Tom Bateman’s wife is actress Daisy Ridley, best known for playing Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. The couple met while filming Kenneth Branagh’s Murder on the Orient Express in 2016, began a relationship around 2017 and eventually married, although they have kept their wedding date private. Ridley publicly confirmed the marriage in January 2023.

Their relationship has attracted renewed attention in 2026 because Bateman is starring in The Love Hypothesis, a film adapted from Ali Hazelwood’s novel, which originated from Star Wars fan fiction involving Rey—the character played by Ridley. Bateman and Ridley have also collaborated professionally on the 2024 thriller Magpie.

Introduction

Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley have one of Hollywood’s more unusual relationship stories.

The British actor and the Star Wars star first met while working together on Kenneth Branagh’s 2017 film Murder on the Orient Express. The movie was filmed in 2016, and the two actors became romantically linked after working together on the production.

Several years later, Ridley quietly confirmed that she and Bateman were married.

Unlike many celebrity couples, however, they have deliberately kept much of their personal life away from the spotlight. They have not publicly announced an exact wedding date, and they rarely discuss intimate details of their marriage.

Their relationship has received fresh attention in 2026 because Bateman is starring in The Love Hypothesis, a new romantic comedy whose source novel has a surprising connection to Ridley’s Star Wars character, Rey.

That coincidence has made Bateman’s real-life marriage particularly interesting to fans.

Who Is Tom Bateman’s Wife?

Tom Bateman’s wife is Daisy Ridley, the English actress who became an international star after being cast as Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy.

Ridley played Rey in The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. Her career has since expanded beyond Star Wars, with roles in films including Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, Young Woman and the Sea and Sometimes I Think About Dying.

Bateman, meanwhile, has built his own career across film, television and theater.

He is known for roles in Murder on the Orient Express, Vanity Fair, Death on the Nile, Based on a True Story and other productions. He also has a substantial theater background and trained at London’s Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

The pair therefore had established acting careers of their own before becoming one of the entertainment industry’s quieter married couples.

How Did Tom Bateman Meet Daisy Ridley?

Tom Bateman met Daisy Ridley while they were co-stars in Murder on the Orient Express.

The 2017 film was directed by Kenneth Branagh and adapted from Agatha Christie’s famous Hercule Poirot mystery. Bateman played Bouc, while Ridley portrayed Mary Debenham.

The film was released in November 2017, but filming took place earlier, in 2016.

That distinction explains why some reports describe the couple as meeting in 2016 while others simply say they met during the making of the 2017 movie.

The simplest accurate explanation is:

They met while filming Murder on the Orient Express in 2016, and their relationship became public the following year.

When Did Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley Start Dating?

The exact moment their friendship became a romantic relationship has never been fully documented by the couple.

However, reports about a possible romance emerged around the release of Murder on the Orient Express in late 2017.

Producer Judy Hofflund was asked about relationships developing among the cast and made a public comment suggesting that something had happened between Bateman and Ridley. Bateman declined to discuss his private life when questioned at the time.

The couple subsequently appeared together publicly, including being photographed holding hands in London in 2018.

Their approach was consistent from the beginning: allow the relationship to exist without providing the public with a detailed running commentary.

Did Daisy Ridley Confirm She Was Dating Tom Bateman?

For years, Ridley avoided discussing the relationship in detail.

In a 2019 interview with Marie Claire, she explained that she preferred not to discuss her personal life publicly. That approach helped keep much of the relationship timeline uncertain.

Eventually, however, the couple’s relationship became increasingly difficult to keep completely out of the public eye.

Ridley later confirmed that she was married.

When Did Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley Get Married?

The couple’s exact wedding date has not been publicly confirmed.

In January 2023, Ridley confirmed during an interview with Rolling Stone that she had gotten married. She did not provide a detailed wedding announcement or publicly reveal the date.

Later comments made it clear that the husband she was referring to was Bateman.

This means some websites have published specific wedding dates or detailed accounts of the ceremony, but those details should be treated cautiously unless they can be traced to the couple themselves or a highly reliable source.

What is firmly established is that Ridley and Bateman are married and that Ridley confirmed the marriage publicly in 2023.

Why Are Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley So Private?

Privacy has been a consistent theme throughout their relationship.

Ridley became globally famous at a young age after being cast as Rey in Star Wars. The sudden level of attention surrounding her career made her increasingly selective about what she shared about her private life.

That philosophy has continued into her marriage.

