Emma Thompson: Live webchat, Wednesday 2 October, 8.15-9.15pm

[RachelMumsnet]

To celebrate the publication of Christmas Tale of Peter Rabbit, Oscar-winning actress, screenwriter and children's author Emma Thompson is joining us for a webchat on Wednesday 2 October at 8.15pm. The book is Emma's second tale about the iconic blue-coated rabbit; The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit marked the first Beatrix Potter tale to be published since 1930.

Join Emma for a webchat on Wednesday eve at 8.15 pm or post a question to her in advance on this thread.

[JamieandtheMagicTorch]

Ah yes

The Remains of The Day. Heartbreaking. Great film (of a wonderful book)

[LaVitaBellissima]

More gushing from me too I'm afraid, you are my favourite actress of all time so excited you are visiting Mumsnet

Your new book will be in a Christmas stocking in my house this year as I love reading to my two girls.

Do you have any favourite childhood books that were read to you as a child? I grew up on Enid Blyton and used to scour car boots for out of print stories.

[JamieandtheMagicTorch]

EMMA- YOU ARE ON THE ONE SHOW right now. Have you mastered time travel?

[SoleSource]

I watched Howard's End yesterday for the millionth time. Love it! :)


Emma will you and Anthony Hopkins make another movie together, PLEASE!! :)

[MrsBramleyApple]

Hi Emma. My favourite of your films is Last Chance Harvey. I think the mother daughter relationship with you and Eileen Atkins and the twist with the neighbour is fabulous.

[RadioSilence]

Hello Emma,
You are on my list of "People I Would Love to Invite Round for Dinner" , so if you were to pop round, and be endlessly mithered by my children as the person who played both Nanny McPhee and Professor Trelawney, what would you like me to serve?

You can bring your husband and children obviously- might as well make a day of it

RadioSilence

[RoonilWazlibWuvsHermyown]

Ooh I agree with the Love Actually scene. When the film first came out I was a teenager and just didn't get it really. Watching it as an adult who has been cheated on, it just hits you, the emotions, it just gets me every time.

[SoleSource]

This is so exciting :)

[Tee2072]

My question was already asked: what do you think happened at the end of Love Actually. You were brilliant in that film.

[KatieMumsnet]

Hullo

We're live in the lovely 'not green' green room at the BBC One show. Emma is fresh from the telly in full Peter Rabbit get-up and ready to get going answering your questions.

Over to you Emma

[mousebacon]

Hello Emma squeeeeeeee

I work as an early years teacher and have watched the standard of children's early literacy decline year after year. Speech problems, poor vocabulary and little experience of books are now common place.

How important do you think it is that children have access to quality literature?

[nobutreally]

Since this we chat popped up, I've been trying to think of an erudite question, and have been trying to resist adding to the love-fest, but I can't help myself. Another one who wants to thank you for making so many characters so real to me, big fan since the fabulous Fortunes of War, and have many enjoyable hours to thank you for!

My question would be... Do you think of yourself as a role model, & if so, what does that mean to you?

[EmmaThompson]

@RadioSilence

Hello Emma,
You are on my list of "People I Would Love to Invite Round for Dinner" , so if you were to pop round, and be endlessly mithered by my children as the person who played both Nanny McPhee and Professor Trelawney, what would you like me to serve?

You can bring your husband and children obviously- might as well make a day of it

RadioSilence

@ShatnersBassoon

I feel a bit starstruck .

Are there any roles you've played that you would love to go back and have another stab at, whether because you enjoyed it so much or because you'd do it differently second time round?

I think you want to go back and have another stab at most of them because you always feel like you could go and do it better next time –but that's not always accurate. I did Nanny McPhee twice, and twice was enough!

[EmmaThompson]

Hello I'm here in a dressing room at the BBC with the remains of a chicken salad looking rather salad and I've got a big pair of wellies on because I've been publicising my Peter Rabbit book which is set on a farm, so I thought I'd better look the part. I was on The One Show with Sally who's a great mate so that was a treat!

[jonicomelately]

I'm really looking forward to this

[EmmaThompson]

@dinkystinky

My ds2 loves Peter rabbit (and as a result radishes and all rabbit vegs!) which I love as I have fond memories of Peter rabbit from my childhood. Who were your favourite childhood characters and why?

My favourite Beatrix Potter book was the Tale of Mr Todd. I was very fond of Mr Todd in a slightly weird way because he was clearly evil and wanted to eat people like Jemima Puddleduck. I loved Tommy the Badger who was the psychopath of the animal world, so I loved the darkness and I loved the language and the pictures. I adored Potter growing up and I think she had a great influence on me.

