Emma Thompson didn't just play Nanny McPhee. She basically willed the character into existence through sheer, stubborn creative force. Most people think of the 2005 film as just another mid-aughts family comedy, but for Thompson, it was a nine-year labor of love. She spent nearly a decade writing the first screenplay, obsessing over the rhythm of the dialogue and the specific, "ugly-to-beautiful" transformation that defines the character.
It's kinda rare to see an Oscar-winning actress spend that much time on a project about a snaggle-toothed governess.
The story wasn't hers originally, though. She dug up these old, obscure books from the 1960s called Nurse Matilda by Christianna Brand. If you've ever read them, they’re much darker than the movies. Thompson saw something in that darkness. She wanted to make a "Western for children." That's how she described it to interviewers—a mysterious stranger rides into town (or a chaotic house), fixes the lawlessness, and leaves when they are no longer needed.
The Transformation Most People Miss
The makeup wasn't just a gimmick. It was a narrative clock.
Whenever I watch the film, I’m struck by how subtle the "un-uglying" process is. You’ve got the bulbous nose, the two hairy warts, the mono-brow, and that singular, protruding tooth. Thompson has joked in plenty of interviews about how much she loved being "ugly" because it meant people actually listened to what she said instead of looking at her face.
She spent about two hours in the makeup chair every morning. Her makeup artist, Paula Price, had to apply the prosthetics so perfectly that they looked like real skin, even in high-definition. But here’s the kicker: as the children learn their five lessons, the prosthetics disappear one by one.
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- The first wart vanishes when they learn to go to bed.
- The second goes when they learn to get up when told.
- The mono-brow thins out.
- The nose shrinks.
- The tooth eventually tucks back in.
By the end, she’s just Emma Thompson in a nice dress. It’s a visual metaphor for the children's perception. They stop seeing her as a monster and start seeing her as a person once they stop being little monsters themselves.
Nanny McPhee Emma Thompson: The Sequel and the "Big Bang"
By 2010, we got Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (retitled Nanny McPhee Returns in the US). Thompson was back, but the setting shifted to wartime England.
Honestly, the second movie is arguably better than the first. It’s got Maggie Gyllenhaal playing a frazzled farm mother and a young Asa Butterfield before he became a massive star. Thompson’s script for the sequel was tighter, more emotional, and featured a synchronized swimming piglet sequence that took weeks to film using a mix of real animals and CGI.
The production was a massive undertaking. They built an entire farm set in Hascombe, Surrey. Thompson was so involved she even wrote a "diary" book about the filming process, which is actually a hilarious read if you can find a copy. She talks about the mud, the kids, and the sheer exhaustion of being a writer-producer-actor all at once.
What happened to the third movie?
This is the part that bugs fans. For years, there was talk of a trilogy. Thompson had mentioned in several interviews that she wanted the third film to take place in a "modern space," perhaps a futuristic or contemporary urban setting.
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So, why didn't it happen?
Money, mostly. While the first film was a smash—earning over $128 million on a $25 million budget—the sequel didn't quite hit those same heights in the US. It made about $93 million worldwide, but the marketing costs for these types of "prestige" family films are huge. Universal Pictures eventually cooled on the idea. Thompson has since moved on to other massive projects, like Matilda the Musical and her own writing, but she’s always spoken of the character with a weirdly protective affection.
The Five Lessons (And Why They Still Work)
What makes the Nanny McPhee Emma Thompson collaboration so enduring isn't the magic or the flying motorcycles. It’s the psychology. The lessons aren't about "being good" in a boring, moralistic way. They are about self-regulation.
- Go to bed when told: Discipline.
- Get up when told: Responsibility.
- Dress yourselves: Autonomy.
- Listen: Empathy.
- Act on what you’re told: Accountability.
There’s a reason people still watch these movies two decades later. They don't talk down to kids. Thompson insisted that the children in the films be treated as complex humans with real grief (the loss of a mother in the first, a father at war in the second).
How to Watch Like an Expert
If you’re revisiting these films, keep an eye on the color palette.
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In the first movie, the Brown household is an explosion of Victorian neons—pinks, greens, and purples. It’s chaotic. As Nanny McPhee brings order, the colors settle down. In the second, the muted tones of the English countryside reflect the somber reality of the 1940s.
Thompson’s performance is a masterclass in stillness. She hardly moves her face. She uses her eyes and that crooked stick to command the room. It’s the polar opposite of her more manic roles, like Sybill Trelawney in Harry Potter.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Writers:
- Study the Screenplay: If you're a writer, find the published Nanny McPhee scripts. Thompson’s stage directions are famously witty and provide a blueprint for how to write character-driven "magic."
- Check the Source Material: Read Christianna Brand’s Nurse Matilda. It gives you a deeper appreciation for how Thompson sanitized the "horror" elements for a modern audience while keeping the soul of the story.
- Watch the Credits: Look at the casting. These movies were a breeding ground for future talent, including Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Asa Butterfield.
The character is gone for now, but the films remain the best example of what happens when a world-class actress decides to make "kid stuff" with the same intensity she brings to Shakespeare. It’s thoughtful, slightly gross, and surprisingly deep.
To get the most out of the series today, watch them back-to-back and pay attention to the recurring motifs—specifically the silver bell and the phrase: "When you need me but do not want me, then I must stay. When you want me but no longer need me, then I must go." It’s a perfect summary of the bittersweet nature of parenting and teaching.