Anna Maxwell Martin made a rare admission about navigating motherhood in a new interview on Sunday. Speaking to The Sunday Times, the Star City actress and mother to teens Maggie and Nancy opened up about putting her children first following the death of their father, her ex, British theatre, television, and film director Roger Michell, in 2021.
“[We’re] a really good, optimistic little unit. I love having two daughters, and I love how funny and tenacious they are,” she said, adding of her grief: “Grief is grief, isn’t it..I’ve just got to navigate it, parenting, earning a living, doing life, helping the girls thrive as best I can. That’s the focus.”
© Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for BFINavigating the loss of Roger
The star, 49, also known for her roles in Line of Duty and Motherland, also spoke about how, after Roger died, she starred in The Constituent at the Old Vic in London and felt adrift not being able to discuss it with him. “I’d always had Roger there, so that was quite a lot,” she said, but added that she doesn’t wonder what he would say.
© Dave M. Benett/Getty Images“What’s the point? I don’t talk to anyone in my head; I’ve never understood that. Some people talk to the dog, don’t they? Why would I talk to my dog? He’s clearly not going to talk back.”
Motherhood comes first
It’s clear that Anna’s role as a mother takes precedence over other aspects of her life. She admitted: “I am a mum to my two girls, that comes first. I really like being busy and doing lots of things at the same time, though,” adding: “I then burn out and cry and my boyfriend says I should do less.”
Anna and Roger split a year before his death, but left things on good terms. “We didn’t have grudges. I don’t operate like that, Roger didn’t really operate like that,” she told The Guardian in 2022.
“It’s very sad if you separate, it’s devastating, and you hope you’ll come back around, after some time […] When Roger died, I lost one of my best friends. I see it as that.”
Anna’s new partner
The Ludwig star is now dating camera operator Richard Cornelius. The pair met while working together on a TV production after the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s been reported that they first crossed paths on the set of the Sky comedy, Code 404.
© @annamaxwellmartin/InstagramOf her beau, Anna told The Telegraph in 2024: “He’s a very practical person – a very solid, steady guy,” she said. “A super person. Just what I need.”
