Matthew Macfadyen loved working with wife Keeley Hawes on Stonehouse
The miniseries marks their first screen collaboration since Spooks.
Matthew Macfadyen has said that he loved working with his actual wife Keeley Hawes on ITV drama Stonehouse, where they play a decidedly less harmonious married couple.
Inspired by the 1970s political scandal, the three-part drama explores how and why Labour MP John Stonehouse faked his death in an attempt to start a new life in Australia – only to be discovered very shortly after.
Macfadyen plays the title character, while Hawes plays his wife of three decades Barbara, with whom he had three children and a seemingly perfect life to the casual observer. Of course, things weren't quite that simple.
On acting opposite Hawes, the Succession star told press: "It was really lovely. That's the boring but truthful answer... We were filming in and around Birmingham and Stratford, so we got an Airbnb, took the dog, and it was like a little working holiday."
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Stonehouse marks the first time that the couple have shared the screen since Spooks and Macfadyen admitted some initial concerns that it would give the project an unwanted "cute" factor, but these ultimately went unfounded.
He continued: "It's always slightly… you think, ‘Is this going to be a bit naff or cute’ or something. But actually, it was really lovely. And she's a brilliant actress and we’re both used to being on set. So it was just great."
Director Jon S Baird (Stan & Ollie) interjected that the nature of their roles helped prevent the show from veering off into kitsch territory, as scenes between John and Barbara are filled with tension as opposed to sentimentality.
"Maybe if you had been playing a couple in love, it could have been very icky [but] there was conflict all the time between these two," the filmmaker told Macfadyen. "And I think it's a very brave move for them to go and do that."
Later, Baird added to RadioTimes.com: "I didn't feel as though it was a challenge at all. And I think it probably added to it because they know each other so well and they could really push the boundaries with each other during filming."
Stonehouse also stars screen newcomer Emer Heatley as Sheila Buckley, assistant to the disgraced MP, who soon became his lover – and eventually, his second wife.
Stonehouse premieres on ITV on Monday 2nd January 2023. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
