Affairs aren't a new thing in Hollywood. Some have even resulted in successful marriages.
But this affair was different and also a little creepy.
Dominic West and Lily James' affair all started on set, but what soon unfolded was a media frenzy
that left his wife horrified by the pictures that spread through the internet like wildfire.
Stay tuned, Juicers, because we're going to tell you everything you need to know about
Dominic's affair and how his wife stood by his side through it all.
Dominic West and Lily James worked alongside each other While filming "The Pursuit Of Love"
around the end of 2020. The series is surrounded by themes of romance, class politics, friendships
and tells the story of how far one woman would go to experience the rush of love. When the show
was released, it was a huge hit - probably not for the reasons that they had intended.
Why? Well, behind the scenes, Dominic and Lily had gotten a little too close for comfort,
and one afternoon, the pair were spotted out in public. While it's not unusual for co-stars to
become friends, these two definitely didn't look like just friends. The actors were photographed
holding hands, and Dominic even snuck an intimate kiss on Lily's neck while they were out for lunch.
However, what was missing from these pictures was West's wedding ring.
They say a picture says a thousand words, and when these snaps were published by the British press,
they did just that. It became an instant media sensation, plastering Dominic as an adulterer
and Lily as a homewrecker. Let's not forget that at the time, West had been married to
Catherine FitzGerald for 10 years, and she was the mother of three out of his four children.
People also couldn't help but point out the irony of the situation. Dominic had become popular from
his role in the series "The Affair," where he plays the role of a husband who has an affair.
At this moment, art really did imitate life, and the tabloids couldn't get enough of it.
While working on "The Affair," the actor shared, "'I think women should be more indulgent of
affairs. I really do. It's daft to kick someone out over a fling. Isn't it? Everyone should turn
a blind eye to men's behavior between the ages of 40 and 50. Let it all blow over."
And the creepy thing about Lily and Dominic's affair?
Well, in 'The Pursuit Of Love,' West plays the role of Lily's uncle, who - and we'd like to add a
little spoiler alert here for those who still want to see the show - turns out to be her father. So,
people were a little creeped out that while the actor was acting as Lily's close family member,
they were able to spark an off-screen romance. It all just seemed a little too weird.
Dominic had no choice but to do damage control, and he needed to do it fast.
So, the very next day, after the photos of him and Lily were plastered all over the internet,
West posed for photos with his wife, Catherine, outside their home in England.
The couple kissed and handed over a handwritten note about the state of their relationship.
"Our marriage is strong, and we're very much still together," the note reads.
It was signed by both West and FitzGerald. However,
despite the attempt to put on a good front, Dominic was still not wearing his wedding ring.
On the other hand, when James was reportedly "horrified" by the leak
and went on to cancel a few appearances while she was promoting her movie, Rebecca.
When she was asked to comment on the scandal, she simply responded,
"I'm not really willing to talk about that. There is a lot to say, but not now, I'm afraid."
West and his landscape designer wife married back in 2010. But their relationship actually
began when they were both students at Trinity College in Dublin in the early '90s.
West has said in past interviews that it was love at first sight, and he knew he wanted
to spend the rest of his life with her, but at first, things didn't work out. Catherine went
on to actually marry another man and later got divorced. It was only then that she and
West were able to rekindle their college romance and give things a second chance.
"We had a wonderful love affair," Catherine shared of their short-lived initial romance as college
kids. "We would look over Dublin, reading poetry to one another with the mountains in the distance.
We had all the time in the world to explore the pubs and back streets and walk the canal.
She added, "But at the end of the summer, I left him,
and he has not let me forget it! But I couldn't have settled down with him right then forever.
That would not have been a good idea for either of us."
While Catherine had been married to another man, Dominic also moved on to date Polly Astor,
and they had a daughter together. So when he and Catherine reunited, they had done a lot of growing
up and, as she describes it, were "at the right time in our lives" to rekindle their romance.
Later, West reflected on his time in Ireland as a young man and the
one-sided romance with his wife when they first started dating in College.
"Catherine thought very little of me, and I thought everything of her,
and little changed for 17 years when I finally persuaded her to marry me," he recalled.
A month after the pictures surfaced, reports claimed that Catherine and Dominic's marriage
was pretty much over. A family friend shared that Catherine was 'ready to pull the plug.' It
was also reported Dominic had promised his wife, Catherine; he would cut all contact with Lily.
'Catherine has told those closest to her that Dominic has admitted having feelings for Lily.
She has since told the people closest to her their marriage is as good as over now,
and she doesn't think there is a way past this."
And yet the couple continued to put on a good show for the public. They were photographed on
an afternoon jog, with Catherine then telling the media: "We're fine, thank you very much,
yes we are. Things are OK between us. We don't need any advice from anyone, thank you."
Just a few months later, Catherine sat down for a
candid interview about her marriage with Dominic and where it stood,
and while she didn't speak about the scandalous photos and the affair directly, she did say,
"It's had its ups and downs, of course, like everybody,
but we are totally devoted to each other and to our full, vibrant family life together."
Lily also moved on and began dating musician Michael Shuman.
They were first spotted together just a few months after her affair with Dominic was made
public. The couple has even made things Instagram official, with Lily sharing a picturesque gallery
on the app — including a tranquil image of what appears to be her boyfriend, Michael.
He wasn't tagged in the post, but it was pretty clear who it was.
She seems happy, and it appears that she's put the drama of the affair behind her.
Since then, it seems like Dominic and Catherine were able to weather the scandal of his affair
with Lily and are still very much together. It could not have been easy to work through things,
especially since it had been plastered all over the media, but they did it.
And it seems like West's career hasn't suffered either. You'll be able to catch
him on the highly anticipated 5th season of The Crown, where he'll be playing Prince Charles.
Let us know what you think of Dominic and Lily's affair. Do you think his wife should have stayed
with him, or should she have packed her bags and left? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!