Hollywood has an infamous culture of switching relationships like we switch clothes. While there may not be anything fundamentally wrong with it, such relationships often leave a deep mark on the children involved. Many celebrity children struggle with gaining a sense of family amid the changing dynamics — but there are some exceptions, of course.
Emma Thompson’s daughter, Gaia Wise, has also seen her mother navigate some rough waters. But the mother-daughter bond seems to have stayed intact despite. Gaia is seemingly siding with her mom against the actress’s ex, Kenneth Branagh. The celebrity child recently took to her Instagram story to throw some serious shade at Branagh, who was married to Thompson from 1989 to 1995. Here’s what happened.
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Emma Thompson And Kenneth Branagh’s Marriage And Its Infamous Downfall
Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh’s unsuccessful relationship was once a matter of headlines until the actor ended up cheating on her. Thompson was famously blindsided by her husband’s affair with Helena Bonham Carter, a revelation that later informed her portrayal in the movie ‘Love Actually’.
The couple was once considered Hollywood’s golden pair as their romance bloomed after they first met on the set of the BBC series ‘Fortunes of War‘ in 1987. The two collaborated on several projects thereafter, including Branagh’s adaptations of ‘Henry V‘ and ‘Much Ado About Nothing‘.
However, their seemingly perfect marriage fell apart after Thompson found out that Branagh was having an affair with Bonham Carter during the filming of ‘Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein‘. Speaking about the betrayal at the time, Thompson told ‘The New York Times‘, “I was utterly, utterly blind to the fact that he had relationships with other women on set.”
She also admitted that the heartbreak left her feeling “half alive” and stripped of her self-worth. However, after enough grieving, Thompson found love again with actor Greg Wise, whom she married in 2003.
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Emma Thompson’s Daughter Gaia Takes A Sharp, Barbie-Themed Dig At Kenneth Branagh
Though it has been several years since Emma Thompson got her heart broken by her husband Kenneth Branagh, her daughter Gaia — who she shares with Greg Wise — does not seem to have forgotten or forgiven her mother’s former lover. She recently took to Instagram, taking a sharp jibe at her mother’s former lover.
In a cheeky Instagram Story, Gaia Wise shared a still from ‘Much Ado About Nothing‘ featuring her mother and Branagh. In a nod to Greta Gerwig’s 2023 hit ‘Barbie‘, she captioned it: “She’s everything, he’s just Ken,” — also an excellent pun with Branagh’s first name Kenneth.
While her daughter still seems to have some contempt left for Branagh, Thompson herself has clarified several times that she has made peace with both Branagh and Bonham Carter. In interviews, she has referred to the affair as “blood under the bridge” and noted that she and Bonham Carter had long since reconciled.
As for Branagh and Bonham Carter, their relationship lasted until 1999, six years after it began.
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