Dominic West stands by wife, says marriage ‘strong’ after kissing Lily James

Dominic West, who was busted kissing co-star Lily James, has put on a bizarre display with his wife, declaring his marriage is “strong”.

Dominic West kissed his wife Catherine FitzGerald outside their home today and insisted they were not splitting up after he was pictured in a steamy clinch with co-star Lily James.

Speaking at their home in the UK, the actor said to the media: “I just want to say our marriage is strong and we are very much still together”, The Sun reports.

It comes after the 50-year-old star had been spotted kissing his 31-year-old co-star Lily James on a romantic break in Rome.

Dominic West kissing Lily James during an al fresco date in Rome. Picture: BACKGRID

James and West were seen getting very cosy. Picture: BACKGRID

The pair are starring together in an adaptation of Nancy Mitford’s novel The Pursuit Of Love.

FitzGerald, 49, had a tissue in her hand as well as a handwritten note, which West read to the press.

In a bizarre staged display of unity, West kissed her – although she kept her hands firmly in her pockets.

Dominic West and wife Catherine FitzGerald make a strong statement to press outside their home after Dominic was seen kissing actress Lily James whilst in Rome. Picture: GlosPics/ MEGA TheMegaAgency.com

The pair, who married in Ireland in 2010, kissed for several seconds as the cameras clicked.

West flew home for crisis talks at his $A3.25 million country cottage last night after the pictures of him getting cosy with James emerged.

They also handed out a piece of paper stating that their marriage is strong and they are very much together. Picture: GlosPics/ MEGA TheMegaAgency.com

He was snapped stroking James’ hair as they enjoyed lunch together, and smiling at the brunette beauty before leaning in for a kiss.

They were also seen zipping around Rome together, enjoying the sights by sharing an electric scooter.

He and FitzGerald share four children – daughter Dora, 13, son Senan, 12, son Francis, 11, and Christabel, seven.

A friend of FitzGerald’s yesterday claimed that they rushed to the West family home to console the actor’s wife who was understandably “devastated”.

They explained: “She’s totally shocked because she didn’t know anything was going on.

“They were very much together, so this is completely out of the blue. She thought they had a good marriage and now it’s probably over.”

Catherine Fitzgerald and Dominic West have been married since 2010. Picture: Larry Busacca/Getty Images

West starred in US television show The Affair from 2014 until its conclusion in 2019.

The program tracks West’s character Noah as he starts an extramarital affair with a grieving waitress – and he admitted in the past he doesn’t want his wife watching the show.

“My wife hasn’t watched The Affair yet and I don’t really want her to. It’s embarrassing,” he told The Independent in 2016.

“I don’t have parents, but I’ve got five sisters and a brother and they haven’t watched it. My sisters were saying, ‘Yes, we heard it’s good. We heard you do certain things there and we decided not to watch it.’

“Maybe they have watched a few but my wife wisely hasn’t. I mean, it’s not something I’d like to watch her doing.”

Lily James is 20 years younger than Dominic West. Picture: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images

He also admitted monogamy isn’t “a natural way to be” when questioned about why adultery is so compelling in 2019.

The actor told Harpar’s Bazaar: “It’s one of those subjects that people have very strong opinions about because everybody is open to it and can experience it.

“It affects kings as much as it does snails. A lot of people have experienced it and a lot of people fear it.

“I suppose people suspect that the conventions that we have agreed upon in society, that a man and women can stay together for life or a certain amount of time without cheating, that they’re not really staying together based on anything other than how society thinks they should behave.

“It’s not the necessarily natural way to be, therefore there will always be adultery and intrigue about it.”

James recently split from her The Crown co-star Matt Smith, 37, for a second time, following five years on and off.

Matt Smith and Lily James split for a second time recently. Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

She was seen on an ice cream date in London with Captain America star Chris Evans in July, though it appears to have fizzled.

This article appeared on The Sun and is republished here with permission