Emma Thompson Shares 1 Sad Thing in Common With Her ‘Love Actually’ Character

Emma Thompson is a household name thanks to her acclaimed performances in films like Love Actually. In the Christmas rom-com, fans were moved by the scene where her character discovers her husband is having an affair. The actor later confessed that she drew on her real-life experience to convey those emotions convincingly in the movie.

Emma Thompson’s famous crying scene in ‘Love Actually’ was inspired by her own experience of being cheated on

The memorable Love Actually scene comes when Emma Thompson’s character, Karen, learns that her husband, Harry, has been having an affair with his secretary. This occurs when she opens up a Christmas present from him. Instead of the jewelry she previously found and assumed was for her, she received a Joni Mitchell album.

While the cheating partner trope is nothing new, Karen’s display of quiet stoicism has made this scene unforgettable. As it turns out, Thompson’s portrayal was so memorable because she drew on her own experience. The actor revealed (via Glamour) she had her heart “quite horribly broken” by her first husband. A fellow performer, Kenneth Branagh directed and starred in the 1994 film Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. He cheated on Thompson with his co-star, Helena Bonham Carter.

“That scene where my character is standing by the bed crying is so well known because it’s something everyone’s been through,” Thompson shared. “I had my heart very badly broken by Ken. So I knew what it was like to find the necklace that wasn’t meant for me.”

Emma Thompson was ‘blind’ to ex-husband Kenneth Branagh’s affairs

Nearly 30 years later, Thompson opened up about the complexities of her ex-husband’s affair and how it caused her to reevaluate her relationships. In an interview with The New Yorker, the actor said that she had been “blind” to the truth of Branagh’s infidelity. 

“I was utterly, utterly blind to the fact that he had relationships with other women on set. What I learned was how easy it is to be blinded by your own desire to deceive yourself,” said Thompson.

The actor shared that following the breakup she felt like she “was half alive.” “Any sense of being lovable or worthy person had gone completely,” Thompson said.

Emma Thompson made peace with Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter

Thompson has spoken out frequently about her ex-husband’s infidelity. The award-winner first talked about it in an interview with The Sunday Times back in 2013, where she declared that she had “made peace” with Carter. She said, “You can’t hold on to anything like that. It’s pointless. I haven’t got the energy for it.”

Thompson’s statement came after working with Carter in the Harry Potter film series. As for making peace with her ex-husband, Thompson called his infidelity “all blood under the bridge.” She also worked with Kenneth, who played Gilderoy Lockhart in the second Harry Potter movie. 

After the traumatic experience of being cheated on, Thompson found love again. The actor-writer met her now husband, actor Greg Wise, on the set of Sense & Sensibility. She says that he is the one who helped her pick up the pieces of her broken heart. Thompson will celebrate her 20th wedding anniversary with Wise soon, who she says has taught her so much.