Emily Margaret Watson (born 14 January 1967) is an English actress. She began her career on stage and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1992. In 2002, she starred in productions of Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya at the Donmar Warehouse, and was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Actress for the latter. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her debut film role as a newlywed in Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves (1996) and for her portrayal of Jacqueline du Pré in Anand Tucker's Hilary and Jackie (1998).
Watson's other films include The Boxer (1997), Angela's Ashes (1999), Gosford Park (2001), Punch-Drunk Love (2002), Red Dragon (2002), The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004), Corpse Bride (2005), Miss Potter (2006), Synecdoche, New York (2008), Oranges and Sunshine (2010), War Horse (2011), The Theory of Everything (2014), Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017), God's Creatures (2022), Small Things like These (2024), and Hamnet (2025).
For her role in the HBO miniseries Chernobyl, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. She won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actress for playing Janet Leach in the 2011 ITV television biopic Appropriate Adult and was nominated for the International Emmy Award for Best Actress for the 2017 BBC miniseries Apple Tree Yard. In 2024, she portrayed the lead role of Valya Harkonnen in the HBO science fiction series Dune: Prophecy.
Early life
Watson was born 14 January 1967 in London. Her father, Richard Watson, was an architect, and her mother, Katharine (née Venables), was an English teacher at St David's Girls' School, west London. She has an older sister, Harriet. Watson was brought up as an Anglican.
Watson was educated at St James Independent Schools in west London which were founded by the School of Economic Science. She attended the University of Bristol, where she obtained a BA (1988, English). Watson was a member of the School of Economic Science until 1996, when aged 29 she was expelled following her part in Breaking the Waves. She describes the organisation as a "very repressive regime"
Career
Watson's career began on the stage. Her theatre credits include The Children's Hour (at the Royal National Theatre), Three Sisters, Much Ado About Nothing and The Lady from the Sea. Watson has also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company in A Jovial Crew, The Taming of the Shrew, All's Well That Ends Well and The Changeling. In 2001, she appeared with John Turturro in The Luzhin Defence and in Robert Altman's ensemble piece Gosford Park. for her portrayal of Julie Nicholson in the BBC Drama A Song for Jenny, with experts tipping her to win the British Academy Television Award for Best Actress.
In 2019 she appeared as a nuclear scientist — a composite of several real scientists — in the miniseries Chernobyl.
Watson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to drama. In 2017, she starred in the BBC mini-series Apple Tree Yard.
Personal life
thumb|Watson in 2024
Watson married Jack Waters in 1995, whom she had met on a bus while working at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Waters is a former actor who now works as a potter. and a son in 2009.
Watson is a supporter of the children's charity the NSPCC. In 2004, she was inducted into the society's hall of fame for spearheading the successful campaign to appoint a Children's Commissioner for England.
In May 2026 Watson was the guest for BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.
Filmography
Film
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| scope="row" | 1996
| Breaking the Waves
| Bess McNeill
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=2 | 1997
| Metroland
| Marion
|
|-
| '
| Maggie
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1998
| Hilary and Jackie
| Jacqueline du Pré
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=2| 1999
| Cradle Will Rock
| Olive Stanton
|
|-
| Angela's Ashes
| Angela McCourt
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=2| 2000
| Trixie
| Trixie Zurbo
|
|-
| '
| Natalia Katkov
|
|-
| scope="row" | 2001
| Gosford Park
| Elsie
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=3 | 2002
| Punch-Drunk Love
| Lena Leonard
|
|-
| Red Dragon
| Reba McClane
|
|-
| Equilibrium
| Mary O'Brien
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=2| 2004
| Boo, Zino & the Snurks
| Atlanta
| Voice role
|-
| '
| Anne Sellers
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=4| 2005
| Separate Lies
| Anne Manning
|
|-
| Wah-Wah
| Ruby Compton
|
|-
| Corpse Bride
| Victoria Everglot
| Voice role
|-
| '
| Martha Stanley
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=2|2006
| Miss Potter
| Amelia "Millie" Warne
|
|-
| Crusade in Jeans
| Mary Vega
|
|-
| scope="row" | 2007
