Kristin Scott Thomas, the British actress known for her roles in The English Patient (1996) and Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), once said she “would have liked lots and lots of children.” But life—and her career—had other plans. During her marriage to French obstetrician François Olivennes, she became a mother of three: one daughter, Hannah, and two sons, Joseph, & George, all of whom have French/British ethnicity.
While she didn’t end up with the large brood she initially imagined, her motherhood journey has been a significant part of her life. She has been open about the challenges of balancing her successful acting career with raising her children.
Now, let’s take a closer look at Kristin’s three children and their lives now.
Hannah Olivennes, 38
Kristin’s oldest child, Hannah, has a passion for storytelling that led her to earn an MA in Journalism from Sciences Po, followed by an MS in Digital Media from Columbia University – Graduate School of Journalism. Thanks to her education, she began working for the prestigious The New York Times in London. She worked there from 2013 to 2018. During those five years, she held roles as a digital editor, news assistant, and researcher.
She is close with her mother, which is evident in how she references Kristin in her social media bio. In her X (formerly Twitter) bio, she humorously refers to herself as a “mamma with a famous mamma.”
The feeling is mutual. Back in 2009, Kristin reflected on the emotional moment of dropping Hannah off at college, saying, “I drove her all the way from Paris to London, and as soon as I reached Land’s End, I just wept.” That was the moment she fully realized her baby girl was no longer that small bundle of joy she first met.
Fast forward to 2021, the actress shared an Instagram post of Hannah’s wedding day, describing her as a “jewel of a daughter,” while expressing admiration for her intelligence, beauty, and kindness. It was a bittersweet reminder of how much Hannah had grown and the incredible woman she had become.
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Presently, Hannah resides in Geneva with her husband and their two daughters. She currently works as the Communications Manager for m3 IMMOBILIER.
Though her Instagram, with over 3,000 posts, is private, her bio offers a playful glimpse into her life, stating, “If you don’t like cute kid pictures, you’re not missing anything,” suggesting that her children are often a focus of her posts.
Joseph Olivennes, 35
The middle child, Joseph has inherited his parents’ creative streak, pursuing a career as an actor, writer, and director. He completed his Master’s degree in Philosophy from Paris-Sorbonne University before fully committing to the arts. His mother proudly refers to him as “the talented director and actor Joseph Olivennes,” on an Instagram post.
Despite his family’s strong ties to the industry, Joseph shared that his mother never pushed him to become an actor, saying,
…she didn’t discourage me either. It’s true that I’ve been beating around the bush for a long time. I am also attracted by other things than cameras. I like to change hats to keep a certain freshness.
He has gone on to make a name for himself in both film and theater and starred in several notable films, including Les Magnétiques (2021), which won a César Award for Best First Feature Film, and Deep Fear (2022). His work also extends to theater, where he has directed plays like Pacamambo (2015) and Le Cid (2022).
Though Joseph now lives in Brussels, he remains close to his family, particularly his sister Hannah. Despite the physical distance, they stay connected and see each other regularly.
Unlike many in the spotlight, he prefers to keep a low profile, avoiding social media and public attention due to which it’s fairly hard to say if he is dating someone or not.
George Olivennes, 26
George is the youngest of the trio. Growing up between Paris and England, he developed a deep appreciation for people, craftsmanship, and the stories behind objects. He attended the Design Academy Eindhoven from 2019 to 2020 before deciding to dive into his own professional projects.
Even with the success of his parents, George wanted to stand on his own. To gain real-world experience, he worked as a bartender and waiter for four months, from April 2019 to July 2019.
Since 2020, he’s been working as an interior designer at Oliver Laws Ltd in London. While his mother and older brother pursued acting and filmmaking, George chose to immerse himself in design.
His love for craftsmanship doesn’t stop with interiors—he’s also passionate about blacksmithing and woodworking, describing himself as a “thinker-maker” who enjoys hands-on work and creating from scratch.
