Zawe Ashton, 38, details her pregnancy with Tom Hiddleston

‘I’m prehistoric in the acting industry’: Pregnant Zawe Ashton, 38, reveals she was put under pressure to time having children with fiancé Tom Hiddleston

She shocked fans in June when she revealed she was expecting her first child with fiancé Tom Hiddleston. 

And Zawe Ashton has revealed that she was put under pressure to time her pregnancy, admitting she received ‘mixed messaging’ over the best time to start her family.  

Speaking to Tatler magazine alongside a stunning cover shoot, the 38-year-old actress also called her engagement to Tom, 41, ‘wonderful’, while giving a rare insight into her private life. 

Candid: Zawe Ashton has revealed that she was put under pressure to time her pregnancy, admitting she received ‘mixed messaging’ over the best time to start her family

She revealed that she had been warned about starting a family by people in the acting industry, recalling: ‘You’re told, “Don’t get pregnant” but also “Don’t leave it too long” because then you’re going to be an old maid. 

‘I’ve been prehistoric in this industry since I was 25!’ The mixed messaging is rough and has to be addressed.’ 

Despite the pressure from outsiders, Zawe insisted that she didn’t let it influence her decision, explaining: ‘It was just suddenly this self-permission comes over you that goes against all that messaging.’

Cute couple: Speaking to Tatler magazine, the 38-year-old actress also called her engagement to Tom Hiddleston, 41, ‘wonderful’, while giving a rare insight into her private life (pictured 2018)

Zawe also made a rare comment about her relationship with Tom, who she met in 2019 while co-starring in the play Betrayal.

As she was congratulated on her engagement, Zawe noted: ‘It’s wonderful’, yet insisted she did not want to be pressed on her personal life. 

Even her pregnancy reveal – which came when debuted her baby bump at the premiere of her new movie Mr. Malcolm’s List in June – was not originally planned, yet political events at the time meant she felt as though she shouldn’t hide away. 

Zawe explained: ‘I didn’t feel like I had to do anything but it felt like [the pregnancy news] happened in the right way.’

Speaking out: Zawe revealed that she had been warned about starting a family, recalling: ‘You’re told, “Don’t get pregnant” but also “Don’t leave it too long”’ 

Self-assured: Despite the pressure from outsiders, Zawe insisted that she didn’t let it influence her decision, explaining: ‘It was just suddenly this self-permission comes over you’

With the premiere happening just days after the Roe v Wade reversal she explained it  was a ‘really, really, vital moment where we’re talking about women and their autonomy when it comes to their bodies.’ 

‘I’m not into announcements or reveals. I’m into trying to carry the narrative as much as possible myself, rather than anyone else feeling like they have an exclusive on my body.’ 

Zawe and Tom met while starring in the 2019 play Betrayal and have kept their relationship out of the spotlight ever since.

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Their play Betrayal followed a seven-year extramarital affair between two characters, Emma and Jerry, with the latter character being Emma’s husband Robert’s friend.

Tom played Robert in the play with Zawe starring as his on-stage wife Emma and Charlie playing Jerry.

The couple confirmed their romance during a steamy PDA-filled holiday at the beach in Ibiza in September last year before making their red carpet debut together at the Tony Awards in New York City.

Tuck in: Zawe also took part in a fun video for Tatler where she was quizzed about the regency period while tucking into  a traditional English cream tea 

Striking: Zawe donned a billowing baby pink satin gown paired with elbow length gloves 

Last year it was revealed the pair had moved in together after months of romance rumours, and they are now said to be living together in Atlanta, Georgia.

Elsewhere in the chat, Zawe detailed the ‘developmental hell’ in her working world. 

She revealed that she had previously been in the process of creating a show inspired by Lena Dunham’s hit show Girls with an unnamed team but had to abandon the project. 

‘There was just this weird resistance,’ she explained. ‘And bullying. Bullying, demeaning, gaslighting… I was yelled at by one producer because I was questioning something about my own work.’

While she didn’t share any more details on the incident, she revealed that it came shortly after her breakout role in Channel 4’s 2011 series Fresh Meat. 

Zawe reflected on her time in the hit show as she revealed she gave a then unknown Regé-Jean Page a reference.

During one episode of Fresh Meat, she struck up a conversation with a young bit-part actor. 

‘I could see he was committed, clear-eyed about what he wanted to do,’ she said. ‘And so I gave him my number.’ 

Not long after, he texted her to ask if she would write him a recommendation letter for his American visa, which she did. ‘And then, 10 years later, I turned on Bridgerton and… the actor was Regé-Jean Page!’ 

See the full feature in the October issue of Tatler available via digital download and on newsstands from Thursday September 1. 

Bumping along nicely: Zawe’s pregnancy reveal – which came when debuted her baby bump at the premiere of her new movie Mr. Malcolm’s List in June – was not originally planned

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