English actress Jodie Comer has enjoyed great success and popularity in her burgeoning career. Audiences know her from roles in the TV series My Mad Fat Diary (2013-2015), the TV mini-series The White Princess (2017), and Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019), just to mention a few of her appearances. Comer has also been honored with prestigious awards such as a Primetime Emmy and a BAFTA.
Comer’s role as the captivating assassin Villanelle on the TV show Killing Eve has earned her countless fans who love to watch her character’s exploits. Her work has been recognized in this country and in England, but the personal side of her life is not exactly an open book. Here’s what we know about her current relationship.
Who Is James Burke?
Burke seems to be Comer’s romantic interest right now. He’s an American lacrosse player from Duxbury, Masschusetts, who attended Penn State University.
They Met At A Party
You may be wondering how an English actress crossed paths with this American lacrosse player. Comer and Burke met at a party. At the time, she was in Boston working on a romantic comedy, Free Guy (2021), with Ryan Reynolds.
It’s actually not too surprising that she was attracted to a man from the sports world. According to The Times of London, Comer’s best friend is heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, her dad is a sports massage therapist, and she has a sports performance analyst for a brother.
Comer is refreshingly unpretentious and seems to value her low-key lifestyle with friends and family over movie and TV star glitz and hype. In fact, as of the article’s publication date, she was still living with her parents.
Meeting Burke was reportedly Comer’s first experience getting so smitten with someone, The Times of London stated. “This feels like nothing else,” she said. “When you actually feel it, you’re like, ‘Ahhh, so this is what it feels like!’” She and Burke have been largely quiet about their relationship and seldom post about each other on social media.
They didn’t even allow COVID-19 restrictions and quarantines to put a damper on their togetherness. During lockdown when they were separated, the two had “millions of FaceTimes” to stay in touch, Comer told InStyle.
Comer Defended Burke After Unproven Allegations That He Is A Trump Supporter
A firestorm of negative remarks appeared on Twitter in July 2020 when a rumor gained traction about Burke being a republican who supports Donald Trump. Comer came in for some of the heat as well. She was criticized for being hypocritical because she portrays a bisexual character and has supported both BLM and the LGBTQ community.
“It was really shocking,” Comer said. “It was the first time I had ever been dragged into something like that. And it wasn’t just me; it was my family. I had seen the absurdity of what I was being accused of, and what my partner was being accused of.”
Rather than wade into the fray and try to talk people out of what she believes are their wrong-headed notions, Comer hung onto her dignity and stayed above the commotion for the sake of her own mental health. She does, however, insist that the rumors about Burke are false.
Although Comer seems to mind the online speculation about herself, her beau, and her family, she blocks out all the social media chatter as best she can and always remains faithful to who she is. As she explained to NET-A-PORTER, “I know who I am, I know my truth and that’s good enough for me.”