VOLTA AWARDEE: EMILY WATSON

Emily Watson is one of the industry’s most acclaimed stage and screen actresses, highlighted by her OBE honour in 2015 for her Services to Drama. Emily first came to prominence with her memorable performance in Lars von Trier’s BREAKING THE WAVES. For this, her first film performance, Emily received an Academy Award, Golden Globes, and BAFTA Award nominations for “Best Actress”.

In 2012, Emily earned a BAFTA Award for ‘Best Leading Actress’ for her portrayal of Janet Leach in the miniseries APPROPRIATE ADULT. Additionally, she received both Emmy and Golden Globe nominations and universal critical acclaim for her work in the HBO/Sky mini-series CHERNOBYL in 2019.

Emily’s other film and television credits include: ON CHESIL BEACH; the BBC/PBS adaptation of LITTLE WOMEN; the Emmy nominated drama series GENIUS; APPLE TREE YARD; multiple award-winning THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING; A SONG FOR JENNY; Richard Eyre’s BBC production of KING LEAR; THE HAPPY PRINCE; THE DRESSER; TESTAMENT OF YOUTH; A ROYAL NIGHT OUT; EVEREST; THE BOXER; ANGELA'S ASHES; PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE;

RED DRAGON; CORPSE BRIDE; SUNECDOCHE NEW YORK; ORANGES AND SUNSHINE for which she was an Australian Film Institute Award nominee and a Film Critics Circle of Australia Award winner as ‘Best Actress’; WAR HORSE; THE BOOK THIEF and GOSFORD PARK, for which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble honoured with the top prize of Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

A veteran of the London stage, Emily’s theatre credits are extensive, including many productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 2002, she received critical acclaim for her starring roles in UNCLE VANYA and TWELFTH NIGHT at the Donmar Warehouse. The shows ran concurrently, and were both directed by Sam Mendez.

Emily recently finished shooting A24 film THE LEGEND OF OCHI, a fantasy epic film starring opposite Willem Dafoe, Finn Wolfhard and Helena Zangel. At the end of 2022 it was announced that Emily will be playing Valya Harkonnen in the new HBO series DUNE: THE SISTERHOOD opposite Mark Strong and Shirley Henderson.