4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Random Celebrity Couples and What They Can Teach Us About Love
Sia, the Grammy winner, and Harry Jowsey, the Netflix reality dating show veteran, were spotted hand in hand this past weekend—and thus immediately entered my unofficial list of 2025's most unforeseen celebrity couples. While the two later clarified that the pap walk was just promo for Harry's latest onscreen dating venture, Let's Marry Harry, it didn't stop online commentators from comparing their "relationship" to others in this year's string of wildly unpredictable celebrity romances.
For example, the inescapable saga that is 22-year-old singer JoJo Siwa and 32-year-old Love Island alum Chris Hughes' relationship. There are plenty of surprising elements about that particular origin story (they met on Celebrity Big Brother UK, while JoJo was *technically* in a relationship), but one of its main talking points is just how random it feels. There's the age gap, the fact that JoJo was exclusively dating women prior, and how JoJo and Chris seem to exist in such separate spheres of culture. Almost like rapper Tyga and Riverdale star Madeleine Petsch, who also debuted their relationship this year. Or even Zoe Kravitz and Noah Centineo, who were spotted holding hands earlier this year.
It's not that these stars are "random" in their own right. It's that, when paired together, you can't imagine they'd have much in common. At least, based on what we, the public, know about them. I find a lot of joy in imagining the everyday logistics these seemingly mismatched couples navigate But it's also forced me to reflect on the value of dating outside your usual circle.
Before anyone accuses me of overanalyzing celebrity relationships (ones potentially orchestrated by crafty PR teams), hear me out. Modern dating culture has become overly reliant on types and algorithms. Look at all the dating apps that brag about their ability to deliver your so-called "perfect match." As humans, we're naturally reluctant to pursue relationships where cultural differences might lead to misunderstandings and conflicts from the outset. Stepping outside our race, income bracket, or immediate social circle requires an effort many aren't willing to make. However, matchmaker Maria Avgitidis, author of the bestseller Ask A Matchmaker and CEO of Agape Match, suggests this could be the very key to forming deeper connections. 'When you date someone outside your usual circle, you get a fresh perspective and often, a stronger connection rooted in values, not status,' she says. 'You're not following a script. It's less about Do we look good on paper? and more about Do we actually work together? That kind of dynamic can be surprisingly grounding.'
The way that fans (including myself) respond to 'random' celebrity pairings often reveals their own personal reservations. 'People project all kinds of fantasies onto celebrities, and when they date someone unexpected or someone with less fame or status, it disrupts that fantasy,' says Avgitidis."There's also a lot of classism, ageism, and jealousy. People don't like being reminded that chemistry doesn't follow a formula.'
To be fair, some backlash is valid, especially when rooted in informed critiques of potentially problematic age gap relationships. But that's when we should use case-by-case discernment instead of resorting to immediate judgment. 'A 10-year age gap when someone is 35? Fine,' says Avgitidis. 'But when one person is 21 and the other is in their 30s, I'd say proceed with caution. The brain isn't even fully developed at 21, and there's usually a power imbalance.'
But if we can learn anything from pairs like JoJo and Chris, or Sia and Harry (real or not) it's to keep an open mind about partners your friends (or fans) might consider out of left field. 'Ask yourself: Are your preferences authentic, or just familiar? A lot of people confuse compatibility with sameness. But the best relationships often come from complementing each other, not cloning each other. Expand your circle. You don't need to marry your mirror image.'
