Pride and Prejudice star Matthew Macfadyen and Orphan Black actress Keeley Hawes have been together for more than 20 years, having met on the set of Spooks in 2002. They went on to have two children before renewing their partnership on an ITV series in 2023. During that time, the two appear to have nothing but warm things to say about each other and their lives on and off screen.
Here’s everything you need to know about actress and producer Keeley Hawes’ relationship with Matthew McFayden.
Who is Keeley Hawes?
Hawes grew up in Marylebone, London, and was originally known as Claire Julia Hawes. Although she has three older siblings, her parents were not involved in acting. Her mother was a housewife and her father drove a taxi. She told the Financial Times in 2018 that she was a child of the neighborhood “before gentrification” and had “a really happy childhood.”
She added: “It wasn’t particularly extravagant, but when I started, it was often this ‘rags to riches’ story[as the media put it]but it wasn’t really that way.”
In a 2019 interview with the Guardian, she said, “It was a glorious childhood. It’s unthinkable now. Just the idea of kids going outside and playing and then coming in after dark, that just doesn’t happen. Ron. The idea of doing it in the heart of the Don seems even more heightened and scary. But no, it makes you pretty bold and makes you not afraid of anything. I loved it.
During that happy childhood, the Sylvia Young School of Drama moved across the street from her parents’ home into a local church. After enjoying her school’s production of The Pied Piper, she auditioned for a place at the conservatory “like any eight or nine-year-old kid”.
“But those were very different times,” she added to the Guardian. “There wasn’t an
Shortly after finishing her school career, Hawes began to find success as a professional actress, with roles including Lindsay Denton in Line of Duty, Priscilla Garrick in Traitor, and Julia Montagu in the political thriller The Bodyguard. She also appeared in the films High Rise, Misbehavior, Tipping the Velvet, and To Olivia.
However, Hawes’ first major role was also the role in which she met McFayden. She was cast as secret agent Zoe Reynolds in Spooks, starring opposite him.
In 2019, Hawes founded a production company called Buddy Club Productions and told Variety at the time, “It feels like a natural progression for me to produce on my own and make things happen. The older I get, the younger everyone else gets, and then I find myself the most experienced. That helps a lot on both sides of the camera.”
Hawes has appeared in two series produced by Buddy Club, “Crossfire” and “Finding Alice.”
How long have Hawes and McFayden been together?
The couple was introduced in 2002 when they both appeared in the BBC spy drama Spooks, which aired in the United States under the title MI-5. Hawes was married to cartoonist Spencer McCallum at the time, with whom she has a son. Hawes admitted that she fell in love with McFayden on set, revealing in a 2022 Vanity Fair profile of the Succession actor, “Matthew just said to me, “I love you,” one day in the rain. I thought, “Oh, here we go.”
Hawes divorced McCallum in 2004, and she and Macfadyen married later that year.
Do Hawes and McFayden have children?
The couple has two children, Maggie and Ralph. They also co-parent Hawes’ son, Miles, from his first marriage.
What else do they say about each other?
In 2023, Macfadyen and Hawes would renew their on-set chemistry on the ITV drama Stonehouse. The film is based on the true story of British MP John Stonehouse, who tried unsuccessfully to fake his own death in 1974. Macfadyen played Stonehouse, and Hawes played Stonehouse’s wife, Barbara Stonehouse. While promoting the film, Hawes told Town & Country, “These characters and real people are very different from us in every way and in our marriages and relationships. But the script was great and we were able to spend time together and spend time together.”
Macfadyen was also happy to be working with Hawes again, saying, “As is often the case, we’re often spread out in different countries, but the idea of working together was really great. We even brought the dog with us.”
However, they have been open about their love and how they have been making things work since the beginning of their relationship. In 2010, Hawes told the Telegraph: “I love being married to Matthew and I know he loves marriage. Marriage is what ties everything together and is a statement to each other and to the world. Marriage and motherhood are absolutely important to my happiness and life.”
In April 2015, Macfadyen explained to The Big Issue how he and Hawes balance their time between family and busy careers.
“Keeley is currently flying. She’s aiming for the BAFTAs,” he said. “It’s very exciting. It’s difficult trying to focus on family while continuing your career, but that’s part of the fun. How do we make this work? Will it traumatize our kids if we’re not home for a few weeks? But when one of us is working away, the other is usually home.”
What have they said about marriage since co-starring in The Stone House?
On October 8, 2025, the couple celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary, with Hawes posting a sweet tribute to McFadden on Instagram. “21 years. No notes. I love you with all my heart ✨,” she captioned a merry-go-round photo of their moment together.
In November 2025, Hawes was featured in the Daily Mail’s lifestyle magazine You Magazine, revealing how she and Macfadyen had managed to stay married for so long. “It never seems like 21 years have passed,” she said. “We’re kind of having a good time. And[as you get older]you get more relaxed. It might be strange to be married for 21 years without things going up and down from time to time, but we’re very happy.”
She went on to share how the two are embracing their little bundles of joy together. And in reality, it’s that simple. She also shared that they enjoy “doing things together,” adding, “That’s probably the key.”
McFadyen also shared a funny anecdote about his wife on the Dish podcast in November 2024, giving a glimpse into their marriage. He revealed one of Hawes’ favorite sandwich orders. “Cheap white bread toasted with butter, roasted chicken, cream cheese, iceberg lettuce, Branston, mayonnaise, and salt.” He was particularly confused about the combination of chicken and cream cheese, saying sarcastically, “I’ve been curious about it for a long time, so I just wanted to throw it out.” He added with a laugh: “Our marriage is still great.”
