Charlie Hunnam refers to partner Morgana McNelis as 'wife' at 2026 Critics Choice Awards

Charlie Hunnam has sparked marriage speculation by referring to his longtime partner Morgana McNelis as his "wife" in a red carpet interview.

The Sons of Anarchy star, who has been in a relationship with the jewellery designer for 20 years, referred to McNelis as his "wife" during an interview with Extra before the 2026 Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California on Sunday.

Discussing their New Year's celebrations, he told the outlet, "I always like to ring in the new year mainly on the 1st rather than on the 31st. So my wife and I went to bed early, got up, had a really beautiful hike and came in, set some intentions, got the year started correct."

The 45-year-old has kept his relationship with McNelis relatively private since they started dating in 2005, however, she made a rare red carpet appearance with Hunnam at the 2025 Emmys in September.

Hunnam previously said in 2020 that he "sort of" already considered himself "married" to McNelis, adding that the "official government sanction of it doesn't mean anything to me but the romance of it means an enormous amount".

The British actor appeared at the awards show as he was nominated for Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for Monster: The Ed Gein Story. The prize went to Stephen Graham for Adolescence.

In a separate red-carpet interview with E! News, Hunnam shared that McNelis asked him to stop speaking like the infamous murderer "around the house".

"I was slipping in and out of it all the time and she was saying, 'Dude. You have to stop with the voice,'" he said, before joking, "At breakfast, it's a little too much."