End . In 2013 , she received acclaim and several award nominations for her portrayal of P. L. Travers in Saving Mr. Banks .