Kim Thomson

Kim Thomson (born 1960)[1] is a British actress who has appeared on stage, television and film since the early 1980s in both the United Kingdom and the United States.

Early life

Thomson had a Scottish father and an Irish mother. Her parents split up when she was three and she was brought up in Surrey by her father's parents, who were originally from Alloa.[2][3] At the age of six, she was sent to a boarding school for five years. Much later she went on record to say boarding schools should be abolished.[4]

She trained as an actress at the Central School of Speech and Drama.[3]

Career

Thomson shared her first lead in Stealing Heaven (1988) with Derek de Lint and Denholm Elliott. In its review, Films and filming said "Kim Thomson's Heloïse moves with delicate poise, a heroine worthy of Rossetti or Burne-Jones, with vivacity and intelligence.[5] The next year, 1989, she played Estella in a film of Great Expectations directed by Kevin Connor, with Jean Simmons, who had played Estella in the 1946 film, as Miss Havisham.[6] Also in 1989 she was Cordelia on stage in King Lear, directed by Jonathan Miller, with the British Theatre Yearbook commenting "Kim Thomson's Cordelia can rarely have been equalled; she was exquisite in beauty, tender in care, full of youthful integrity."[7]

In 1992, Thomson was the leading lady of the TV series Virtual Murder, and in 1994 played another leading role in a costume drama series, The Wanderer. Dozens more appearances in film and on television followed, often as a character actress, such as her role as a society reporter in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004).

In 1997, she took on the part of Lady Chiltern in An Ideal Husband, of which the Theatre Record said "Others have played this pure, cool, idealistic, demanding role with more authority and finesse, but she is simply right for it".[8] In 2001, she was Irina in a new West End theatre production of Uncle Vanya directed by Peter Gill.[9]

During 2008 Thomson had a recurring role in ITV's detective show The Bill, as barrister Naomi Woods, wife of DC Jacob Banks.

In March 2009, she became a regular cast member of the ITV1 soap opera Emmerdale, playing the role of Faye Lamb. At the end of 2009, she signed a new contract with the show. In January 2011, it was reported that she was leaving the show and would make her on-screen departure later in the year.[10]

Personal life

In 2010, Thomson graduated from the University of London with a degree in politics, philosophy and history.[2] She canvassed for Barack Obama in Nevada during the presidential election of 2008 and also supported Gordon Brown.[4]

Film and television

Theatre

Theatre Play Role Director
Phoenix Theatre Alan Bleasdale's Are You Lonesome Tonight? Priscilla Presley Robin Lefevre
Haymarket Theatre & Old Vic An Ideal Husband Lady Chiltern Peter Hall
Old Vic Theatre (1989) King Lear Cordelia Jonathan Miller[11]
Theatre Royal, Bath Present Laughter Joanna Dominic Dromgoole
Battersea Arts Centre The Stranger Madame Y Michael Billington
Battersea Arts Centre Traveller Without Luggage Valentine Nicholas de Jongh
Field Day Theatre Company Uncle Vanya Elena Peter Gill
Watford Palace Theatre Wedding Song Stella Michael Attenborough

References

  1. ↑ "Kim Thomson." Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television. Vol. 76. Gale, 2007, pages 333-335.
  2. 1 2 "Kim Thomson". September 29, 2010. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
  3. 1 2 Steve Hendry (18 October 2009). "I'm delighted I swapped Hollywood for Emmerdale, says Kim Thomson". The Daily Record. Retrieved 14 November 2010. I'm Celtic. My father was Scottish, my mother Irish. I was brought up by my dad's parents who have sadly died but were Scots. My family are from Alloa. I love Scotland. I sound so English but I actually didn't realise that until I was older.
  4. 1 2 Rick Fulton (1 March 2010). "Emmerdale star Kim Thomson: I've handed out a few slaps since I joined soap.. and received a few". The Daily Record. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  5. ↑ Films and filming, Issues 413-422 (Hansom Books, 1989), pp. 44-45
  6. ↑ John Glavin, Dickens on Screen, p. 214
  7. ↑ David Lemmon, British Theatre Yearbook 1990, pp. 43-44
  8. ↑ Theatre Record, vol. 17, Issues 9-17 (1997), p. 975
  9. ↑ Plays international, vol. 17 (Chancery Publications Ltd., 2001), p. 9
  10. ↑ Daniel Kilkelly, Kim Thomson to leave 'Emmerdale', dated 30 January 2011, at digitalspy.co.uk, accessed 3 April 2011
  11. ↑ Stanley Wells, Shakespeare Survey Vol. 43 (Cambridge University Press, 2002), p. 194

External links

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