14 Celebs Who Rightfully Forced Us To Confront Our Fixation With Age-Gap Relationships
It seems like whenever a famous couple has a few years separating them, it suddenly becomes everyone's business. This is especially the case if it's an older woman dating an older man. But why? Is it because we love drama? After all, there is science to suggest the bigger the age gap between a couple, the less likely things are to work out. In fact, a 2017 study found that relationship satisfaction was at its lowest for heterosexual couples age with an age gap of seven or more years. Or is it simply because they aren't the dominant relationship type? Per BBC, it's estimated that fewer than 10% of heterosexual couples are in age gap relationships.
Statistics aside, the reality is plenty of people over the age of consent enjoy healthy and loving relationships with people much older than them. So, should we really be so quick to judge when it comes to romances with big age differences as long as they're entered into willing by two consenting adults? Well, there are plenty of famous faces out there who have a little something to say to those who criticize their age gap romances.
Florence Pugh clapped back at critics of her and Zach Braff's 21-year age gap
Florence Pugh wasn't here for the criticism over her 12-year age gap with her former boyfriend, Zach Braff, defending their romance even after they split. Speaking to Vogue, she explained, "We weren't in anyone's faces. It was just that people didn't like it." Pugh added that she felt the disapproval came because people wanted her to date someone who was more likely to put their romance in the gossip columns, like a major movie star.
That was hardly the first or only time Pugh hit back at the haters. In 2020, while visiting the podcast "Sue Perkins: An hour or so with..." she emphasized how terrible the criticism of her relationship made her feel, highlighting how some of the comments were infantilizing. "I've always found it funny, how I can be good enough for people to watch my work and support my work and pay for tickets and I'm old enough to be an adult and pay taxes but I'm not old enough to know who I should and should not have sex with," she shared. "Once again, making a young woman feel like s*** for no reason," she added. Pugh was 26 and Braff was 47 when they split after three years together in August 2022.
Heidi Klum doesn't even think about being 16 years older than her husband
Heidi Klum has admitted that being 16 years older than her husband, Tokio Hotel's Tom Kaulitz, is so insignificant to her she rarely even thinks about it. AT the same time, she's vocalized that she doesn't understand why people keep bringing it up. "I'm being reminded more about my age by people other than myself. My boyfriend is many years younger than me, and lots of people are questioning that and asking about it," she told InStyle in 2018, noting, "That's really the only time when age seems to be shoved in my face and I have to give an answer for it." As for how she deals with the constant reminders? "You have to just live a happy life without worrying too much about what people think because worrying is only going to give you more wrinkles," she said.
Klum also touched on the public's fascination with her being older than her husband while chatting with SheKnows in 2022. The supermodel revealed she'd learned to block out the negativity about her relationship and noted that as long as she and Kaulitz are happy together, that's all that matters. "You have to cut out all the noise around you. Not everyone is always cheering you on in all things that you do. But I feel like you've got to do what makes you happy. And he made me happy. And we're still happy and having a great time together," she said.
Priyanka Chopra had the last laugh at those who called out her and Nick Jonas' 10-year age gap
What's 10 years between lovers? Priyanka Chopra clearly has no problem with being a decade older than her husband, Nick Jonas, and even joked about the years that divide them during a hilarious moment on Netflix's "Jonas Brothers Family Roast" in 2021.
Poking a little fun at all those who called them out for their somewhat drastic difference in ages, the "Baywatch" star proved she herself has no issue with their ages, quipping, "Nick and I have a 10-year age gap, we do. And there are many '90s pop culture references he doesn't understand, and I have to explain them to him." She then went on to joke that he's able to teach her new technology and the cool apps like TikTok, before joking, "And I teach him what a successful acting career looks like." Savage!
The happy couple tied the knot in 2018 when Chopra was 36 and Jonas was 26. The two have since gone on to become proud parents too, welcoming their adorable daughter Malti into the world in 2022. See, we told you 10 years was nothing!
George Clooney's relationship works well because of his age
Though many people thought George Clooney would be the Hollywood hunk who would never settle down, the A-lister surprised us all when he found love, marriage, and babies in his early 50s with human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, who is 16 years younger than him. But it turns out that meeting his wife later in life actually worked in the "Oceans Eleven" star's favor, as he has revealed their age gap has some benefits for their marriage.
"We agree on most things. When you're 61, which apparently I am, as you get older, you're kind of looking at things a little differently," he told E! News in a 2022 interview. "Amal wants to paint the wall yellow. And if I was younger, I feel like that's a stupid color. And now you just go, 'I don't care. Who cares if a wall's yellow?'" he shared, admitting his perspective on life has changed as he's gotten older. "Let's find all the things that we have in common and not worry about the little things," he continued.
The twosome eventually married in 2014, when George was 53 and Amal was 36, and have since become proud parents to fraternal twins, Alexander and Ella.
