Sophie Cookson mourns her mother's death two weeks after end-of-life care

Sophie Cookson has announced the death of her mother, Marie, just two weeks after revealing she was receiving end-of-life care in hospital. The Kingsman: The Secret Service and The Trial of Christine Keeler star posted a lengthy message on Instagram on Wednesday, accompanying a series of photographs that included a tender image of her holding her mother’s hand in a hospital bed and a hopeful childhood photo. In the caption, Cookson said Marie “died last week and we were together til the end,” adding that she hoped “the final physical chapter doesn’t have to be scary.” She also described her mother’s wish for openness, noting that “It’s ok” to talk about death and grief and encouraging conversation to support others facing the same reality.

The post triggered an outpouring of support from friends and colleagues. Naomi Watts, a co-star of Cookson on the TV series Gypsy, wrote, “Oh I’m so so sorry. Sending you so much love,” while Jazzy de Lisser commented, “Sending you so much love.” The emotional message comes after Cookson publicly shared her mother’s health battle, inviting followers to share their own experiences so that the process of dying might feel less daunting. “Maybe through sharing stories, this inevitable part of life can feel less daunting?” Cookson wrote at the time, adding that she could not promise a reply but would read messages. “No one needs to feel alone.”

Cookson, who rose to fame opposite Taron Egerton and Colin Firth in 2014’s Kingsman: The Secret Service, has been sharing glimpses of her family life in recent months. Earlier this summer she posted photographs of Marie enjoying time in Europe with Cookson, her partner Stephen Campbell Moore, and their five-year-old daughter, offering a brief view into a close-knit family. In one August image, Marie wore a striking red blouse while gazing at a hillside landscape, with Cookson writing: “Summer is fading and the melancholia of late August is ripe, but there is so much to be grateful for. Make sure the people you love know it and don’t sweat the small stuff. At the end it’s irrelevant.” Another photo showed Marie at a flower market, smiling as she held eucalyptus and purple blooms, with the caption simply: “Kiss & Fly.”

Cookson’s personal life has also been the subject of media attention. She met her partner, Stephen Campbell Moore—the English actor who was previously married to The Crown star Claire Foy and with whom he has a ten-year-old daughter—on the set of Red Joan in 2017, and they began dating the following year. In addition to her film work, Cookson has discussed a broader personal transformation she undertook earlier in the year, describing a “radical reset” that included giving up alcohol and training to become a yoga instructor. She has described yoga as a source of “transformative wisdom and unbound kindness,” noting that the practice has been a meaningful, even transformative, gift in her life. The couple’s public update comes as fans and industry colleagues continue to extend condolences and share their own stories of grief, underscoring the communal nature of loss in the entertainment world.

Marie Cookson’s passing closes a chapter that Sophie Cookson had already been documenting in recent months, using her platform to discuss family, resilience, and the acceptance of mortality. The actress’s Instagram posts in August and September offered a thread of gratitude, tenderness, and honesty about the fragility of life, resonating with many who have faced similar experiences. As tributes continue to come in, the public is watching for further reflections from Cookson on how she and her family navigate this difficult period, including any plans she may share about honoring her mother’s memory in the weeks and months ahead.