Martin Freeman is an English actor. Among other accolades, he has won two Emmy Awards, a BAFTA Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, and has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award.
Freeman’s most notable roles are that of Tim Canterbury in the mockumentary series The Office (2001–2003), Dr. John Watson in the British crime drama series Sherlock (2010–2017), young Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit film trilogy (2012–2014), and Lester Nygaard in the first season of the dark comedy-crime drama series Fargo (2014).
He has also appeared in films including the romantic comedy Love Actually (2003), the horror comedy Shaun of the Dead (2004), the sci-fi comedy The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005), the action comedy Hot Fuzz (2007), the semi-improvised comedy Nativity! (2009), and the sci-fi comedy The World’s End (2013).
Since 2016, he has portrayed Everett K. Ross in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in the films Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Panther (2018), and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), and the Disney+ series Secret Invasion (2023).
Early life
Martin John Christopher Freeman was born on 8 September 1971 in Aldershot, Hampshire, the youngest of five children.
His parents, Philomena (née Norris) and naval officer Geoffrey Freeman, separated when he was a child. His father died of a heart attack when Freeman was 10 years old.
Freeman’s paternal grandfather, Leonard W. Freeman, was a medic in the British Expeditionary Force during World War II and was killed in action at Dunkirk just a few days before the Dunkirk evacuation.
Leonard’s father, Richard, was born blind and worked as a piano tuner and organist at St Andrew’s Church in West Tarring before becoming a music teacher in Kingston upon Hull.
Freeman was raised in his mother’s Catholic faith, and attended the Salesian School in Chertsey, Surrey, before attending Brooklands College in nearby Weybridge for media studies. His older brother, Tim, became a singer with the group Frazier Chorus.
Is Martin Freeman married?
Martin Freeman has never tied the knot, but the actor has been involved in lengthy romantic relationships.
His longest-known relationship was with a former co-star who became the mother of his children before he started dating actress Rachel Mariam in 2020.
Martin Freeman Had Been with Amanda Abbington for 16 Years, Though They Have Never Been Married
Freeman met his former longtime partner Amanda Abbington in the early 2000s while working on the TV drama “Men Only.” Their romance ensued afterward, and they kept it relatively private throughout the years.
The couple would co-star in several more productions, including the acclaimed detective show “Sherlock,” with Benedict Cumberbatch and the comedy series “The Robinsons.”
Freeman and Abbington would also attend public events together but rarely spoke of their relationship during interviews. They announced their separation in December 2016 but had ended their romance months before.
Abbington opened up about how devastating their split, though amicable, was. “I had thought Martin was the love of my life. This wasn’t meant to happen to us,” she lamented.
She called the breakup the “darkest moment” of her life. During an appearance on Apple’s “Full Disclosure,” Abbington revealed she even reached the point of suicidal ideation. But this hardship had a silver lining.
As difficult as it was to grieve her relationship with Freeman, their split led to her developing a deeper bond with herself. She and Freeman remained on good terms and moved on to new loves. Abbington is currently engaged to marry Jonathan Goodwin.
Martin Freeman Found Love Again with Much Younger Actress Rachel Mariam
In November 2020, news broke that Freeman had found new love with actress and aspiring writer Rachel Mariam, whose birth name is Rachel Benaissa. Mariam was born in Toulouse, France, but relocated to London to further her career.
She is known for her appearances in the TV shows “Murder in Providence,” “Normal People,” and “This Way Up.” She also has writing credits for “Call It a Day,” “I Am,” and “Dare to Say Yes.”
Since her romance with Freeman became public knowledge, Mariam has shared a few photos with him on her Instagram page. She has also occasionally walked the red carpet with Freeman, but the couple still guards their privacy.
How many children does Martin Freeman have?
Martin Freeman has two children, a son named Joe and a daughter named Grace. He shares them with his ex-partner Amanda Abbington.
The former couple did their best to protect their children, now teenagers, from the spotlight and rarely appeared with them in public.
They’ve both admitted that being parents has been a learning experience. Having kids for Freeman taught him that he wasn’t as nice as he imagined and was “quick to anger.” Still, he knew he had to get his temper under better control.
In a candid Instagram live for the It’s Ok mental health campaign, Abbington spoke about how her split from Freeman might have affected their kids, saying, “I’m sure I’ve given them irreparable damage and they will be going to therapy because of me and Martin at some point.”
However, despite their mistakes and overall co-parenting difficulties, Abbington and Freeman wanted their children to feel safe to express themselves without shame.
In a rare public appearance in November 2022, the teenagers stepped out with their dad for the premiere of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” starring Danai Gurira and Lupita Nyong’O. It was a family affair, as Mariam joined them at the event.
Who is Martin Freeman’s son Joe?
Freeman’s son Amanda Abbington is an actor like his Mum and Dad.
In February 2023 it was announced he would star in Everybody’s Talking about Jamie in Tunbridge Wells.
Everybody’s Talking about Jamie is inspired by the 2011 documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16.
It follows the story of 16-year-old Jamie Campbell who lives on a council estate.
Jamie is seen overcoming prejudice and bullying as he pursues his dream of becoming a drag queen.
Jamie wanted to attend his end-of-year prom wearing a frock and makeup.
His mum helped him by buying red heels and a dress from a shop run by a former drag queen.
However, Jamie’s father rejected his son and a classroom bully taunted him for pursuing his dream. His school also stood in the way.
Who is Martin Freeman’s daughter Grace?
Not much is known about Freeman and Amanda’s daughter Grace.
However, she did attend the London premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever alongside her father, his partner Rachel Miriam and her brother in 2022.
Martin has previously admitted he’s struggled with his children flying the nest.
He acknowledged it’s normal for his teens wanting to spend time without him but finds it difficult not to get upset by it.
He told the Radio Times:
“Me and their mum don’t live together so there are times where they’re inevitably going to not be with you, or when they say, “Maybe not this weekend.”
“It’s hard not to feel hurt when they start doing things that don’t involve you, even though you understand it and welcome it because it’s totally natural.”
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