Rather than using their relationship as a major part of their public image, Ridley and Bateman generally discuss their careers when speaking to journalists.

They do occasionally appear together at industry events, but they have not turned their marriage into a social-media spectacle.

This makes verified comments from either actor particularly valuable because there is relatively little reliable information about their private lives.

Did Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley Work Together Again?

Yes.

Their professional relationship continued after Murder on the Orient Express.

One of the most notable examples is ** Magpie **, a 2024 psychological thriller starring Ridley.

Bateman wrote the screenplay, while Ridley starred in the film. Their collaboration gave them an opportunity to work together in a different way from their first project.

Ridley has spoken positively about the experience, while Bateman has described writing specifically with his wife’s strengths as an actress in mind.

The project therefore represents more than another acting credit for either star. It was also an example of the couple combining their professional skills.

What Is the Connection Between Daisy Ridley and The Love Hypothesis?

This is where their relationship became especially interesting in 2026.

Tom Bateman stars as Adam Carlsen in the film adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s bestselling romance novel The Love Hypothesis.

The movie, directed by Claire Scanlon and starring Bateman opposite Lili Reinhart, was released on Prime Video in September 2026.

The unusual connection is that Hazelwood’s novel grew out of Star Wars fan fiction involving Rey and Kylo Ren.

Rey was played by Daisy Ridley.

Bateman is now starring in a film adapted from a novel whose origins are connected to fan fiction featuring the character played by his wife.

That coincidence has become one of the major talking points around the film.

Did Tom Bateman Know The Love Hypothesis Was Inspired by Rey?

According to Bateman and his Love Hypothesis co-star Lili Reinhart, he did not initially know about the book’s fan-fiction origins when he was offered the role.

In a 2026 interview with ELLE, Reinhart said Bateman only learned about the connection when director Claire Scanlon explained the “little link” between him and the source material—specifically, the connection between his wife and the fan fiction. Bateman has similarly described the discovery as something he learned during the casting process.

Reinhart also said she was convinced that Bateman and Ridley had not secretly known about the connection beforehand.

That makes the situation more of a coincidence than a deliberate marketing plan.

What Did Daisy Ridley Think About the Connection?

Bateman has spoken about Ridley’s reaction to the unusual Love Hypothesis connection.

During 2026 promotion for the movie, Bateman explained that Ridley was supportive of the project and the attention surrounding its fan-fiction origins.

He has also spoken about how Ridley’s experience with enormous fandom helped him prepare for the attention surrounding The Love Hypothesis.

In a September 2026 interview with Cosmopolitan, Bateman said Ridley’s advice was essentially to remain himself and approach the audience openly while protecting his own personal boundaries.

That gives a rare glimpse into how the couple supports each other’s careers.

How Does Daisy Ridley Support Tom Bateman?

Bateman has recently spoken more openly about Ridley’s influence on him as he takes on a different kind of leading role.

Before The Love Hypothesis, Bateman was known for a mixture of dramatic, historical and thriller roles.

The new film puts him at the center of a romantic comedy.

He has acknowledged that Ridley’s experience with intense fandom and public attention gave him a useful perspective as he faced a new audience.

In a 2026 Cosmopolitan interview, Bateman discussed Ridley’s advice about handling the attention surrounding the film and its fans.

It is one of the clearest recent examples of Bateman discussing his wife while promoting his own work.

Do Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley Have Children?

There are no publicly confirmed children for Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley as of the latest 2026 reporting.

The couple has also not publicly discussed detailed plans about starting a family.

Because both actors are protective of their privacy, it is more accurate to say that no children have been publicly confirmed rather than speculate about their private circumstances. Recent coverage continues to describe them as a married couple without identifying children.

Any social-media claims suggesting otherwise should therefore be treated cautiously unless supported by a direct announcement or reliable reporting.

Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley’s Relationship Timeline

Here is the publicly documented timeline:

• 2016: Bateman and Ridley meet while filming Murder on the Orient Express.
• 2017: The movie is released, and reports emerge that the two actors have developed a romantic connection.
• 2018: They are photographed together in London, including holding hands.
• 2019: Engagement speculation grows, but Ridley declines to discuss her private relationship.
• 2022: The pair continue to make occasional public appearances together.
• January 2023: Ridley confirms that she is married.
• 2024: Bateman and Ridley collaborate on Magpie, with Bateman writing and Ridley starring.
• 2026: Bateman stars in The Love Hypothesis, bringing renewed attention to their marriage because the novel originated from Star Wars fan fiction involving Ridley’s character Rey.

