The world simply cannot look away from Lily James right now.
The 32-year-old actress has transformed before our eyes into Pamela Anderson for her new series, Pam & Tommy, taking on sexy like she never has before.
While we’ve seen her play meeker women in the likes of Cinderella and Rebecca, her acting in the new Disney Plus series has cemented her place in the zeitgeist, and got us thinking – who is Lily James, really? And is her love life anywhere near as dramatic as Pam’s was?
We’ve taken a look back to find out.
You can stream Pam & Tommy now on Disney Plus with a month-to-month or annual subscription. Sign up here.
Lily first came to our attention in Downton Abbey, where she embodied English rose Lady Rose MacClare, and showed off her penchant for playing fun-loving and rebellious characters.
At the same time, she began dating fellow British television mainstay, Matt Smith, who had starred in iconic roles like The Doctor in Doctor Who and Prince Philip in The Crown.
Lily and Matt, met on the set of the film Pride and Prejudice and Zombies in 2014, and had a flourishing relationship for the following five years.
Audiences fell in love with Lily’s whimsical portrayal of young Donna, who takes off on a world adventure alone, meeting three suitors along the way who each become the potential father of her daughter, Sophie.
She starred in some pretty epic moments in the film, and showed off her singing skills belting out ABBA classics.
While her career was taking off, so was Matt’s, and the two did eventually split in 2019. The pair didn’t address it publicly, rumours surrounding them claimed it was due to busy filming schedules which were keeping them apart.
While Lily passed through 2020 devoting her time to her work, she was embroiled in scandal when photos surfaced of her cosying up to her co-star, Dominic West, while they were filming the miniseries The Pursuit of Love.
The pair were seen sharing a lunch together in the Italian city, with Dominic stroking her hair and eventually leaning in for a kiss.
The paparazzi photos kicked off a bizarre string of events, with Dominic and his wife, designer Catherine FitzGerald, put on a united front.
Addressing the press in front of their home, Dominic said “I just want to say our marriage is strong and we are very much still together.”
He also wrote the same message on a note and handed it to one of the journalists present.
Catherine, who was teary-eyed and clutching a tissue, stood by supportively, and even leaned in to kiss her husband.
Meanwhile, Lily cancelled all of her press appearances after the photos emerged, seeming to hide away from the drama.Some months later, in early 2021, Lily finally broke her silence on the alleged affair, but remained tight-lipped, further adding to the mystery of it all.
“I’m not really willing to talk about that,” she told The Guardian.
“There is a lot to say, but not now, I’m afraid.”
With Dominic and Lily’s gentle handling of their apparent tryst, the news went away pretty quickly.
And while Dominic seemed to repair his marriage, Lily quietly moved on with her current boyfriend, Michael Shuman, an American musician best known for playing bass with the popular rock band, Queens of the Stone Age.
The pair keep their relationship very quiet – opting to not post about each other on social media, and as far as we can tell, they haven’t made any public appearances together, either.
Meanwhile, many have been quick to point out Lily’s undeniable chemistry with her Pam & Tommy co-star, Sebastian Stan – but he’s also living a loved-up life with partner Alejandra Onieva, a Spanish actor and model.
Pam & Tommy tells the story of Pamela Anderson and her husband Tommy Lee, who had their sex tape leaked to the public by Rand Gauthier.
Stream it now on Disney Plus, live and on demand with a month-to-month or annual subscription. SIGN UP NOW.
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