Emily Mortimer

Emily Kathleen Anne Mortimer, born on October 6, 1971, is a British actress and filmmaker known for her diverse roles in film and television. She initially began her acting career in stage productions before transitioning to notable appearances in various films and television series.
In 2003, Mortimer received critical acclaim and won an Independent Spirit Award for her performance in "Lovely and Amazing." She gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Mackenzie McHale in the HBO series "The Newsroom" from 2012 to 2014. Mortimer also created and wrote the series "Doll & Em," which aired from 2014 to 2015. Additionally, she wrote and directed the miniseries "The Pursuit of Love" in 2021, earning her a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress.


Mortimer has showcased her versatility by providing the voice of Sophie in the English-language version of "Howl's Moving Castle" (2004) and starring in a range of films including "Scream 3" (2000), "Match Point" (2005), "The Pink Panther" (2006), "The Pink Panther 2" (2009), "Lars and the Real Girl" (2007), "Chaos Theory" (2008), "Harry Brown" (2009), "Shutter Island" (2010), "Cars 2" (2011), "Hugo" (2011), "Mary Poppins Returns" (2018), and "Relic" (2020). Her contributions to both film and television have solidified her reputation as a versatile and talented actress.


Emily Kathleen Anne Mortimer was born on October 6, 1971, in Hammersmith, London, to Sir John Mortimer, a dramatist and barrister, and his second wife, Penelope Mortimer (née Gollop). She has a younger sister named Rosie, as well as older half-siblings named Sally Silverman and Jeremy from her father's first marriage to author Penelope Fletcher, and a half-brother named Ross Bentley from her father's relationship with actress Wendy Craig.


Mortimer attended St Paul's Girls' School in west London, where she participated in several pupil productions. She then pursued higher education at the University of Oxford, studying Russian at Lincoln College while also actively participating in various theatrical productions. Before embarking on her acting career, Mortimer wrote a column for The Daily Telegraph and worked as a screenwriter, contributing to an adaptation of Lorna Sage's memoir "Bad Blood."


While studying at the University of Oxford, Mortimer's acting talent caught the attention of a producer during a student production, leading to her being cast in the lead role in a television adaptation of Catherine Cookson's "The Glass Virgin" in 1995. Following this, she appeared in several other television roles, including "Sharpe's Sword" in 1995 and "Coming Home" in 1998. Additionally, she starred in the 1996 television film "Lord of Misrule," directed by Guy Jenkin.
Mortimer's transition to feature films began in 1996 when she appeared opposite Val Kilmer in "The Ghost and the Darkness" and in the coming-of-age story "The Last of the High Kings."


She continued to expand her television credits, portraying Katherine Lacey in the pilot episode of "Midsomer Murders" in 1997 and playing Kat Ashley in "Elizabeth" in 1998. She also appeared in the television mini-series "Cider with Rosie," adapted for television by her father. In 1999, Mortimer took on three roles, including the "Perfect Girl" in "Notting Hill," Esther in the television mini-series "Noah's Ark," and the actress Angelina in "Scream 3."
In 2000, Mortimer played Katherine in Kenneth Branagh's musical adaptation of "Love's Labour's Lost," where she met actor and future husband Alessandro Nivola. Her American film debut came with "The Kid," in which she starred opposite Bruce Willis. The following year, she portrayed aspiring actress Elizabeth in "Lovely & Amazing," a role that earned her an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 2002, she had a significant role as the assassin in "The 51st State," alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Carlyle.


In 2003, Mortimer starred in Stephen Fry's British drama "Bright Young Things," based on Evelyn Waugh's novel "Vile Bodies." She portrayed fiancée Nina Blount in a story about young and carefree London aristocrats and bohemians set in the interwar period. Her performance earned praise, with Washington Post's Stephen Hunter describing her character as providing "a marvelous few minutes of playing dottiness to the hilt." Mortimer's next release of the year was "Young Adam," where she played the girlfriend of a cruel barge worker, earning acclaim for her portrayal of a woman undone by love.


In 2004, Mortimer took on the lead role in "Dear Frankie," a drama about a young mother's deception to protect her son from the truth about his father. Her performance received positive reviews, with the San Francisco Chronicle praising her as delivering "an unforgettable performance" and the BBC's Matthew Leyland commending her "heartfelt conviction." She also voiced young Sophie in the English-dubbed version of "Howl's Moving Castle."
In 2005, Mortimer appeared in Woody Allen's "Match Point" as Chloe Wilton, the oblivious spouse of an adulterer, earning praise for her plausible performance. She then starred in "The Pink Panther" (2006) as the adorable secretary Nicole Durant.


In 2007, Mortimer had a role in the comedy drama "Lars and the Real Girl" as Karin, the supportive sister-in-law of the title character. Her performance was well-received despite the film's repetitive comedic moments. In 2008, she starred opposite Ryan Reynolds in the comedy "Chaos Theory," and portrayed Jessie in the psychological thriller "Transsiberian" alongside Woody Harrelson.
The following year, Mortimer appeared in David Mamet's martial arts drama "Redbelt" as attorney Laura Black. She also reprised her role as Nicole Durant in "The Pink Panther 2" and played Phoebe, the mysterious love interest of Alec Baldwin's character, Jack Donaghy, in the last three episodes of the first season of "30 Rock."

References

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