Kristin Scott Thomas

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Dame Kristin Ann Scott Thomas<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> (born 24 May 1960) is a British actress.<ref name="KST Bored With Ice Queen Label">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref> A five-time BAFTA Award and Olivier Award nominee, she won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) and the Olivier Award for Best Actress in 2008 for the Royal Court revival of The Seagull. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in The English Patient (1996).

Scott Thomas made her film debut in Under the Cherry Moon (1986),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and won the Evening Standard Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer for A Handful of Dust (1988). Her work includes Bitter Moon (1992), Mission: Impossible (1996), The Horse Whisperer (1998), Gosford Park (2001), The Valet (2006), and Tell No One (2007). She won the European Film Award for Best Actress for Philippe Claudel's I've Loved You So Long (2008). Her other films include Leaving (2009), Love Crime (2010), Sarah's Key (2010), Nowhere Boy (2010), The Woman in the Fifth (2011), Only God Forgives (2013), Darkest Hour (2017), and Tomb Raider (2018).

She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2003 Birthday Honours and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to drama.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She was named a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur by the French government in 2005.<ref name=connexion>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=excessif>Template:Cite news</ref>

Early lifeEdit

Scott Thomas was born in Redruth, Cornwall. Her mother, Deborah (née Hurlbatt), was brought up in Hong Kong and Africa, and studied drama before marrying Kristin's father,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Lieutenant Commander Simon Scott Thomas, a pilot in the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm 893 Squadron, who died in a flying accident on a de Havilland Sea Vixen when Kristin was aged five.<ref name="NZ_Herald_10496540">Template:Cite news</ref> She has three siblings, including Serena Scott Thomas. She is the niece of Admiral Sir Richard Thomas (a former Black Rod),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the granddaughter of William Scott Thomas (who commanded Template:HMS during World War II) and the great-great-niece of the polar explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott.Template:Citation needed

The childhood home of Scott Thomas was in Trent, near Sherborne, Dorset, England. Her mother remarried another Royal Navy pilot, Lieutenant Commander Simon Idiens (of Simon's Sircus aerobatic team flying Sea Vixens), who also died in a flying accident whilst flying a Phantom FG1 from RNAS Yeovilton off the North coast of Cornwall in January 1972. Scott Thomas was educated at Cheltenham Ladies' College and St Antony's Leweston in Sherborne, Dorset.

On leaving school in 1978,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> she moved to Hampstead, London, and worked in a department store. She began training to become a drama teacher at the Central School of Speech and Drama, enrolling on a BEd in Speech and Drama.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During her time at the school, she requested to switch degree courses to acting but was refused.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After a year at Central, speaking French fluently, she decided to move to Paris to work as an au pair,<ref name="KST Bored With Ice Queen Label" /> and studied acting at the Template:Ill (ENSATT). When she was 25, she was cast as Mary Sharon in the film Under the Cherry Moon (1986).

CareerEdit

Kristin Scott Thomas's acting career garnered early attention when she was cast as Mary Sharon in Under the Cherry Moon, released in 1986, the first but widely panned film directed by and starring the already well-known musical artist, Prince. Her breakthrough role was playing Brenda Last in an adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's A Handful of Dust (1988), winning her the Evening Standard British Film Award for the most promising newcomer. This was followed by roles opposite Hugh Grant in Bitter Moon and Four Weddings and a Funeral where she won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress.

In 1994, she starred in the Romanian–French film An Unforgettable Summer, in which she played Marie-Thérèse Von Debretsy. Rather than learn Romanian for the part, she read her lines phonetically.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> She had all the lines translated into French, which she speaks fluently, so she knew what she was saying.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In an interview for Gloucester Citizen on 22 March 2015, she cited An Unforgettable Summer as one of the films that she is most proud of alongside The English Patient and Only God Forgives.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} Template:Dead link</ref>

In the 1996 film The English Patient, her role as Katharine Clifton gained her Golden Globe and Oscar nominations as well as critical acclaim. This was followed by a brief period working in Hollywood on films such as The Horse Whisperer with Robert Redford and Random Hearts with Harrison Ford. However, growing disillusioned with Hollywood, she took a year off to give birth to her third child.

She returned to the stage in 2003 when she played the title role in a French theatre production of Racine's Bérénice, and appeared on-screen as Lady Sylvia McCordle in Robert Altman's Gosford Park. This started a critically acclaimed second career on stage, in which she has received four nominations for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress, including one win, for her performance of Arkadina in a London West End production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She reprised the role in New York in September 2008.<ref>What's on Stage. "Speeches: And the Laurence Olivier Winners Said". Retrieved 5 June 2011 Template:Webarchive</ref> In summer 2014, Scott Thomas returned to London's West End to star as Emma in Harold Pinter's Betrayal at the Comedy Theatre. The revival was directed by Ian Rickson. Her husband was played by Ben Miles and the love triangle was completed by Douglas Henshall. In January 2013, she starred in another Pinter play, Old Times, again directed by Ian Rickson. In 2014, she appeared at The Old Vic in the title role of Sophocles's Electra.

