Tom Hiddleston made a rare and affectionate public appearance with his fiancée, actress Zawe Ashton, on Wednesday night in London. The couple stepped out together for the series two premiere of the much-anticipated BBC hit show, The Night Manager. Their loved-up outing comes ahead of the long-awaited return of the series.
Hiddleston, 44, looked notably dapper in a chocolate brown double-breasted suit. His partner, Zawe, 41, wowed onlookers in a stunning, flowing red caped gown by fashion designer Taller Marmo, complete with an elegant feather trim. This appearance follows a period of notable privacy for the couple.
Zawe recently gave birth to their second child, the arrival of which was only confirmed publicly after a low-key social media post. The couple welcomed their first child, a son, in October 2022. The gender of their second child has not been revealed, and the names of both children remain private. Zawe, known for roles in Fresh Meat, The Handmaid’s Tale, and The Marvels, subtly shared the news when discussing her postpartum recovery and a visit to the Little Village baby bank charity on Instagram.
The new series of The Night Manager will commence on New Year’s Day, almost a decade after the first season aired in February 2016. Hiddleston stars opposite the leading lady, 28-year-old Camila Morrone, who also turned heads at the premiere in a striking Carolina Herrera ensemble.
A Glimpse Into a Private Partnership
The couple has worked diligently to keep their personal lives out of the spotlight. It was first revealed that Tom and Zawe were expecting a second child back in June when she showcased her growing baby bump for British Vogue. The star used the moment to speak about red carpet fashion, commenting, “I think that every time you step onto a red carpet, there’s a really unique opportunity to express your authentic self, your individuality, your creativity.”
Despite persistent rumours, Zawe clarified her marital status with Tom in July on Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver’s Miss Me? podcast. She confirmed their long-standing engagement, dismissing publications that had prematurely referred to them as husband and wife. “We’ve been engaged for a long time and there are, I think there have been publications that have named us husband and wife already,” she stated.
Zawe further explained the semantics of their bond. “It’s just a semantics thing. We call each other husband and wife. At some point, you’re like, girlfriend, boyfriend… We just had a kid with another one on the way. It’s [explicit] off people who are actually married…we’ve talked about [marriage]. I think the spiritual bond and the anchoring for what it does for you as a couple and as a family is really appealing to both of us.”
Hiddleston and Ashton initially met in 2019 while starring in the West End production of the play Betrayal. Their relationship was officially confirmed when they appeared together at the Tony Awards in September 2021. The engagement was first reported after Zawe was seen wearing a prominent diamond ring at the BAFTAs in March 2022.