Artist (42) says family back love affair with film star half her age
Friday November 27 2009
Artist Sam Taylor-Wood and her teenage fiance who is less than half her age have told how friends and family are backing their relationship.
Taylor-Wood (42) directed 19-year-old Aaron Johnson in John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy, and the two announced their surprise engagement on the night of the film's premiere last month.
At a charity screening at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) in London last night, they said their friends and family had been "really supportive" of their betrothal.
Taylor-Wood, who was sporting a sparkling engagement ring, said: "[They have reacted] really positively. They know how intensely we feel."
Johnson said he was "a very lucky man" after simultaneously landing a breakthrough film role and a wife-to-be.
He added: "[My friends and family have been] really lovely and supportive."
Turner Prize-winning artist Tracey Emin said she was happy for her friend Taylor-Wood, who recently divorced art dealer Jay Jopling and has suffered two bouts of cancer.
radically
She said: "Sam's engaged but she's not married yet so I would say it's all great. I'm pleased for Sam, she's really happy and she's changed her life so radically, it's amazing.
"It just goes to show what a year can do to someone's life and Sam deserves all the happiness she can get."
The couple have not yet made any plans to hold an engagement party.
Taylor-Wood said: "We need to get through the other side of this before we can actually take a breath and think about that."
She added that she was simply looking forward to a break, saying: "I am just going to take some time out and take it easy because we've been running on this treadmill for 18 months now and I need a break."
The screening was to raise money for cancer charity Maggie's, a cause which Taylor-Wood described as "close to my heart".
Other guests at the event included British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's wife Sarah, musician Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys, actor John Hannah and radio presenter Edith Bowman.
Nowhere Boy is out in cinemas on December 26.
hnews@herald.ie
- Lisa Williams
