Kenneth Branagh's Wife: The Actor's Love Story with Lindsay Brunnock and past Relationships

Kenneth Brangah's love life has been headlining for decades as his first marriage ended in divorce and scandal - a story that continues to interest to this day. The actor married a second time in a spontaneous elopement to Lindsay Brunnock after she gave him quite the ultimatum.

Ireland native Kenneth Branagh drew his first breath in Belfast on December 10, 1960. He was 23 when his acting career began, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company. He formed his own Rennaisance Theater Company shortly afterward, where he continued starring in several Shakespearean classics.

Years later, he joined the film and TV industry, where he would be renowned for his movie adaptations of Shakespearean plays. One of his first commercial successes was 1989's "Henry V." The film was his directorial debut, but its remarkable reception from audiences and critics wasn't the only thing Branagh was celebrating.

That year, 1989, the A-list actor had tied the knot for the first time. Moreover, he'd starred alongside his then-wife, Emma Thompson, in "Henry V." The two were known for their collaborations during their time as a couple and were dubbed "Ken and Em."

Alas, their love story ended in heartbreak, with Branagh's on-set infidelities, particularly the one with Helena Bonham Carter. But as Thompson and the "Fight Club" actress have said, it's all "blood under the bridge." Branagh eventually moved on with art director Lindsay Brunnock, but it wasn't until the actor faced his commitment issues that they finally became life partners.

Kenneth Branagh's First Marriage to Emma Thompson Ended after His Affair with Helena Bonham Carter

Branagh and Thompson first met in 1987 while shooting the war drama mini-series "Fortunes of War." The pair portrayed an on-screen romance between Guy Pringle (Branagh) and Harriet Pringle (Thompson). However, little of their romance is known throughout the two years that led to their marriage.

The former lovers rarely spoke of each other nor appeared together for interviews. Still, they were considered the golden couple of UK cinema. Following "Fortunes of War" and "Henry V," Branagh and Thompson would star alongside each other again in "Dead Again," "Peter's Friends," and "Much Ado About Nothing."

Things took a turn in their relationship in 1993 when Branagh started working on "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein," which starred Robert De Niro as Creature, Branagh as Victor, and Bonham Carter as Elizabeth. The latter two began a romantic relationship that would be the end of Branagh's marriage with Thompson.

In 1995, Branagh and Thompson announced their divorce and said it was due to clashing schedules and having little time for one another. Branagh and Bonham Carter continued dating, but they, too, separated in 1999. Bonham Carter moved on to Tim Burton and had a daughter, Nell Burton.

In 2022, Thompson opened up about her ex-husband's betrayal, partly blaming herself for not paying attention. "I was utterly blind to the fact that he had relationships with other women on set. What I learned was how easy it was to be blinded by your own desire to deceive yourself," the actress reflected.

Thompson's self-esteem was also devasted as she recalled, "I was half-alive. Any sense of being a lovable or worthy person had completely gone." She found love again with actor Greg Wise, who helped her heal. The two will mark their 20th wedding anniversary this year.

Kenneth Branagh Found Love Again with Art Director Lindsay Brunnock

Branagh and Brunnock first met through Bonham Carter in 1997, but their romance only began in 2001, when they collaborated on the TV mini-series "Shackleton." By July of that year, the lovers were living together at Branagh's home in Sunningdale, Berkshire.

They shared a love for adventure as they once took a camper van and drove around New Zealand. Branagh and Brunnock were relatively private about their relationship, but it hit a speedbump shortly before they wed. Brunnock ended their relationship when Branagh meandered around commitment.

Brunnock didn't just want to be Branagh's lover forever; she wanted to be his wife. Branagh was devastated by the separation, which lasted for months. He reportedly had a brief romance with a film production assistant, Laura Burrows, in March 2003, but it soon fizzled.

He then reconnected with Brunnock, and they were husband and wife by May of that year. Brunnock and Branagh eloped in New York. They tied the knot in a friend's apartment, with the only witnesses being Branagh's PA, Tamar Thomas, and his driver Terry Pritchard.

Branagh only announced to his parents that he was marrying during a phone call on his way to take a flight to America. Despite his personal life being the stuff of headlines for decades, he has rarely, if ever, commented on his former romances. The actor has especially guarded his and Brunnock's privacy.

Still, on quite a rare occasion, he spoke briefly about his wife, saying she was "certainly smarter" than him, and knew him better than he knew himself. "She understands that it's great when people love what they do, but also knows when they need the right kind of balance in their life," he added.

Like Thompson and her husband, Brunnock and Branagh will celebrate 20 years of marriage this month, and their red-carpet appearances always betray an everlasting love. Brunnock was present when her husband accepted the Best Original Screenplay Oscar award for "Belfast," a win he said was a significant honor for his family.

Kenneth Branagh Once Spoke about Not Having Kids

Branagh and Brunnock currently have no children and have yet to share any plans for expanding their family. In 2016, Branagh shed some light on the matter, saying it "simply never happened." The couple has two dogs and lives quietly in their Berkshire home.