Emily Mortimer
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Emily Kathleen Anne Mortimer (born 6 October 1971) is a British and American actress and filmmaker. She began acting in stage productions and has since appeared in several film and television roles. In 2003, she won an Independent Spirit Award for her performance in ''
Lovely and Amazing Lovely may refer to: Film and television * Lovely (1979 film), ''Lovely'' (1979 film), an Indian Malayalam film * Lovely (2001 film), ''Lovely'' (2001 film), an Indian Tamil film * Lovely (2012 film), ''Lovely'' (2012 film), an Indian Telugu fi ...
''. She is also known for playing Mackenzie McHale in the
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
series '' The Newsroom'' (2012–2014). She co-created and co-wrote the series '' Doll & Em'' (2014–2015) and wrote and directed the miniseries ''The Pursuit of Love'' (2021), the latter of which earned her a nomination for the
British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress This is a list of the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress. The British Academy Television Awards (BAFTA TV Awards) were first presented in 1954. They are the UK equivalent to the Emmy Awards in the United States. From 195 ...
. She provided the voice of Sophie in the English-language version of '' Howl's Moving Castle'' (2004), and starred in '' Scream 3'' (2000), '' Match Point'' (2005), ''
The Pink Panther ''The Pink Panther'' is an American media franchise primarily focusing on a series of comedy-mystery films featuring an inept French police detective, Inspector Clouseau, Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The franchise began with the release of the fil ...
'' (2006), '' The Pink Panther 2'' (2009), '' Lars and the Real Girl'' (2007), ''
Chaos Theory Chaos theory is an interdisciplinary area of Scientific method, scientific study and branch of mathematics. It focuses on underlying patterns and Deterministic system, deterministic Scientific law, laws of dynamical systems that are highly sens ...
'' (2008), '' Harry Brown'' (2009), '' Shutter Island'' (2010), ''
Cars 2 ''Cars 2'' is a 2011 American animated spy comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It is the sequel to '' Cars'' (2006), the second film in the ''Cars'' franchise, and the 12th animated film from the studio ...
'' (2011), '' Hugo'' (2011), '' Mary Poppins Returns'' (2018), and ''
Relic In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...
'' (2020).


Early life and education

Mortimer was born on 6 October 1971 in
Hammersmith Hammersmith is a district of West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. It ...
,
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, to dramatist and barrister Sir John Mortimer, and his second wife, Penelope (née Gollop). She has a younger sister, Rosie; two older half-siblings, Sally Silverman and Jeremy, from her father's first marriage to author Penelope Fletcher; and a half-brother, Ross Bentley, from her father's relationship with actress
Wendy Craig Wendy Craig (born Anne Gwendolyn Craig; 20 June 1934) is an English actress who is best known for her appearances in the sitcoms '' Not in Front of the Children'' (1967–1970), '' ...And Mother Makes Three'' (1971–1973), '' ...And Mother M ...
. Mortimer studied at St Paul's Girls' School in west London where she appeared in several pupil productions. She went on to the
University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...
, where she read Russian at Lincoln College and performed in several plays. Before becoming an actress, she wrote a column for ''
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'' and was screenwriter for an adaptation of Lorna Sage's memoir '' Bad Blood''.


