What is the Net Worth of Emma Thompson?
Emma Thompson is an award-winning British actress and screenwriter who has starred in many popular films over the past few decades. She is considered one of the most acclaimed and respected actresses of her generation. In addition to her acting work, Thompson is also known for her screenwriting, having penned the scripts for films like Sense and Sensibility and Nanny McPhee.
With her long and varied career in the film industry, Emma Thompson has amassed an impressive net worth. But what exactly is Emma Thompson’s net worth? How did she build her wealth over the years? This article will take a closer look at Thompson’s career, earnings, assets, and other financial details to explore the question: what is Emma Thompson’s net worth?
Emma Thompson’s Acting Career
Emma Thompson began her acting career on the stage, appearing in various theater productions throughout the 1980s. Her breakout role came in 1987 when she starred in the BBC miniseries Fortunes of War, earning her a BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress.
Her career took off in the 1990s with starring roles in films like Howards End (1992), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress, The Remains of the Day (1993), In the Name of the Father (1993), Sense and Sensibility (1995), and Love Actually (2003). She showcased her comedic talents in Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Junior (1994), and Primary Colors (1998).
Thompson has continued to star in major films in the 2000s and 2010s, including the Harry Potter series, Nanny McPhee (2005), Stranger Than Fiction (2006), Last Chance Harvey (2008), Men in Black 3 (2012), Beauty and the Beast (2017), Late Night (2019), and Cruella (2021).
In addition to film, she has also appeared in television shows and miniseries like Wit (2001), Angels in America (2003), and Years and Years (2019).
Some of Emma Thompson’s most acclaimed films, along with her awards and nominations, include:
- Howards End (1992) – Academy Award for Best Actress
- The Remains of the Day (1993) – Academy Award nomination for Best Actress
- Sense and Sensibility (1995) – Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
- Love Actually (2003) – BAFTA Award nomination for Best Actress
- Nanny McPhee (2005) – Empire Award nomination for Best British Actress
- Stranger Than Fiction (2006) – Satellite Award nomination for Best Actress
- Last Chance Harvey (2008) – London Critics Circle Film Award for British Actress of the Year
- Saving Mr. Banks (2013) – BAFTA Award nomination for Best Actress
Emma Thompson’s Screenwriting Work
In addition to her acting, Emma Thompson is also an accomplished screenwriter. Her breakout screenplay was for the 1995 film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, which earned her an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
She followed up this success by writing the screenplays for Nanny McPhee (2005) and its 2010 sequel Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang. Both films starred Thompson in the title role.
Thompson also co-wrote the script for the 1999 television movie Wit, earning her nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing and Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor.
Through her screenwriting work on films like Sense and Sensibility and Nanny McPhee, Emma Thompson has demonstrated her talent for adapting literature for the big screen. This has added to her net worth alongside her revenues from acting.
Emma Thompson’s Career Earnings Highlights
As one of the most sought-after actresses of the 1990s through the present, Emma Thompson has commanded high salaries for her film work. Here are some highlights of her biggest paydays over the years:
- Howards End (1992) – $3 million salary
- The Remains of the Day (1993) – $3 million salary
- In the Name of the Father (1993) – $3.5 million salary
- Junior (1994) – $4 million salary
- Sense and Sensibility (1995) – $3 million salary plus backend points
- Primary Colors (1998) – $8 million salary
- Love Actually (2003) – $5 million salary
- Nanny McPhee (2005) – $10 million salary
- Nanny McPhee Returns (2010) – $10 million salary
- Men in Black 3 (2012) – $5 million salary
- Beauty and the Beast (2017) – $3 million plus backend points
- Cruella (2021) – $7 million salary
In total, Emma Thompson’s career film salaries likely top $100 million, if not more. And this doesn’t account for her earnings from theatrical productions, television work, and other endeavors.
Emma Thompson’s Assets & Investments
In addition to earning big salaries over her decades-long career, Emma Thompson has also amassed an impressive array of real estate and other assets.
Property Portfolio
Emma owns several luxury properties in England:
- A 7-bedroom mansion in West Hampstead, London worth around $13 million
- A beachfront estate in Dunoon, Scotland worth an estimated $2.5 million
- A cottage in Oxfordshire purchased for nearly $3 million in 2020
Other Assets
- Extensive fine art collection including paintings by John Constable, JMW Turner, and Jack Vettriano
- Minority stake in the UK soccer club Wycombe Wanderers FC
- Investments in tech startups and biotech companies
Thompson lives primarily between her homes in London and Scotland. Her property portfolio alone is likely worth $20 million or more. Combined with other assets, this contributes significantly to her total net worth.
What is Emma Thompson’s Net Worth?
So what is Emma Thompson’s total net worth after her highly successful career in acting, screenwriting, and investments?
Estimated Net Worth: $110 million
The majority of Emma Thompson’s wealth comes from her salaries and backend points earned from major film roles over the past 30+ years. Her screenwriting has also been lucrative, especially for Sense and Sensibility and the Nanny McPhee films.
