How Tom Hiddleston And Zawe Ashton's Relationship Keeps Growing

Publish date: 2024-10-17

Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton's relationship is the gift that keeps on giving! After confirming reports of their engagement last month, the pair continues to set the Internet abuzz as they announced another surprising news: They are having a baby! A glowing Zawe debuted her growing baby bump at the New York screening of her period drama Mr. Malcom's List, stepping out in a beige tulle gown by designer Sabina Bilenko. She also confirmed her pregnancy with fashion magazine Vogue, which gave a look at her preparations before hitting the red carpet solo and making her big reveal.In honor of this wonderful news, below is a timeline of Tom and Zawe's love story, from co-starring in Betrayal and falling in love to getting engaged and starting their own family!

8 Who Is Zawe Ashton?

Zawe Ashton, 37, has been acting since she was six. She is best known for her role as Vod in the British comedy drama Fresh Meat. In 2011, she starred in the documentary film Dreams of a Life, about a woman who died in her London home but was not discovered until two years later. Zawe has appeared in several other shows, including Wanderlust and Betrayal, and films, such as Velvet Buzzsaw starring Jake Gyllenhaal. Currently, she is gearing up to star in the period drama Mr. Malcom's List and in the upcoming Captain Marvel film, The Marvels, as a villain.

Aside from being an actress, Zawe is also an acclaimed writer. She has written several plays and, in 2019, released her very first book, Character Breakdown, based on her journey as an actress. The Timesdescribed the memoir as "Smart, funny, vivid, honest, dark, and timely," while author Elizabeth Day called it "a well-written take-down of modern showbiz." It was published under Penguin Books.

7 How Did Tom Hiddleston And Zawe Ashton Meet?

Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton met while co-starring in the 2019 revival of Harold Pinter's hit play Betrayal in London. They played a married couple, Robert and Emma, in the re-staging opposite Charlie Cox — whose character, Robert's best friend Jerry, has a seven-year affair with Zawe's. The play ran from March to June 2019 at the Harold Pinter Theater before eventually moving to Broadway.

Previously, a source close to the Betrayal production told PEOPLE that Tom and Zawe had "a lovely chemistry" behind the scenes of the play. "There were twinkles in both of their eyes," the insider said, adding, "Being Brits abroad, they would hang out frequently. Zawe and Tom showed great affection for each other, and you could also see that coming off slightly in their onstage performance."

Noting that Tom has always been a very private person, the source said, "Behind the scenes, they would just privately be affectionate and hugging and sitting next to each other and holding hands.”

Related: Tom Hiddleston Is Going To Be A Dad!

6 When Tom Hiddleston And Zawe Ashton Began Dating

Tom Hiddleston, 41, reportedly started seeing Zawe Ashton even before the two hit the stage for Betrayal, with a source telling The Sun in September 2019 that they had been an item since as early as February that year. "They’ve actually been together for more than six months. But he is so paranoid about his private life since his relationship with Taylor [Swift] that he has gone to great lengths to keep this under wraps," the source said. The insider added that Tom has fallen for the actress in a "really big way."

"Tom and Zawe spent Easter together renovating his house in England. They now spend most weekends together and going for long walks with his dog. He thinks this could be the love of his life — he’s ready to settle down."

5 Do Tom Hiddleston And Zawe Ashton Live Together?

In July 2020, it was reported that Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton were spending the COVID-19 lockdown together in Atlanta, Georgia. “Tom and Zawe have stayed quiet about their relationship but she has spent the last few weeks with him in the US," a source close to the couple told The Sun. At the time, the two were said to be very "well-suited" and "enjoying the quieter side of life away from the glitz and glamour of the showbiz world."

“Their lives are typically very busy, so spending time together while not working has been something they have both embraced," the insider said. "Tom has made a home in Atlanta during lockdown and he is expecting to spend the rest of the year there.”

Related: Proof That Taylor Swift And Tom Hiddleston Were Absolutely Never Meant To Be

4 Tom Hiddleston And Zawe Ashton's First Red Carpet Appearance

Two years after it was confirmed that they were dating, Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton made their first public appearance as a couple. Together, they graced the 2021 Tony Awards in New York, where Tom was nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for his role in Betrayal. (The award ultimately went to Andrew Burnap for his performance in The Inheritance.)

Zawe looked stunning in a red Carolina Herrera tulle gown, while Tom kept it classy in a navy blue suit. After taking photos on the red carpet with their Betrayal co-star Charlie Cox, the two were pictured together during the ceremony with their face masks on.

3 When Tom Hiddleson And Zawe Ashton Got Engaged

News of Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton's engagement first surfaced in March 2021, after the pair were captured holding hands on the BAFTA red carpet, with Zawe wearing what appears to be an engagement ring. Though the actress tried to "conceal her stunning diamond-encrusted ring from photographers on the red carpet", per Mirror, the jewelry was visible in photos taken later on in the evening, including one shared by British television presenter AJ Odudu on Instagram. The report added that the couple "were congratulated by industry friends" on their engagement during the star-studded event.

A separate report from Entertainment Tonight also confirmed the delightful news. "Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton are engaged! ET has learned that the former co-stars will be tying the knot after sparking engagement rumors while attending this weekend's British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs)" the publication said.

Related: Who Is Tom Hiddleston's Fiancé Zawe Ashton?

2 How Tom Hiddleston Feels About Engagement With Zawe Ashton

Following reports on their engagement, Tom Hiddleston himself confirmed the wonderful news in a chat with the LA Times in June 2022. According to the publication, the actor, who stars in Disney+'s Loki, popped the big question to his girlfriend back in March, or three years since he and Zawe first came together in Betrayal. "I’m very happy," he said when asked about their engagement.

Tom, who is known to be very a private man despite his celebrity status, previously spoke to The Telegraph about wanting to keep his personal life under wraps. "Everyone is entitled to a private life. I love what I do, and I dedicate myself with absolute commitment to making great art and great entertainment and in my mind, I don't conflict the two," he said. "My work is in the public sphere and I have a private life. And those two things are separate."

1 Fans React To Zawe Ashton's Pregnancy

Fans seemed to be elated for Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton after it was reported that they are expecting a child together. Many took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the big update, and they were overwhelmingly positive. "zawe ashton and tom hiddleston are gonna raise the most fancy british baby," wrote user @mylvney. "TOM HIDDLESTON IS GONNA BE A DAD OML," said @Cocchi. "IM CRYING IM SO HAPPY FOR HIM AND ZAWE ASHTON THEY’RE GONNA BE AMAZING PARENTS".

Even a few of their friends chimed in. American-British playwright Bonnie Greer said in her tweet: "In this crazy, broken world, very proud of my dear friends Tom and Zawe... and their journey. I've been there since before the beginning... and can't wait to meet Baby Ashton Hiddleston this autumn!"

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