Move Over, Shiv! Matthew Macfadyen and His Real-Life Wife Keeley Hawes Are Starring in a New Series

The chemistry between Matthew Macfadyen and Keeley Hawes is instantly palpable (even through a Zoom screen), which makes perfect sense once you realize that not only do the pair of actors play husband and wife on the new series Stonehouse (airing now on BritBox), but that they’re are also married in real life.

While Macfadyen is set to return soon to the small screen as Tom Wambsgans, Shiv Roy’s underestimated yet deceitful husband on Succession, his role as John Stonehouse allows him to dive deeper into the role of another aloof and corrupt husband.

WATCH STONEHOUSE NOW ON BRITBOX

The series is based on the shocking true story of a British MP who tried—and failed—to fake his own death in 1974. In the opening scene, the audience watches as Macfadyen's character, dressed in a powder blue suit (which, yes, he wishes he kept), leaves behind a pile of clothes on the sand and disappears into the Atlantic Ocean. Not only leaving his belongings and career behind—but also his family and wife.

Matthew Macfadyen plays John Stonehouse in the new series Stonehouse, airing now on Britbox.

Amidst Hawes and Macfadyen's busy schedules (he’s currently in New York shooting Succession, and she’s on set in Toronto), T&C caught up with the couple to talk about their new show—and what it was like working together.

What was it like working together for the first time?

Keeley Hawes: Everybody was tickled by the idea of Matthew and I working together.

Matthew Macfadyen: We got to see each other, which is really nice. So often we’re sort of scattered in different countries. But the idea of going to work together was just great. We even took the dog.

KH: These characters and these real people that we were playing are so different from us in every way and from our marriage and our relationship. But the writing was brilliant and we got to hang out and stay together.

Can you tell us a bit about how you both came to this series and what drew you to these roles?

MM: It was just such a brilliant thing to read and a fascinating story. I hadn't known anything about this particular man or this time in history, so I couldn't believe it was true actually. And it was a lovely script and it was something a bit different for me. I hadn't played a part like that before and so it just all seemed like a good idea really. And also it's a three-part which is very convenient when you are owned by HBO.

KH: I had a look at it [the script] purely with a view to him doing it… and I thought, oh actually Barbara's great. So I thought to myself… I think I should play Barbara.

Keeley Hawes plays Barbara Stonehouse in the new series Stonehouse, airing now on Britbox, opposite her real-life husband Matthew Macfadyen.

What about the story felt important to tell now and what kind of research went into playing these roles based off of a real life and a real story?

MM: Well, we watched oodles of archival video footage of the characters. So there's lots to watch and see. But there are so many sorts of things that are pertinent to his [John Stonehouse] story today. We've got this politician in the UK called Matt Hancock. It's a sort of universal theme. There's George Santos here. There’s the sort of bullshitter, who enthusiastically with a bit of charm and personality, sort of just waltzes through life.

What was it like wearing costumes from the 70s and how did they help you get into character?

KH: I had a fabulous outfit and it was just all yellow, so that was Banana Barbara and then there was Hawaiian Barbara.I had endless amazing different looks that were put together. So it's great fun and it makes it [getting into character] easy.

MM: All that stuff is half the battle, you know, you put these clothes on—and I had brown contact lenses and these sort of dentures—and it just changed the way I spoke and felt and so it's great.

Matthew Madfadyen, seen here in Stonehouse, will also reprise his role as Tom Wambsgans in the upcoming fourth season of Succession.

Do you have a favorite look from the show?

MM: I had some paisley pajamas, which I was quite fond of. And my powder blue suit, my Miami suit, I really liked. I’d like to know where that is actually.

KH: I had a kind of house coat dress that went over trousers with some heels that you would wear with a sort of zip up the front velvet. That was my dancing Barbara.

What are three words you would use to describe the show?

MM: To quote the great Kevin McNally, who plays Harold Wilson, “‘Twas ever thus.” It's like, well, here we go again.

Ana Osorno

Ana Osorno is Town & Country’s Social Media Editor.