| '
| Anne MacMorrow
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=2| 2008
| Fireflies in the Garden
| Adult Jane Lawrence
|
|-
| Synecdoche, New York
| Tammy
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=2| 2009
| Cold Souls
| Claire
|
|-
| Within the Whirlwind
| Evgenia Ginzburg
|
|-
| scope="row" | 2010
| Cemetery Junction
| Mrs. Kendrick
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=2 | 2011
| Oranges and Sunshine
| Margaret Humphreys
|
|-
| War Horse
| Rose Narracott
|
|-
| scope="row" | 2012
| Anna Karenina
| Countess Lydia
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=3| 2013
| Some Girl(s)
| Lindsay
|
|-
| The Book Thief
| Rosa Hubermann
|
|-
| Belle
| Lady Mansfield
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=2 | 2014
| The Theory of Everything
| Beryl Wilde
|
|-
| Testament of Youth
| Mrs. Brittain
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=4| 2015
| Little Boy
| Emma Busbee
|
|-
| A Royal Night Out
| Queen Elizabeth
|
|-
| Everest
| Helen Wilton
|
|-
| Molly Moon and the Incredible Book of Hypnotism
| Miss Trinklebury
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=3 | 2017
| Kingsman: The Golden Circle
| White House Chief of Staff Fox
|
|-
| On Chesil Beach
| Violet Ponting
|
|-
| Monster Family
| Emma Wishbone
| Voice role
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=1 | 2018
| The Happy Prince
| Constance Lloyd
|
|-
| scope="row" | 2021
| Monster Family 2
| Emma Wishbone
| Voice role
|-
| scope="row" | 2022
| God's Creatures
| Aileen O'Hara
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=2 | 2024
| Small Things Like These
| Sister Mary
|
|-
| Midas Man
| Malka Epstein
|
|-
| scope="row" rowspan=3 |2025
| The Legend of Ochi
| Dasha
|
|-
| Steve
| Jenny
|
|-
| Hamnet
| Mary Shakespeare
|
|-
| scope="row" | TBA
| Amri
| Marie Antoinette Gottesman
| Post-production
|}
Television
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| scope="row" | 1994
| A Summer Day's Dream
| Rosalie
| rowspan="3" | Television film
|-
| scope="row" | 1997
| '
| Maggie Tulliver
|-
| scope="row" | 2008
| '
| Caroline Gil
|-
| scope="row" | 2011
| Appropriate Adult
| Janet Leach
| 2 episodes
|-
| scope="row" | 2013
| The Politician's Husband
| Freya
| 3 episodes
|-
| rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2015
| The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe
| Grace McKee
| 2 episodes
|-
| A Song for Jenny
| Julie Nicholson
| rowspan="2" | Television film
|-
| The Dresser
| Her Ladyship
|-
| rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2017
| Apple Tree Yard
| Yvonne Carmichael
| rowspan="2" | 4 episodes
|-
| Genius
| Elsa Einstein
|-
| Little Women
| Marmee
| 3 episodes
|-
| scope="row" | 2018
| King Lear
| Regan
| Television film
|-
| scope="row" | 2019
| Chernobyl
| Ulana Khomyuk
| 4 episodes
|-
| scope="row" | 2020
| The Third Day
| Mrs. Martin
| 6 episodes
|-
| scope="row" | 2021
| Too Close
| Dr. Emma Robertson
| 3 episodes
|-
| scope="row" | 2024
| Dune: Prophecy
| Valya Harkonnen
| Lead role
|-
|}
Theatre
- School for Mothers and The Mistake (double-bill of one-act plays), White Bear Theatre, London, 1991
- All's Well That Ends Well (Royal Shakespeare Company, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon 1992, later Pit Theatre, London, 1993) as Marianna
- The Taming of the Shrew (Royal Shakespeare Company, Barbican Theatre, London, 1993) as Mrs. Ruth Banks-Ellis
- The Changeling (Royal Shakespeare Company, Pit Theatre, 1993)
- A Jovial Crew (Royal Shakespeare Company, Pit Theatre, 1993) as Amie
- The Lady from the Sea (Lyric Theatre, London, 1994) as Hilde Wangel
- The Children's Hour (Royal National Theatre, London, 1994) as Mary Tilford
- Three Sisters (Out of Joint, 1995)
- Othello (1996, theatre)
- Twelfth Night / Uncle Vanya (Donmar Warehouse, 2002 / BAM, 2003)
Radio
- The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1994, radio)
- Wuthering Heights (1995, radio series)
- The Glass Piano (2010, radio drama about Princess Alexandra of Bavaria)
Awards and nominations
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year
!Title
!Award
!Result
|-
| rowspan=16| 1996
| rowspan=16| Breaking the Waves
| Bodil Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|European Film Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|Evening Standard British Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer
|
|-
|Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival President Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|London Film Critics' Award for Best British Newcomer of the Year
|
|-
|Los Angeles Film Critics Association's New Generation Award
|
|-
|National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|Robert Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|Academy Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
|
|-
|Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Actress
