Lizzy Caplan and Tom Riley’s Relationship Timeline

Although Lizzy Caplan and Tom Riley have accumulated a long list of accolades throughout each of their acting careers, their roles as spouses and parents to son Alfie are their main priority. “I have a baby and am married,” Caplan told People in May 2023. “That part of my life is the most important part of my life, where in the past, work was the most important part.” After her breakout role as Janice in Mean Girls in 2004, Caplan went on to star in hit television series and movies, such as Truth Be Told, Hot Tub Time Machine, and True Blood. While filming her movie, Allied, in London in 2015, Caplan first crossed paths with her now-husband, a British actor who has appeared in motion pictures, like The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window, The Nevers, and Da Vinci’s Demons. Just one year after meeting, Riley popped the question. In 2017, the two tied the knot, and four years later, they welcomed their first child. 

While the Emmy Award nominee and the British actor have very public careers, they keep their personal lives private. Since neither Caplan nor Riley have Instagram accounts, they don’t disclose many of the details behind their relationship or their stint as parents. The couple does occasionally open up about their partnership to the media, and they often support one another at the premieres of the films and series they’ve starred in. 

From their red carpet appearances to their insights on parenthood, here’s a complete timeline of Lizzy Caplan and Tom Riley’s relationship.

• The two first met in 2015 while Caplan was filming Allied in London.
• After their engagement in 2016, the couple said “I do” in September 2017 on the Amalfi Coast in Ravello, Italy.
• The pair welcomed their son, Alfie, in 2021.

January 2015: First Meeting

The couple first met at the beginning of 2015 on set in London while Caplan was filming the WWII drama Allied, according to Bustle.

October 1, 2015: Their Instagram Debut

Riley revealed on his since-deleted Instagram account that he was spending time with a mystery woman—who was later identified as Caplan. The I Want Candy star uploaded a photo of himself and Caplan jumping off of a boat in Capri, Italy. It was their first official social media post together. “Capri. Not ugly. #Italy #TheQuestEnds,” his caption said, per InStyle. The post created a lot of buzz with his fans, who speculated that the actor might be in a relationship.

February 6, 2016: Confirming Their Relationship

Four months later, the duo confirmed their romance by making their public debut at the 2016 Prague Opera Ball, E! News reported.

July 22, 2016: Their Engagement News Breaks

After the Fatal Attraction actress was spotted wearing a diamond sparkler on her left ring finger, Us Weekly reported in July 2016 that the couple was engaged. A representative for Caplan told the outlet that Riley actually proposed in May 2016 in New York City, but they didn’t announce the news until two months later.

October 20, 2016: Opening Up About Privacy

In an interview with The Telegraph, Riley discussed his desire for privacy in his relationship with Caplan. “The idea of being a ‘power couple’ or in a relationship that is a ‘brand’ is just so unappealing to me,” he shared.

October 27, 2016: Gracing the Red Carpet

Caplan and Riley made their first red carpet appearance in October 2016 at the premiere of Riley's film, British drama Starfish, at the Cursor Mayfair in London, England. In the photos captured at the event, the two of them are proudly holding hands. 

November 21, 2016: A Movie Premiere

One month later, Riley returned the favor by supporting his then-girlfriend at the premiere of her film, Allied, at Odeon Leicester Square in London, England. The two matched in black ensembles, and once again, they posed for photos, hand in hand. 

June 24, 2017: A Sporty Date Night

Instead of their usual red carpet appearances, the couple enjoyed date night in June 2017 at the AEGON Championships, a tennis tournament at The Queen’s Club in West Kensington, London.

September 2017: Officially Newlyweds

Over Labor Day weekend in 2017, Caplan and Riley exchanged vows in Ravello—a town on the Amalfi Coast, Italy—Caplan's rep confirmed to Entertainment Tonight. Riley also took to Instagram, which he later deleted, to announce the news. He posted a black-and-white photo of himself and his new wife on their wedding day, according to the outlet. "This one seems fertile,” he joked in his caption. “She shall make a satisfactory first wife.” Their nuptials was reportedly a star-studded event, with Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Dave Franco, Octavia Spencer, Lily Collins, Scott Speedman, and Diana Aaron in attendance. 

Celebrity stylist Ilaria Urbinati documented the actors’ special day and shared a recap of the celebration on Instagram. “Thank you Ravello and the amazing group of friends this weekend - I hadn't laughed that hard, eaten so well, stayed up so late, danced, and drank so much wine in way too long,” she said. “And got to witness so much love between two people that I also hadn't been moved to quite so many tears in a while.” In another post, Urbinati mentioned that Caplan's Bachelorette co-star James Marsden was also a guest.

May 26, 2018: Blast from the Past

To relive her glory days, Caplan and her husband watched Mean Girls on Broadway in New York City. The couple was all smiles while posing for photos backstage.

August 31, 2019: Another Athletic Outing

Caplan and Riley set aside their roles as entertainers and took on ones as spectators once again. The pair spent some quality time together in the stands at the U.S. Open in New York City in August 2019.

October 14, 2019: A Supportive Spouse

When Season 2 of Caplan's series on Hulu, Castle Rock, premiered, Riley stood by her side at the show's event in Los Angeles, California. The couple got all dressed up for the function, with Caplan in an orange off-the-shoulder gown and Riley in a gray suit.

October 18, 2019: Riley's Most Admirable Quality

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in October 2019, Caplan made a rare comment on her relationship: She disclosed one of Riley's best traits. “I like that he tends to get into the most embarrassing, humiliating situations on Earth—and when they occur in England because of the polite society, it's 10 times better,” she joked.

November 9, 2019: Watching Caplan's Work

Fifteen years after Mean Girls aired, Riley watched his wife’s breakout movie for the first time. Caplan also told Us Weekly that hadn’t viewed the film since it first premiered. “We watched it and I was like, ‘Yeah, I get it! This is a wonderful movie,’” she expressed. 

January 2022: First-Time Parents

In January 2022, the Ghost Light star revealed on Late Night With Seth Meyers that Caplan gave birth to the couple’s first son, Alfie, at the end of 2021.

November 7, 2022: Promoting a New Show

Caplan and Riley stepped out at Carnegie Hall in New York City for her series, Fleishman Is in Trouble. The star of the show donned a wedding-worthy gown: a white lace getup with semi-sheer long sleeves. Riley looked just as dashing in a gray ensemble.

November 29, 2022: Reflecting on Family Life

In an interview with Grazia USA for their Winter 2022 issue, Caplan got vulnerable about motherhood. “There are moments where you’re just watching this little person do a thing and you’re just beaming at him, and you don’t even realize you’re beaming until maybe you see a picture of yourself watching him do this thing, and you realize, ‘Oh my, I’m smiling so much right now,’” she shared. “I was smiling without being totally aware that I'm smiling. It's like this unrivaled pure joy.”

During that same conversation, the actress explained that the couple decided to have kids later in life, so they were fully committed to raising a child. “And it's just so much more mind-blowing and better than you could imagine before actually going through with it,” she gushed. "That's been our experience.” Caplan is so dedicated to being a mother that most of her life revolves around her son. “I have no hobbies,” she quipped. “My hobby is him.” The Extinction star also praised Riley as the “father of the century.”

May 9, 2023: A Shift in Priorities

At a FYC Event in Hollywood, Caplan referred to Riley and her son as “the most important part of my life,” according to People. The actress explained to the outlet that in the past, before meeting Riley and having a child, work was her primary focus, but her priorities have since changed.