From TikTok dances with his children to cosy nights in at home, Martin Freeman and his French actress girlfriend look every inch the rock solid showbiz couple, despite keeping their relationship so low key that it’s easy for fans to forget they’re together.
In fact, the pair have been in a relationship for around five years, following his split from his ex-partner of 16 years, Amanda Abbingdon, who admits she was a ‘mess’ following their breakup in 2016, which came about after they ‘just couldn’t live with each other anymore’.
While it’s unclear when Martin found love again with the French actress, 30, who also goes by Rachel Mariam, the couple were first spotted together in 2020 and she appears to have formed a strong bond with his children Joe, 18, and Grace, 16, together.
Martin went public with his romance with the Toulouse-born actress in 2021 but the pair are fiercely private about their relationship and she recently deleted her Instagram account which gave fans a handful of glimpses into the couple’s relationship.
However, Rachel is happy to play the supportive partner and she’s often by Martin’s side on the red carpet to promote his film and TV projects – including their outing on Sunday at the Olivier Awards.
But a video shared to TikTok by Martin’s daughter Grace shows that Rachel is firmly part of the family, dancing along to She’s The Brightest Star from Martin’s festive hit film Nativity with Joe and the family dachshunds.
Martin Freeman’s, 53, French actress girlfriend Rachel Benaissa, 30, healed the actor’s broken heart – despite their 23-year age gap – after his split from ex wife Amanda Abbington, 51
Amanda previously told how she was a ‘mess’ following their breakup in 2016 after she and Martin just couldn’t live with each other anymore (pictured together in 2010)
A video shared to TikTok by Martin’s daughter Grace shows that Rachel is firmly part of the family
‘Merry christmas from Mr Maddens,’ she captioned the clip, referring to her father’s character in the hit film.
Rachel had a small role as an unnamed teaching ᴀssistant in BBC hit Normal People, alongside stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar Jones.
The actress has also starred in Lindsay Lohan’s Netflix film Irish Wish, and Aisling Bea’s sitcom This Way Up, as well as roles in commercials for Heineken, Santander and Dublin Airport.
Her connection to Ireland has most likely arisen from her days training at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dubli, where Colin Farrell, Aidan Turner and Olivia Wilde all honed their craft.
In addition to acting, Rachel also writes screenplays and once came runner-up in Outstanding Screenplay’s TV pilot compeтιтion.
Her writing is said to ‘blend drama with dark humour’ and she’s currently working on the script for a dark comedy-horror TV series called SELF CARE GIRLIE.
Rachel was seen dancing along to She’s The Brightest Star from Martin’s festive hit film Nativity with Joe and the family dachshunds.
Rachel had a minor role as a unnamed teaching ᴀssistant in the hit drama Normal People, starring Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones
Rachel and Martin went public with their romance in 2021 but are rarely seen together in public (pictured together in 2024)
Rachel is best known for playing a role in BBC hit Normal People, alongside stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar Jones
Read More Martin Freeman, 53, looks loved-up with girlfriend Rachel Benaissa, 30, as the Olivier Awards 
They made their first appearance as a couple when they graced the red carpet at the Raindance Film Festival Opening Night gala screening of Best Sellers at The Dorchester.
As for Martin’s ex partner Amanda, she has insisted that they are on good terms and remain friends.
However, sources have suggested that it wasn’t easy for her to see him moving on with a much younger woman, while his career has also gone from strength to strength.
In March 2023, Amanda candidly revealed that she considered suicide after their difficult split left her ‘hating herself’.
In an interview with the Full Disclosure podcast, Amanda told how suicide was a ‘genuine option’ during the dark period of her life, telling how she recently had a similar thought after a row with her daughter.
She explained: ‘It was breaking up with Martin and then realising I needed to sort myself out because I was a bit of a mess. I hated myself.
The actress has also starred in Lindsay Lohan’s Netflix film Irish Wish, Aisling Bea’s sitcom This Way Up (pictured in 2024)
The couple were married for 16 years and they share children Joe, 18, and Grace, 16, together (pictured in 2023)
Amanda is now in a relationship with former daredevil Jonathan Goodwin, 43. The couple were friends for years before they began dating
‘It was funny because the other day, and I’ve never told anyone, not even my therapist, I’d had a row with Grace [her daughter] because she couldn’t find her uniform and was late for school.
‘So in the end I had to drive her to school instead of the bus and I was sitting in the car and I was having a go at her and I was getting nothing back from her because she’s a 15-year-old and she’s going through all this stuff.
‘She’s a girl, I’m a mother — rage, anxiety. And I was sat there as I was driving, in my head, and I haven’t said this since I started therapy six years ago, ‘you could always kill yourself”
‘And that was what my mantra used to be. If you’ve let people down and upset somebody or if you’re not being the best you can or you’re a bad mother, or you’re not stepping up with your acting, you can always kill yourself.’
Amanda went on to say that the idea of taking her life used to be an ‘option’ for her in the past, but that she last had the same thought six years ago – around the time of her separation from Martin.
From loved-up co-stars to split: Martin and Amanda’s romance
2000: The pair first met on Channel 4’s Men Only TV film
2001: They instantly for each other and got together the following year
2003 – 2007 Went on to appear in several projects together including The Debt and The All Together
2006: Welcomed a son, Joe
2008: Welcomed a daughter, Grace
2010: Martin’s career begins to soar again with the role of Dr. Watkins in Sherlock
2012: He appears as the lead in blockbuster The Hobbit
2013: Amanda declares bankruptcy over a £120,000 tax bill saying it is her ‘worst year ever’
2014: She joins Sherlock as Watson’s love interest Mary Morstan
2015: Martin hints that the pair have married
2016: Actor reveals split in interview
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She continued: ‘That was a genuine option for me, quite a few times in my life. Then I don’t have to be this bad person because I don’t have to be here any more.
‘And I thought about that and I thought, “Oh my God I haven’t thought about that in six years”.’
Amanda previously revealed that she kept her high-profile break up a secret for six months after she and Martin just couldn’t live with each other anymore.
Talking to the The Sunday Times magazine she said: ‘When we broke up nobody knew, we didn’t tell anybody except for a few key people because they had to know, because of the logistics of H๏τels and stuff.
‘It took six months for it to get out and a lot of that was while we were working on Sherlock… We were professional and we were going to get on and make a show and be civil to each other.
‘We still get on really well, we still really both admire each other as actors… he’s a great guy, but we just couldn’t live with each other any more.’
The pair met on the set of the film Men Only in 2000 and went on to play formidable duo John and Mary Watson.
Amanda is now in a relationship with former daredevil Jonathan Goodwin, 43. The couple were friends for years before they began dating.
However they were only together two months before Jonathan became permanently paralysed when he was crushed during a stunt – leaving him in a wheelchair.
The escapologist suffered life-changing injuries after he was crushed between two suspended cars while rehearsing a stunt for America’s Got Talent: Extreme in 2021.
Jonathan then fell to the ground and hit his head. He was airlifted to hospital where he underwent surgery.
The stuntman came away from the accident with fractures to his ribs, legs and shoulders, third-degree burns, internal organ injuries and he also lost his left kidney.
He is now suing America’s Got Talent bosses over the stunt that left him in a wheelchair for life.