Ellen DeGeneres sometimes forgets her own age
Ellen DeGeneres being 15 years older than her wife, Portia de Rossi, clearly isn't an issue. When asked about the years between them in a 2005 interview with People, DeGeneres admitted she actually sometimes forgets how old she is and said they only ever really even think about their age gap when discussing the possibility of having children. "That's the only time I think about age; I think we should do it soon. Poor kid, 'Mama's going to break her hip again if you don't move those toys!'" DeGeneres joked to the outlet.
Of course, DeGeneres and de Rossi have since opted against having children, with de Rossi confirming to Out it was a mutual decision for the pair. "...It's just going to be me and Ellen and no babies — but we're the best of friends and married life is blissful, it really is. I've never been happier than I am right now," she revealed to the outlet. Clearly, not much as changed, as the two have been happily married since 2005.
Hugh Jackman proves you don't have to be older to be more responsible
You'd think that the person in an age gap relationship who's older would be the one handing out wisdom and helping the other through life with tips and advice, right? Well, not always. Hugh Jackman has spoken out about his age difference with his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, proving that the older one in the relationship isn't always necessarily the most responsible. "The Greatest Showman" actor is a whole 13 years younger than his incredible wife, but joked to People in 2017, "I'm literally the adult in the relationship. She's just like a little kid. I'm the [one saying], 'Babe, this is not a legal parking spot.'" Her response? "'Oh, come on, Mr. Goody-Goody.'" We love her already!
But just because Furness isn't using the 13 years she was on the planet before Jackman's birth as a reason to mother him, that doesn't mean the "Logan" star hasn't learned a lot from his wife. Speaking on "Oprah's SuperSoul Conversations" in 2020, he revealed that Furness has taught him how unimportant other people's opinions are — which likely comes in handy when people judge over their age gap. "She trusts herself implicitly. She is fearless about everything she does in life. She doesn't care what other people think. It is a compulsion for her to act from her heart," Jackman gushed.
Sarah Paulson wants to normalize unconventional relationships
Sarah Paulson hopes her relationship with Holland Taylor will inspire others to do what makes them happy and be who they are. And we absolutely love her for it. Speaking out about her romance with her fellow actor, who is 32 years her senior, Paulson told Town & Country in 2018, "My choices in life have been unconventional, and that's my business. But I do want to live responsibly and truthfully without hiding." She also explained that in a world full of hate, she wanted her relationship to be a beacon for others who needed to see it. "A lot of good can come from quote-unquote normalizing something for people who don't see it as normal," she said. "Our relationship represents a certain amount of hope and risk. Maybe there's something brave in it. Maybe it encourages others to make brave choices. What else can I say? We love each other."
Paulson also addressed how hung up some people are on their age gap with Harper's Bazaar in 2020, offering a poignant take on why people seem so focused on it. "Our own ageist thinking and the idea that to be old is to cease to have any desire," she said, adding of all those saying negative things about the woman she loves, "Anybody says anything about any person I love in a way that is disrespectful or cruel and I want to cut a b****." Well put.
Jennifer Lopez was happy and in the moment with Casper Smart
Though Jennifer Lopez has now (again!) found love with her husband, Ben Affleck, she was once in an age gap relationship with the 18 years younger dancer, Casper Smart.
The two started dating when Lopez was in her 40s and he was in his 20s, with the singer telling People in 2013 even she questioned their age difference at first. "I ask him, 'Why don't you go find a young girlfriend and get out of here? What do you want with me?' And you think, 'How long is this gonna be?'," she confessed, admitting she thought their relationship would probably be over pretty quickly. However, over time, she realized that all that mattered was what made them happiest in the moment. "The truth is, we don't know what's going to happen. We're loving this moment right now. We make each other happy," she added in the same interview, noting that Smart helped her move on from her divorce from Marc Anthony. Lopez and Smart eventually split in 2016.
That's not the only time Lopez had something to say about being chastised for her age gap relationships, though. In 2017, she clapped back at critics during an episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," stating, "It's not like you have to be younger... I just meet people, and if I go out with them, I go out with them, and if I like them, I like them, and if I don't, I don't. It's just about the person. It's about who they are. It has nothing to do with age."
Kris Jenner grew tired of the criticism regarding her romance with Corey Gamble
Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble raised a few eyebrows when they went public with their romance, as Jenner is 25 years older than her boyfriend. But the Kardashian matriarch wasn't about to take the chatter lying down, and seized the first opportunity to loudly clap back at those who criticized their romance, even if it came from her own daughter, Khloé Kardashian, who called their big age gap "creepy" during a 2015 episode of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." "I can't do anything without getting criticized. It's uncomfortable. It's like everybody wants answers, everybody wants to know what the title is. It's like you're a bunch of haters," Jenner declared during one segment of the episode.
Jenner and Gamble had the last laugh though, as they've been happily dating since 2015. And based on one YouTube clip from a 2020 episode of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," it seems they're not letting age get in the way of their, erm, good time, with Jenner sharing, "Corey is with someone a lot older and I think as you get older you're supposed to not be 'in the mood.'" She then admitted she was always ready for a little love with her man, proving the age gap certainly isn't causing any intimacy issues.