Career


1995–2008: Early work and recognition

Mortimer performed in several plays while studying at the
University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...
. While acting in a student production, she was spotted by a producer who later cast her as the lead in a television adaptation of Catherine Cookson's ''The Glass Virgin'' (1995).Woman on the verge
, Guardian.co.uk; retrieved 14 April 2012.
Subsequent television roles included ''
Sharpe's Sword ''Sharpe's Sword'' is a historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell. It is the fourth in the series, being first published in 1983, though the fifteenth chronologically. Set in the summer of 1812 including the Battle of ...
(1995)'' and '' Coming Home (1998)''. She followed this with the 1996 television film ''Lord of Misrule'', directed by Guy Jenkin and filmed in
Fowey Fowey ( ; , meaning ''beech trees'') is a port town and civil parishes in England, civil parish at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town has been in existence since well before the Norman invasion, ...
,
Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...
. In 1996, Mortimer appeared in her first feature film opposite
Val Kilmer Val Edward Kilmer (December 31, 1959 – April 1, 2025) was an American actor. Initially a stage actor, he later found fame as a Leading actor, leading man in films in a wide variety of genres, including Comedy film, comedies, dramas, action fi ...
in ''
The Ghost and the Darkness ''The Ghost and the Darkness'' is a 1996 American historical adventure film directed by Stephen Hopkins and starring Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas. The screenplay, written by William Goldman, is a fictionalized account of the Tsavo man-eater ...
'', and in the
coming-of-age Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...
story, ''
The Last of the High Kings ''The Last of the High Kings'', also released under the title ''Summer Fling'' in some countries, is a 1996 coming-of-age comedy-drama Irish film set in 1970s Howth, Dublin, following teenaged friends becoming immersed in the emerging punk scene, ...
.'' 1997 saw Mortimer play the central character of Katherine Lacey in the pilot episode of
Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British Mystery fiction, mystery television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the ''Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series created by Caroline Graham (writer), Caroline Graham. ...
. In 1998 she appeared as
Kat Ashley Katherine Ashley (née Champernowne; – 18 July 1565), also known as Kat Ashley or Astley, was the first close friend, governess, and Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth I of England. Sh ...
in '' Elizabeth'', and played Miss Flynn in the television mini series '' Cider with Rosie'', which was adapted for television by her father. In 1999, she played three roles: she was the "Perfect Girl" dropped by
Hugh Grant Hugh John Mungo Grant (born 9 September 1960) is an English actor. He established himself early in his career as a charming and vulnerable romantic leading man, and has since transitioned into a character actor. He has received List of awards ...
in ''
Notting Hill Notting Hill is a district of West London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Notting Hill is known for being a wikt:cosmopolitan, cosmopolitan and multiculturalism, multicultural neighbourhood, hosting the annual Notting ...
'';
Esther Esther (; ), originally Hadassah (; ), is the eponymous heroine of the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible. According to the biblical narrative, which is set in the Achaemenid Empire, the Persian king Ahasuerus falls in love with Esther and ma ...
in the television miniseries '' Noah's Ark,'' and the actress Angelina in '' Scream 3''. In 2000, Mortimer was cast as Katherine in
Kenneth Branagh Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh ( ; born 10 December 1960) is a British actor and filmmaker. Born in Belfast and raised primarily in Reading, Berkshire, Branagh trained at RADA in London and served as its president from 2015 to 2024. List of award ...
's musical adaptation of ''Love's Labour's Lost'', where she met actor and future husband Alessandro Nivola. She took on her biggest role in an American film to date, playing opposite
Bruce Willis Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series ''Moonlighting (TV series), Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and has appeared in over one hundred films, gaining ...
