Emily Watson(I)
- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Emily Watson was born and raised in London, the daughter of Katharine
(Venables), an English teacher, and Richard Watson, an architect. After
a self-described sheltered upbringing, Watson attended university for
three years in Bristol, studying English literature. She applied to
drama school and was rejected on her first attempt.
After three years of working in clerical and waitress jobs she was
finally accepted. In 1992, she took a position with the Royal
Shakespeare Company where she met her future husband,
Jack Waters. Continuing stage work,
Watson landed her first screen role as Bess McNeill in
Breaking the Waves (1996)
after Helena Bonham Carter pulled
out of the role. For this initial foray into movies, Watson was
nominated for an Academy Award. She continued to gain success in
Britain in the leading roles in
Metroland (1997) and
The Mill on the Floss (1997),
but her first popular film in the United States came in 1997 when she
played Daniel Day-Lewis's
long-suffering love interest in
The Boxer (1997).
In the next two years she won critical acclaim for her portrayal of
cellist Jacqueline du Pré in
Hilary and Jackie (1998) and
landed a small part in the ensemble cast of
Tim Robbins's
Cradle Will Rock (1999).
Critical acclaim and North American success came together for Watson in
1999 with the release of
Angela's Ashes (1999), the film
adaptation of Frank McCourt's
bestselling book of the same name. She achieved top billing as Angela
McCourt, the hardworking mother of several children and wife of a
drunken husband in depression-era Ireland. After less-celebrated roles
in 2000's Trixie (2000) and
The Luzhin Defence (2000),
Watson again returned to an ensemble cast in
Robert Altman's
Gosford Park (2001).
Watson's status as a leading actress in major Hollywood productions was
cemented in 2002 with her roles in
Red Dragon (2002), the third
installment of Thomas Harris' Hannibal Lechter series; the futuristic
Equilibrium (2002); and, most
notably, in Paul Thomas Anderson's
Punch-Drunk Love (2002), playing
opposite Adam Sandler. While
returning to the stage in 2002 and 2003 on both sides of the Atlantic,
Watson has expressed interest in again working with Anderson. Emily
Watson lives in London, England, UK, with her husband,
Jack Waters.
(Venables), an English teacher, and Richard Watson, an architect. After
a self-described sheltered upbringing, Watson attended university for
three years in Bristol, studying English literature. She applied to
drama school and was rejected on her first attempt.
After three years of working in clerical and waitress jobs she was
finally accepted. In 1992, she took a position with the Royal
Shakespeare Company where she met her future husband,
Jack Waters. Continuing stage work,
Watson landed her first screen role as Bess McNeill in
Breaking the Waves (1996)
after Helena Bonham Carter pulled
out of the role. For this initial foray into movies, Watson was
nominated for an Academy Award. She continued to gain success in
Britain in the leading roles in
Metroland (1997) and
The Mill on the Floss (1997),
but her first popular film in the United States came in 1997 when she
played Daniel Day-Lewis's
long-suffering love interest in
The Boxer (1997).
In the next two years she won critical acclaim for her portrayal of
cellist Jacqueline du Pré in
Hilary and Jackie (1998) and
landed a small part in the ensemble cast of
Tim Robbins's
Cradle Will Rock (1999).
Critical acclaim and North American success came together for Watson in
1999 with the release of
Angela's Ashes (1999), the film
adaptation of Frank McCourt's
bestselling book of the same name. She achieved top billing as Angela
McCourt, the hardworking mother of several children and wife of a
drunken husband in depression-era Ireland. After less-celebrated roles
in 2000's Trixie (2000) and
The Luzhin Defence (2000),
Watson again returned to an ensemble cast in
Robert Altman's
Gosford Park (2001).
Watson's status as a leading actress in major Hollywood productions was
cemented in 2002 with her roles in
Red Dragon (2002), the third
installment of Thomas Harris' Hannibal Lechter series; the futuristic
Equilibrium (2002); and, most
notably, in Paul Thomas Anderson's
Punch-Drunk Love (2002), playing
opposite Adam Sandler. While
returning to the stage in 2002 and 2003 on both sides of the Atlantic,
Watson has expressed interest in again working with Anderson. Emily
Watson lives in London, England, UK, with her husband,
Jack Waters.