Lily James hints at a whole lot of drama behind those Dominic West kissing pictures

Dominic West, the married star of The Affair, caused a stir late last year when he was photographed getting up-close and personal with Lily James on holiday in Rome. 

"At the end of lunch, Lily sat next to Dominic and he couldn't resist kissing her neck and stroking her," an eyewitness said. "They then visited the nearby church and Dominic placed his hand on Lily's butt."

After the steamy photos surfaced there was much talk about life imitating art but Dominic (51) and wife Catherine FitzGerald confirmed they were still together. 

Lily, however, stayed mum on the drama. 

Now, seven months later, the Cinderella star admits there’s "a lot to say" about the matter. 

In an interview with The Guardian, Lily (32) was asked about the "media storm" that occurred after the photos surfaced. 

"Ach, I'm not really willing to talk about that," she said. "There is a lot to say, but not now, I'm afraid."

Insiders say Dominic, who’s believed to have cut off all contact with the star, wasn’t exactly thrilled about Lily’s answer.

“Dom hasn’t talked to Lily properly since [the drama] and promised his wife he would never speak to her again so he can’t call her,” the insider says.

“There is concern about what she is going to say about their brief fling and her side of the story.”

Her version of events could be “very different” to the one he told his wife, the source adds. 

In the aftermath of the scandal Dominic and his wife, Catherine FitzGerald, made a public show of unity for the press camped outside their Cotswolds. (CREDIT: Gallo Images / Getty Images)

“Lily is clearly hurt about being hung out to dry publicly, so it’s likely she will set the record straight at some point.”

A source close to Lily has since offered insight into how the star was feeling, confirming things between her and Dominic are not exactly amicable. 

"She's mortified and embarrassed by the entire thing," the source says. "She was shocked when she saw the photos and his story that he’s happily married.

"She wants it all to go away and is just laying low hoping it will pass quickly."

Unfortunately for Lily, their liaison was dragged back into headlines when her and Dominic’s joint project, The Pursuit of Love, aired in the UK recently. The pair reportedly grew closer while working together on the period drama, which is an adaption of a Nancy Mitford novel.

In the limited series, Dominic plays Matthew Radlett, the father of Lily's character, Linda – something which some viewers branded a “bit weird” and “awkward”. 

Taking to Twitter during the hour-long first episode, one viewer wrote: “Ah I see this is where Lily James and Dominic West’s “friendship” began then. #pursuitoflove”

“Well, it’s a bit awkward watching The Pursuit of Love where Dominic West plays Lily James’ dad when you know they got, erm, ‘close’ during filming,” another commented. 

“Can't really get past the whole Lily James and Dominic West thing given that they play father and daughter #ThePursuitOfLove,” added another.

For the most part it seems as though Lily is moving on from the scandal, personally and professionally. 

The actress – best known for her chaste roles in Downton Abbey and Mamma Mia: Here we Go Again – is in full blonde bombshell mode in pictures released by streaming network Hulu to promote the upcoming limited series Pam and Tommy, in which Lily plays a ’90s era Pamela Anderson. 

She stars alongside The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s Sebastian Stan, who plays Pam’s husband, Tommy Lee, in a biographical drama about the illicit release of the couple’s infamous honeymoon sex tape.

Lily is also said to be dating Queens of the Stone Age rocker Michael Shuman (35). She previously dated The Crown actor Matt Smith – they reportedly split after five years in December 2019, then reconciled in May 2020 before splitting for a second time.

Sources: eonline.com, metro.co.uk, mirror.co.uk, dailymail.co.uk, people.com