Does Ben Barnes Have a Wife? Actor Looks for ‘A Lot of Affection’ in a Relationship

Although he has yet to find a life partner and keeps a lid on his love life, Ben Barnes has opened up about his past experiences in romance. The actor also spoke about the prospect of fatherhood and expressed his views on age gaps in relationships.

Longtime TV star Ben Barnes has long graced screens in roles that captivated viewers worldwide, such as King Caspian in the "Narnia" fantasy film series and General Kirigan in Netflix's "Shadow and Bone."

Despite the fame he accumulated from his work, he shared little about his personal life, guarding his privacy. From the little he divulged, Barnes spoke about his preferences in romance and more.

A Glimpse into Ben Barnes' Romantic History

Earlier in 2023, Barnes shared insight into his love life. Noting how men are often expected to curate dates, he shared that the best one he'd ever gone to was organized by his suitress. The pair had enjoyed a drive-in film together.

"We went to see 'When Harry Met Sally,' which is my absolute favorite movie, and we had pizza in the car, and it was just magical," he recalled. Barnes added that he appreciated the thoughtfulness that went into the planning.

Speaking further on romance, he revealed that his love language was physical touch. "I need a lot of affection. I need to be, like, holding socks on the sofa. I need skin-to-skin at bedtime. I need physical connection, physical touch," he explained.

With Leo being his Zodiac star sign, the actor even likened himself to an affectionate lion. "All those Instagram videos when the lion will come and nuzzle the lioness and then plump down next to them… that's me," he remarked.

Ben Barnes on His Role in 'Gold Digger'

Barnes starred in the limited BBC series "Gold Digger" in 2019, playing a young man with a complicated past who pursues an older wealthy woman 25 years his senior. He noted that the show forced audiences to interrogate their discomfort about relationship age gaps.

The Hollywood star also revealed that he shared many similarities with his character and that he, too, had dated older and younger partners, which he admitted challenged him in "different" and "interesting" ways.

Barnes believed that meeting people who became long-term partners had "so much to do with timing and where you both are in life." Although he didn't speak about marriage, he said he would like to have children.

Women in Entertainment Formerly Linked to Ben Barnes

Barnes was linked to actress Tamsin Egerton in the late 2000s. The pair had reportedly spent time together and "hooked up" a few times in Australia. However, when asked about the nature of their relationship, Egerton said she and Barnes were only friends.

"I tried to set him up with one of my friends once, but he wouldn't bite," she said. In late 2014, Barnes was linked to Felicity Jones. The two had been on the same flight; however, Jones' transport hadn't arrived when they disembarked.

Barnes (also a singer) then invited Jones, who had recently starred in "The Theory of Everything" with Eddie Redmayne and Charlie Cox, to wait for her limo in his car. Although this encounter made headlines, it seemed their relationship was also platonic.

In 2021, Barnes sparked dating rumors after he was seen on an ice cream run with professional dancer Julianne Hough in Los Angeles; however, a source close to the pair shut down the speculation, saying Barnes and Hough had been friends for nearly a decade by then.