|
|-
|Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
|
|-
|London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Actress of the Year
|
|-
|Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
|
|-
| rowspan=9|1998
| rowspan=9| Hilary and Jackie
|British Independent Film Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Actress of the Year <small>(also for Angela's Ashes)</small>
|
|-
|Academy Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
|
|-
|Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
|
|-
|Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
|
|-
|Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
|
|-
|rowspan=4|1999
|Cradle Will Rock
|London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Supporting Actress of the Year
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Angela's Ashes
|London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Actress of the Year <small>(also for Hilary and Jackie)</small>
|
|-
|BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
|
|-
|IFTA Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|rowspan=2|2000
|rowspan=2|'
| British Independent Film Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Actress of the Year
|
|-
|rowspan=8|2001
|rowspan=8|Gosford Park
|Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast
|
|-
|Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast
|
|-
|Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast
|
|-
|Satellite Award for Best Cast – Motion Picture
|
|-
|Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
|
|-
|European Film Awards Audience Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast
|
|-
|Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
|
|-
|rowspan=7|2002
|rowspan=3|Punch-Drunk Love
|Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
|
|-
|MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss <small>(shared with Adam Sandler)</small>
|
|-
|Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress
|
|-
|rowspan=4|Red Dragon
|Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actress <small>(2nd place)</small>
|
|-
|London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Supporting Actress of the Year
|
|-
|Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress
|
|-
|Empire Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|2003
|Uncle Vanya
|Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|rowspan=2|2004
|rowspan=2|'
|Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
|
|-
|Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
|
|-
|rowspan=4|2005
|Separate Lies
|London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Actress of the Year
|
|-
|Wah-Wah
|British Independent Film Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|rowspan=2|'
|IF Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Supporting Actress of the Year
|
|-
|rowspan=2|2008
|rowspan=2| Synecdoche, New York
|Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast
|
|-
|Independent Spirit Award's Robert Altman Award
|
|-
|2009
|Cold Souls
|Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast
|
|-
|rowspan=8|2011
|rowspan=2| Oranges and Sunshine
||AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
|
|-
||Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
|
|-
|rowspan=6|Appropriate Adult
|BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|Golden Nymph for Outstanding Actress in a Miniseries
|
|-
|RTS Television Award for Best Actor (Female)
|
|-
|Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Movie/Miniseries Actress
|
|-
| Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film
|
|-
|Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie
|
|-
|2013
|The Book Thief
|Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
|
|-
|2014
|The Theory of Everything
| Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
|
|-
|2017
|Apple Tree Yard
|International Emmy Award for Best Actress
|
|-
|rowspan=5|2019
|rowspan="5"|Chernobyl
|Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
|
|-
|Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
|
|-
|Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries
|
|-
|Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie
|
|-
|Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2022
| Too Close
| British Academy Television Award for Best Actress
|
|-
| God's Creatures
| British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Performance
|
|-
| 2024
| Small Things like These
| Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2026
| rowspan="3"| Hamnet
| AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actress
|
|-
| Actor Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
|
|-
| BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
|
|}
References
</references>
External links
- Premiere Magazine: Emily Watson Q&A and podcast
- Emily Watson at the Edinburgh Festival
- Emily Watson at Film Bug