There’s no doubt Phoebe Waller-Bridge is well known for her work both on screen and behind the camera, but her romantic life has flown a little lower under the radar.
And while arguably her most famous on-screen character, Fleabag, had little success in love, Phoebe’s real-life situation is vastly different. As it turns out, the writer and actress has been in a happily committed relationship with writer and director Martin McDonagh for five years.
Below, everything we know about their very private love life.
Who Is Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Partner?
Phoebe Waller-Bridge has been in a relationship with writer and director Martin McDonagh since 2018.
While it’s not clear exactly how or when the two met, according to PopSugar, the public first got a glimpse of their burgeoning romance when Phoebe was spotted at a screening for Martin’s film, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
The following year, the couple were reportedly also spotted sharing a kiss when Martin won a Golden Globe for best screenplay.
Are Phoebe Waller-Bridge And Martin McDonagh Engaged?
Rumours of a possible engagement between Phoebe and Martin have been swirling, since the actress was spotted wearing an engagement-esque ring at her brother’s wedding.
Photos obtained by Page Six show the Fleabag creator in a three-piece pink suit by Etro and a sparkly engagement-like ring en route to the reception held at Orleans House Gallery in Twickenham.
Martin was also in attendance for the nuptials, looking dapper in a navy suit and dark sunglasses.
While neither of the notoriously private pair have spoken out to confirm or deny the engagement, if the rumours are correct, we could be hearing another set of wedding bells very soon…
What Does Martin McDonagh Do?
Phoebe and Martin make for a very talented match, with Martin becoming an Oscar-winning writer and director for his 2006 film, Six Shooter.
He has also been nominated for several other Academy Awards, and has taken home wins at a host of other prestigious awards nights, including the Golden Globes, British Academy Film Awards, the Lawrence Olivier Awards, and the Tony Awards.
But despite their equally glimmering careers, Phoebe told Vanity Fair that the two “don’t really share” any of their work before it goes to air.
When asked if the reason was because criticism would be demoralising, she responded, “Probably a bit of that. And also, I just really, really fancy him. So if you show someone something, and you fancy them, it can become this blur.”
Speaking of her long-time boyfriend in the same interview, Phoebe also said, “It’s really useful being with someone who I think is a genius, it just ups your game. I would always have wanted Martin McDonagh to think of my work as good, whether I was with him or not. I find out now, either way!”
She touched on the subject again in a separate interview with the New York Times, saying the pair have different approaches to work when it comes to sharing unfinished ideas.
“I mean, Martin will show me when he’s finished the draft. I’m more of a talker, so I will talk through loads of ideas, but I won’t show him anything until the absolute bitter end. I want it to be perfect before I show him.
“Because outside of being my partner, he’s also a writer that I’ve admired my whole life. So it’s like showing your early drafts to someone like a hero. It’s ridiculous.”
Who Was Phoebe Waller Bridge With Before Martin McDonagh?
Before meeting Martin, Phoebe was married to Irish director Conor Woodman.
The pair reportedly met in 2012, after Conor saw Phoebe in a production of Jack Thorne’s relationship drama, Mydidae.
Speaking to The Gentlewoman, Phoebe said, “I spent most of the play naked in a bath. Conor emailed me to say, ‘I’d like to remember what you look like with your clothes on.’ I thought it was creepy … We went on a date, and since then I have basically never left his flat.”
The pair were married in 2014, but announced their separation in 2017.
Where To Watch Fleabag
Stream Fleabag Season 1 and 2 now on Prime Video with a 30-day FREE trial. Subscribe here.
