Latest news with #agegapromance
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Are you joking?': Age-gap debate erupts over potential new celeb romance
There's been a flurry of excitement over the very idea that Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson could be dating, but there's also a growing sense people are over the age-gap romance. Neeson, 73, and Anderson, 58, are currently promoting their film The Naked Gun, and in true Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell style, everyone's wondering if their on-screen chemistry has translated to a real-life love affair, as both gush about each other while on the press circut. Anderson described Neeson as the 'perfect gentleman' and someone with whom she has a connection. 'I have a friend forever in Liam and we definitely have a connection that is very sincere, very loving, and he's a good guy,' she said. Meanwhile, Neeson praised Anderson for having zero ego, claiming he was 'madly in love with her' platonically as she's terrific to work with. 'I can't compliment her enough, I'll be honest with you,' he said. It's an absolute lovefest, and rooting for them as a couple is an extra layer of fun for fans because both have been unlucky in love. Anderson has been married five times, and Neeson tragically lost his wife, Natasha Richardson, in 2009, and has never remarried. It isn't unusual for co-stars to become close when trying to promote a movie, but online people are really loving the idea of the pair dating. 'I would absolutely love these two together,' one gushed. Someone called them 'extremely cute', another fan said they'd make a 'hot' couple, and someone else described the match as 'truly adorable' if true. In a real sign that things are changing, there are also people disapproving of the 15-year age gap. 'Problematic age-gap,' one person claimed. 'Gross!' Another remarked. 'When Pamela was being born, Liam Neeson would already been in a 10th grader. A 10th grader,' someone else pointed out. There were, of course, people slamming those who were upset by the age gap, with someone asking, 'Are you joking?' and another pointing out that they're both 'grown adults,' so it is fine. While someone said it was 'definitely not' problematic, but argued that if one was in their 40s and the other in their 20s, it would be. Today is a far cry from years past, before these debates could be had in comment sections across the internet. People didn't even really blink when Tom Cruise married Katie Holmes, 16 years his junior, in 2016. There certainly wasn't much concern when George Clooney married Amal Clooney, who is 17 years his junior, in 2014. The cultural response to age gaps in the early 2000s was so blasé that people are still surprised to learn that Ryan Reynolds is a decade older than Blake Lively. Age gaps just weren't conversation starters, so the fact that people online are even flagging or noticing a potential couple's 15-year age gap says everything. People went from not being outraged at men in their late 40s marrying women in their 20s to people being upset about a potential age-gap romance between two movie stars who both have adult children. The culture has shifted, or at the very least is shifting.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
MasterChef's Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary reveal marriage plans after moving in together - as her new younger beau addresses criticism that he is 'punching above his weight'
MasterChef couple Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary have addressed rumours they're planning to take the next step in their age-gap romance after moving in together. The lovebirds, whose romance continues to go from strength to strength, told Daily Mail Australia that while they are not planning to tie the knot anytime soon, they have become a family, with Declan taking on the role of stepfather to Sarah's teenage son Phoenix, 14. 'It's all relatively new but it's working great,' they said, adding: 'When it's right, it's right.' While the reality stars' romance has come as a surprise to many, Sarah, 38, and Declan, 27, said they had an 'immediate connection' while filming the Channel 10 cooking show. 'Sometimes, things just appear out of nowhere for all the right reasons. We made an immediate connection,' they said. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. MasterChef couple Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary have addressed rumours they're planning to take the next step in their age-gap romance after moving in together The lovebirds told Daily Mail Australia they aren't planning to tie the knot anytime soon but things are going well Declan also responded to criticism he is 'punching above his weight' with former model Sarah. 