Keeley Hawes has played lonely loser Lindsay Denton in Line of Duty, a mum of four in The Durrells, and a grieving widow whose husband died in Finding Alice. But her real life has been arguably just as eventful.
The popular actress is currently starring in Orphan Black: Echoes on ITVX, and is famous for her roles in a string of hit TV shows including The Missing, Bodyguard, Honour, and It’s a Sin.
But it was on the set of Spooks that her life changed forever. Keeley Hawes fell in love with another man at work while already newly married to her husband – throwing her life into turmoil.
But is Keeley Hawes still married, and what happened with her first husband? Here’s everything you need to know.
Who plays Kira Manning in Orphan Black: Echoes?
Actress Keeley Hawes portrays Kira Manning in Orphan Black: Echoes. Kira is the grown-up daughter of Sarah Manning and Cal Morrison.
The 10-part science fiction thriller series is written by Anna Fishko and follows a new story set in the popular Orphan Black universe. Set in the near future, the new Orphan Black “takes a deep dive into the exploration of the scientific manipulation of human existence”.
It follows a group of women as they weave their way into each other’s lives and embark on a thrilling journey, unravelling the mystery of their identity and uncovering a wrenching story of love and betrayal.
Keeley stars opposite Krysten Ritter, Avan Jogia, James Hiroyuki, Rya Kihlstedt, and Amanda Fix.
What is Keeley Hawes most famous for? What’s she been in?
Keeley Hawes is undoubtedly one of the UK’s most bankable TV stars. The popular actress has been on our screens ever since 1989, when she first appeared as Carol in the TV series Forever Green. Although it was a small part in one episode, Keeley’s career would soon be on the rise.
After playing Mandy Harper in Troublemakers, Linda Langer in Karaoke, Stella Jackson in Pie in the Sky, and Angela Harper in The Beggar Bride, she won the role which helped catapult her into the mainstream. In 1998, she played the lead role of Lizzie Hexam in Our Mutual Friend.
She went on to play Diana Dors in The Blonde Bombshell, Cynthia in Wives and Daughters, and then, of course, Kitty Butler in Tipping the Velvet. Who could forget Keeley’s performance in the 2002 BBC drama based on Sarah Waters’ book of the same name? At the time, the series was considered quite sexually explicit, and featured same-sex love scenes.
Was Keeley in Spooks?
That same year, Keeley won the role of Zoe Reynolds in Spooks, a role she played for two years. She later won over audiences when she played DI Alex Drake in Ashes to Ashes between 2008 and 2010.
In 2010, she played the leading role of Lady Agnes Holland in the 2010 revival of Upstairs, Downstairs. She then portrayed a bereaved parent in 2016’s The Missing.
Her role as a matriarch in ITV comedy-drama The Durrells was also a hit with viewers. Of course, Line of Duty fans will know Keeley as DI Lindsay Denton.
Other notable roles include Julia Montague in Bodyguard, Ms Delphox in the eighth series of Doctor Who, and Detective Chief Inspector Caroline Goode in ITV’s Honour.
More recently, Keeley has played the titular character in Finding Alice, Susannah Zellaby in The Midwich Cuckoos, Jo in Crossfire, and Barbara Stonehouse in Stonehouse, opposite her real life husband Matthew Macfadyen.
In 2024, Keeley starred as Amanda Thirsk in the Netflix film Scoop. Amanda was the publicist of Prince Andrew during a, let’s say, a rather tricky time. The movie showed how the BBC obtained the bombshell interview with Prince Andrew about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Billie Piper, Rufus Sewell, and Gillian Anderson also starred.
Who is the husband of Keeley Hawes?
Keeley Hawes married now husband Matthew Macfadyen in November 2004. The actors have been together for 20 years, and celebrate their 20 year anniversary in 2024.
They currently live together in West London, and juggle childcare between their busy careers. Keeley works in and around the UK for work mostly, while Matthew famously portrayed Tom Wambsgans in the huge HBO drama Succession which was filmed in the US.
Actor Matthew, 49, is famous for playing Mr Darcy in the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice alongside Keira Knightley. She also starred as Detective Inspector Edmund Reid in the BBC series Ripper Street, and as Joe Miller in Criminal Injustice – for which he won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor.
Other notable roles include Charles Ingram in Quiz, Arthur Clennam in Little Dorrit, and Athos in the 2011 film The Three Musketeers.
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How did Matthew Macfadyen and Keeley Hawes meet?
Keeley Hawes met husband Matthew Macfadyen on the set of Spooks, where they both played British spies. She played Zoe Reynolds in the BBC drama series, and he starred as Tom Quinn.
The actress has described it as love at first sight. She once told the Standard: “Matthew just came straight out with it and said ‘I love you’ in the rain one day. I thought, ‘oh dear, here we go’.”
She also told the Telegraph: “I love being married to Matthew, and I know Matthew loves being married too.”
At the time Keeley met Matthew, she was already married to cartoonist Spencer McCallum. Their relationship led to the subsequent breakdown of her marriage.
Who was Keely Hawes’ first husband?
Keeley Hawes was married to her first husband Spencer McCallum between 2001 and 2004. They have a child together called Myles, who was born in 2002.
The Bodyguard star left Spencer just eight weeks after marrying him. It came after she met her now-husband Matthew on the set of BBC One drama Spooks the previous November.
The pair became very close while appearing as undercover MI5 agents in the hit programme. However, despite the painful split, Keeley is said to be amicable with her ex-husband.
She said the decision to end her first marriage “was just horrible”. The actress told Red Magazine: “But it was a long time ago now. And we have this wonderful son and my ex-husband is still one of my best friends in the world.”
Keeley’s ex Spencer and his new girlfriend live nearby, and often babysit her children with Matthew.
Do Keeley and Matthew have kids?
As well as her son Myles from her previous marriage to Spencer, Keeley has two children with second husband Matthew Macfadyen.
She gave birth to their daughter Maggie in December 2004 – one month after their wedding. The dress must have been a tight fit!
Their son Ralph was born in September 2006.
How old is Keeley?
Keeley was born Clare Julia Hawes on February 10, 1976, in Paddington, London.
She is currently 48 years of age.
The actress grew up in a council flat in Marylebone, alongside her three older siblings. Despite not being “an acting family” she went on to attend Sylvia Young Theatre.
In fact, Keeley’s dad was a cab driver, who liked to “spread the word about her programmes” to his clients.
Was Keeley a model?
Keeley signed up to Select Model Management after a modelling scout saw her potential and approached her on Oxford Street while she was in sixth form.
A few months later, she started working for Cosmopolitan magazine as an intern, before obtaining a grant and enrolling in the Sylvia Young Theatre School.
There she became friendly with Spice Girl Emma Bunton, who she went on to live with and travel with for six months. She also rubbed studied acting alongside EastEnders star Kellie Bright.
Read more: Keeley Hawes’ top TV roles ranked
Orphan Black: Echoes streams on ITVX from Thursday, May 16, 2024.
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