in '' Disney's The Kid''. A year later, she played aspiring actress Elizabeth in '' Lovely & Amazing'', a comedy about the relationship between a mother and her three daughters. Mortimer said of the role, "It was a wonderful experience as an actor to have that opportunity ..You hear this terrifying phrase, 'being in the moment.' I have no doubt that I was in that moment. lizabethwas exposed and ridiculous and brave." Mortimer won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role. In 2002, she had a major part as the assassin in ''
The 51st State ''The 51st State'' (also known as ''Formula 51'') is a 2001 action comedy film directed by Ronny Yu, written by Stel Pavlou, and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Carlyle, Emily Mortimer, Ricky Tomlinson, Sean Pertwee, Rhys Ifans, Step ...
'' (also known as ''Formula 51''), starring opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Carlyle. Upon release, the film was a critical and commercial failure.In 2003, Mortimer appeared in
Stephen Fry Sir Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director, narrator and writer. He came to prominence as a member of the comic act Fry and Laurie alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring in ''A Bit of ...
's British drama, '' Bright Young Things,'' based on the 1930 novel '' Vile Bodies'' by
Evelyn Waugh Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (; 28 October 1903 – 10 April 1966) was an English writer of novels, biographies, and travel books; he was also a prolific journalist and book reviewer. His most famous works include the early satires ''Decli ...
. It is about young and carefree London aristocrats and bohemians, set in the
interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...
. Playing fiancée Nina Blount, Mortimer was described as "a character who gives Peter O'Toole a marvelous few minutes of playing dottiness to the hilt", by ''
Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
s Stephen Hunter. Her last release of 2003 was '' Young Adam'', in which she plays the girlfriend of a cruel barge worker (
Ewan McGregor Ewan Gordon McGregor ( ; born 31 March 1971) is a Scottish actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2013, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to drama and ...
). Based on the novel of the same title, Mortimer's role in ''Young Adam'' garnered her acclaim; ''
Evening Standard The ''London Standard'', formerly the ''Evening Standard'' (1904–2024) and originally ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), is a long-established regional newspaper published weekly and distributed free newspaper, free of charge in London, Engl ...
'''s critic wrote, "In a performance of naked courage, Emily Mortimer shows that she is prepared to go to extreme lengths of masochism in her depiction of a woman undone by love". ''
Sight & Sound ''Sight and Sound'' (formerly written ''Sight & Sound'') is a monthly film magazine published by the British Film Institute (BFI). Since 1952, it has conducted the well-known decennial ''Sight and Sound'' Poll of the Greatest Films of All Time. ...
'' magazine thought the cast performances were "edgy", and Mortimer made the most out of an underwritten role. She also had a supporting part in the romantic drama '' The Sleeping Dictionary'' (2003). In 2004, Mortimer played the lead role in the drama '' Dear Frankie'', about a young mother whose love for her son prompts her to plan a deception to protect him from the truth about his father. Her performance gained positive reviews; ''
San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...
'' wrote, "an unforgettable performance from Mortimer ..a leading lady". Matthew Leyland of the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, and was impressed with Mortimer's performance, which was played with "heartfelt conviction". In an interview with critic
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
, Mortimer said, "I seem to find characters who are held back and guarded, physically and mentally. It's a relief after the film is over. ..But when I'm acting, it's good to have something to play against, boundaries to break." Mortimer also voiced young Sophie in the English- dubbed version of 2004's '' Howl's Moving Castle''. In 2005, she played Chloe Wilton, the oblivious spouse of Jonathan Rhys Meyers's adulterer in
Woody Allen Heywood Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades. Allen has received many List of awards and nominations received by Woody Allen, accolade ...
's '' Match Point.'' The film premiered at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world. Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...
, and co-starred