'I'm happy about that (comment). She's beautiful inside and out and she's the better cook, everyone knows that,' he said. As for claims their recent glamorous photoshoot with an Aussie magazine was AI-generated, Declan said it all comes down to Sarah's lucky genes. 'Sarah's just naturally beautiful. I'm happy with any help. Hair, makeup, AI!' he joked. And with the couple now working and living together, are they worried about the chemistry fizzling out too soon? 'We are just starting our journey together. If chemistry is a problem this early on, there's no future.' Declan said. 'My future looks tremendous.' Sarah and Declan went public with their relationship earlier this month, revealing that they had already moved in together following the high-pressure show. Sarah, 38, and Declan, 27, explained how they had an 'immediate connection' while filming the cooking show Declan has taken on the stepfather role to Sarah's teenage son Phoenix, which he describes as a 'great job' He also responded to criticism he is 'punching above his weight' by gushing over his ladylove 'She's beautiful inside and out and she's the better cook, everyone knows that,' Declan said They came clean about their secret romance in an interview with Stellar magazine. Declan revealed that the pair 'instantly got along', which saw them spend lots of time together behind the scenes of MasterChef. However, it wasn't until Sarah landed in an elimination challenge that Declan's feelings became apparent, and he knew he needed to tell her how he felt. They also posed for the magazine, with Sarah looking stylish in denim as she embraced her beau. For their first date, the pair visited the Grampians National Park for a romantic weekend away, exploring markets, eating at picturesque restaurants and going for walks in the Central Victorian Highlands. After wrapping filming on the show, Declan made the move from Sydney's Northern Beaches to Melbourne – along with his dog Sol – to be with Sarah and Phoenix. On Tuesday, Sarah's ex-fiancé Devinder Garcha broke his silence on her romance with Declan. The project manager said he was happy for them, adding that he'd met Declan for the first time 'the other day' and thought he was a 'nice guy'. They also revealed what keeps their chemistry alive, explaining: 'We are just starting our journey together. If chemistry is a problem this early on, there's no future. My future looks tremendous' Sarah and Declan went public with their relationship earlier this month, revealing that they have already moved in together following the high-pressure show It wasn't until Sarah landed in an elimination challenge that Declan's feelings became apparent, and he knew he needed to tell her how he felt For their first date, the pair visited the Grampians National Park for a romantic weekend away, exploring markets, eating at picturesque restaurants and going for walks After wrapping filming on the show, Declan made the move from Sydney's Northern Beaches to Melbourne to be with Sarah and her 14-year-old son Phoenix As for claims their recent glamorous photoshoot with an Aussie magazine was AI-generated, Declan said it all comes down to Sarah's lucky genes 'I wouldn't say we're friends or not friends. We're pleasant, and good luck to her,' he added. Devinder explained he'd spoken to Declan while Sarah was dropping off their son. 'We try to keep it all amicable. It's all the best for the kid. Declan seems like a nice guy. Phoenix likes him. He seems pleasant. I wish them all the luck,' he said. 'We both focus a lot on Phoenix. As long as he's happy, I'm happy.' The father-of-one said he and Sarah were together for 'about five years [in] total' and engaged for two before they split. Devinder stopped appearing on Sarah's Instagram account around December 2014.
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Age-Gap Celebrity Couples Who Met When One of Them Was a Child
Age-gap romances are not outside the norm in Hollywood, in fact, quite a few of the most well-known relationships in Hollywood have pretty major age gaps. Some are big, some are small, and some of them are so wildly problematic, that we have no idea how it went on for as long as it did. Now, It's true that you can find the love of your life at any time in your life, whether it be high school or at a local coffee shop; you just don't know. We love love, but what we don't love is when there's a relationship where there's clearly some sort of power dynamic at play. We've seen some disturbing relationships in Hollywood where an adult starts dating someone who's 16 or 17, and along with that, the other aspect people also need to discuss: when an adult celebrity met another celebrity when they were a literal child. One example is how Wilmer Valderrama and Demi Lovato met when she was 17 and he was 29. They dated a