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Later audiences may also remember her from Nanny McPhee, the 2005 family fantasy film written by and starring Emma Thompson. Law’s appearance provided another mother-daughter collaboration within a film that became widely known internationally. Her credits during this period demonstrated the longevity of a career that had already been underway for approximately half a century.
Law also appeared in the 2002 adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine. Yet individual film credits represent only one part of her extensive body of work. British television remained a consistent part of her career, and she appeared in numerous recognizable programs over the years.
Her television credits included appearances in Waking the Dead, Foyle’s War, Doc Martin, Rosemary & Thyme and Agatha Christie’s Poirot. She also had a recurring role in Kingdom, the comedy-drama starring Stephen Fry, portraying Aunt Auriel. These later appearances introduced Law to viewers who may not have encountered her earlier theatre work.
That longevity was one of the defining characteristics of her career. Law belonged to a generation of performers whose professional lives developed primarily through repertory theatre and stage training before expanding into television and cinema. She successfully adapted as the entertainment industry changed around her, moving from mid-20th-century British theatre and early television into major international films and 21st-century television productions.
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Her artistic interests also extended beyond acting. Law retained the interest in drawing and design that had initially brought her toward theatre, and she worked as a costume designer as well. In later life, she became an author, producing books that allowed readers to encounter another side of her personality.
Among her published works were memoirs reflecting on family life and personal experiences. Her writing about caring for her mother during dementia combined humor with the difficulties of watching someone close to her experience cognitive decline. That work added another dimension to a career already defined by performance and creativity.
Law’s contributions were recognized formally during the later years of her life. The University of Glasgow awarded her an honorary doctorate in 2013. The following year, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, recognizing her services to drama and charitable work.
Her charitable involvement was another meaningful aspect of her public life. Law was associated with the Theatrical Guild, an organization supporting people who work or have worked behind the scenes and in front-of-house roles within the theatre industry. The connection was particularly fitting for someone whose original ambition had involved the backstage world before acting became her primary career.
Although Law was frequently described in later years as Emma Thompson’s mother, her own accomplishments extended far beyond that family connection. She had already established herself as an experienced professional performer before either daughter became famous. Her career encompassed major theatrical companies, celebrated playwrights, Shakespeare, television drama, comedy and international cinema.
At the same time, Law never appeared uncomfortable with the close association between her career and those of her daughters. Their shared appearances became part of the family’s distinctive place in British acting history. Few families have produced three performers with such substantial bodies of work, and seeing Law alongside Emma or Sophie offered audiences a visible connection between generations.
