Aaron Taylor-Johnson's wife Sam was 43 while he was just 18 when they met and fell in love.
Proving the naysayers wrong, their romance turned out to be the real deal. And with his love life sorted, Aaron, now 33, is reportedly set to take on the role of his life as the new James Bond, following in the footsteps of national icons like Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.
Now, as rumours gather pace, the Mirror takes a look at his career to date as well as his love life behind closed doors.
Although he has appeared in a string of Hollywood films in a career spanning more than a decade, Aaron Taylor-Johnson is less well known than some of the actors who have previously played Britain's most famous spy. But dig below the surface and it looks like he’s the opposite to the womanising Bond he could be about to play - off screen he’s been married to his wife for 15 years.
He met director Sam on the set of the 2009 film Nowhere Boy when he was just 18-years-old and despite the 23 year age gap - they’re still going strong. Some 15 years after they first crossed paths on screen, Aaron wrote a loved up message on Instagram calling his wife Sam Taylor-Johnson his soulmate as he celebrated her 57th birthday. “Happy Birthday my darling @samtaylorjohnson,” he wrote.
“You’re an exceptional woman, there’s really no one I know quite like you. You are the most wonderful doting mother and beautiful role model to our 4 daughters. A gorgeous loving wife, you are my love, my soulmate and I’m always blown away by you. Your so cool. I couldn’t be more proud and excited for this year ahead for you."
Sam previously told Harper's Bazaar they remained "very professional" on the production and didn’t start dating until after the project had finished filming. The relationship attracted attention and controversy at the time because of the huge age gap but the couple got married in 2012 and are parents to Wylda, 13, Romy, 11 and Sam's daughters Angelica, 25, and Jessie, 15, from her marriage to art dealer Jay Jopling, 60.
Last year, Aaron - whose since worked with Sam on other projects like the film A Million Little Pieces (2018) - spoke about the relationship and said it works because it's based on "creative partnership". He told Esquire: "I met Sam as actor and director." Aaron said that although they are "really great" at collaborating, the relationship is based on more than that. "That's not why I fell in love with her," he added.
Aaron didn't provide much more insight into the couple's relationship, though he did tell the outlet: "I've got really nothing to hide, and I'm secure in what we have. But I'm not going to unlock things that are actually precious to me."
And according to the rumour mill, Aaron is reportedly on-board for what will be the biggest role of his career so far. “Bond is Aaron’s job, should he wish to accept it,” a spokesperson for Eon, which produces the franchise, told The Sun. “The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back. As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.”