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All About Tom Bateman's "Brilliant" and "Wonderful" Love Story with Wife Daisy Ridley
Although Based on a True Story star Tom Bateman and his wife like to keep things private, much can be gleaned from their work as a couple in the film biz.
Audiences will remember the West Side Ripper from Based on a True Story, which has a second season coming to Peacock November 21, but did you know the actor behind the serial-killing podcaster, Tom Bateman, is married to someone famous?
Based on a True Story star Tom Bateman, 35, and actress Daisy Ridley, 32, are red-carpet royalty, together since meeting on the set of Kenneth Branagh’s 2017 whodunnit film Murder on the Orient Express, according to People. Ridley, who tends to shy away from speaking publicly about her personal life, admitted in a January 2023 interview with Rolling Stone that she and Bateman were officially married — this, after years of speculation over their engagement and the interviewer spotting Ridley's wedding ring.
Although the Star Wars actress keeps mum about her romantic relationship with Bateman, much can be gleaned from their working relationship, including when the couple wrote and developed the 2024 British thriller Magpie, as reported by Daily Mail.
“I found that process wonderful because our tastes align on almost everything,” Ridley told Radio Times. “I think he’s a brilliant writer, and we are so clear about what it is that we wanted to make. And we achieved that.”
Who is Tom Bateman's wife, Daisy Ridley?
Tom Bateman's wife Daisy Ridley is a London-born actress best known for playing Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy: 2015’s The Force Awakens, 2017’s The Last Jedi, and 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.
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That’s not all, however. According to her IMDB page, Ridley’s other successes include playing the titular role in 2018’s Ophelia, starring in the 2023 drama Sometimes I Think About Dying, and taking on Young Woman and the Sea, which had Ridley play real-life Olympic swimmer Gertrude Ederle.
But it was in 2017 when Ridley met her future husband on Murder on the Orient Express. During the movie’s world premiere in London in November of that year, producer Judy Hofflund hinted at a possible romance, according to People.
Rumors of a romance between the British actors swirled about, but the couple kept things close to their chests, including when, in November 2019, Marie Claire inquired about a ring on Ridley’s left hand.
Ridley coyly responded about what “a really nice ring” she wore, claiming it was the first time she’d been publicly asked about it.
“The thing Is, I’ve never talked about my personal life, so I won’t talk about it now,” she said. “I’m so aware of how much information about my life is out there, so if there’s one thing I don’t want to talk about…”
Rumors of Ridley and Bateman marrying remained unconfirmed whispers for awhile.
In September 2020, several U.K.-based outlets, i.e., Daily Mail, spotted Bateman wearing a gold band on his left wedding finger while out for coffee with his former Vanity Fair series costar, Olivia Cooke. However, the marriage wasn’t confirmed until Ridley said in her 2023 interview with Rolling Stone, “Yes! I got married!”
Details remain slim, and when the pair tied the knot remains a mystery. But that doesn’t mean they’ve shied away from P.D.A.
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As reported by People, the happy couple have been spotted multiple times on the red carpet and at star-studded events. In September 2022, they looked dapper during an exclusive screening of the film Blonde. The following year, they supported Ridley’s Star Wars costar Harrison Ford at the London premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Of course, Ridley starred in her and Bateman’s collaboration on Magpie, in which Ridley received critical acclaim for her work. Collider wrote that Ridley shone with “a perfectly calibrated performance.” It also praised Bateman’s writing for its “perfectly prickly dialogue.”
“Through it all, Ridley brings the right intensity, emotion, and humor to every situation,” the review stated. “What could be dismissed as just a disposable, trashy thriller is so well-constructed and acted that you’re completely won over. Whatever Ridley wants to do next, let this be proof that she should be able to do it.”
Where is Daisy Ridley now?
Ridley confirmed she’s already in talks to reprise her role as Rey in the upcoming Star Wars: New Jedi Order.
“I actually haven’t read a script yet, but the story I’ve been told is fantastic, and I’m there,” she admitted on TODAY. “I’m in it.”
The upcoming film, directed by Canadian-Pakistani director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, is slated to hit theaters in 2026, Ridley confirmed in a September 20, 2024 interview with France’s Première. Ridley said she was happy to return to the franchise because “the story was worth telling.”
“I was simply asked if I wanted to do it, based on an idea, without the script being written yet. But if I hadn't been convinced by the concept, the film wouldn't have seen the light of day,” said Ridley. “I took the time to think about it for a day and I said to myself that I had a great time on these films. This new adventure seemed fun to me, why say no?”
Ridley told the French film magazine that her decision came with the encouragement of Star Wars fans.
“Also, there was a strange coincidence: two people told me in the same week that they would love to know what Rey was doing now,” Ridley continued. “I had no idea that there was interest! People really like Rey. I think this new film will be exciting and will advance the franchise in an interesting way.”
Watch Based on a True Story, now available to watch on Peacock.
