Inside Michael Sheen’s relationship with actress 25 years younger who starred in Staged

Welsh actor Michael Sheen, 55, is a performer well known for disappearing into a number of his roles across genres in film and TV. 

He’s gone from playing real-life figures – such as Tony Blair in The Queen and David Frost in Frost/Nixon – to bigger-than-life fantasy figures in Good Omens and Twilight, to even playing himself in the mockumentary Staged. 

Sheen is also a very impassioned activist across, and his latest project sees him investigating an issue close to home in Buriedon on the BBC, as he uncovers claims of a conspiracy concerning toxic ‘forever chemical’ contamination in the waters of South Wales. 

It is a chance for fans of Sheen to see a different side to the actor on screen, as he talks to many of his fellow Welsh citizens about the effect that the contamination has had on their lives. He will also soon be seen in series 2 of Celebrity Traitors.

It has also led to more fans asking about Sheen’s family life away from the screen, with the future House of Games host starring with his partner in Staged, which also featured his showbiz bestie, David Tennant.

Who is Michael Sheen’s partner? 

Sheen, 57, is in a relationship with Swedish actress Anna Lundberg, 31, and the couple have been together since 2019. 

They have two daughters together, Lyra, 6, and Mabli, 4 and live in Port Talbot, Wales.

Lundberg is known for her stage work, appearing in productions of the likes of Othello and Spring Awakening with the NY Academy Company, as well as voicing Marion in the Netflix series The Sandman, and has appeared with  Sheen in the aforementioned Staged and Celebrity Gogglebox.

With 25 years between them, Sheen has faced questions about their age gap before, perhaps none more memorably than in an episode of The Assembly, the show where a panel of autistic, neurodivergent or learning-disabled interviewers can ask their guest any question they want. 

The Damned United star was posed a question about his relationship very early on, being asked: ‘How does it feel to be dating someone who is only five years older than your daughter?’

Sheen has a 27-year-old daughter, Lily, from a previous relationship.

The BAFTA-nominated actor then proceeded to open up on the realities of his and Anna’s partnership, stating: ‘Because of the age difference, I think both of us were quite surprised when we got together.

‘I don’t think either of us were looking for that. It’s not like I’ve dated lots of people who are much younger than me, but you meet who you meet. We were very aware of what differences that would make and also how people might respond to that.’

He continued: ‘It’s not like it was the easiest thing to do. We were both aware it would be difficult and challenging. Ultimately, we felt it was worth it because of how we felt about each other. 

‘Now we have two beautiful children together.’

He also opened up about the difficulties of being an older father

‘Because of the age difference, I’m aware that I’m a much older father. It does worry me, it makes me concerned. It makes me sad thinking about the time I won’t have with them,’ he revealed.

‘But ultimately, I think if you find someone who brings you happiness and you make them happy, you’ve got to go for that.

‘So that’s what we decided to do and I’m so happy we did as we have this wonderful family now.’

Who else has Michael Sheen dated?

Sheen’s shares his eldest daughter, Lily, with English actress and Underworld star Katte Bekcinsale, 53, whom he was with from 1995 until 2003. 

The couple split not long after moving to Los Angeles together to pursue more opportunities for their career, with Sheen describing the experience as ‘messy and always complicated.’ 

‘Going through that experience of a relationship breaking down and having a young child, and then because of my daughter and her mum living in another country, having to make a life in a new place whilst going through that whole experience, which is difficult enough, that was really tough’ he said on Abi MacManus’ podcast back in 2020.  

However, Beckinsale and Sheen have remained close over the years, co-parenting Lily and often appearing together on social media. 

‘It’s so normal for us. We split up ages ago. We have not been together for far longer than we were ever together,’ Beckinsale told E Magazine back in 2016.

‘But I really love him and like him and we make each other roar with laughter.’

Shene has had other high-profile relationships across the years, including English ballet dancer Lorrain Stewart from 2004 to 2010, The Notebook star Rachel McAdam’s, 47, from 2010 to 2013 and the American comedian and actress Sarah Silverman, 55, from 2014 to 2018.