Calista Flockhart was never fazed about Harrison Ford being two decades older than her
Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford have been happily married since 2010, proving that age really is just a number for some folks. Ford is actually 22 years older than his wife, but she told Hello! in 2003 that the more than two decades between them has made absolutely no difference to their relationship. "It doesn't faze me. Sometimes I even say, 'Wow, I keep forgetting that he's 22 years older than me'. It doesn't factor into our relationship at all," she confessed. In fact, the "Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her" actor even admitted she thinks the "Indiana Jones" star looks a whole lot younger than his years. "I like the way he looks first thing in the morning. It's not handsome, it's more cute. He looks like a little boy," she shared.
But it sounds like Ford was pleasantly surprised by their romance coming later in his life. "I was 60 when I fell in love with Calista. What surprised me most was that I was still capable of establishing a long-lasting relationship, making a serious commitment," he confessed to Hello! in 2009. Clearly, though, that surprise wasn't in vain, as the twosome are still going strong today.
Patrick Stewart is almost 40 years older than his wife, but it doesn't affect their relationship
Don't think something like a little 39-year age gap would get in the way of Patrick Stewart's love for his wife, singer Sunny Ozell. The "Star Trek" legend was 73 and Ozell was 35 when they married in 2013 (in a ceremony officiated by none other than Sir Ian McKellen!) after four years of dating. Although the decades of years between them may have raised some eyebrows, Ozell told The Mail on Sunday in 2015 that their big age difference doesn't actually have any kind of impact on their loved-up relationship. "He is so youthful and I guess I'm kind of an old worry wart so we bridge the gap. It doesn't come up much. He's in better shape than me, which infuriates me," she joked of her husband, to which Stewart admitted at the time that he still felt as well as he did when he was 40 years old.
Ozell also shared how little their big age difference impacts their romance while speaking to Female First in 2015, stating of her relationship with the actor who's twice her age, "We're a very normal, loving couple, and we have a great time together." What age gap?
David Hasselhoff realized over time that his age gap with his wife made no difference to their love
David Hasselhoff has remained pretty candid about how he initially felt hesitant about his relationship with his now wife, Hayley Roberts due to being 28 years her senior. "For the longest time I didn't think it was right to marry Hayley as I was so much older and I didn't want to take away the fun and the youth and the excitement of growing old together and having children," he reportedly said in a 2018 interview with OK! Magazine (via Metro UK). He also admitted to Daily Mail in 2015 he previously suggested she leave him and date someone younger. "We've been together for about seven years and we've had such a great time. I've realized how much I love Hayley and how much we've become part of each other's life," he added. Hasselhoff was 66 and Roberts was 38 when they married.
Despite Hasselhoffs confessions, Roberts has shared that she remains unfazed by their dramatic age difference, stating during their joint interview, "David acts so much younger, he doesn't see his age. I'm probably older than my years. I don't feel like he's that much older than me."
Rosie Huntington-Whitely couldn't care less than Jason Statham is 20 years her elder
Rosie Huntington-Whitely may be younger than her fellow actor husband Jason Statham by 20 years, but that doesn't bother her one bit. Speaking to Glamour in 2013, the model and actress confessed that age doesn't play a part in their relationship because their connection is so strong. "His knowledge and strength are really inspiring and attractive, and that can come with a man who's had a bit of time," she admitted. "We have a connection that has nothing to do with age. Work comes and goes, but if you have someone at home who thinks you're the greatest person in the world, that keeps you going."
Still, that hasn't stopped fans asking the genetically blessed couple about their age difference. In 2020, a fan questioned if their age difference ever put a road block in their relationship during an Instagram Stories Q&A session, to which Huntington-Whitely responded, "Nope! It's never been an issue! Age is nothing but a number." The two have been together since 2010, got engaged in 2016, and share two children together, proving that sentiment rings true.
Hilaria Baldwin learned not to judge age gap romances
Hilaria Baldwin admitted she used to judge couples in big age gap relationships – until she found herself in one. Hilaria started dating Alec Baldwin, who is 26 years older than her, in 2011 and they tied the knot a year later, after which Hilaria realized what a misconception she had about age gap romances.
"I would look at it like, this older man wants some young bimbo with no opinions whatsoever. That younger woman is obviously a gold digger, and she obviously doesn't even care and is just like whatever, 'I hope you die, and I'm going to take all your money,'" she bluntly confessed on "Witches Anonymous" in 2022. But, thanks to her romance with the former "30 Rock" star, Baldwin realized it was possible to not only fall in love with someone a lot older, but to also have a genuine and happy relationship with them. "Now that I'm in that relationship and people will say those things about me regularly, I realize, what was this trained into my head? Why was I so judgmental about other people who are literally just finding love? Maybe their love looks different from you and from your love or what I thought love would be but it doesn't make it not valid," she added. Hear, hear!