That beloved actress was Phyllida Law, the Scottish stage and screen performer and mother of Emma Thompson and Sophie Thompson. Law died at the age of 94, leaving behind a career that stretched from the theatre to film and British television.
Her longtime manager, Jacky Leggo, said Law died peacefully at home on July 27, surrounded by her family. No cause of death was announced. Born in Glasgow on July 6, 1932, Law had not originally planned to become an actress. She first imagined a future in stage design, but acting eventually drew her in.
She went on to appear in productions including Much Ado About Nothing, The Time Machine and Nanny McPhee. Television audiences also knew her from Midsomer Murders, Waking the Dead, Foyle’s War and Doc Martin.
Some of her most treasured work came with her daughters. She shared the screen with Emma Thompson in several projects, including Much Ado About Nothing and Nanny McPhee. In Alan Rickman’s 1997 film The Winter Guest, the two played mother and daughter. Law also appeared with Sophie Thompson in the 1996 film Emma.
Beyond acting, Law wrote several memoirs and continued working both on stage and in front of the camera. In 2014, she was appointed an OBE for her services to drama and charitable work, a recognition of a life spent contributing far beyond a single role.
Her final screen role came in the 2020 film Then Came You. She is survived by her two daughters and four grandchildren. For those who admired her work, the loss marks the end of a long, graceful career — but her performances, and the family legacy she helped shape, will continue to be remembered.