At the 78th Locarno Film Festival, Academy Award-winning actress Emma Thompson shared a lighthearted and unexpected story from the late 1990s — one that involved a surprising caller: Donald Trump.
The moment took place while Thompson was filming Primary Colors, in which she portrayed a character inspired by Hillary Clinton. It was shortly after her very public divorce from actor Kenneth Branagh, and she was spending a quiet afternoon in her trailer between scenes when the phone rang.
To her surprise, the voice on the line introduced himself as Donald Trump. Initially, Thompson thought it might be a prank. However, as the conversation went on, she realized it was indeed him. Without much small talk, Trump invited her to dinner. Caught off guard, Thompson politely declined. The exchange was brief, but its randomness left a lasting impression.
Looking back years later, she joked that accepting might have “changed the course of history,” though she made it clear she had no regrets. With a smile, she suggested that perhaps Trump was “looking for a nice divorcee” at the time.
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