Emerald Fennell is an English actress, writer, director, and novelist. Born in London on October 1, 1985, she won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Promising Young Woman and directed Wuthering Heights (2026).
Her father, Theo Fennell, is a jeweller; her mother, Louise Fennell, is an author; and her sister, Coco Fennell, is a fashion designer. After early film roles in Albert Nobbs, Anna Karenina, and The Danish Girl, Fennell moved into screenwriting and directing. She also served as showrunner and writer on Killing Eve season 2 and wrote the book for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cinderella.
Her latest project, Wuthering Heights, is a 2026 adaptation of Emily Brontë’s 1847 gothic novel. The film has generated sharp debate, a visible split between critic and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes, and a series of essays questioning how her work portrays class and privilege.
What Are All 3 Emerald Fennell Movies Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score?
Fennell has directed three theatrical features as writer-director: Promising Young Woman (2020), Saltburn (2023), and Wuthering Heights (2026). Her Rotten Tomatoes celebrity page currently lists Wuthering Heights with a critic score of 74% and an audience score of 57%.
Tom’s Guide published a full ranking of all three films by audience score on 19 February 2026. The individual audience scores for Promising Young Woman and Saltburn were not reproduced in the sources used here, but the ranking is based on official Rotten Tomatoes data.
Emerald Fennell at a Glance
Known For: Promising Young Woman (2020), Saltburn (2023), Wuthering Heights (2026)
Awards: Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Promising Young Woman
Upcoming/Fresh: Wuthering Heights – cinematic adaptation, compared to Titanic by Fennell
Family: Father Theo Fennell (jeweller); sister Coco Fennell (fashion designer)
Several patterns stand out across her filmography:
- All three of her features were written and directed by Fennell herself, a pattern that has shaped her reputation as an auteur.
- The Rotten Tomatoes split for Wuthering Heights – 74% from critics versus 57% from audiences – is the clearest measurable sign of divided reactions.
- Her family is well documented: Theo Fennell is a jeweller, Louise Fennell an author, and Coco Fennell a fashion designer.
- She has also published three novels, a part of her career that is often missing from film-focused coverage.
- The Titanic comparison surrounding Wuthering Heights comes from Fennell’s own stated ambitions, not from released footage.
- Her television and stage credits include Killing Eve, The Crown, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Emerald Lilly Fennell |
| Known Best For | Writing/directing Promising Young Woman |
| Major Award | Oscar – Best Original Screenplay |
| Recent Film | Wuthering Heights (2026) |
| Father | Theo Fennell – British jeweller |
| Sister | Coco Fennell – fashion designer |
| Novel Being Adapted | Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847) |
Promising Young Woman also brought Fennell multiple major nominations, and she appeared in Barbie in 2023. For a closer look at the conclusion of her debut feature, see our Promising Young Woman ending explained.
Has Emerald Fennell Written Any Books?
Yes. Multiple sources list three published novels by Fennell: Shiverton Hall (2013), The Creeper (2014), and Monsters (2015). Her profile at United Agents lists these titles as part of her official bibliography.
The books were described as well received and compared to writers ranging from Roald Dahl to Bret Easton Ellis. According to Broadway World, Monsters was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and called a “modern classic” by The Guardian.
What Is the Wuthering Heights Book About?
Wuthering Heights is an 1847 gothic novel by Emily Brontë. The British Library lists it among the most studied works of English literature.
Fennell’s adaptation is her first feature based on an existing novel. Her previous two films were original screenplays.
Shiverton Hall, The Creeper, and Monsters are each credited to Emerald Fennell in published sources. Monsters received a Carnegie Medal nomination.
Is Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights Going to Be Like Titanic?
Fennell has said she wants Wuthering Heights to be like Titanic, according to a discussion on the Reddit forum r/blankies. The remark has become one of the most repeated details about the project.
Whether she meant the comparison in terms of scale, romantic intensity, or commercial reach is not specified in the sources reviewed. What is measurable is the current Rotten Tomatoes response: critics have scored the film at 74%, while audiences have scored it at 57%.
Who Is in the Wuthering Heights Cast?
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi are attached to the project, according to the sources reviewed. Their exact roles are not specified in those sources.
Sources list Fennell as both writer and director of the 2026 adaptation.
The Titanic comparison reflects Fennell’s own hopes for the film. It is not a description of how the finished movie has been received.
Who Is Coco Fennell?
Coco Fennell is a fashion designer and the sister of Emerald Fennell. The family also includes Theo Fennell, the jeweller, and Louise Fennell, an author.
Emerald Fennell was born in Hammersmith, London, and educated at Marlborough College and Oxford University, where she began acting in university productions.
Is Emerald Fennell Related to Theo Fennell the Jeweller?
Yes. Theo Fennell is Emerald Fennell’s father. He is known for his jewellery design and runs a brand under his own name.
According to Wikipedia, Fennell is married to film and advertising director Chris Vernon, and sources report the couple has two children.
