Emily Mortimer
A British actress and writer whose intelligent charm and wry vulnerability light up both quirky indie films and sharp television dramas.
Born 1971 (age 55)·British actress·Birthday: October 6·Generation X
Biography
Emily Mortimer carries an air of thoughtful, slightly frazzled intellect, a quality she has deployed to brilliant effect across a varied career. The daughter of a barrister and novelist, she studied Russian at Oxford before turning to acting, bringing a literary sensibility to her work. She first caught attention in independent films like 'Lovely & Amazing,' where her performance earned critical praise for its raw honesty. Mortimer refuses to be pigeonholed, moving from Woody Allen's 'Match Point' to the blockbuster 'Hugo' and then to Aaron Sorkin's fast-talking HBO newsroom as producer MacKenzie McHale. Behind the camera, she co-created the meta-comedy 'Doll & Em' and adapted Nancy Mitford's 'The Pursuit of Love' for television, revealing a sharp writer's voice that matches her on-screen presence.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Emily was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Emily Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Emily's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her role in 'Lovely & Amazing.'
- Starred as producer MacKenzie McHale in Aaron Sorkin's HBO series 'The Newsroom.'
- Adapted, wrote, and directed the BBC television miniseries 'The Pursuit of Love,' earning a BAFTA nomination.
- Co-created, co-wrote, and starred in the semi-autobiographical comedy series 'Doll & Em' with her friend Dolly Wells.
Did You Know?
She is married to actor Alessandro Nivola.
She provided the voice for the character Princess Diana in the animated film 'The Prince of Egypt.'
She wrote a monthly column for *The Guardian* newspaper's Weekend magazine.
“I'm much more comfortable playing people who are a bit of a mess than people who have it all together.”