year later and were together for quite some time. And before that, Valderrama dated minors like Mandy Moore and Lindsay Lohan (but waited to make his relationship with Lohan public until she turned 18). There's also when Don Johnson met his future wife Melanie Griffith when she was 14 and 22, and truly the list goes on. Below, check out age-gap relationships in Hollywood where a couple met when one was a child, and the other was an adult. More from SheKnows Ellen DeGeneres' Talk Show Demeanor Toward Female Comedians Raises Eyebrows Best of SheKnows Everything to Know About Leonardo DiCaprio's 27-Year-Old GF Vittoria Ceretti A Look Back at Prince William's Sexiest Photos in Celebration of the Future King Amanda Bynes, & More Celebrities Who Joined OnlyFans Over the Years Demi Moore's first marriage was to Freddy Moore, with whom she was with for four years. While they got married when she was either 17 or 18 years old, they met when she was just 16, and he was nearing his thirties. Met: She was 16, he was 29. You may or may not have known this but Sonny Bono and Cher met at very different stages of life. They met when she was just 16 and he was 27. They met at a coffee shop, when Cher was singing backup for hits produced by Sonny's employer, per Distractify. Met: She was 16, he was 27. Celine Dion met René Angélil when she was 12 years old, and he was 38, when Angélil became Dion's manager. When they first met, he was allegedly brought to tears by her singing, and later, they married and were together until his death. Met: She was 12, he was 38 The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Demi Engemann confirmed that she met her future husband Bret Engemann when she was nine years old, and he was 25. Demi herself openly talked about this in a Feb 2023 TikTok video. She revealed that she first met Bret as a child through a family friend, saying, 'He was so much older than me. When I was 9 years old, he was married to his first wife and having babies.' She then added that she always had an 'innocent little girl crush' on her now-husband. Met: She was 9, he was 25 Prince Charles and Princess Diana were together from 1980 to 1992 and welcomed two sons, but didn't officially divorce until 1996. They got together when she was 19, and he was 31. However, they met when she was 16 years old, and he was around 29 when he went to her house to see her sister, per Biography. Remember when Joel Madden and Hilary Duff dated? Yknow, when she was 16 and he was 25? They dated for nearly three years until breaking it off in Nov 2006. During a 2005 appearance on The View, Duff said they met three months prior before dating, and kept their relationship secret because of their age gap, per Refinery29. Despite Mila Kunis being only 14, they still made her character, Jackie, frequently kiss Ashton Kutcher's character, Kelso, even though the actor was 20, on That 70's Show. She said he was her first kiss. They reconnected in 2012, when she was 28 and he was 34. They got married in 2015 and share two children together. Elizabeth Gillies and her husband Michael Corcoran met while she was starring in the show Victorious. He worked as a composer on the show, making songs like ' 5Fingaz to the Face,' 'L.A. Boyz,' and 'Freak the Freak Out,' per The List. While they started dating when she was 18 and he was 39, they met earlier. Corcoran worked on the show when it first aired in 2010, when he was around 37 or 28, and she was around 16 or 17. While the timeline is hazy, it is confirmed they met on the show, because in an interview with Vogue, Gillies said: 'I always had a crush on him. But I played it cool.' Leonardo DiCaprio and Camila Morrone started dating in 2017, when she was 20 and he was 43. However, according to W, they may have met much earlier. As many know, Morrone's former stepdad is Al Pacino, who is one of DiCaprio's best A-list buddies. Now, because of this, DiCaprio allegedly met Marrone when she was only 12, and he was in his 30s since they were 'old family friends.' As we said, the pair started dating back in 2017, causing a bit of controversy due to their 23-year age gap. However, after five years together, they called it quits two months after her 25th birthday. A couple people often forget about is Gigi Hadid and Joe Jonas, two A-listers who dated briefly in 2015. However, they met years prior. Per Business Insider, they met when she was 13, and he asked her out, when he was around 18 or 19. He allegedly asked her out, she said he did it 'at the Grammys when I was 13 years old.' 'He asked me to a baseball game, and I said no,' she added. 