What Are the Key Dates in Emerald Fennell’s Career?
The following dates mark the main turning points in Fennell’s career and the public conversation around it.
- – Wuthering Heights, the novel by Emily Brontë, is published.
- – Promising Young Woman is released. Fennell wins the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
- – Saltburn is released to polarised audiences.
- – Wuthering Heights, written and directed by Fennell, is released.
- – Tom’s Guide publishes a ranking of all three Fennell-directed films by Rotten Tomatoes audience score.
- – The Swaddle publishes the essay “Emerald Fennell’s Poor Rich People.”
- – Her Campus publishes “Emerald Fennell Is Not the Auteur She Wants You to Think She Is.”
Saltburn has remained one of Fennell’s most discussed films. For a full breakdown of its cast, see our Saltburn cast and characters guide.
What Do We Know About Emerald Fennell and What Remains Unclear?
Most of Fennell’s biography and filmography is well established across reference sources. Some details around Wuthering Heights and the response to her work remain speculative or contested.
| Established | Unclear or debated |
|---|---|
| Fennell wrote and directed Promising Young Woman (2020). | Whether Wuthering Heights will feel like Titanic – her stated hope rather than a confirmed outcome. |
| She won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. | Whether the “poor rich people” critique fairly represents her films – a subjective debate. |
| She wrote and directed Wuthering Heights (2026). | The exact roles of Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi are not specified in the sources reviewed. |
| Theo Fennell is a jeweller; Coco Fennell is a fashion designer. | Audience scores for Promising Young Woman and Saltburn are not reproduced in the sources used here. |
| Wuthering Heights is a gothic novel published in 1847. | Whether the three novels attributed to her represent her full body of written work is not clear. |
Is Emerald Fennell the Auteur She Wants You to Think She Is?
Multiple sources describe Fennell as an auteur, pointing to her unusual degree of authorial control over the films she writes and directs. That reputation rests on a clear pattern: Promising Young Woman, Saltburn, and Wuthering Heights were each directed from her own screenplays.
Her Campus pushed back on 1 March 2026 with an essay titled “Emerald Fennell Is Not the Auteur She Wants You to Think She Is,” arguing that the perception of her as a singular creative force outruns what the work supports. The essay opens by noting that Fennell has been “launched back onto pop culture’s centre stage” by her take on the 1847 novel.
The Swaddle’s essay “Emerald Fennell’s Poor Rich People” centres on the class politics of her films. Wuthering Heights also marks a turning point: it is her first adaptation of a novel, after two original screenplays, and the shift has raised expectations about how she will handle a canonical literary text.
The auteur label is used by reference sources, while the challenge to that label comes from opinion journalism. Both positions are part of the public record on Fennell.
Where Do Claims About Emerald Fennell Come From?
The biographical record on Fennell is supported by Britannica, Wikipedia, IMDb, and Golden Globes. Critical responses to her work have come from Her Campus and The Swaddle, both of which published essays in early 2026. Tom’s Guide contributed the Rotten Tomatoes audience-score ranking, and Reddit’s r/blankies forum is the source of the recurring Titanic comparison.
“Emerald Fennell’s revenge thriller ‘Promising Young Woman’ earned the writer-director widespread acclaim and an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.”
Tom’s Guide
“Emerald Fennell has been launched back onto pop culture’s centre stage by her take on the 1847 gothic novel Wuthering Heights.”
Her Campus
“In Emerald Fennell’s films, decadence is chic among the well-off but a repulsive corruption for everyone else.”
The Swaddle
What Should You Remember About Emerald Fennell?
Emerald Fennell is an Oscar-winning filmmaker whose career spans acting, screenwriting, directing, television, and fiction. Her three features as writer-director have made her a central figure in debates about class and privilege on screen. With Wuthering Heights, she has moved from original stories to a literary classic, and the conversation around that transition is likely to continue as more audiences see the film.
What Else Do People Ask About Emerald Fennell?
What Academy Award did Emerald Fennell win?
Emerald Fennell won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Promising Young Woman.
Who is Margot Robbie in Wuthering Heights?
The sources reviewed confirm Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi are attached to the project, but her exact role is not specified.
Why do some viewers say Emerald Fennell’s movies are boring?
A viral Instagram post compared her films to “Alex Garland movies” and described them as “boring.” This is a subjective reaction, not a consensus.
Is Wuthering Heights a novel?
Yes. Wuthering Heights is an 1847 gothic novel written by Emily Brontë.
Who is Emerald Fennell’s husband?
She is married to film and advertising director Chris Vernon. Sources report the couple has two children.
Where was Emerald Fennell born?
Emerald Fennell was born in Hammersmith, London, on October 1, 1985.
Did Emerald Fennell write the screenplays for all of her films?
Yes. She wrote and directed Promising Young Woman, Saltburn, and Wuthering Heights.
Grace Hollis is Film & Music Correspondent at CultureObserver.uk, covering film releases, music news, soundtracks and awards season.