What Makes Their Relationship Different From Many Celebrity Romances?

The most notable feature of Bateman and Ridley’s relationship is not a dramatic public romance.

It is the opposite.

They have maintained a relatively low-profile marriage despite both working in highly visible parts of the entertainment industry.

Ridley became a global celebrity through Star Wars, while Bateman has steadily developed his own profile through film, television and theater.

Yet their public comments about each other tend to focus on admiration for their work rather than revealing intimate details.

Their collaboration on Magpie also shows that they can combine their careers without making their marriage the centerpiece of the project.

Why Their Story Is Trending Again in 2026

The renewed interest in the couple is largely connected to ** The Love Hypothesis **.

Bateman is currently playing a romantic lead opposite Lili Reinhart, while the source material has an unusual link to his wife’s most famous character.

The situation is almost perfectly suited to entertainment headlines: an actor marries the actress who played Rey, then years later stars in a movie adapted from a romance novel that originated in fan fiction about Rey and Kylo Ren.

But the important distinction is that the fictional romance in The Love Hypothesis is not a story about Bateman and Ridley.

The connection is through the novel’s origins and Ridley’s Star Wars character.

Bateman and Ridley’s real relationship began years earlier, when they met as actors working on Murder on the Orient Express.

What Happens Next for Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley?

Professionally, both actors remain active.

Bateman is receiving significant attention for The Love Hypothesis, while Ridley continues to develop film projects, including her ongoing connection to the Star Wars universe.

Their professional partnership also remains noteworthy following Magpie.

Privately, however, there is no indication that the couple intends to become more open about their marriage.

That appears to be a deliberate choice.

Unless either actor decides to share more, the exact details of their wedding, home life and future family plans are likely to remain private.

The Bottom Line

Tom Bateman met Daisy Ridley while filming Murder on the Orient Express, and their professional relationship eventually became a personal one.

They began dating around 2017, maintained a notably private relationship, and Ridley confirmed in 2023 that they were married.

They have since worked together professionally on Magpie, while Bateman’s 2026 starring role in The Love Hypothesis has created an unusual connection to Ridley’s most famous character, Rey.

The most important point is that their relationship has developed largely away from the public eye.

Despite years of interest from fans, the couple has shared relatively little about their marriage, and their exact wedding date and other private family details have not been publicly established.

Accuracy Note

The couple’s relationship timeline contains some gaps because Bateman and Ridley have intentionally kept their personal lives private. Their meeting on Murder on the Orient Express, relationship, marriage confirmation and professional collaborations are well documented. The exact date of their wedding is not publicly confirmed, so this article does not state one as fact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Tom Bateman’s wife?

Tom Bateman’s wife is Daisy Ridley, the English actress best known for playing Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Ridley confirmed in January 2023 that she was married, and subsequent interviews identified Bateman as her husband.

How did Tom Bateman meet Daisy Ridley?

Tom Bateman met Daisy Ridley while they were filming Murder on the Orient Express. Bateman played Bouc and Ridley played Mary Debenham in the 2017 Kenneth Branagh film. The production was filmed in 2016.

When did Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley start dating?

The pair were romantically linked around 2017 after meeting during production of Murder on the Orient Express. Reports emerged around the film’s release, while the couple themselves initially avoided publicly discussing their relationship.

When did Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley get married?

They are married, but their exact wedding date has not been publicly confirmed. Ridley confirmed the marriage during a January 2023 interview with Rolling Stone.

Do Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley have children?

No children have been publicly confirmed for the couple as of the latest 2026 reporting. Neither actor has publicly announced children or provided detailed information about future family plans.

Did Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley work together after Murder on the Orient Express?

Yes. Bateman wrote the screenplay for Magpie, a 2024 psychological thriller starring Ridley. The project marked a significant professional collaboration between the married actors.

Why is Tom Bateman’s wife connected to The Love Hypothesis?

The novel The Love Hypothesis originated from Star Wars fan fiction involving Rey and Kylo Ren. Daisy Ridley played Rey in the Star Wars films, while her husband Tom Bateman stars in the 2026 film adaptation as Adam Carlsen. Bateman has said he did not know about the connection when he was initially cast.

Are Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley still together?

Yes. Recent 2026 coverage continues to identify them as a married couple, and Bateman has spoken about Ridley while promoting The Love Hypothesis.