Emma Thompson mourns loss of actress mother Phyllida Law following legendary stage and screen career

Acclaimed Scottish actress Phyllida Law, the mother of Oscar-winning star Dame Emma Thompson and Olivier Award winner Sophie Thompson, has died at the age of 94.

A representative confirmed that the veteran performer passed away peacefully, marking the end of a rich, seven-decade career that established her as one of the British stage and screen’s most cherished figures.

Law died on July 27, her manager Jacky Leggo shared while confirming her death to BBC News weeks later, on Tuesday, Aug. 18. She did not share Law’s cause of death.

"It is with great sadness we have to announce that Phyllida Law died supremely peacefully at home, surrounded by all of her family, on Monday 27th July," Leggo said in a statement.

"We had worked together for over fifty years and she was a beautiful person inside and out."

Born in Glasgow in 1932, Law grew into a formidable talent after training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Over the course of her distinguished life in the arts, she built an extensive body of work across classical theatre, television drama, and internationally celebrated feature films.

Law passed away peacefully at home last month ( Hoda Davaine/WireImage)

A Storied Screen and Stage Career

Law was particularly beloved for her dynamic screen collaborations alongside her daughters.

She shared the screen with Emma Thompson in several acclaimed adaptations, including Kenneth Branagh's 1993 film Much Ado About Nothing, the 1996 period classic Emma, and the 2005 family favorite Nanny McPhee.

In 1997, Law delivered one of her most acclaimed and poignant performances in The Winter Guest, directed by Alan Rickman, playing an elderly mother opposite her real-life daughter Emma.

The powerful dynamic earned widespread critical praise and secured Law an Empire Award nomination.

Her extensive television credits included long-running appearances in popular British series such as Kingdom, New Tricks, Foyle's War, Doc Martin, and Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Law starred in numerous productions throughout her enduring career (Colin McPherson/Corbis via Getty Images)

An Acting Dynasty

Law was married to the late actor, writer, and television narrator Eric Thompson—creator of the beloved children's series The Magic Roundabout—until his death in 1982.

Together, they established one of Britain’s most respected theatrical dynasties.

In her later years, Law also became an author, penning touching and humorous memoirs chronicling her family life, her care for her own mother, and navigating aging with warmth and self-deprecating wit.

Tributes from across the theatre and film communities have celebrated Law’s sharp comedic timing, profound dramatic range, and enduring generosity both on and off the stage.

She is survived by her two daughters, Emma and Sophie, and her grandchildren.