Phyllida Law

Phyllida Law Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: May 8, 1932

Age: 92 years old

Birth Place: Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Spouses: Eric Thompson

Children: Emma Thompson, Sophie Thompson

A well-versed Scottish actress, Phyllida Law may perhaps be best-recalled for her appearances alongside daughters Emma Thompson and Sophie Thompson in such features as "Peter's Friends" (1992) and "Emma" (1996). She had established herself, however, as a fine character player on the British stage in roles ranging from the classics ("The Merry Wives of Windsor") to musical comedies (the London production of "La Cage Aux Folles") to contemporary plays ("Noises Off"). Law twice acted onstage with Sir Alec Guinness in "A Voyage Round My Father" (1971) and "Habeas Corpus" (1973).

Law debuted in films in a small role in the 1968 spy spoof "Otley" but until the 1990s, her feature roles were sparse. She was one of the fanatical fraulein's in "Hitler: The Last Ten Days" (1973), alongside Alec Guinness, and had a supporting role in the thriller "Tree of Hands/Innocent Victim" (1989). Her film career picked up when her then son-in-law Kenneth Branagh cast her as a dignified housekeeper in "Peter's Friends" and as the servant Ursula in his adaptation of "Much Ado About Nothing" (1993). In "Emma," Law had the wordless role of dotty old Mrs. Bates and subsequently essayed Sean Bean's mother in "Leo Tolstoy's 'Anna Karenina'" (1997). Her best screen role to date, however, came reprising her stage role as a feisty, somewhat meddling mother in "The Winter Guest" (1997). Appearing as the on-screen mother to real-life daughter Emma Thompson, Law delivered a touching performance and their off-screen relationship informed their portrayals.

Credits

Then Came YouStream

Actor
Arlene
Movie
2020
47%

A Little Chaos

Actor
Suzanne
Movie
2014

3 Days in Havana

Actor
The Broker
Movie
2013

La otra esposa

Actor
Lady Anne Meriot
Movie
2011

The Borrowers

Voice
Sadako
Movie
2010

Love at First Sight

Actor
Ruth
Movie
2010

Ways to Live Forever

Actor
Grandmother
Movie
2010

Beauty of Britain

Actor
Mrs Grace
Show
2009

Lesson 21

Actor
Boheme
Movie
2008

Kingdom

Actor
Aunt Auriel
Show
2007

Copying Beethoven

Actor
Mother Canisius
Movie
2006

Miss PotterStream

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Mrs. Warne
Movie
2006
69%

Pinochet's Last Stand

Actor
Lucia Pinochet
Movie
2006

Day of Wrath

Actor
Esperanza de Mendoza
Movie
2006

A Little Trip to Heaven

Actor
Head Mistress
Movie
2005

Mee-Shee: The Water Giant

Actor
Mrs Coogan
Movie
2005

Unleashed

Actor
Distinguished lady
Movie
2005

Doc MartinStream

Guest Star
Mrs McLynn
Series
2004

Tooth

Actor
Mrs. Claus
Movie
2004

Blinded

Actor
Bella Black
Movie
2004

Rosemary and Thyme

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May Beauchamp
Show
2003

New TricksStream

Actor
Eliza Belgrade
Series
2003

Brush With Fate

Actor
Maria
Movie
2003

Foyle's WarStream

Actor
Lady Muriel Sackville
Series
2002

Mi Amigo el Cavernícola

Actor
Movie
2002

The Time MachineStream

Actor
Mrs. Watchit
Movie
2002
28%

Two Men Went to War

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Faith
Movie
2002

The Swap

Actor
Rose Trenchard
Movie
2002

Saving Grace

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Margaret
Movie
2000

The Magical Legend of the LeprechaunsStream

Actor
Lady Margaret
Miniseries
1999

Milk

Actor
Veronica
Movie
1999

Mad Cows

Actor
Lady Drake
Movie
1999

The Lost Lover

Actor
The Grandmother
Movie
1999

I Want You

Actor
Woman at Hairdresser #1
Movie
1998

Midsomer MurdersStream

Actor
Series
1997

Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina

Actor
Vronskaya
Movie
1997

The Winter Guest

Actor
Elspeth
Movie
1997

Degrees of Error

Actor
Margot
Show
1996

Degrees of Error

Actor
Show
1996

EmmaStream

Actor
Mrs. Bates
Movie
1996
84%

About Face

Guest Star
Show
1995

The KingdomStream

Actor
Series
1994
87%

Before the Rain

Actor
Anne's Mother
Movie
1994

Blue Boy

Actor
Marie's Mother
Movie
1994

Rosamunde Pilcher

Actor
Show
1993

Much Ado About NothingStream

Actor
Ursula
Movie
1993
90%

Peter's Friends

Actor
Vera
Movie
1992

Till We Meet Again

Actor
Show
1989

A Bit of Fry & Laurie

Actor
Show
1989

Agatha Christie's PoirotStream

Actor
Lady Carrington
Series
1989

Mystery!

Actor
Series
1980

Tales of the Unexpected

Actor
Maggie Patton
Show
1979

Come Back, Lucy

Actor
Aunt Gwen
Show
1978

Rumpole of the Bailey

Actor
Honoria Bird
Show
1978

Abide With Me

Actor
Joan Drummond
Movie
1976

Hitler: The Last Ten Days

Actor
Fräulein Manzialy
Movie
1973

Upstairs, DownstairsStream

Guest Star
Series
1971

Otley

Actor
Jean
Movie
1969