Scarlett Johansson Scarlett Ingrid Johansson (; born November 22, 1984) is an American actress and singer. The List of highest-paid film actors, world's highest-paid actress in 2018 and 2019, she has been featured multiple times on the Forbes Celebrity 100, ''F ...
and Matthew Goode. Writing for ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'',
Peter Bradshaw Peter Nicholas Bradshaw (born 19 June 1962) is a British writer and film critic. He has been chief film critic at ''The Guardian'' since 1999, and is a contributing editor at ''Esquire'' magazine. Early life and education Bradshaw was educat ...
opined that Mortimer's performance was "perfectly plausible", and CNN's critic complimented the entire cast. During the film's theatrical run, it earned $85 million. She appeared in ''
The Pink Panther ''The Pink Panther'' is an American media franchise primarily focusing on a series of comedy-mystery films featuring an inept French police detective, Inspector Clouseau, Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The franchise began with the release of the fil ...
'' (2006) as the "adorable" secretary Nicole Durant. In 2007, she had a role in the comedy drama '' Lars and the Real Girl'' as Karin, the supportive sister-in-law of
Ryan Gosling Ryan Thomas Gosling ( ; born November 12, 1980) is a Canadian actor. His work includes both independent films and major studio features, and his accolades include a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Awards, a ...
's title character. The film received generally positive reviews; Deborah Ross of ''
The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British political and cultural news magazine. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving magazine in the world. ''The Spectator'' is politically conservative, and its principal subject a ...
'' thought Mortimer played her character well despite the film's repetitive comedic moments. Next in 2008, Mortimer starred opposite
Ryan Reynolds Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23, 1976) is a Canadian and American actor, producer and businessman. Known for starring in comedic and superhero films, he was the List of highest-paid film actors, world's second-highest-paid actor in 202 ...
in the comedy ''
Chaos Theory Chaos theory is an interdisciplinary area of Scientific method, scientific study and branch of mathematics. It focuses on underlying patterns and Deterministic system, deterministic Scientific law, laws of dynamical systems that are highly sens ...
''. Critical reception was mostly mixed, and Ruthe Stein of ''San Francisco Chronicle'' thought Mortimer and Reynolds lacked chemistry. The psychological thriller '' Transsiberian'' (2008), directed by Brad Anderson, saw Mortimer cast as Jessie. She co-stars with
Woody Harrelson Woodrow Tracy Harrelson (born July 23, 1961) is an American actor. He first became known for his role as bartender Woody Boyd on the NBC sitcom ''Cheers'' (1985–1993), for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in ...
, and they portray a couple who befriend a pair of mysterious travellers. The film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival to a positive response; '' Variety'' magazine's critic thought Mortimer's character was well-developed, and it was "a very flavorful performance as a reformed bad girl". A year later, she was cast in
David Mamet David Alan Mamet (; born November 30, 1947) is an American playwright, author, and filmmaker. He won a Pulitzer Prize and received Tony Award, Tony nominations for his plays ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' (1984) and ''Speed-the-Plow'' (1988). He first ...
's martial arts drama '' Redbelt'', playing attorney Laura Black. The film gained fair reviews, and ''The Telegraph'' critic wrote, "Emily Mortimer is impressive as a jittery, unlikable attorney". In 2009, Mortimer reprised her role as Nicole Durant in '' The Pink Panther 2''; the film was panned by critics. In the last three episodes of the first season of ''
30 Rock ''30 Rock'' is an American satire, satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live' ...
'', she played Phoebe, the mysterious love interest of
Alec Baldwin Alexander Rae Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor and film producer. He is known for his leading and supporting roles in a variety of genres, from comedy to drama. He has received List of awards and nominations received by A ...
's character,
Jack Donaghy John Francis "Jack" Donaghy ( ) is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom '' 30 Rock'', airing from 2006 to 2013. The character was created by series creator Tina Fey, and is portrayed by Alec Baldwin. He was introduced as the Vice President of ...
.