'I was so nervous; I literally didn't even know what it meant to hang out with a boy.' Get ready, because Wilmer Valderrama has done this a few times. Okay, so one couple you may have forgotten was Valderrama and Lindsay Lohan. They dated for six months back in 2004 after working on the set of That 70's Show. They were spotted together in May 2004 but didn't make their relationship public until she turned 18 years old in July 2004. But they definitely met when she was 17. Wilmer Valderrama and Mandy Moore started dating when he was 20 and she was 16 years old in 2000, but they actually met sometime prior on a photoshoot when she was 15, per People. They were together until 2002, and during their relationship, Valderrama claimed he took her virginity?! He said that in an interview with Howard Stern, and Moore later said it wasn't true. 'I love him and I still love him, and he's a very good friend and that's why I was so shocked by it because not only was it a fib, but it was so unlike him, it was so uncharacteristic,' she said. Wilmer Valderrama and Demi Lovato met when she was just 17 and he was 29, but they didn;t date until she turned 18. They dated on and off for six years, and officially called it quits in 2016. Lovato talked about when they first met via Mamas Latinas, saying, 'I was only 17, and so he was like, 'Get away from me.' After I had turned 18, we began dating. I think it was love at first sight and I don't really believe in that but I believe that it happened.' She later released a song called '29,' which was seemingly a jab at Valderrama, and the age he was when they started dating. Dane Cook and Kelsi Taylor have been together since 2017, when she was 18 and he 45. They recently got married, and many online sleuths believe there's more to their relationship timeline. Specifically, they think they met before Taylor was 18. According to an Instagram Q & A, via Us Weekly, the couple met when he hosted a game night at his house. Their friendship took a serious turn where they 'fell in like with each [other] and then upgraded to love.' Twitter users found photo evidence that they allegedly met when she was 17. Jerry Seinfeld and Shoshanna Lonstein dated from 1993 to 1997, and they started dating when she was 17 and he was 38. Per TheThings, they met at Central Park and she gave him her number after they flirted. He tried to claim they didn't start dating until she was 18, but either way, they definitely met when she was 17. Remember when the late Liam Payne and Cheryl dated, and welcomed a kid? They were 22 and 32, respectively when they got together….but they met years prior. They originally met in 2008, when he was auditioning for The X Factor, and he was 14. 1990s it-couple Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder had a pretty big age gap. They met when she was 17, and he was 25. They met in 1989 at the movie premiere of Great Balls of Fire, and apparently, when they locked eyes, Depp claimed it was love at first sight, saying, 'I knew then,' via Rolling Stone. They didn't start dating until a few months later, and were together until 1993. Rob Lowe and Winona Ryder were together in the mid-1980s. They later starred in the 1987 movie Square Dance and attended the Golden Globes together in 1988. She was around 14-15 when they met, and he was 21. Back in 2011, Harry Styles and Caroline Flack started dating, when he was 17 and she was 31. They dated for a few months until early 2012. Later, in 2015, she said she wouldn't apologize for their relationship, saying, per Washington Post, 'I'm not going to ever apologize for it because there was nothing at the time that was serious or bad and nobody was getting hurt.' Tyga and Kylie Jenner met earlier than people may have thought: in Nov 2011 at Kendall Jenner's Sweet 16 party. At the time, she was 14, and he was around 22 years old. They started dating in Sept 2014, a month after Kylie's 17th birthday party he attended. They were together, on and off until early 2017, per Billboard. In the early '70s, Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith met when he went over to her house, when he was 22 years old and she was 14. They briefly dated, then got together when she was 18, and married quickly after. Their marriage lasted six months. However, they remarried two years later, and welcomed their daughter Dakota Johnson. However, they divorced in 1996, per InStyle. Priscilla Presley was quite young when she met Elvis — 14 years old to Elvis' 24 years old. They met back in 1959, specifically at a party. While she claims nothing sexual happened until she was 18, there was definitely a romance, which she detailed in her memoir. They were together from 1959 to 1973, and welcomed a daughter together. Jasmine Pilchard-Gosnell was only 16 when she and Paul Walker started dating in 2006. They dated until his death in 2013. She was only around two years older than his own daughter. And per TheThings, he also dated Aubrianna Atwell, who was 16 when he was 28.
