British actress Emma Thompson recounted a moment from the late 1990s when Donald Trump personally called her to invite her to dinner—on the very day her divorce became official.

Speaking at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, where she was honored with the prestigious Leopard Club Award for her career in film, Thompson shared the story with an amused crowd. According to The Telegraph, she was on set filming the political drama Primary Colors in 1998 when her trailer phone rang.

“It was Donald Trump,” the “Love Actually” star recalled, clearly still taken aback by the unexpected call. “I thought it was a joke… Then he said: ‘I’d love you to come and stay at one of my beautiful places. Maybe we could have dinner.’”

At the time, Trump had recently separated from his second wife, Marla Maples. Thompson, meanwhile, had finalized her divorce from actor Kenneth Branagh just that day. “I realized that on that day, my divorce decree had come through,” she noted, suggesting that Trump may have had a knack for timing—or possibly a network of people who kept him informed. “I bet he’s got people looking for suitable people he could take out on his arm. You know, a nice divorcee, that’s what he was looking for.”

Thompson, an outspoken progressive and long-time supporter of the UK’s Labour Party, took a jab at the what-if scenario: “I could have gone on a date with Donald Trump, and then I would have a story to tell. I could have changed the course of American history.”

While Thompson’s tone was tongue-in-cheek, the story reveals an interesting glimpse into Trump’s unapologetically bold personality—something his supporters have long admired. Even Hollywood’s elite, often critical of Trump, couldn’t ignore his charm and confidence. It’s a telling moment when a staunch left-wing figure like Thompson becomes part of Trump lore, whether she likes it or not.

Despite the ideological divide, this anecdote reminds us of Trump’s decades-long presence as a larger-than-life figure who has never hesitated to make bold moves, whether in business, politics, or—apparently—Hollywood romance.

One thing’s for certain: Trump doesn’t wait around. Whether it’s real estate deals or dinner invitations, he goes after what he wants. And in this case, that just happened to be one of Britain’s most acclaimed actresses.