Since making her professional career debut in the late 1950s, Phyllida Law has continued to thrill her fans with impressive screen performances. The British actress who is known for her numerous roles in film and television has starred in several critically acclaimed movies and TV series like Much Ado About Nothing (1993), The Winter Guest (1997), and The Time Machine (2002). At the age of 92, Phyllida resides in West Hampstead, London, and her last screen appearance was in 2020.
Did You Know These Facts About Phyllida Law?
1. She was Born in Glasgow, Scotland
Phyllida Law was born on July 6, 1932, and she is 92 years old at the moment. Her father, William Law was a newspaper journalist with the Glasgow Herald. He also joined the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, leading to his eventual separation and divorce from his wife, Meg “Mego”.
Following her parent’s separation and divorce, Phyllida grew up with her mom who worked in a dress shop in Glasgow during the War. She also had an older brother named James.
Regarding her education, Phyllida attended Glasgow Girls High before transferring to another school in Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire because of the War. When she turned 13, she enrolled at the Badminton School in Bristol where she became a boarder. After high school, she enrolled at the university to study French and Literature. However, she felt that was not what she wanted along the line and decided to drop out.
Afterward, she auditioned for the Bristol Old Vic School to be trained as a stage designer. However, she ended up discovering that she was meant to act.
2. Phyllida Law Made Her Professional Career Debut in 1958
Law made her debut in 1958 and she has extensively worked in both film and television ever since. She is mostly known for her appearance in works like Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Wonderful You (1999) and Time Machine (2002).
3. The Actress was Married to Eric Thompson for 25 Years
Phyllida was married to Eric Thompson from 1957 to 1982. The pair first met at the Old Vic in 1957 and tied the knot the same year. According to Law, her husband was the biggest influence in her life. Their union was later blessed with 2 kids; Dame Emma Thompson and Sophie Thompson.
Eric was an English actor, scriptwriter, and stage director best remembered for creating and performing the English narration for The Magic Roundabout (1965 to 1977).
He first had a heart attack in 1967 and it was attributed to overwork and heavy smoking. After the incident, Eric decided to change his focus to directing in order to reduce his workload. However, another heart attack struck Eric on November 30, 1982, and this led to his passing. According to Law, she has lived a life of chaste independence since after her husband died.
4. Her Kids are also Famous Entertainers
As earlier stated, Phyllida and Eric birthed 2 kids together. Their first child is Dame Emma Thompson, was born on 15 April 1959. Emma is also an award-winning British actress and screenwriter known for her works in Fortunes of War (1987), Merchant Ivory (1936-2005), and Howards End (1992).
Sophie Thompson was born on January 20, 1962, as the second child of Law and Eric. She is also a multiple award-winning British actress who made her television debut at the age of 15. She has starred in several works and is famously known for Dancing at Lughnasa (1998), Gosford Park (2001), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010).
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5. Law is also an Author
Phyllida Law is also an author in her own right. She published her first book in November 2009 titled Notes to My Mother-In-Law. In 2014, she published another book titled Three Mothers (and a Carmel). In the book, Law recounts the difficulties of caring for her mother who suffered from Dementia for some years before her passing in 1994.
6. She has Received Several Honors as a Result of Her Performances
Law was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2013. She was also conferred an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Furthermor++++++e, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2014 Birthday Honors by Queen Elizabeth II.
7. Her Last Screen Appearance Was In 2020
Throughout her acting career of over 6 decades, Law has remained consistent, featuring in several film and TV shows/series. However, her last screen appearance was in the movie Then Came You (2020) where she portrayed the character of Arlene Awd. Law has not officially retired from acting but her screen presence has significantly dropped.
According to reports, she lives in West Hampstead, London, on the same street as her first daughter, Emma Thompson. Also, she seems to be dedicating the latter part of her life to charity.
