LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In contrast to Tom Wambsgans and Shiv Roy's toxic marriage in 'Succession,' Matthew Macfadyen's real-life marriage to Keeley Hawes seems to be considerably healthier. The English actors, who met while filming the BBC spy drama 'Spooks' in 2002, hit it off right away. At the time, Hawes was married to cartoonist Spencer McCallum, and they had a son together. Eight weeks after getting married to McCallum, Hawes married Macfadyen in 2004.
The tycoon drama series 'Succession' finally came to an end on Sunday, May 28, outperforming the viewership of its previous season finales. The show's principal actors included Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, and Matthew Macfadyen alongside lead actor Kieran Culkin. Apart from 'Succession', Macfadyen also appeared on the ITV drama, 'Stonehouse,' alongside his wife Hawes. So who is Keeley Hawes, Matthew Macfadyen's wife of 20 years?
Who is Matthew McFayden's wife, Keeley Hawes?
Hawes is a well-known name in Britain compared to America. On February 10, 1976, Keeley Hawes (real name Clair Julia Hawes) was born in Paddington, London. She was raised in a modest home in Marylebone and had to work several part-time jobs when she was a teenager before entering the entertainment industry.
As per People, Hawes has achieved success in both the acting and producing fields. She met Macfadyen while playing intelligence officer Zoe Reynolds on 'Spooks,' which was her breakthrough role. The actress is also well-known for portraying Julia Montague in the political thriller 'Bodyguard' and Lindsay Denton in the police drama 'Line of Duty.' She has also acted in a number of movies, such as 'To Olivia,' 'Misbehavior,' and 'High-Rise.'
Hawes established Buddy Club Productions in 2019 after accumulating decades of professional expertise. She is renowned for lending her voice to many projects as a voice-over artist or narrator alongside her on-screen performance. Her voiceover work for Lara Croft in three game releases from the franchise from 2006 to 2010 might have been her most well-known contribution in that regard.
Keeley Hawes left her then-husband for Matthew Macfadyen
When Hawes and Macfadyen grew close on the 'Spooks' set, she was already a mother of a child and a newlywed to her first husband, Spencer McCallum. Their budding romance was unaffected by the challenging circumstances. Hawes later told The Guardian, "Spooks will always stand out. We all had such fun on that, all of us. And I met my husband."
People started noticing Hawes because of the scandal involving her relationship with her present husband Macfadyen. The revelation that Hawes had chosen to leave the father of her son, Myles, who was then two years old, for her co-star Macfadyen, created a stir in the media in 2002. When asked about how their relationship started, the actress recalled saying, "Matthew just came straight out with it and said, 'I love you,' in the rain one day. I thought, 'Oh dear, here we go'."
Since then, the choice has appeared wise because Hawes and Macfadyen have been together for two decades. According to Macfadyen, their sacrifices have preserved their love. They are bound by a self-made rule that prohibits them from being separated for more than three weeks. "You have to make compromises a bit but you just muddle through like everybody," he said. "You just take it day by day. Can I do this? Will it work?"
Hawes and Macfadyen share two kids, Maggie and Ralph. Hawes also has a son, named Myles McCallum, from her first marriage with McCallum.
Hawes and Macfadyen share healthy work-life balance
Macfadyen spoke with The Big Issue in April 2015 about finding a work-life balance. "Keeley is flying at the moment. She's up for a BAFTA," he remarked. "It is so exciting — about f—--- time! Trying to keep our careers going and focus on our family is tricky, but that is part of the fun. How do we make this work? Will we traumatize the children if we are not there for a few weeks? But when one of us is working away, the other is usually at home."
In 2010, Hawes told the Telegraph, "I love being married to Matthew, and I know Matthew loves being married too." She added, "It ties everything up and it's a statement to each other and to the world. Marriage and being a mother are absolutely crucial to my happiness and my life."
