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Tom Hiddleston Is a Dad! All About His Romance With Zawe Ashton—Plus, His Dating History (Including Taylor Swift!)
You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone on Earth who doesn't love Tom Hiddleston. The British charmer enchanted the world as trickster demigod Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, a role he now reprises in his own Disney+ series, aptly titled Loki. And, save for one "Swift"-moving summer fling with a certain pop star that will forever live in infamy, the classically trained actor is a class act offscreen as well, keeping his private life very private ... until his longtime love Zawe Ashton was spotted with a diamond ring on her left hand at the 2022 BAFTA Awards!
The pair soon quietly confirmed that they were expecting their first child, and in October 2022, reports emerged that they'd become parents. No details are yet available about their bundle of joy.
From setting hearts aflutter in Thor and the Avengers films to finding a quiet and steady romance with a fellow thespian, here is Tom Hiddleston's dating history—plus, what we know about his alleged engagement!
Related: Loki Season 2 Is Coming! Find Out the Latest News About the MCU's Favorite Trickster
Is Tom Hiddleston married or engaged?
He's not married, but he's taken—and again, seemingly engaged, judging by the rock Ashton was wearing in March 2022!
Hiddleston met actress Ashton in 2019 when they co-starred in London's West End production of the play Betrayal, which later transferred to Broadway in NYC. The pair have reportedly been living together since summer 2020, but have kept their relationship out of the public eye. Soon, though, Ashton is expected to join Hiddleston in the MCU: She was cast as the main villain in The Marvels, the upcoming Captain Marvel sequel.
After keeping their romance on the down-low for a few years now, Hiddleston and Ashton (suggested couple name: "Hiddleshton") made their relationship red carpet-official at the 2021 Tony Awards in September 2021. In fact, not only did they pose for pics on the event's red carpet together alongside Betrayal co-star Charlie Cox, they also took a snap side by side inside Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre where the ceremony was held.
Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton attend the 74th Annual Tony Awards at Winter Garden Theatre on Sept. 26, 2021, in New York City.
In June 2022, Ashton debuted a baby bump at the premiere of Mr. Malcolm's List, confirming she and Hiddleston were expecting.
A radiant Zawe Ashton attends the "Mr. Malcolm's List" New York premiere at DGA Theater on June 29, 2022.
Related: 5 Things You Didn't Know About Tom Hiddleston
Did Tom Hiddleston date Jessica Chastain?
There was a rumor about a "Hiddlestain" relationship, but it was probably bogus. Hiddleston was linked to his Crimson Peak co-star Jessica Chastain in 2015 after they were photographed looking cozy on red carpets promoting the film.
Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain attend "Crimson Peak" New York premiere at AMC Loews Lincoln Square on Oct. 14, 2015.
However, the timeline doesn't add up when you look at Chastain's own relationship history. In June 2017, she tied the knot with Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo; PEOPLE reported at the time that the Molly's Game star and Passi de Preposulo had been together for five years at that point—effectively (albeit belatedly) nixing those pesky Hiddleston dating rumors.
For what it's worth, Hiddleston also hugged and had his arm around their co-star Mia Wasikowska at Crimson Peak premieres, so chalk this one up to just being colleagues who became BFFs.
Did Tom Hiddleston date Jane Arthy?
A writer sat near Hiddleston and music industry vet Jane Arthy at Wimbledon in 2013 and sent the Internet into a tizzy by tweeting, "I sat next to actor Tom Hiddlestone [sic] and his girlfriend Jane #wimbledonfinal. He's a very funny man." Arthy and Hiddleston were photographed holding hands, but whatever was going on there was apparently short-lived.
Tom Hiddleston and Jane Arthy attend the Mens Singles Final on Day 13 of the Wimbledon on July 7, 2013 in London.
When asked if he and Arthy were an item later that year, Hiddleston told GQ U.K., "I understand the curiosity. One day I hope when there's really something to write home about, then I'll be able to talk."
Related: Tom Hiddleston’s Acting Chops Go a Lot Deeper than The Avengers and Thor
Did Tom Hiddleston date Elizabeth Olsen?
Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen were rumored to be hooking up in 2015 after they co-starred in the Hank Williams biopic I Saw the Light and were spotted dining out together.
Despite them both playing with magic in the MCU, however, the WandaVisionactress insisted there was no magic between them. When asked point-blank if she and Hiddleston were more than pals, Olsen told Refinery29, "No. I mean people can think what they want to think."
She added, "I mean, we definitely are friends and we've known each other for about four years, and we happened to be at a restaurant at a wrong time having dinner. We all go out to dinner." Olsen also noted that there were other untrue rumors that she dated her Avengers co-stars Chris Evans and Jeremy Renner, making it clear that people shouldn't believe everything they read.
Why did Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift break up?
Hiddleston's most famous romance was with Taylor Swift. The pair met at the Met Gala in May 2016, and social media went nuts over a video of the pair having an epic dance-off to Jay-Z's "Bring 'Em Out." Hiddleston said in an interview that they also danced together to The Weeknd.
"I was on a table with Taylor Swift and The Weeknd was playing and she said, 'The thing about these parties is nobody gets up to dance and you’re making music,'" Hiddleston recalled. "She, as a musician, was like, "We've got to dance for The Weeknd,' so we got up and danced."
Swift was still in a relationship with Calvin Harris at the time, but within two weeks of their split, she and Hiddleston were publicly hot and heavy. Within weeks, the couple met one another's parents and took a trip to Rome together, while Hiddleston famously wore an "I Heart T.S." shirt at her annual Fourth of July party.
Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston are seen at LAX on July 06, 2016.
The pair's displays of affection were so public that The Hollywood Reporter asked the actor flat-out if the romance was purely to raise their profiles (and to perhaps clean up Swift's public image after her infamous leaked phone call with nemesis Kanye West).
Hiddleston denied it and affirmed that their love was the real deal.
"Well, um. How best to put this? The truth is that Taylor Swift and I are together and we're very happy," he said. "Thanks for asking. That's the truth. It's not a publicity stunt."
However, by early September, Hiddleswift was history. The pair had what was reportedly an amicable split.
Related: Catch Up on Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn’s Love Story—and Why Fans Think They’re Already Married!
Is Taylor Swift's "Getaway Car" About Tom Hiddleston?
Hiddleston is rumored to be the inspiration for Swift's song "Getaway Car" from her 2017 album Reputation. The song describes using a new relationship to escape an old one and alludes to meeting a new man at a formal event: "The ties were black, the lies were white / The shades of grey in candlelight / I wanted to leave him / I needed a reason." She later sings, "Shoulda known I'd be the first to leave / Think about the place where you first met me," as well as "Ridin' in a getaway car / I was cryin' a getaway car / I was dyin' in a getaway car / Said 'goodbye' in a getaway car."
The latter may indicate that her current beau, Joe Alwyn, who she began dating not long after the Hiddleswift hullabaloo, was her getaway car from that relationship. Phew, the drama!
Did Priyanka Chopra date Tom Hiddleston?
No, but they did share a cute onstage moment together at the 2016 Emmys! Remember that charm we mentioned? It was on full display just weeks after the "Hiddleswift" split when Hiddleston and Priyanka Chopra got flirty on stage and reportedly at an afterparty. The duo presented the Outstanding Director for a Limited Series or Special Award, and Hiddleston twirled Chopra in her gorgeous red gown. It was quite adorable!
However, Chopra later denied any romance, saying on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, "We were presenting for like 10 minutes. I met him for 15 minutes. We were behind the curtains for 10 minutes where he was adjusting my dress since it had a long train. We had to figure out to manipulate not tripping."
Related: Everything You Need to Know About Nick Jonas and Wife Priyanka Chopra’s Relationship
Who is Tom Hiddleston's ex-girlfriend Susannah Fielding?
From 2008 to 2011, Hiddleston dated British actress Susannah Fielding after they met on the set of BBC's Wallander. However, as often happens, once Thor hit theaters and he skyrocketed into the public consciousness, their careers and all of the public speculation about their relationship got in the way of their romance. The parting was amicable, and since their split, they've each opened up about lessons they learned from dating in what was then a brand new spotlight for them.