Thompson’s extensive real estate portfolio of multimillion dollar homes also makes up a significant portion of her $110 million net worth. Other assets like art, sports investments, and startup funding account for additional millions.
As she continues acting in films like Cruella and the upcoming Matilda adaptation, Emma Thompson’s net worth will likely keep rising. She has proven herself as one of the most talented and bankable actresses of the last three decades.
Emma Thompson’s Philanthropy & Causes
In addition to her acting and screenwriting, Emma Thompson actively supports various philanthropic causes close to her heart.
Greenpeace
Thompson has been a supporter of Greenpeace for many years serving as an ambassador for the environmental organization. She has participated in Greenpeace awareness campaigns and regularly advocates for environmental protection.
Refugee Assistance
Emma Thompson has been an outspoken supporter for refugee rights. She has worked with organizations like the Helen Bamber Foundation to bring awareness to the European refugee crisis.
Ethical Treatment of Animals
An ethical vegan herself, Thompson advocates for improving animal welfare in agriculture and banning unethical treatment. She works with PETA to promote veganism and ethical treatment of animals.
Other Causes
- Human rights campaigns with Amnesty International and Survival International
- Advocating for endometriosis research and support
- Fundraising for ActionAid UK for women’s education and child poverty action
Emma Thompson uses her celebrity influence to promote the philanthropic causes she cares about most. While her net worth has allowed her financial freedom, she strives to help those in need.
Key Takeaways on Emma Thompson’s Net Worth
- Emma Thompson has amassed an estimated net worth of $110 million through her acting, screenwriting, and investments over a 30+ year career.
- Her largest career earnings came from major film salaries of up to $10 million per role plus backend points on box office hits.
- Thompson’s award-winning screenwriting, such as for Sense and Sensibility, also contributed significant wealth.
- Real estate like her luxury London and Scottish homes make up a substantial portion of her net worth.
- Additional assets including art, sports investments, and startup funding account for millions more.
- Even with great wealth, Thompson remains devoted to philanthropy for causes like the environment and refugees.
- At 63 years old, Emma Thompson is still actively acting and increasing her impressive net worth over time.
Conclusion
Emma Thompson’s prolific career as an actress and screenwriter has earned her an impressive net worth of approximately $110 million. Major film salaries of up to $10 million at her peak along with backend points on hit movies provided a huge source of wealth over the decades. Lucrative screenwriting work and an investment portfolio including luxury real estate also contributed to her fortune.
While enjoying financial success, Thompson remains grounded in philanthropy by supporting causes like environmental protection, refugee assistance, animal welfare, and women’s rights. She continues to take on compelling roles later in her career while managing her wealth responsibly. With expected future earnings, Emma Thompson’s net worth should continue rising as she cements her reputation as one of the most talented British actresses of her generation.
Frequently Asked Questions about Emma Thompson’s Net Worth
How did Emma Thompson build her wealth?
Emma Thompson built her wealth primarily through salaries and backend points earned from major film roles over her 30+ year acting career. She also earned significant income from screenwriting projects like Sense and Sensibility and Nanny McPhee.
What is Emma Thompson’s most financially successful film?
Emma Thompson’s most financially successful films are likely Sense and Sensibility, for which she earned $3 million plus points, and the Nanny McPhee movies, which paid her salaries of $10 million each.
What are some of Emma Thompson’s biggest assets?
Thompson’s biggest assets are her property portfolio including a $13 million London mansion and $2.5 million Scottish estate, as well as her fine art collection, investments, and minority stake in a UK soccer team.
How much did Emma Thompson make from the Harry Potter films?
While Emma Thompson’s exact Harry Potter salaries aren’t known, major stars like her typically made around $10-15 million total for the later films in the franchise.
How does Emma Thompson use her wealth for philanthropy?
Thompson supports causes like Greenpeace, refugee assistance, animal rights and women’s education through financial contributions, activism, and publicity work as a celebrity ambassador.
Is Emma Thompson married? How does this affect her net worth?
Emma Thompson was married to actor Kenneth Branagh from 1989 to 1995. She has been married to actor Greg Wise since 2003. Her marriages likely contribute to shared assets but her own net worth derives from her entertainment career.
How has Emma Thompson’s net worth changed over her career?
Early in her career her net worth was likely under $10 million. It grew to around $50 million by the 2000s and now sits at an estimated $110 million after recent high paying films and established wealth.
What are Emma Thompson’s future career and finance plans?
Emma Thompson continues to take on high profile acting roles in films like Cruella. She plans to keep acting as long as interesting parts are available. She will likely continue managing her investments and contributing to philanthropic causes.
Does Emma Thompson make more from acting or screenwriting?
Thompson has earned more in total from acting than screenwriting over her career. Her highest paying screenplay was for Sense and Sensibility while acting in hit films has consistently provided larger salaries.