2009–2019: Career progression in film

Mortimer appeared in Daniel Barber's first film, '' Harry Brown'' (2009), as police detective Alice Frampton. The plot follows widowed veteran (
Michael Caine Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, 14 March 1933) is a retired English actor. Known for his distinct Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films over Michael Caine filmography, a career that spanned eight decades an ...
), who takes the law into his own hands when teenage violence ruins his community. Mortimer chose the role because "It felt like unfamiliar territory for me which is always a challenge and interesting ..the script is very gripping and brilliantly written ..getting to work with Michael, and then just the character being in some ways both the opposite and the same as Michael's character." To prepare for the role, she spent time with a real female detective, and learnt about police interrogation techniques. Upon release, the critic from ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'' thought her performance was "caring and savvy", despite the film's "senseless violence". Betsy Sharkey of ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' wrote of Mortimer's performance: "Her clinical coolness plays well off of Caine's controlled heat." Mortimer played an aspiring actress opposite Andy García in ''City Island'' (2009). Although the film's reception was warm, her role in ''City Island'' was noted by two critics as "vague" and weak. She appeared as Rachel Solando in
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
's 2010 thriller '' Shutter Island''. Several critics thought ''Shutter Island'' was unexciting, and that Mortimer and her fellow actors were not utilised to their full potential. The film found moderate success at the box office, grossing $294 million from a budget of $80 million. She portrayed American educator Leonie Gilmour in the biographical drama '' Leonie'' (2010). Of her performance, ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' opined that it was a "superb portrayal", which showcased her acting range. In 2011, she had a role in ''
Our Idiot Brother ''Our Idiot Brother'' is a 2011 American comedy-drama film directed by Jesse Peretz and starring Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer. The script was written by Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall based on Jesse and E ...
'' as Liz, the sister of Paul Rudd's titular character. In that same year, Mortimer appeared in Scorsese's '' Hugo'', an adaptation of Brian Selznick's book, '' The Invention of Hugo Cabret.'' ''Hugo'' won five
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
from eleven nominations, but was a box office disappointment. Also in 2011, she started work with screenwriter and producer Aaron Sorkin, playing Mackenzie McHale in
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
's '' The Newsroom''. Although the first season of the series gained a mixed reception, the later seasons fared better. Several critics praised Mortimer's acting abilities in season one, but they took issue with her character's writing. In January 2013, it was announced that Mortimer would be co-creating and starring in the comedy series '' Doll & Em'' for
Sky Living Sky Living was a British pay television television channel, channel owned and operated by Sky Limited, Sky. The channel's programming was aimed mainly at women and young adults. It originally launched as UK Living yet became Sky Living by 2011. H ...
, along with her longtime friend, actress and comedian Dolly Wells. Next, Mortimer starred in the drama '' The Sense of an Ending'' (2017), based on the novel of the same title by
Julian Barnes Julian Patrick Barnes (born 19 January 1946) is an English writer. He won the Man Booker Prize in 2011 with ''The Sense of an Ending'', having been shortlisted three times previously with ''Flaubert's Parrot'', ''England, England'', and ''Arthu ...
. Playing the mother Sarah Ford, Mortimer garnered praise for her lively performance, while one critic thought she was miscast. In that same year, she portrayed the pregnant Jinny in '' The Party''; the film premiered at the
67th Berlin International Film Festival The 67th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 9 to 18 February 2017 with Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven as president of the jury. '' Django'', directed by Etienne Comar, opened the festival. The Golden Bear was awarded to the ...
, and was favourably received. Mortimer co-starred with
Patricia Clarkson Patricia Davies Clarkson (born December 29, 1959) is an American actress. She has starred in numerous leading and supporting roles in a variety of films ranging from independent film features to major film studio productions. Her accolades incl ...
and Bill Nighy in the drama '' The Bookshop.'' Adapted from the 1978 novel of the same title by Penelope Fitzgerald, Mortimer played Florence Green, who opens a bookshop despite local opposition. Writing for ''
Chicago Reader The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. The ''Reader'' has been ...
'', Andrea Gronvall noted, "The ever-winsome Emily Mortimer glows as a struggling widow", and ''Variety'' magazine opined that it was "A fine, sensitive leading turn" for the actor. ''The Bookshop'' grossed $12 million worldwide. In the small-scale feature, '' Write When You Get Work'' (2018), Mortimer played a member of the elite class. A family drama, about a man with Alzheimer's, '' Head Full of Honey'' (2018), was Mortimer's next release. She played the wife of
Matt Dillon Matthew Raymond Dillon (born February 18, 1964) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including a Screen Actors Guild Award and two Independent Spirit Awards alongside nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, ...
's character. The ''Los Angeles Times'' gave the film a negative review, and thought Mortimer and the cast were "all over the place". She then joined the cast of '' Mary Poppins Returns'', a 2018
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...
fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
directed by
Rob Marshall Robert Doyle Marshall Jr.http://www.alumni.cmu.edu/s/1410/images/editor_documents/alumnirelations/getinvolved/alumniawards/all_honorees_2018june1.pdf (born October 17, 1960) is an American film and theater director, producer, and choreographer. ...
. It is loosely based on the book series
Mary Poppins Mary Poppins may refer to: * Mary Poppins (character), a nanny with magical powers * Mary Poppins (franchise), based on the fictional nanny ** Mary Poppins (book series), ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fanta ...
by P. L. Travers. The film was a box office hit, and Christopher Orr of ''
The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 185 ...
'' magazine praised Mortimer's "charming" performance. Mortimer returned to the screen in 2019 with '' Good Posture.'' It co-stars
Grace Van Patten Grace Van Patten (born November 21, 1996) is an American actress. She has appeared in two films distributed by Netflix, ''Tramps (2016 film), Tramps'' (2016) and ''The Meyerowitz Stories'' (2017), and in the Hulu original series ''Nine Perfect St ...
as Lilian, a young woman who moves in with her father's friend, a reclusive novelist called Julia Price (Mortimer). Of her character, she said, "I wish I had just one per cent of Julia's frostiness in my own life. I really enjoyed being that person, feeling what it's like to be intimidating." The film was made by Mortimer's friend, Dolly Wells, in her directorial debut. The actor's performance earned praise, but several critics were disappointed with her amount of screen time. Next, she appeared in
Greg Kinnear Gregory Buck Kinnear (born June 17, 1963) is an American actor and former talk show host. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in '' As Good as It Gets'' (1997). Kinnear has appeared in many popular films, ...
's comedy ''
Phil Phil may refer to: * Phil (given name), a shortened version of masculine and feminine names * Phill, a given name also spelled "Phil" * Phil, Kentucky, United States * Phil (film), ''Phil'' (film), a 2019 film * -phil-, a lexical fragment, used as ...
''; it was negatively received by critics. In the horror film '' Mary'', Mortimer starred opposite
Gary Oldman Sir Gary Leonard Oldman (born 21 March 1958) is an English actor and filmmaker. Known for his versatility and intense acting style, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Gary Oldman, various accolades, including an Academ ...
. The film is about a family in isolated waters and the ship they bought which has terrifying secrets. ''Mary'' was panned by critics, and the ''Los Angeles Times'' thought the actors talents were wasted.


