Lily James has finally broken her silence on the scandal that rocked the entertainment world seven months ago.
James, 32, was captured kissing her married The Pursuit of Love costar, Dominic West, 51, back in October in Italy while working together on the television drama. The pair were first spotted getting cozy during a lunch date in Rome, with West being photographed nuzzling James’ neck and stroking her hair before they were snapped sharing a kiss.
No wedding ring on his finger
In the photos, West can be seen with his wedding ring conspicuously missing from his finger, leading fans to wonder if his marriage was on the rocks. After the scandal hit the press, West was quick to defend his marriage, insisting it was still “going strong” and that no ramifications had come of his indiscretion.
James opened up about the incident with The Guardian recently, divulging only small hints about the affair, saying quickly when asked about it, “Ach, I’m not really willing to talk about that. There is a lot to say, but not now, I’m afraid.”
According to Us Weekly, an insider told the magazine that “Dominic didn’t seem to be trying to hide the fact that he was attracted to her” and “the way Dominic was carrying on with Lily, people assumed that he was allowed to stray from his marriage.”
West has been married to Catherine FitzGerald since 2010 and the two share four children together; Dora, 15, Senan, 13, Francis, 12, and Christabel, 5. West also has another child, 23-year-old daughter Martha, whom he shares with ex-girlfriend, Polly Astor.
“I think it’s important for us to rebel”
In an ironically-timed interview with Harper’s Bazaar just before the scandal broke, James referred to herself as a “rebel,” telling them, “I was always a rebellious teenager, and I think it’s important for us to rebel.”
She continued, saying that she viewed criticism as helpful when given the right way and that she was working on growing a “thicker skin.” The actress also touched on her thoughts about making mistakes, staying, “I make mistakes all the time. That’s what life is about and I would never want to run away from a situation or be too scared to act. I think that it’s better to throw yourself in and make mistakes with an open heart….if you’re open you can recover from your mistakes and learn from them.”
Prior to stepping out with West, the media went into a frenzy after James was spotted hanging out with Chris Evans over a few months, with the pair being seen hanging out in July of 2020, sharing laughs on a park date, and later being spotted dancing in an exclusive club where the two left together and went to Evans’ hotel.
Though her reply to the West scandal left a lot to be desired, fans will have to be satisfied for now and await the next chapter on the unfolding saga.