Emma Thompson says campaigning for her Oscars made her 'seriously ill'

Awards season isn't always as glamorous as it looks.

At least according to Emma Thompson, who revealed she became "seriously ill" while campaigning for both of her Oscar runs. A five-time nominee, the British actress won the award twice, first for Best Actress in 1993 for Howards End, and another for Best Writing in 1996 for Sense and Sensibility, in which she also starred.

"Both times I had to do the Oscars, I got seriously ill," Thompson told Radio Times in an interview published Tuesday. "I found the pressure and glare of it too much. It's astonishing. And then afterwards, you want to lie down in a dark room. You think, 'Please don't ask me any questions or make me talk about myself.' I quickly developed a sort of allergy to that part of the job."

Paul Harris/Getty Images Emma Thompson at the 1993 Academy Awards

Thompson, who knew she wanted to pursue the arts by age 16, said that she initially had "no ambition of wanting to be a movie star." She added, "It didn't occur to me. The first acting I did on telly was [1987 BBC Scotland series] Tutti Frutti with Robbie Coltrane. I got that by accident because they needed a woman who could do a Scottish accent, and Robbie said, 'Ask Thompson.'"

Though she did not receive an Oscar nomination for her work in the 2022 dramedy Good Luck to You, Leo Grande this year, she did nab a nom at the BAFTAs for her role, but the win ultimately went to Cate Blanchett for Tár. This year's Best Actress Oscar nominees include Blanchett, Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Ana de Armas (Blonde), Michelle Williams (The Fablemans), and Thompson's Matilda the Musical costar Andrea Riseborough, who remains in the race following a controversial review of campaign tactics.

The 95th Academy Awards will be held on March 12 and televised live on ABC.

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