The 38-year-old Westworld actress married Tesla CEO Elon Musk twice and says that even after they split, they continue to have a ‘very deep love and connection’
Riley starred in blockbusters Pride & Prejudice and Inception, published two novels, and is now married to Thomas Brodie-Sangster – the little boy from Love Actually
Actress, author, businesswoman and two-time wife to the world’s richest man, Elon Musk. This is Talulah Riley, the woman who has earned a name for herself as a versatile actress with writing skills to boot. Although she split – for the second time – from Musk in 2016, she made her feelings clear after appearing on BBC documentary The Elon Musk Show in October 2022.
Elon Musk and Talulah Riley called it quits for a second time in 2016. Photo: @blossomozurumba/Twitter
In the documentary, the actress shot down claims that Musk was “cold and emotionless”, insisting that “nothing could be further from the truth”.
This June, Riley tied the knot with actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who has appeared in Love Actually and The Queen’s Gambit.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster tied the knot with Talulah Riley on June 22. Photo: Getty Images
So who is the woman who Musk continues to love and consider a good friend, despite two divorces?
Talulah Riley married Elon Musk twice
Elon Musk and his ex-wife Talulah Riley. Photo: @elonmuskslife/Instagram
According to HITC, the couple met at a bar in London in 2008 and started dating soon after. Riley and Musk are most famous for getting married and divorced twice. Insider reported she married Musk in 2010, only to get divorced two years later. They got back together soon after and got married again in 2013. But in 2016, that marriage ended and they officially divorced.
Elon Musk and Talulah Riley had an on-and-off relationship. Photo: @eTeknix/Twitter
Speaking about being Musk’s wife, Riley said “It felt silly to be together unmarried after having been married,” according to Hola! She added that even after they split, they kept having a “very deep love and connection”.
Elon Musk, the romantic?
Talulah Riley, the Duke of Argyll and Elon Musk. Photo: @britishpoloday/Instagram
In the BBC documentary, Riley described how Musk made a grand romantic gesture after he forgot to get her a Christmas gift one year while they were living in Boulder, Colorado. US media detailed how Riley said her husband got up in the middle of the night and was then nowhere to be found. He returned two hours later in a T-shirt, shorts and no shoes. Riley said he had been digging through the snow to find her flowers. She said that Musk told her that, “I just wanted to show you how much I loved you.”
Despite numerous reports about the Tesla boss’ strict work ethic, Riley has defended him by saying that “he feels with incredible purity the emotions he is feeling at the time”.
Talulah Riley stepped back from her acting career to be a stepmum
Elon Musk, Talulah Riley and Musk’s children from his previous marriage with Justine Musk. Photo: @elonmusk/Instagram
In an interview with The Independent, Riley revealed that she stepped back from her acting career so she could help take care of Musk’s children from his first wife, Justine Wilson. At the time, she said even though she chose to prioritise family over her career, it wasn’t a “traditional housewife role”. She said his children were “very involved” in his projects, calling it a “family-wide effort”.
Riley’s film career spans almost two decades
Talulah Riley is an English actress and writer. Photo: @talulahrm/Instagram
Riley began acting when she was 18 years old, starring in TV series Poirot. She has also starred in blockbusters Pride & Prejudice, Inception, Thor: The Dark World and American dystopian sci-fi series Westworld.
She also received several awards including best actress for her role in The Last Witness at the New York City International Film Festival, and was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for her role in Westworld.
Oh, and she’s a writer too
Talulah Riley’s second novel, The Quickening. Photo: @kay.issacsmith/Instagram
Riley published her first book, Acts of Love, in 2016. She followed up with another novel in 2018, The Quickening, with The Independent describing Riley’s writing style as “bold”, grabbing readers’ attention. Business Insider also reported there was speculation that the characters in her book were based on her relationship with Musk. But, according to Insider, the billionaire said all the characters are “fictional”.
What’s Riley been up to since divorcing Musk?
Talulah Riley and her husband Thomas Brodie-Sangster. Photo: Getty Images
We all know what Musk has been up to since divorcing Riley, from his on-off relationship with Amber Heard and sharing three children with singer Grimes to welcoming his third baby with Shivon Zilis – an executive at his brain implant company Neuralink Corp – earlier this year.
Meanwhile, last month Riley married fellow British actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster – as in, the little boy from Love Actually. Now 34, he’s had roles in The Queen’s Gambit, Maze Runner and Game of Thrones, among others.
