Hilary and Jackie is a 1998 British biographical film directed by Anand Tucker, starring Emily Watson and Rachel Griffiths as the British classical musician sisters Jacqueline du Pré (cello) and Hilary du Pré (flute). The film covers Jacqueline's meteoric rise to fame, her alleged affair with Hilary's husband Christopher Finzi, and her struggle with multiple sclerosis starting in her late 20s ultimately leading to her death at the age of 42.
UK theatrical poster
Emily Watson and Rachel Griffiths' performances as the Du Pré sisters gained widespread acclaim, leading both to be nominated for Oscars, for best actress (Watson), and for best supporting actress (Griffiths).
Image: Emily Watson (25831419375) cropped
Emily Margaret Watson is a British actress. She began her career on stage and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1992. In 2002, she starred in productions of Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya at the Donmar Warehouse, and was nominated for the 2003 Olivier Award for Best Actress for the latter. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her debut film role as Bess McNeil in Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves (1996) and for her role as Jacqueline du Pré in Hilary and Jackie (1998), winning the British Independent Film Award for Best Actress for the latter. For her role as Margaret Humphreys in Oranges and Sunshine (2010), she was also nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
Watson in 2024
Watson at the British Academy Film Awards in the Royal Opera House, February 2007
Watson with Adam Sandler, Paul Thomas Anderson and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The 2002 Cannes Film Festival promoting Punch-Drunk Love