[SoleSource]

I watched The One show tonight. You look lovely :)

[EmmaThompson]

@Badvoc

OMG!
Emma!

Ok...ok....ok.....
I think sense and sensibility is one of my all time fave films. The scene when Edward tells Elinor he isn't married....sigh :)
Also, along with many other MNers the scene in love actually when your character discovers her husbands affair. Heart rending.
My question is very boring - what made you chose Peter rabbit as a project? My ds2 (5) loves the stories and your new one will be in his Xmas stocking :)

Peter Rabbit wrote to me personally. He sent a tiny letter and it came in a box which had a couple of half eaten radishes in it. And I think that if they'd asked me formally I would have most definitely said no, but because Peter had asked me personally I thought I'd say yes! I've loved doing it, and they've taken a long time to write. But there's a marvelous illustrator Eleanor Taylor who I know can capture the mood of these animals so perfectly. The books are beautifully tasteful and exquisite things that you want to hold in your hand and nibble at.

[whohasnickedmyvodka]

Hi emma my question is what film would you have loved to been in and what film makes you cry

[EmmaThompson]

@northernlurker

Another one here having a bit of trouble getting a grip on self....

Ok - stern effort!

Emma, I know you have an amazing mother and are a mother of a daughter yourself. What is the single most important thing for us, as mothers, to teach our daughters?



Can I just say that my whole family LOVED your character in Tutti Frutti. My daughters all have Shakespearean names, the youngest is Beatrice and when I think about the Shakespearean Beatrice I see you, I also love that scene in Love Actually, and Sense and Sensibility and my best friend and I were very keen on Peters Friends and I applied to Cambridge partly because of you (got rejected but hey, taught me a thing or two about life) and you are generally FANTASTIC!

Poor woman's going to run screaming from the HQ office isn't she?

I'd say self love. I think women find it very difficult not to feel guilt, and I think guilt is as corrosive as envy and rage. I think it can really corrupt our responses and I think if we learn from a very early age to love ourselves and be kind to ourselves that everyone else follows. It's a female necessity.

[EmmaThompson]

@motherofmuddles

Seems my question re last scene of LA has already been asked, love to know your opinion. (for the record I dont think she does let him come home but that they are amicable for the children's sake)
I can't miss this opportunity to say how bloody fabulous you are and I truly truly adore you - total girl crush!
My daughter has her heart set on being an actress, what would you recommend, should she go straight to drama school at 11 or 16 or wait till university ? Its a big question in our household right now as she moves schools next September. Thank you

For your daughter, really interesting actors have lived. I didn't start acting until I was 27, until then I went to school, went to university, did comedy, wrote things, did a mime course, travelled, learnt how to speak a different language. I tired everything. Drama school at 11 seems to me to be a bit of a waste and if you do go to a drama school, choose one that has a very wide range of subjects because when you get to the age of 30 and all you've ever learnt about is acting you might feel a little bit hard done by because if you're going to spend your life trying to represent other human beings you need to find out as much about the world and other human beings as possible. The only way to do that is to do as much you can, and that's the best road to becoming an artist of any kind.

[midwifeandmum]

I actually named dd2 after u after watching johnathen ross 2 years ago lol xx
Zoe

[EmmaThompson]

@spixblue

Hello Emma. Another big fan here both of Beatrix Potter and yourself. I think Beatrix Potter has a lot to teach us. Would the global economy have crashed if everyone had read 'The Tale of Ginger and Pickles'?

Great question! I just read the tale of Ginger and Pickles and of course for those of you out there who haven't read it lately. If you haven't read it, Ginger and Pickles runs a shop on credit, so no one ever pays. Tabitha runs a business nearby and doesn't run a shop on credit. Ginger and Pickles run a business on generousity not a business head. I would personally like to know what this two percent growth is about, if we keep growing like that we'll implode. It's time empathy was introduced into business.

[midwifeandmum]

I have delivered a women 3 years ago who named her baby after u too. Ur such an inspirational actress emma
Zoe xx

[EmmaThompson]

@RollerSkateKate

Wow, another starstruck fan here! (Slight wibble!)

My mind is boggling at what I could ask you. There are so many of your performances I could watch over and over (and do) Sense and Sensibility particularly.

My question is, if you could work with anyone you haven't previously, who would it be and why?

Looking forward to Saving Mr Banks!

Thank you very much, Kate. There's quite a lot of dead people I'd like to work with, like Marlon Brando. At the moment I'm trying to find something to do with Sean Penn. I'd like to work with Meryl Streep, I'd love to do a comedy with her. I'll work with anyone who's up for it really!