Dominic West and wife kiss for photographers after he's linked to co-star Lily James: 'We're very much still together'

Dominic West and his wife, Catherine FitzGerald put on a united front — and a very public display of affection — one day after photos showed The Affair actor, who turns 51 this week, cozying up to his co-star 31-year-old Lily James.

Dominic West and his wife Catherine Fitzgerald seen together at their family home after pictures emerged of the British actor kissing younger actress Lily James in Rome.  The pair said they are staying together in a handwritten note that stated:  "Our marriage is strong and we're very much still together. Thank you."  Pictured: Dominic West,Catherine FitzGerald Ref: SPL5192311 131020 NON-EXCLUSIVE Picture by: MIKE / SplashNews.com  Splash News and Pictures USA: +1 310-525-5808 London: +44 (0)20 8126 1009 Berlin: +49 175 3764 166 photodesk@splashnews.com  World Rights
Dominic West and his wife, Catherine FitzGerald, kissed outside their England home one day after photos showed him getting cozy with actress Lily James in Rome. (Photo: MIKE / SplashNews.com Splash News)

West, also known for The Wire, returned home from Rome, where he was photographed kissing James amid a day of sightseeing and dining al fresco, to the Wiltshire, England home he shares with FitzGerald and their four children. And to send a message about the status of his marriage to interested parties, West and his wife went outside their home, where photographers had gathered, to kiss for the cameras bringing along a homemade sign stating that they’re “very much still together,” despite how it may appear.

(Photo: Splash News)
(Photo: Splash News)

West and FitzGerald, who were college sweethearts that reunited years later and married in 2010, came out of their home side by side. They leaned against one another and kissed as photographers snapped their picture.

FitzGerald, a landscaper, carried out a handwritten sign that said, “Our marriage is strong and we’re very much still together, Thank you.” She propped up the note, signed by both of them, against shrubbery.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 22:  Dominic West (L) and Catherine Fitzgerald arrive at The London Evening Standard Theatre Awards in partnership with The Ivy at The Old Vic Theatre on November 22, 2015 in London, England.  (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Dominic West and Catherine Fitzgerald in 2015. (Photo: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

The Daily Mail ran the exclusive photos of West and James — who appeared on Downton Abbey and in Baby Driver and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again — sharing a kiss and being handsy while sightseeing in Rome. They have been making the BBC mini-series The Pursuit of Love in England, but they go way back, having appeared in a stage production of Othello together in 2011 when James was just out of drama school.

The tabloid reports that West and James spent two days at a hotel in Rome. When they were snapped kissing, they were reportedly having lunch with their talent manager, who has not responded to Yahoo Entertainment’s request for comment — nor have publicists for James and West.

The tabloid also reported that FitzGerald was “devastated.”

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: (L to R) Dominic West, Lily James and Laura Carmichael attend the Harper's Bazaar Women Of The Year Awards 2018, in partnership with Michael Kors and Mercedes-Benz, at Claridge's Hotel on October 30, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Harper's Bazaar/Hearst UK)
Dominic West and Lily James chatting at the Harper's Bazaar UK Women of the Year Awards 2018. (Photo: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Harper's Bazaar/Hearst UK)

Meanwhile, a 2016 interview West gave to the Evening Standard while promoting The Affair — the TV show which saw his character having many extramarital exploits — has been resurfaced in which he talked about cheating and monogamy. The interviewer noted that the interview kicked off with West asking why wives make such a fuss over infidelity.

“I mean, I think women should be more indulgent of affairs,” he said. “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.”

In that same interview, he talked about straying on ex-girlfriend Polly Astor, with whom he shares an adult daughter.

“That got a lot of things out of my system — hopefully.” he said. “And now I just act it [on The Affair],” he said, prior to the show ending in 2016. “There are a lot of sex scenes in The Affair. If Catherine was in something like that I would not be happy. But she’s OK with it. She’s cool.”

Though he added that they never watched it together, as he played such a cad.

“Oh, f*** no!” he said. “She saw a bit of it on the plane once, and I saw a bit of it on the plane. Neither of us watches it. Can’t bear to.”

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