HOLLYWOOD, CA – MARCH 01: Actress Lily James attends the premiere of Disney’s “Cinderella” at the El Capitan Theatre on March 1, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Lily James’ insane transformation into Pamela Anderson for her upcoming role in Hulu’s Pam & Tommy was almost enough to make people forget about all of the off-screen drama the British actress had been embroiled in surrounding her last two projects, The Pursuit of Love and Rebecca. 

But it turns out while we were all wondering what was going on with that Dominic West drama (and that pile of sticks outside his house), James has quietly had a famous boyfriend this whole time. 

Yesterday, James was spotted drinking smoothies with Michael Shuman, an American musician and member of the Grammy-nominated band Queens of the Stone Age, who she was first linked to at the beginning of the year.

In February 2021, a few months after James was all over the tabloids in England, the pair were first spotted kissing in London. At the time, not much was known about the seriousness of their relationship, but a few months later, James was off to meet Shuman’s parents in L.A., according to E! News.

Of course, this revelation comes after almost a year of rumours about James’ love life. After breaking up with her longtime boyfriend Matt Smith, the British actor who played a young Prince Philip in The Crown, James was caught up in two scandals with her co-stars. Before stories about Armie Hammer’s infidelity and accusations from women of abuse, tabloids were briefly using James’ name in amongst the rumours of Hammer cheating on his then-wife Elizabeth Chambers.

But it was the trip to Rome with Dominic West that really got the papers going. Last October, James and West were photographed sharing a scooter and enjoying an alfresco lunch in the Italian city, looking very much more than friends. The story soon got even wilder: the day after the pictures were published, West and his wife Catherine FitzGerald put on a united front outside of their home in the English countryside. The pair, who have been married since 2010, kissed in front of the parked up paparazzi, and also put a note down on top of a bunch of twigs with a signed statement saying they’re still together. James later said there was “much to say” about what went on, but that now is not the time. 

Thankfully, since the drama, James has not only transformed into a full-fledged Baywatch star but has also been courted by hot, young, famous muso. Channelling Lily James energy for 2021.