Lily James should be busy promoting her new movie, Netflix’s Rebecca, but is instead staying out of the public eye after paparazzi photos of her kissing married actor Demonic West surfaced earlier this month. James was reportedly “horrified” after the photos surfaced and it has put a strain on her working relationship with West. After the photos surfaced, West and his wife, Catharine FitzGerald, said their marriage is still strong and even kissed before photographers.
“Dominic and his wife wanted to put up a united front,” an insider told Us Weekly, adding that both James, 31, and FitzGerald, 49, were “horrified by the pictures.” The situation also “strained Lily and Domenic’s working and personal relationship too,” the source added. James and West, 50, spent part of this year working on The Pursuit of Love, a BBC miniseries based on the Nancy Mitford novel. They also worked together back in 2011 for a production of Othello.
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The whole situation with James, West, and FitzGerald exploded on Oct. 12 when the Daily Mail published photos of West and James on a seemingly romantic outing in Rome. One photo appeared to show West kissing James on the neck while they had lunch. One friend of FitzGerald’s told the Daily Mail she was “shocked, heartbroken and devastated” by the pictures. FitzGerald reportedly thought they had a “good marriage,” but she thought it was “probably over” because of the photos.
However, things took another twist a few days later when FitzGerald and West appeared united outside their London home. They also handed a note to reporters, claiming their marriage is still strong. “Our marriage is strong and we’re very much still together. Thank you — Catherine and Dominic,” the note read. Photos of James and West going back to London from Rome also surfaced.
Amid all this, James is supposed to be promoting her new movie. She was scheduled to appear on NBC’s Today Show Monday with Rebecca co-star Armie Hammer, but she backed out at the last moment. West was also scheduled to speak with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association on Tuesday, but she backed out just 45 minutes before the talk was set to start. She also canceled a Graham Norton Show appearance.
James was fine with doing an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon though. She was on the show Wednesday night and told Fallon she would be interested in making another Mamma Mia! movie. The Cinderella star played a younger version of Meryl Streep’s character Donna in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