2020–present: Recent work and television

In 2020, Mortimer starred in the horror film ''Relic'' with co-stars
Robyn Nevin Robyn Anne Nevin (25 September 1942) is an Australian actress recognised with the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards and the JC Williamson Award at the Helpmann Awards for her outstanding contributions to Australian theatre performance art. F ...
and Bella Heathcote; the ''
Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily nonprofit newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has long held the second largest circulation among Chicago newspaper ...
'' called Mortimer "excellent" in her portrayal of a workaholic mother. That same year, Mortimer played Sharon in the science fiction series ''Don't Look Deeper.'' In 2021, Mortimer wrote, directed, and starred in the miniseries ''
The Pursuit of Love ''The Pursuit of Love'' is a novel by Nancy Mitford, first published in 1945. It is the first in a trilogy about an upper-class English family in the interwar period focusing on the romantic life of Linda Radlett, as narrated by her cousin, Fa ...
,'' which earned her a
BAFTA The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...
TV nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Mortimer replaced
Sally Hawkins Sally Cecilia Hawkins (born 27 April 1976) is an English actress of stage and screen. She began her career on stage and then moved into film, for which she has received several accolades including a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominatio ...
, who had played Mrs. Brown in previous Paddington films, for '' Paddington in Peru''.


Personal life

In 2000, Mortimer met American actor Alessandro Nivola while both were starring in ''
Love's Labour's Lost ''Love's Labour's Lost'' is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s for a performance at the Inns of Court before Queen Elizabeth I. It follows the King of Navarre and his three companions as ...
''. They married in the village of Turville in the Chilterns,
Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...
, on 3 January 2003. Mortimer gave birth to their son Sam Nivola on 26 September 2003, and their daughter May in 2010. Previously based in
Notting Hill Notting Hill is a district of West London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Notting Hill is known for being a wikt:cosmopolitan, cosmopolitan and multiculturalism, multicultural neighbourhood, hosting the annual Notting ...
, they later moved to Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. Mortimer became an American citizen in 2010.


Filmography


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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mortimer, Emily 1971 births Living people Actresses from London People from Hammersmith Alumni of Lincoln College, Oxford Audiobook narrators British emigrants to the United States English film actresses English stage actresses English television actresses English voice actresses Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female winners Emily People educated at St Paul's Girls' School People from Boerum Hill, Brooklyn The Daily Telegraph people 20th-century English actresses 21st-century English actresses Actresses from Brooklyn Actors from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Naturalized citizens of the United States