The Sun
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Inside Aaron Taylor-Johnson's controversial marriage… and how it survived ‘grooming claims' and vile stepdaughter slurs
SHE'S been labelled a 'cradle-snatcher', 'sexual deviant' and even a 'groomer' - while he has been accused of having 'complex mother issues'. Yet stepping out on the red carpet in London earlier this week for the world premiere of his new film 28 Years Later, Sam and Aaron Taylor-Johnson looked unfazed by the furore that's forever stalked their relationship. 16 16 From where they're standing, they've proved the critics wrong. Tomorrow marks their 13th wedding anniversary, after all - an impressive feat by Hollywood standards. But it's even more startling considering the never-ending noise surrounding their age-gap romance, and its very unconventional beginning. They first met in 2008, when Aaron, then just 18, was cast in the role of a teenage John Lennon in Sam's directorial debut Nowhere Boy. Filmmaker and double cancer survivor Sam was 41, more than double his age, and had two daughters with her ex-husband, the art dealer Jay Jopling - to whom she was married for 11 years before they 'amicably' split in 2008. While seemingly worlds apart, the pair connected and reportedly got together upon completing their film. As Sam told Harper's Bazaar in 2019, 'We were very professional through the entire film… But everyone on set knew. 'And as soon as we finished, he told me he was going to marry me. We had never been on a date, or even kissed.' She was quick to stress the fact that he pursued her, seemingly trying - and failing - to squash the 'granny groomer' accusations swiftly lobbed in her direction. Filming concluded in March and, by June - when Aaron turned 19 - they were stepping out together on date nights. Neither confirmed a romance, but the PDAs did the talking. By their film's premiere in October 2009 they were officially a couple. Walking the red carpet arm-in-arm - Sam in a glitzy gold dress and Aaron in a tux - they started as they meant to go on: loud and unapologetic. Needless to say, the reaction was deafening. Comments from the time included: 'She looks like his mum!' and 'How can she do this to him? He's only a child who barely knows his own mind yet.' Double standards Some were also quick to point out that any positive reactions would have been very different were things the other way around. Sam wasn't just more than two decades older than Aaron. She was also wealthier, more established and - with friends like artist Damien Hirst and Elton John - enviably better connected. What's more, as the director of his breakout movie, she was effectively his boss. But despite the cascade of 'casting couch' accusations, the couple remained defiant - and a year after they met, Aaron got down on one knee. Critics loudly declared it wouldn't last, with one commenter suggesting: 'Let's see how long he sticks around if he makes it big.' 16 16 16 Another scoffed: 'I give it three months.' By 2010 they'd welcomed their first child together - daughter Wylda Rae, now 14 - and second daughter Romy followed in January 2012. They married five months later at Babington House in Somerset - a lavish do attended by Beyonce and Elton John - and combined their surnames. They now live down the road in a £1.85m farmhouse in Bruton. Aaron claimed he wasn't nervous about fatherhood as he'd already settled into the role of stepdad to Sam's two daughters - Angelica, now 28, and Jessie Phoenix, now 18 - despite the fact that Angelica was only six years his junior. He's made a point of stating he considers them both his own daughters, affectionately calling Jessie his 'babygirl' in an Instagram caption last year to mark her 18th birthday. Obviously any suggestion he's anything more than a loving stepfather is unfounded - which is why the latest slew of rumours surrounding Aaron and his stepdaughter must have stung. Last December Aaron and Sam were joined by Angelica and Jessie Phoenix on the red carpet for the premiere of his movie Kraven The Hunter. 16 Posing for the cameras, Aaron put his arm around Jessie Phoenix and gave her a reassuring stroke on the back. The candid moment - a fatherly gesture no doubt intended to reassure the camera-shy teenager - was catnip to twisted internet trolls who branded the it 'disgusting', while TikTok lit up with clips of the moment. Wild conspiracy theories of an illicit affair flooded the comments, with one commenter questioning: 'Are they flirting?' and another writing: 'What if being with the grandma is all a show and he's with her daughter?' A third added: 'If I didn't know their story, I would think that was his girlfriend.' Unsurprisingly the couple, nor their children, dignified the ludicrous furore with a response. Their reaction was the same when, two years ago, vicious rumours swirled that Aaron had an affair