Scottish actress Phyllida Law has died peacefully at home aged 94 surrounded by her family, her manager Jacky Leggo confirmed on Tuesday.
Leggo stated that the revered star died supremely peacefully at home surrounded by all of her family. Law was the mother of actresses Emma Thompson and Sophie Thompson.
Born in Glasgow in 1932, Law was accepted at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, initially to train as a stage designer before switching to acting.
While starring in Bristol Old Vic productions in the 1950s, she met her husband Eric Thompson. They married in 1957 with just £30 between them and lived in a crumbling Georgian property in Kensington with a sign on the lavatory reading "No Solids From This Facility".
Early television career and stage background
Law began her screen career on television in the late 1950s, making appearances in popular programs including Dr Finlay's Casebook, Dixon Of Dock Green and The Troubleshooters.
She later built a successful film career during the 1980s, frequently appearing alongside family members. In 1992, she appeared alongside her daughter Emma in Peter's Friends, directed by Emma's then husband Kenneth Branagh.
Law also starred in Much Ado About Nothing and appeared alongside her daughter Sophie in Jane Austen's Emma. In The Winter Guest, Law and Emma played mother and daughter on screen.
Literary work, royal honors and tributes
Beyond acting, Law was a gifted writer who published witty memoirs. In 2014, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for her outstanding services to drama and charity work.
Following the news of her death, tributes flooded in from family and admirers. Her granddaughter Gaia Wise, the daughter of Emma Thompson, wrote: "Rest well my queen."
Fans also expressed their sadness online. One admirer described Law as enduringly well-loved for her acting work and recalled enjoying listening to her talk about The Magic Roundabout, calling her very funny.
Another fan noted that Law starred in many great works over eight decades, including the 2002 adaptation of Stig of the Dump filmed near their home, offering thoughts to her daughters Emma and Sophie and other loved ones.
Family bond and shared resilience
Emma Thompson previously spoke of their close bond and how they drew strength from one another when her father Eric Thompson died suddenly of a heart attack at age 53. Eric was best known for devising and narrating The Magic Roundabout.
Emma said: "Our relationship is unusual, and the reason is that there’s three of us in the family left now, me, my sister, and my mother, because my father died when my sister was 18 and I was 21."
She added: "Now I think if my father was still alive, it would be very different. I mean, we know mum so much better because we spent so much time together."
Emma noted: "We’re far closer-knit because of that event in our lives - also we’re three actresses who always had to earn our own living. We’ve never been supported by anyone."
