Emma Thompson Shares a Tale of Being Asked Out by Donald Trump

Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson recounted an anecdote involving Donald Trump, revealing that he once asked her out on a date. This encounter occurred on the day she finalized her divorce from Kenneth Branagh.

While speaking at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, Thompson explained that she received a phone call while in her trailer during filming of Primary Colors. She initially thought the caller was joking when a voice introduced himself as Donald Trump.

“He said: ‘Hello, this is Donald Trump,’” she recalled. “I wondered if it was a joke and responded, ‘How can I help you?’ Perhaps he needed directions.”

Thompson shared that Trump then expressed his desire for her to stay at one of his luxurious properties and perhaps have dinner together. She gently declined, telling him: “That’s very sweet. Thank you so much. I’ll get back to you.”

Emma Thompson claimed she was approached by Donald Trump with an invitation to visit one of his properties after her divorce.

At that time, Trump was recently divorced from his second wife, Marla Maples, with whom he shares daughter Tiffany Trump. Representatives for Trump did not promptly comment on the story.

Thompson’s Personal Life and Reflection

Thompson married actor Kenneth Branagh in 1989, but their marriage ended in 1995. The breakup was initially attributed to their demanding careers, though it later emerged that Branagh had an affair with Helena Bonham Carter during filming. In a 2022 interview, Thompson admitted she was unaware of her then-husband’s infidelity, saying she was “utterly blind” to his relationships with other women on set.

Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh at the Premiere of 'Frankenstein'

Thompson and Branagh were married for six years until their divorce, which followed Branagh’s affair with Helena Bonham Carter.

She reflected on the experience, noting, “What I learned was how easy it is to be blinded by your own desire to deceive yourself.” She also shared that she felt “half alive” during her marriage and divorce. Today, Thompson is married to Greg Wise, with whom she has two children: daughter Gaia and adopted son Tindy.