Few couples can claim to have met while working on a popular television show, but Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley are two examples.
They first connected as Wuthering Heights’ fictitious lovers, Cathy and Heathcliff, in 2009. Riley accepted Hardy’s proposal after just a year, though they delayed setting a wedding date. When questioned why the couple hadn’t decided on a date two years after becoming engaged, Hardy replied to Elle, “I can wait for her as long as it takes.”
In 2014, Hardy and Riley tied the knot in a private ceremony that was seen by Hardy’s son Louis Thomas, who was involved with Rachael Speed before. Hardy and Riley added a girl and subsequently a son to their blended family in 2015 and 2019, respectively.
Riley was transparent in 2018 about the challenges she had balancing her work and family. “What’s important for me is stability — that’s what I aim for in terms of my friends, my family and my children,” she told the magazine You. “The best you can do is to establish a stable, safe, caring, and warm atmosphere… We use a combination of help and juggling, just like everyone else.”
Here is everything you need to know about Charlotte Riley, the wife of Tom Hardy.
She is English
Riley is the youngest of three children and was raised in Teesside, in northeastern England. Riley revealed in a 2018 interview with You Magazine that her regional accent hasn’t faded.
“Having the threat of a Northern father telling you that if you lose your accent you’re not allowed to come home is a good way of keeping you grounded,” she told the news organization.
She has multiple degrees
Durham University awarded the Press actress a degree in English. Later, she studied at the Parisian clown school Ecole Philippe Gaulier, which also counts Emma Thompson and Helena Bonham Carter among its alumni, and attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Durham University awarded her an honorary doctorate of letters in 2022.
She acts in television and film
Riley’s first major break came in 2009 when she was cast as Catherine in Wuthering Heights, costarring with Hardy. The two returned to acting together in the drama series The Take that same year.
Riley has contributed to a number of television shows throughout the years, such as Press, Trust, King Charles III, Peaky Blinders, and Close to the Enemy. Riley has also made appearances in films on the big screen, including Grand Street, London Has Fallen, In The Heart of the Sea, and Edge of Tomorrow.
She married Hardy in 2014
According to reports, Hardy and Riley tied the knot on July 4, 2014, at the 18th-century Château de Roussan, nearly four years after being engaged. Only close relatives and friends were invited to the small wedding, which included Hardy’s older son Louis.
She’s the mother of two children and stepmother of one
Riley made her baby bump public during the Legend premiere in September 2015. Hardy and Riley welcomed a daughter into their family a month later. Early in 2019, PEOPLE revealed that the couple had welcomed a son as their second child.
In addition, Hardy’s son Louis, whom he shares with his former partner Rachael Speed, has the actress from Peaky Blinders as his stepmother.
Riley said of her husband’s household responsibilities to The Herald in 2015, “He’s great around the house.” “We carry out specific tasks. I adore reusing. He’s a skilled bed maker. It functions wonderfully.”
She is a homebody
According to the London Has Fallen actress, her ideal night in is eating Indian takeaway with her family. She claimed they usually “have a little boogie with the children” and listen to AC/DC, Radio 2, and Warren Zevon.
Hardy and Riley also like watching TV together. Homeland and Ozark, which she called “quite gory but so good,” were earlier favorites of the couple.
She founded a childcare company
Riley founded WonderWorks, a business that offers daycare to those who work on movie and television sets. The business established a permanent nursery at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, England, in 2020.
The title of their website’s “Our Story” section begins, “This is the story of an industry, which requires such unwavering commitment to its craft, that it has often demanded an excruciating choice be made — to be part of the film family, or to have a family of your own.” By offering on-site daycare to people employed in the sector, they intend to address this issue.
She recently discovered her “love of dogs”
In 2015, Riley informed The Herald that she had been “badly attacked” by a dog when she was younger. “I’ve never been afraid of dogs. I simply never felt a deep affection for them,” she remarked. “We now have two dogs, which has really increased my appreciation for all animals. I’ve always believed that those who buy their pets stockings for Christmas or return home early from a night out are the saddest people I’ve ever met. However, I am now one of those depressed people.”
She is an advocate for female representation in media
The actress has been vocal about a number of topics in the media field, including women in film and access to childcare. She talked about how the business has to help working women through parenting in order to increase the number of female characters on screen in a 2021 interview with Grazia.
“Our industry is currently seeing a massive surge. We also need as many participants in the pot as possible so that there are options for productions,” she said. “And we have to have that representation while the movies are being made if we really want it on screen. You therefore want movies to be written, directed, and starred in by women. However, to achieve that, you will need to help them through one of the most significant life transitions they will ever experience.”
