What is it about age gap relationships that are so dang perplexing? Maybe it's the idea that someone can find love in a partner that's 10 to 30 years older than them. Maybe it's wondering if it's a red flag if someone only dates people who are way younger or older than they are. Whatever it is, from Sam and Aaron Taylor Johnson to Leonardo DiCaprio and literally everyone he's dated over the past two decades, we're clearly hooked. 👀
One thing worth noting is these kind of relationships are often mind-boggling even if you do root for them. Don't believe me? Take a look at the most (sort of) controversial celebrity age-gap relationships we've seen!
Scroll down to see some controversial celebrity age gap relationships!
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David Foster (75) & Katharine McPhee (40): 35 Years
I don't know if David Foster and Katharine McPhee is anyone's Roman Empire, but regardless of who's rooting for them, their 35-year age gap clearly doesn't hold them back. No, I'm not making that up. They both celebrated huge milestones this year because Katharine turned 40 while David rang in his 75th birthday with a concert.
Though they met in 2006 during the season Katharine was on American Idol, they didn't become a couple until the end of 2017. Even still, they didn't really address their relationship until their 2018 Met Gala red carpet appearance. So far the couple seems to be going strong — which is all that matters!
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Sarah Paulson (49) & Holland Taylor (81): 31 Years
Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor have been dating a little over a decade, but that's not what's shocking. It's the fact this couple has a 31-year gap between them. According to People, they started dating in 2015 and have been happily in love ever since.
Appearing on the SmartLess podcast earlier in May, Sarah dished about what makes their relationship work so well. She said, "Yeah, we don’t live together. That’s the secret to it. We spend plenty of time together, but we don’t live in the same house."
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Michael Douglas (80) & Catherine Zeta-Jones (55): 25 Years
This is a couple I've known about since I was kid and it used to baffle me until it didn't. They didn't hit it off right away, but fate decided to do what it does best when it wants two people together (via People). They're one of the first celebrity age gap relationships that have lasted since the late '90s and it's amazing to see how far they've come.
As they near their 24th year of marriage (OMG), it's clear Michael and Catherine Zeta-Jones have figured out what it takes to not only sustain their marriage, but their lives in the public eye.
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Sam (57) & Aaron Taylor Johnson (34): 23 Years
Despite their 23-year age gap, Sam and Aaron Taylor Johnson have been together for 16 years. They met some time in 2008, but it didn't take long for them to get engaged and welcome their first child together. They both know others have talked about their relationship, but they've let the comments roll off their shoulders. Sam told The Times UK, "When you're solid with someone in your own love, you don't think about it."
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Gigi Hadid (29) & Bradley Cooper (49): 20 Years
I think I can understand this celebrity age gap relationship because I actually like Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper. I could've never guessed they'd become a couple, but life is full of surprises! They're not ones to talk about their relationship though. I suppose that's the best way to go when you're a celebrity, but us nosy fans are intrigued by the moments we do see them in the public eye.
Daily Mailwas one of the first few outlets to report their second sighting as an alleged couple which lets me know it would be hard for them to deny they weren't together.
Image via Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
George (63) & Amal Clooney (46): 17 Years
George and Amal Clooney are probably my second favorite couple on this list because they make absolute sense to me. They're like two missing pieces of a puzzle that found each other and are happy to fit into each other's lives. As it turns out, Mr. Clooney is ever the romantic because he's been wooing Amal from the beginning.
From their sweet introduction in 2013 to the way George planned a romantic proposal and the amazing work they continue to do with their Clooney Foundation For Justice organization, this is one of those celebrity age gap relationships that's hard to be mad about.
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Matthew McConaughey (55) & Camila Alves (41): 13 Years
"All right, all right, all right," it's Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves! These two met in a way that truly makes sense for them: at a club. How many of us can say we found the love of our lives in a club full of loud music and sweaty people? This lucky couple have been together since possibly 2007 and have added three kids to their family.
Camila recently took to Instagram to celebrate Matthew's 55th birthday with a moving tribute to the actor. She wrote, "Today we celebrate you! …. Well technically we celebrated you all weekend! Hoo you bring so much Joy Matthew… but I am stopping here before I get all sentimental…! To many more sleigh street rides celebrating YOU," in the caption.
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Beyoncé (43) & Jay-Z (54): 12 Years
Beyoncé and Jay-Zshocked the music industry when they became a couple between 1997 and 2000. It was mainly because Beyoncé was only 19 years old when they started dating (via NBC). But somehow their love has prevailed through music collaborations, cheating scandals, and a certain elevator incident that no one'll ever forget. In recent years, the couple has been riding the waves of bliss as one of the more popular celebrity age gap relationships.
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Blake Lively and Ryan ReynoldsBlake Lively (37) & Ryan Reynolds (48): 11 Years
I said it once and I'll say it again: the best thing Green Lantern could've done was introduce Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds to each other. They both have the same dry and high key sarcastic humor that makes people love them so much, plus they way they love each other is so d*mn adorable. Did I mention I love the way they talk about their kids?
If there's a chance they're considered controversial, put me in pop culture jail because it's hard for me to turn my nose up at them!
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Nick Jonas (32) & Priyanka Chopra (42): 10 Years
Last but not least, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra deserve an award for having the least controversial celebrity age gap relationship. They look amazing together — look at the material — and seem to speak each other's love language in a way that's kind of sexy. They too made a Met Gala red carpet appearance together in 2017, but Priyanka said they weren't even dating. I mean, that's if you believe her Jimmy Kimmel Liveappearance!
Whether they were or weren't dating then, Nick and Priyanka didn't waste time becoming love birds in 2018. Priyanka was even featured in the Jonas Brothers' music video for "Sucker." Are you kidding me?
From then on, the couple have been enjoying marriage and being parents which seems to be the case for a lot of the featured celebrity age gap relationships!
Monica Schipper/Getty Images & Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vanity Fair
Leonardo DiCaprio (50) & Vittoria Ceretti (26)
Leonardo DiCaprio is well-known for dating models in their 20's, and Vittoria Ceretti is no exception to that rule. These two have been quietly together since around May 2023, and it seems like they're still going strong. Since they've been together, there have been plenty of engagement rumors swirling, but so far there's no ring in sight for Vittoria. Leo's never quite settled down, so it'll be interesting to see how this age gap relationship pans out! Wishing them both the best of luck!
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