Love Actually fans shocked to learn Emma Thompson has a famous sister

People have been shocked to discover that Love Actually star, Emma Thompson, has a sister who is a well-known soap actress — and even more shocking, the two have both actually starred in the Harry Potter franchise!

Love Actually has been a Christmas staple in many peoples' homes since its release in 2003, and boasts a star-studded lineup including Colin Firth, Hugh Jackman, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, and Keira Knightley.

Emma's character in Love Actually, Karen, caused all our collective hearts to break in an emotional scene when she realises her husband Harry (Rickman) hasn't bought a necklace for her, but instead his younger secretary. It's a scene that — even 21 years later — causes people immense emotional pain when watching (but more on that in a bit.)

Fans shocked to learn Love Actually star has a soap actress sister

Recently in Facebook groups and Reddit threads, people have expressed their shock to realise Emma has a high-profile sister, Sophie Thompson, an award-winning actress who has starred in Four Weddings and A Funeral, the Harry Potter franchise, and British soap EastEnders.

Sophie played Mafalda Hopkirk in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One, with Emma also notably starring in the film franchise in three of the films as Professor Trelawney — Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two.

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In a Reddit thread, someone posted, "Today I learned… that Stella [EastEnders] is played by Emma Thompson’s sister, Sophie Thompson!"

"I had no idea Stella from EastEnders was related to Emma Thompson," another person commented. "How did i not know about this!" someone else said.

"Their father wrote and narrated The Magic Roundabout - Eric Thompson, and their mother is an actress also, Phyllida Law," someone else shared.

Love Actually fans spot heartbreaking detail 21 years after film's release

The scene where Emma Thompson's character Karen secretly spies a love heart-shaped gold necklace with a ruby in her husband's jacket pocket, believing that it was for her, only to be gifted a Joni Mitchell CD, is burned in everyone's minds (and hearts) as one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the Christmas film.

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And just to add to the trauma, TikToker @the_koo_koo_nest_ has now pointed out that one of the most heartbreaking moments from this scene is the fact that Karen actually wore red earrings, red lipstick and a red cardigan to match the ruby in the necklace.

"The way she matched her earrings to the necklace," the TikToker wrote. "The way she holds it together for the kids. The way she pats down the bed. I stand with Emma Thompson."

"But how have I never noticed the earrings," one person agreed. "It's literally broken my heart to realise it!" another added. "WAIT. What do you mean she matched her earrings?!" a third said. "How have I NEVER noticed that?"

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