Chiwetel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris: 'The Man who fell to Earth' co-stars secretly dated for 7 years
Showtime's newest sci-fi drama is keeping us ready to cancel all weekend plans just to get the taste of it. 'The Man who fell to Earth', starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris in leading roles, has a story plot way different from any sci-fi movies.
As the original synopsis reads: "An alien (Chiwetel Ejiofor) crashes deep into the oilfields of New Mexico with a mission: he must find the brilliant scientist Justin Falls (Naomie Harris), the one woman on earth who can help save his species. Even as he struggles to adapt to our world and to become more “human,” her faith in humanity couldn’t be lower. An unlikely duo, together they discover that in order to save his world, they must first save ours. An inspired continuation of the novel by Walter Tevis and the iconic 1976 film starring David Bowie."
The casting of Ejiofor, 44, and Harris, 45, has got fans excited because the two reportedly were in a relationship, albeit a low-key one, between 2000 and 2007. Though their relationship didn't last, the two have remained friends reuniting at multiple award shows and other events.
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'The Man Who Fell to Earth': 5 things about Showtime sci-fi drama starring Chiwetel Ejiofor
'The Man Who Fell to Earth': 5 things you did not know about Naomie Harris and Chiwetel Ejiofor
Chiwetel Ejiofor: Early life
Chiwetel Ejiofor was born in London to a doctor father, Arinze, and a pharmacist mother, Obiajulu. During one of his trips to Nigeria, Ejiofor and his father met with a terrible accident that claimed his father's life and left him hospitalized for months. Ejiofor was left with scars that can still be seen on his forehead. He started his career at 13 and studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art until he was spotted by Steven Spielberg who cast him to play a supporting role in the film 'Amistad'. Ejiofor later took up a lead role in Stephen Frears' 'Dirty Pretty Things', which Ejiofor claims was the moment he first felt he belonged in the industry.
Naomie Harris: Early life
Naomie Harris was born in Islington, London. She is the daughter of a single mother, Lisselle Kayla. Her mother worked as a screenwriter while her father was a fashion designer. They separated before Harris was born. The actress completed her schooling at St Marylebone School and was then enrolled at Woodhouse College. The actress then trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School until she landed a role in the TV series, Simon and the Witch.
The actress got her big break in Danny Boyle's '28 Days Later' in 2002, and then went on to star in two 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' films in 2006 and 2007. She has also played Miss Moneypenny in the Bond franchise since 2012, and won an Oscar nomination for playing a crack addict in 'Moonlight' in 2017.
Chiwetel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris relationship timeline
Naomie Harris reportedly dated fellow actor Chiwetel Ejiofor in the early 2000s when her acting career was just taking off. During their seven-year relationship, the couple kept it relatively low profile to prevent it from interfering with their careers. The reason for their breakup in 2007 is not known but it has been reported that the two had even talked about getting married.
Since the split was without any animosity or drama, the two continued to maintain a cordial relationship — in fact, sources claim Ejiofor flirted with Harris at the 'GQ Men Of The Year Awards' ceremony in 2015.
After their breakup, Ejiofor has been romantically linked to many of his colleagues from the entertainment industry, including Sari Mercer, Frances Aaternir, Radha Mitchell, and Lupita Nyong’o, his costar in '12 Years a Slave'.
Harris was rumoured to have briefly hooked up with Orlando Bloom in 2007 after breaking up with Ejiofor. In November 2012, Harris was spotted with Peter Legler for the first time while they enjoyed a weekend at Champneys Tring, a popular health spa located in Hertfordshire, England. Legler is an investor with experience from Lehman Brothers.
The actress has stated many times that she doesn’t like sharing details about her dating life. “I was told very early on not to talk about relationships and I think it’s great advice because it’s all very well when things are going well," she told ES magazine in 2021. “I’ve seen that with actresses, they’ve talked about how in love they are, how they’re getting married. And it’s so beautiful to read. But then it doesn’t work out and you’ve got to answer all those questions about your personal life when it’s still so raw for you.”
Trailer
Don't forget to catch Chiwetel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris’s latest hit together premiering on Showtime, April 24.