People love a good scandal. Or a "unconventional" romance. Whatever you want to call it, the marriage between director Sam Taylor-Johnson and actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been tabloid fodder for over a decade. But while everyone is busy arguing over their 24-year age gap on TikTok or Twitter, there is a whole family living a relatively quiet life behind those headlines. Honestly, the focus on the "scandal" often ignores the reality of their household. We’re talking about four girls who are growing up in the middle of a Hollywood whirlwind, yet somehow managed to stay mostly out of the paparazzi's crosshairs.
Sam Taylor-Johnson's daughters aren't just one monolithic group. They come from two very different chapters of her life. You have the older two, Angelica and Jessie, from her first marriage to the legendary art dealer Jay Jopling. Then you have Wylda and Romy, the younger duo she shares with Aaron. It’s a blended family that actually seems to work, despite what the internet commenters might think about the family tree.
Raising kids in the spotlight is hard. Raising them when your husband is one of the most sought-after actors in the world—and you’re a high-profile director—is basically playing the parenting game on "expert" mode.
The Jopling Era: Angelica and Jessie
Before the world knew her as Sam Taylor-Johnson, she was Sam Taylor-Wood. In the late 90s and early 2000s, she and Jay Jopling were the ultimate "it" couple of the British art scene. They were the power behind the Young British Artists (YBAs).
Angelica Jopling is the eldest. Born in 1997, she’s not a "child" anymore. She’s an adult with her own career and her own identity. If you look closely at the London art world, you’ll see her popping up. She didn't just inherit her parents' fame; she inherited their eye for talent. Angelica eventually opened her own gallery space, Incubator, in London. It’s a smart move. Instead of just being "the daughter of," she’s actively shaping the next generation of artists. She’s been quoted in Vogue and other high-end publications, but she rarely talks about her step-dad, Aaron, which is probably a boundary she’s set on purpose.
Then there’s Jessie Jopling. Born in 2005, Jessie has been a bit more low-profile than her older sister. She grew up right as her parents were divorcing and her mom was meeting a young actor named Aaron Johnson on the set of Nowhere Boy. Can you imagine being a young teenager and having your mom fall in love with a guy who is closer to your age than hers? That’s the kind of stuff that fuels tabloids, but by all accounts, the transition was smoother than the public expected.
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The Taylor-Johnson Era: Wylda and Romy
When Sam and Aaron got together, the media went into a literal frenzy. But while the press was busy counting years, the couple was busy building a life.
Wylda Rae Taylor-Johnson arrived in 2010.
She was born in London.
Aaron was only 20 at the time.
Think about that for a second. Most 20-year-old actors are busy partying at Coachella or trying to land their next indie flick. Aaron was changing diapers. He’s been very vocal about how he always wanted to be a father. In interviews with Esquire and Rolling Stone, he’s mentioned that he finds more fulfillment in domestic life than on a film set. Wylda is now a teenager. She’s grown up in a house where her dad is Kraven the Hunter or Quicksilver, but to her, he’s just the guy who makes breakfast.
Romy Hero Taylor-Johnson followed in 2012.
Her name is cool, right? "Hero" is a bold middle name, but it fits the vibe of a family that is deeply rooted in the creative arts. Romy is the youngest of the pack.
The couple has been incredibly protective of Wylda and Romy. You won't find them featured in "day in the life" vlogs or plastered across Instagram for likes. Sam and Aaron have a strict policy about showing their faces on social media. Usually, if you see a photo of them, it’s the back of their heads or a silhouette. It’s a deliberate choice to give them a normal childhood in a world that is anything but normal.
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What People Get Wrong About the Blended Dynamic
There is this weird assumption that because Aaron is so young, he’s more like a big brother to the older girls. That’s probably not the case.
Aaron became a stepfather to Angelica and Jessie when he was barely out of his teens himself. That takes a specific kind of maturity—or at least a very specific personality type. He has often said that he didn't have much of a "youth" in the traditional sense because he started acting so young. He felt older than his years.
- The Age Gap Factor: People focus on the 24 years between Sam and Aaron, but the real story is how that gap affects the kids.
- Privacy: The family lives on a farm in Somerset. They aren't hanging out at The Ivy every night.
- Work-Life Balance: When Sam is directing a big project like Back to Black or Fifty Shades of Grey, Aaron often takes the "back seat" to handle the domestic side.
It’s a flip of the traditional Hollywood script. Usually, it’s the older male director and the young wife who stays home with the kids. The Taylor-Johnsons don't care about your traditional scripts. Honestly, that’s probably why they’ve lasted over 15 years while other "perfect" couples have crumbled.
The Reality of Growing Up Taylor-Johnson
Living between London and a farm in rural England provides a specific kind of upbringing. The girls are exposed to high fashion, fine art, and A-list movie sets, but they are also seemingly grounded. Sam has survived cancer twice. That kind of life experience changes how you parent. It makes you prioritize the things that actually matter—like health and family stability—over fame.
Angelica’s success with her gallery, Incubator, shows a drive that isn't just about "nepo baby" status. Sure, the connections help. Being Jay Jopling’s daughter gets you in the room. But in the art world, you can't fake a good eye for long. She’s working. She’s curateing. She’s building.
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The younger girls, Wylda and Romy, are still in that protected bubble of childhood and early adolescence. We don't know if they’ll go into film or art. Aaron has joked in the past that they don't really care about his movies. They just want their dad.
Actionable Takeaways for the Curious
If you’re looking into the lives of Sam Taylor-Johnson's daughters because you’re interested in blended family dynamics or how celebrities maintain privacy, here are a few things to note:
1. Privacy is a choice. You don't "accidentally" keep your kids out of the press for 14 years. It requires a unified front between parents. If you want to protect your family's digital footprint, follow their lead: don't post faces, keep personal details off public forums, and create a "safe space" that is entirely separate from work.
2. Age is just a number, but maturity isn't. The success of their blended family seems to stem from Aaron's willingness to step into a fatherhood role early and Sam's ability to navigate her past and present relationships with grace.
3. Define your own "normal." A family with four daughters, two dads (Jay and Aaron), and a world-famous director mom shouldn't work on paper. But it does. They ignored the noise and focused on the unit.
The Taylor-Johnson household is a reminder that the public version of a family is rarely the full story. While the world debates their marriage, Sam Taylor-Johnson's daughters are simply living their lives, whether that's running a gallery in London or riding horses on a farm in Somerset. They are the quiet center of a very loud story.
To stay updated on Sam Taylor-Johnson's professional work—which often reflects her views on family and femininity—keep an eye on her upcoming film projects and photography exhibitions, as she frequently uses her life experiences as a blueprint for her art. Check out the latest updates on the British Film Institute (BFI) website for her directorial contributions.