Emma Thompson took the world by storm when she walked the red carpet at Switzerland’s Locarno Film Festival. She told that story about how Donald Trump called her to ask her out on a date! We now know that the incident, which occurred back in 1998, was just a few months after Trump had separated from his second wife, Marla Maples. The actress was on the set of “Primary Colors,” in her trailer, when she received an unusual phone call. It was the day her divorce decree had just been completed.
In her acceptance speech for the Leopard Club award for career achievement, Thompson recalled that strange encounter. Trump opened the call with a simple, “Hi, it’s Donald Trump,” before offering an interesting invitation.
Trump went on to propose, “I’d love for you to come stay at one of my very nice places. He said, “Let’s go to dinner or something.”
Thompson has been celebrated for decades, with awards such as Academy Awards and even a damehood. In the end she graciously declined the offer. “Well, that’s lovely, oh my goodness, thank you so much,” and “I’ll be back in touch,” she recalled saying to Trump.
Looking back on the moment, Thompson recognized that agreeing to the date would have set a dangerous precedent. Or I could have accepted a date with Donald Trump. Then I would have one hell of a story to tell! No more excuses,” she exclaimed. She joked that leaving might have changed global geopolitics.
At the festival, Thompson defended tooth-and-claw “Primary Colors,” a dazzling political satire born in Bill Clinton’s presidential ascent. In the movie, her character Karen, whose otherwise wonderful marriage to Harry, played by Alan Rickman, is not without its challenges. The film’s handling of issues like war and inequality struck a chord with viewers. Thompson’s experiences during its production added another, fascinating layer to her reflections.