with his much younger Bullet Train co-star Joey King, 25. In his early 20s, father-of-four Aaron claimed he was just as happy playing a stay-at-home dad as he was leading blockbuster films. His early roles in their relationship included Kick Ass, Savages, Anna Karenina and Godzilla. When Sam won the highly-contested directing gig for Fifty Shades of Grey in 2015, he took time off to man the fort at home. As he later told The Post, 'I much prefer being a parent to working. Doesn't everybody? The best time I have is with my kids, experiencing their growth and their life with them. I think it's important to have time to enjoy that.' As for Sam, she paid tribute to him while promoting the film, saying, "Being in an amazing relationship, having come out of a difficult one, it felt so good [that he stayed at home while she worked]. 'And I feel like that stability has enabled me to get on with doing this momentous project." She then returned the favour, enabling him to star in 2016's Nocturnal Animals to rave reviews and a Golden Globe Award. Paying tribute to his beloved in his speech, he said: "I want to thank my wife for being there with me, supporting me through this. 'Thank you for putting up with me. Jesus, that was not very pleasant in this role, so you're my soulmate and I love you very much… I'm blessed. I have four beautiful daughters: Anjelica, Phoenix, Wylda, and Romy, I love you all very much." Sam has described Aaron as an old soul in a younger man's body, and claims their strong union has come from their ability to ignore the uproar. 16 16 In 2017, she said: 'If I gave a second thought to other people, I would be the unhappiest person, probably still in a miserable marriage. 'People like to talk about [the age gap]. I'm like, 'Yeah, but it works better than my last marriage'. It's lasted longer than a lot of my friends' marriages.' Ironically, months before she and Aaron went public, her ex Jay Jopling was embroiled in his own age-gap romance when he was pictured kissing a then 23-year-old Lily Allen in the Caribbean. The fling fizzled out quickly, but he was never tarnished with the same 'groomer' label as Sam. Power play Speaking in 2023, Amelia Kelley, a trauma-informed therapist, told Business Insider that criticism surrounding the Taylor-Johnsons was blatant misogyny. "When we see an older woman with a younger man, it underscores that the woman isn't as young as we think they should be,' she said. 'That could be uncomfortable for someone to see.' Yet Elizabeth Jeglic, a professor of psychology at John Jay College in New York, argued against the gendered critique, suggesting it was Sam who could have abused her position of power. "The person who is older tends to be a person who has more power or more experience,' she said. 'They often will select individuals who are younger and more inexperienced because they're more vulnerable. And that creates an unequal power dynamic." Aaron's still surprised by the furore and frenzy his age-gap romance stirs up. 16 16 Speaking last year to Rolling Stone, he said, 'What you gotta realise is that what most people were doing in their twenties, I was doing when I was 13. 'You're doing something too quickly for someone else? I don't understand that. What speed are you supposed to enjoy life at? It's bizarre to me." General consensus is that Aaron wasn't seeking a mummy figure because of any maternal hole in his life. He's in fact remained incredibly close to his own mother, Sarah, who accompanied him to film sets throughout his young career, taught him 'how to be a man' and has played an active role in raising her grandchildren. As for his early dating life there's no sign of any prior 'older woman fetish', with previous flings including actresses Georgia Groome, 33, and Alice Connor, 34. Likewise, it doesn't seem like Sam was simply looking for someone to baby or boss around. She may be a bigwig director, but she's just as happy sharing the spotlight with her incredibly successful, increasingly handsome younger husband. Aaron's role in Danny Boyle's latest epic promises to strengthen his position as one of the UK's most successful actors on both sides of the pond - while whispers that he's favourite to play the next James Bond continue. As the couple hit the red carpet this week, now aged 35 and 58 respectively, one cynic wrote, 'son and great-grandma', while another commented, 'She really got her claws in deep, that one.' But refreshingly, many comments now celebrate the pair, with one writing: 'Good on them for proving haters wrong.' Another added: 'Age is just a number when you love each other as this couple obviously do.' It's safe to say they'll never stop courting controversy - as every time they step out together, the public are reminded of how it all began. But over a decade later, the Taylor-Johnsons continue to put two fingers up to their doubters.