Scott Thomas has also acted in French films. In 2006, she played the role of Hélène, in French, in Ne le dis à personne (Tell No One), by French director Guillaume Canet. In 2008, Scott Thomas received many accolades for her performance in Il y a longtemps que je t'aime (I've Loved You So Long), including BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress. In 2009 she played the role of a wife who leaves her husband for another man in Leaving.

In Sarah's Key (2010) – the story of the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup – Scott Thomas starred as an American journalist in Paris who discovers that the flat her husband is renovating for them was once the home of an evicted Jewish family. Other roles include Elizabeth Boleyn, Countess of Wiltshire and Ormond, mother of Henry VIII's second wife Anne, in The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), the role of a fashion magazine creator and editor in the film Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009), and as a love interest of George Duroy (played by Robert Pattinson) in the 2012 film Bel Ami, based on the 1885 Maupassant novel.<ref name="Variety">Template:Cite news</ref>

She was also seen in The Woman in the Fifth (2011), a film adaption of Douglas Kennedy's novel of the same name, Lasse Hallström's Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011), Ralph Fiennes's The Invisible Woman (2013), Philippe Claudel's Before the Winter Chill (2013), and in Nicolas Winding Refn's Only God Forgives, which premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. In 2014, she voiced the narration of Kay Summersby, General Eisenhower's driver, in the documentary series D-Day Sacrifice. She appeared in Israel Horovitz's My Old Lady (2014) and Suite Française, the 2015 film adaptation of Irène Némirovsky's World War II novel directed by Saul Dibb.

In 2017 she was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 71st British Academy Film Awards for portraying Clementine Churchill in Joe Wright's Darkest Hour. In May 2017, it was reported that Scott Thomas had signed on to star as BMW heiress Susanne Klatten in the thriller Paramour, directed by Alexandra-Therese Keining.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2020, Scott Thomas played Mrs. Danvers in director Ben Wheatley's adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's Gothic romance Rebecca, with Armie Hammer and Lily James.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Also that year, she appeared in the BBC television remake of Alan Bennett's monologue series, Talking Heads, playing the role of Celia in the episode "Hand of God".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In April 2022, Scott Thomas starred in the British spy thriller series Slow Horses, based on the Slough House series of novels by Mick Herron. She appeared as Diana Taverner, Deputy Director General of MI5. Premiering on Apple TV+, the series was renewed in January 2024 for a fifth season.

In June 2022, Thomas began filming on her directorial debut, My Mother's Wedding, starring Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, Emily Beecham, and Freida Pinto.<ref name=Deadline2022>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="collider">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal lifeEdit

Scott Thomas brought up her children in Paris<ref name="KST Bored With Ice Queen Label" /> and has said she sometimes considers herself more French than British.<ref>Multiple sources:

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|CitationClass=web }}</ref> During an appearance on The Graham Norton Show on 2 December 2022, Scott Thomas said she was living in London.

From 1987 until 2005, she was married to French obstetrician François Olivennes, with whom she has three children.

In September 2024, Scott Thomas married John Micklethwait, the editor-in-chief of Bloomberg News, after a five-year romance.<ref>Template:Cite newspaper</ref>

