Emma Thompson could have “changed the course of American history” if she hadn’t ignored Donald Trump’s proposal.
During her recent appearance at the 2025 Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland – where she was honored with the Leopard Club Award for her outstanding career accomplishments – the Oscars and BAFTA-winning actress revealed that the U.S. President Trump asked her out for a date back in 1998.
Speaking to The Telegraph, the Sense and Sensibility actress shared that she was on the set of her 1998 American comedy-drama film, Primary Colors, when she received a call that began, “Hello, this is Donald Trump.”
“I thought it was a joke and asked, ‘How can I help you?’ Maybe he needed directions from someone. Then he said: ‘I’d love you to come and stay at one of my beautiful places. Maybe we could have dinner,’” shared the Emmy winner.
Responding to the businessman, she replied, “Well, that’s very sweet. Thank you so much. I’ll get back to you.”
Thompson then went on to share about how Trump “stalked” her, thinking that she could be a “suitable” match for him to date.
The Cruella actress stated that the President had recently separated from his second wife, model Marla Maples, and on the very day she received the call, her divorce decree from husband Kenneth Branagh had been finalized.
“I bet he’s got people looking for suitable people he could take out on his arm. You know, a nice divorcée, that’s what he was looking for,” she noted, adding, “And he found the number in my trailer. I mean, that’s stalking.”
The actress then joked, “I could have gone on a date with Donald Trump, and then I would have a story to tell. I could have changed the course of American history.”
Emma Thompson will now be seen in upcoming action-thriller film, The Dead of Winter, releasing theatrically on September 26, 2025.
