United Kingdom, Oct. 14 -- Dame Emma Thompson never intended to go into acting.

The 66-year-old star has enjoyed a glittering career on screen and stage - winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the 1992 film Howards End - but was fearful of entering the "precarious" profession.

Emma, whose parents Eric Thompson and Phyllida Law are both actors, told HELLO! magazine: "I didn't grow up wanting to be an actor at all. It always seemed like a rather precarious job to me - and it is! I remember wanting to be a hospital administrator at one point.

"But then, somehow, I became a comedian. Acting came to me from that, rather by accident. I never intended to be doing this for a living, but it's worked out rather well."

Emma'...