FilmographyEdit

FilmEdit

Year Title Role Notes
1985 Charly Marie Short film
1986 Under the Cherry Moon Mary Sharon Template:Unbulleted list
1987 Agent trouble Julie
1988 Lounge Chair Marie
Template:Sortname Brenda Last Evening Standard British Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer
1989 Force majeure Katia
Bille en tête Clara Also released as Headstrong
1990 Template:Sortname Marie Forestier
Template:Sortname Sabine
1991 Valentino! I Love You Short film
Aux yeux du monde Template:Sort French language film
1992 Bitter Moon Fiona
1994 Four Weddings and a Funeral Fiona Template:Unbulleted list
Template:Sortname Marie-Thérèse von Debretsy
1995 En mai, fais ce qu'il te plaît Martine
Template:Sortname Alfred Hitchcock's assistant
Angels & Insects Matty Crompton Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actress
Richard III Lady Anne of Lancaster
Template:Sortname Mary-Jane Cooper (The title refers to the Camp des Milles)
Template:Sortname Caroline
Plaisir d'offrir Short film
1996 Mission: Impossible Sarah Davies
Souvenir Ann
Microcosmos Narrator English version
Template:Sortname Katharine Clifton Template:Unbulleted list
1997 Amour et confusions Sarah
1998 Template:Sortname Annie MacLean
Sweet Revenge Imogen Staxton-Billing
1999 Random Hearts Kay Chandler
2000 Up at the Villa Mary Panton
2001 Play First Woman Short film
Life as a House Robin Monroe
Gosford Park Sylvia McCordle Template:Unbulleted list
2003 Small Cuts Béatrice French language film
2004 Arsène Lupin Joséphine, comtesse de Cagliostro
2005 Man to Man Elena van den Ende
Chromophobia Iona Aylesbury
Keeping Mum Gloria Goodfellow Nominated – London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Actress of the Year
2006 Template:Sortname Christine Levasseur French language film
Tell No One Hélène Perkins
2007 Template:Sortname Lynn Lockner
Template:Sortname Stelmaria (voice)
2008 I've Loved You So Long Juliette Template:Unbulleted list
Template:Sortname Lady Elizabeth Boleyn
2 Alone in Paris L'antiquaire
Easy Virtue Mrs. Whittaker Template:Unbulleted list
Largo Winch Ann Fergusson
2009 Confessions of a Shopaholic Alette Naylor
2009 Leaving Suzanne Evening Standard British Film Awards 2011 Best Actress
Nominated – César Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Globe de Cristal Award for Best Actress
French language film
Nowhere Boy Mimi Smith Template:Unbulleted list
2010 Love Crime Christine
Sarah's Key Julia Jarmond Lumière Award for Best Actress
Globe de Cristal Award for Best Actress
Nominated – César Award for Best Actress
In Your Hands Anna Cooper French language film
2011 Salmon Fishing in the Yemen Patricia Maxwell
Template:Sortname Margit Kadar
2012 Bel Ami Virginie Walters
Looking for Hortense Iva Delusi French language film
In the House Jeanne Germain
2013 Only God Forgives Crystal
Before the Winter Chill Lucie French language film
Template:Sortname Frances Ternan
2014 My Old Lady Chloé Girard
Suite Française Madame Angellier
2017 Template:Sortname Janet Template:Unbulleted list
Darkest Hour Clementine Churchill Template:Unbulleted list
2018 Tomb Raider Ana Miller
Au bout des doigts Countess Elizabeth Buckingham
2019 Military Wives Kate
2020 Final Set Judith
Rebecca Mrs. Danvers
2022 Two Tickets to Greece (Les Cyclades) Bijou
2023 My Mother's Wedding Diana Also director and screenwriter<ref name="collider"/>

TelevisionEdit

Year Title Role Notes
1984 Template:Sortname Template:N/a Episode: "L'Ami d'enfance de Maigret"
Mistral's Daughter Nancy Miniseries; 3 episodes
1987 Sentiments Nathalie Episode: "La tricheuse"
Sentimental Journey Bettina Television film
1988 Template:Sortname Thérèse Mangeot
1989 Template:Sortname Caroline Miniseries; 2 episodes
1990 Spymaker: The Secret Life of Ian Fleming Leda St Gabriel Television film
Framed Kate
1991 Titmuss Regained Jenny Sidonia Miniseries; 3 episodes
1992 Look at It This Way Victoria Rolfe
Weep No More, My Lady Elisabeth Television film
1993 Body & Soul Sister Gabriel / Anna Miniseries; 6 episodes
1995 Belle Époque Alice Avellano Miniseries; 3 episodes
1996 Gulliver's Travels Immortal Gatekeeper Miniseries; episode 2
2003 Absolutely Fabulous Plum Berkeley Episode: "Book Clubbin'"
2019 One Red Nose Day and a Wedding Fiona Television short
Fleabag Belinda Friers Series 2, episode 3
Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
2020 Talking Heads Celia Episode: "The Hand of God"
2022–present Slow Horses Diana Taverner Main cast

TheatreEdit

Year Title Role Notes
1983 La Lune déclinante sur 4 ou 5 personnes qui dansent Festival de Semur en Auxois
1984 Terre étrangère Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers
1984 Naïves Hirondelles Festival d'Avignon
1985 Yes, peut-être In a field in Burgundy
2001 Bérénice Festival de Perpignan and Festival d'Avignon + national tour
2003 Three Sisters Masha Playhouse Theatre, London
Nominated – Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress
2005–06 As You Desire Me Elma Playhouse Theatre, London
2007 The Seagull Arkadina Royal Court Theatre, London
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress
2008 Walter Kerr Theatre, New York<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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2011 Betrayal Emma<ref name="ambassadortickets.com">Comedy Theatre website "Ambassador Theatre Group's AmbassadorTickets.com" Template:Webarchive. Retrieved 24 June 2011.</ref> Comedy Theatre, London
Nominated – Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress
2013 Old Times Kate/Anna<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Harold Pinter Theatre, London
Nominated – Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress
2014 Electra Electra<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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The Old Vic, London
Nominated – Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress
2015 The Audience Queen Elizabeth II<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Apollo Theatre, London
2023 Lyonesse Elaine Harold Pinter Theatre, London

HonoursEdit

National

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Foreigns

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ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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