At the 78th Locarno Film Festival, Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson delighted the audience with an unexpected story involving former U.S. President Donald Trump. The moment dated back to the late 1990s, shortly after her very public divorce from Kenneth Branagh and during the filming of Primary Colors, where she portrayed a character loosely inspired by Hillary Clinton. One afternoon, while resting in her trailer between scenes, the phone rang. To her surprise, the voice on the other end introduced himself as Donald Trump.
At first, Thompson suspected it might be a prank. The voice was self-assured, the tone direct, but the idea of Trump calling her in the middle of a workday seemed absurd. Yet, as the conversation unfolded, she realized it was indeed him. Without much preamble, Trump extended an invitation for dinner. Caught off guard, Thompson politely declined. The call ended quickly, but the randomness of the encounter stuck with her. Reflecting on it years later, she joked that if she had accepted, she might have “changed the course of history,” though she made it clear she had no regrets.
She teased that perhaps Trump, at that time, was “looking for a nice divorcee.” Given her recent split and new chapter in life, the timing amused her. It also led her to touch on the period surrounding the call. Her marriage to Branagh, from 1989 to 1995, had been closely followed by the press, especially after his relationship with Helena Bonham Carter began during their marriage. Though the situation once fueled tabloids, all involved have long since moved on amicably.
Thompson eventually found happiness with actor Greg Wise, whom she met on the set of Sense and Sensibility. Their friendship evolved into romance, and they married in 2003, building a stable family life while raising two children. Branagh went on to marry art director Lindsay Brunnock, and Bonham Carter later shared a long-term relationship with filmmaker Tim Burton, with whom she had two children before parting ways.
Today, Thompson remains a beloved figure in both Hollywood and British cinema, admired for her intelligence, wit, and grounded presence. The Trump phone call is now a lighthearted footnote in her life — a curious, fleeting moment in a career defined by acclaimed performances and a refusal to take herself too seriously. It stands as a reminder that even the most accomplished lives are sprinkled with strange, unpredictable encounters, best remembered with a smile and a laugh.