"I've always been fascinated by the nineteenth century and [Forster's] characters walk right off the page."

1991 (continued)
Howards End was perfect for her. Filming was rewarding and fun.

1992
Her performance was luminous, and the reviews were extraordinary. The movie got 9 Oscar nominations, including Emma's nomination for Best Actress. Other awards were also coming in, such as the Golden Globe for Best Actress.

"It was fabulous, being in Italy, making this terrific piece."

Beatrice, in Much Ado About Nothing, was also a perfect match for Emma. Filming was as much a party as it was work.

"I do the roles that sound interesting, basically. There's an awful lot of uninteresting stuff around, so I go for what I find engaging, or funny."

And then she was off to film The Remains of the Day, another Merchant-Ivory production co-starring Anthony Hopkins. A definite change from the sensuality of Tuscany. Dripping with subtlety, this film epitomized English repression.

And yes, in the middle of all this, she was slowly working on a screenplay of Sense and Sensibility. Many drafts came and went.

"I've thought long and hard about each speech, and I've tried to make them short and sweet and yet to say something, and also express genuine gratitude. You do feel completely gob-smacked by it all."

1993
Her nervousness about the Oscars resulted in a chest infection and a rash, but she made it to the ceremonies. And, oh yes, she won.

Much Ado About Nothing reaped some of this success when it opened to happy critics and happy audiences. Her reputation grew yet again. Was there any kind of role she couldn't excel at? [No.]

The Remains of the Day resulted in more critical acclaim, as well as a Golden Globe Award and Oscar nomination.

"Acting is the ultimate luxury. This is one of the luckiest things you could possibly be doing."

After filming The Remains of the Day, she moved on to In the Name of the Father. The result? An Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Ken and Em weren't working together much anymore. They were both incredibly busy, they spent a lot of time apart, and it affected their relationship. While Ken was working on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, rumors started about him and his co-star, Helena Bonham Carter.

Toward the end of the year, the first read-through of her Sense and Sensibility script took place. Emma did not expect or want to star in the film. It went well, and led to further revisions.

1994
Other acting projects continued. She starred in The Blue Boy, a television movie, and also did a quick cameo in My Father the Hero.

"I think Ivan [the director] just wanted to put someone very different opposite Arnold....I had a bloody great time doing it."

Hollywood called, offering Emma a half million dollars to be in Junior with Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was a chance to broaden herself and get back into comedy for a bit.

Finally, Sense and Sensibility was given the green light, and Emma now considered acting in the film.

But first there was Carrington. This role got under her skin because she and her character were, she realized, quite similar.

Meanwhile, her marriage slowly fell apart, not so much because of big tragic events, but because distance does not necessarily make the heart grow fonder. Also, rumors about Ken continued.

But she had other things to worry about. Sense and Sensibility began to consume her life.

"People forget Austen is a comedian, she's a satirist and an ironist of the first order, and her wit is biting and it cuts very deep."

1995
More writing. By April, after 20 drafts, rehearsals began, and filming soon after that.

By this time, Ken had moved out of their house, and the marriage was essentially over. First it was a secret separation, but soon the news was public. The British press loved the story, of course.

"I do not agree because one's job involves publicity, that you should be selling your life....I'm just an actor, actors don't really matter, we're just performers."

During the filming, Emma met Greg Wise, and the flirting began. According to rumors, it went beyond flirting. Meanwhile, Ken and Helena were growing closer (they moved in together in 1997). The affairs weren't so much the cause of Ken and Em's separation as they were the confirmation of something that had begun much earlier.

The reviews of Sense and Sensibility were, as they say, very kind. And for an introspective, non-action film, it brought it large audiences. They loved the acting, and they loved the writing.

"I think fame is poisonous....I'm old enough now not to think, 'Hey, I'm great.' Too much attention doesn't make you feel very well."

From now on, Emma would always have a "backup" career as a writer.

1996
Emma was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress, and won one for Best Screenplay. The same thing happened at the Oscars.

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