You probably remember him as the kid running through the airport in Love Actually. Or maybe the kid who saw the future in Game of Thrones. But Thomas Brodie-Sangster isn't a kid anymore. In fact, he’s one half of a marriage that has kept the internet talking for years, mostly because it feels like a glitch in the celebrity matrix.
He married Talulah Riley.
Yes, that Talulah Riley. The one who married Elon Musk. Twice.
It’s easy to look at the headlines and see a "strange" pairing, but honestly, if you look closer at Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Talulah Riley, the story is way more grounded than the tabloid fodder suggests. They aren't living some high-glamour Hollywood life filled with private jets and red-carpet drama. Instead, they’re living on a farm in Hertfordshire with chickens and a beehive.
How It Actually Started (No, It Wasn't Love at First Sight)
People love a good "met on set" story. This one delivers, but with a twist. They met while filming the 2021 FX miniseries Pistol, directed by Danny Boyle. Thomas was playing Malcolm McLaren, the chaotic manager of the Sex Pistols. Talulah was playing the legendary fashion designer Vivienne Westwood.
On screen, they were a "power couple" of the punk era.
Off screen? They were just friends.
Talulah has been pretty open about the fact that they didn't even think about each other "that way" for months. It’s kinda refreshing, isn't it? In a world of "instant sparks," they just hung out. They were buddies. Then, one day, they both realized at the exact same time that there was something else there.
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There was a funny bit during rehearsals, too. Talulah was doing Lent and could only eat fruit. Thomas, being a bit of a tease, would reportedly come up to her and eat chocolate Penguin biscuits right in front of her.
Somehow, she still wanted to marry him.
The Wedding That Had a Horse as a Bridesmaid
By June 2024, the couple officially tied the knot. It wasn't a Vegas elopement or a 500-person gala in Los Angeles. They kept it local. They got married at St George’s Church in Anstey, Hertfordshire.
It was peak English countryside.
Talulah arrived in a horse-drawn carriage. But the real kicker was the "surprise" bridesmaid. Thomas apparently arranged for a second horse to show up, its mane woven with white roses. It just stood there during the ceremony.
"The horse was a bridesmaid, and I think [Brodie-Sangster] arranged it as a surprise. [Riley] looked happy when she saw it." — An onlooker told The Sun at the time.
The wedding style was a total vibe, too. Thomas didn't wear a boring black tux. He went with a colorful pinstriped suit and a floral waistcoat. Talulah wore a classic white satin gown with a long lace veil. They looked like they’d stepped out of a Victorian novel, which fits their aesthetic perfectly.
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Dealing With the Elon Musk "Elephant in the Room"
You can’t talk about Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Talulah Riley without mentioning her ex-husband. It’s the part that fascinates everyone. Talulah was married to Elon Musk from 2010 to 2012. Then they got remarried in 2013. Then they divorced again in 2016.
That’s a lot for anyone to handle.
But here’s the thing: they’re all weirdly cool with each other. When Thomas and Talulah announced their engagement in 2023, Musk actually replied on X (the platform he now owns) with a simple "Congratulations!" and a red heart emoji.
Talulah has even called Musk the "perfect ex-husband."
She told The Independent that while her history with Musk looks strange from the outside, the logic made sense at the time. To her, Thomas represents a different chapter—a quieter, perhaps more "normal" life. She’s even pushed back against the "trad wife" label people try to stick on her because she lives on a farm now. Her point? You can’t be a traditional wife if you’ve been divorced twice.
Fair point, honestly.
Life on the Smallholding: Bees, Sourdough, and Raw Milk
In 2026, the couple is still going strong, living a life that sounds more like The Good Life than The Great Gatsby. They have a smallholding in Hertfordshire.
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It’s full of:
- Chickens
- Ducks
- Sheep
- Ponies
- A very active beehive
Actually, the bees almost ruined the wedding. The day before the ceremony, a massive swarm of bees moved into the exact spot where they were supposed to have the champagne reception. Most people would panic. Talulah and Thomas? They went out to the hive and "spoke" to the bees.
It’s an old English tradition called "Telling the Bees." You’re supposed to inform the bees of major life events—births, deaths, marriages—so they don't leave or get upset. Apparently, it worked. The bees stayed, the reception went on, and nobody got stung.
Why This Relationship Works in 2026
There’s a reason people are still obsessed with this duo. In an era of over-leveraged influencers and celebrities who share every single meal on Instagram, Thomas and Talulah are incredibly private.
They don't do "get ready with me" videos. They don't leak stories to the press for "engagement."
When they do step out, like for the Wimbledon tennis championships or a quiet red carpet, they look genuinely happy. Thomas has managed to transition from "that kid from Love Actually" to a respected actor with a massive career—from The Queen’s Gambit to his recent work in Pistol and beyond.
Talulah, meanwhile, is more than just an actress; she’s a writer. Her novel The Quickening got a lot of buzz, and she’s often seen supporting Thomas’s career as much as he supports hers. She’s even joked that his career is the "notable and exciting one," though anyone who’s seen her in Westworld knows she’s selling herself short.
Key Takeaways for the Curious:
- They Met as Peers: Their relationship was built on a solid foundation of friendship before anything romantic happened.
- Privacy is Priority: They choose when to be public. Their wedding wasn't sold to the highest bidder; it was a local community event.
- No Drama with Exes: The "Musk factor" isn't a factor. They’ve managed to maintain a mature, friendly dynamic that defies the typical "messy celebrity divorce" trope.
- Authentic Lifestyle: The farm life isn't a "brand"—it’s how they actually live, complete with the messy reality of beekeeping and livestock.
If you’re looking to follow in their footsteps of a "quiet" lifestyle, you don't need a farm in Hertfordshire. You just need to prioritize your actual life over your digital one. Start by setting boundaries on what you share and focusing on building a "friendship first" foundation in your own relationships.
Check out Talulah Riley's writing if you want to see her perspective on the world—it’s much more complex than the headlines suggest. Similarly, keeping an eye on Thomas's upcoming projects in 2026 will show you an actor who has truly mastered the art of growing up in the spotlight without burning out.