During the 78th Locarno Film Festival, Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson recounted an unexpected incident from the late 1990s involving former U.S. President Donald Trump. At that time, Thompson had just completed her divorce from actor Kenneth Branagh and was on the set of the film Primary Colors when she received an unexpected phone call.
The call was directed to her trailer. A man introduced himself as Donald Trump, which left Thompson briefly perplexed, even suspecting it might be a prank. Trump proposed a date, an invitation she graciously declined. Reflecting on this years later, she humorously remarked that perhaps accepting the offer could have “altered the course of history.”
Thompson pointed out the peculiar timing of the call, jokingly suggesting that Trump might have been in search of a “nice divorcee” at that moment. Although she declined, she acknowledged that going could have provided her with an unforgettable story — yet she clearly has no regrets regarding her choice.
The discussion surrounding Trump’s invitation transitioned into a conversation about Thompson’s personal life. She and Branagh were married from 1989 until their highly publicized divorce in 1995. This separation was followed by public fascination with Branagh’s rumored relationship with actress Helena Bonham Carter, which attracted media attention but has since calmed down.
After her divorce, Thompson found love once more with actor Greg Wise, whom she encountered on the set of Sense and Sensibility. They wed in 2003 and have established a stable family life with their two children, largely avoiding the tabloid limelight.
While Helena Bonham Carter later engaged in a lengthy relationship with filmmaker Tim Burton, and Branagh married art director Lindsay Brunnock, Thompson continues to concentrate on her career and family. The anecdote involving Trump remains a humorous and unexpected footnote in her extensive, successful journey through both Hollywood and life.