Emma Thomas

Dame Emma Thomas Nolan, Lady Nolan DBE(born 9 December 1971) is a British film producer. She has produced all of the feature films directed by her husband Christopher Nolan, which have grossed more than $6 billion worldwide and have been regarded as some of the greatest films of their respective decades.

The recipient of various accolades, Thomas is the first British woman to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, which she received for her work on the biographical thriller Oppenheimer (2023). She was appointed as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2024 for her contributions to film.

Emma Thomas was born on 9 December 1971 in London. Her father worked in the Civil Service, and she spent part of her childhood living in the Middle East. She originally intended to follow her father into the civil service field after completing her education.Thomas studied ancient history at University College London (UCL). She lived in the same residence hall as filmmaker Christopher Nolan (her boyfriend and future husband), whom she met when she was 18 during their first week at university.[

Nolan introduced Thomas to the UCL Union's Film Society, where they arranged feature film screenings in 35mm and used the proceeds to produce newsreels and short films. Thomas credits Nolan and the Film Society for sparking her interest in filmmaking, and would provide refreshments for the crew members of her partner's short films. Upon her graduation from university, she had a "very awkward" conversation with her father in which he tried unsuccessfully to persuade her into working in the Civil Service.