There's a common stereotype — and concern — that famous men tend to go for younger women, and sometimes, they go for much younger women. While age gaps are not necessarily a problem, many have noticed a double standard when it comes to aging: men are largely unaffected by it, while a woman's perceived "value" appears to decrease as she ages. Taylor Swift hinted at the phenomenon in "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" with the lyrics: "And I was never good at tellin' jokes, but the punch line goes 'I'll get older, but your lovers stay my age.'"
The thing is, she's not wrong. In 2015, Vulture analyzed this phenomenon in movies and found that as actors like Johnny Depp and Denzel Washington age, the actresses that portray their love interests really don't — they tend to be under 40. This pattern is common off the screen as well, with one dramatic example being Al Pacino, 83, and his girlfriend, Noor Alfallah, 30.
While dramatic age gaps are not a feature of all celeb relationships, they seem to be pretty common for men who started dating again in their 40s or later, leaving some to wonder if there's much hope for straight women who are dating after 40. Here are some famous men who are actually dating people around their age:
1. Usher
Usher was previously married to Tameka Foster but got divorced in 2009. He then married Grace Miguel but got divorced in 2018. Now, at age 45, Usher's partner is 40 years old. Usher and Jennifer Goicoechea tied the knot in early 2024.
When speaking to People about his relationship, Usher shared that "when you find someone that you know is a great partner, of course it is an honor and a pleasure to be able to share life with someone who wants to share it with you and loves you, who you are."
2. Tom Hiddleston
Actor Tom Hiddleston, who portrayed Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is engaged to actress Zawe Ashton. They starred in a production of the Harold Pinter play Betrayal together, and announced their engagement in 2022. Tom, 43, is pretty private when it comes to his personal life, but prior to meeting Zawe, 39, he dated several other celebrities (including Taylor Swift).
"I'm very happy," Tom told the Los Angeles Times after announcing his engagement.
More from LittleThings: Bruce Willis' Daughter Tallulah Says She Was Recently Diagnosed With Autism As An Adult
3. Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves' girlfriend, Alexandra Grant, is an accomplished artist — and while she is younger than her boyfriend, their age gap seems less dramatic when compared to other famous couples. They made their first public appearance as a couple in 2019, and were reportedly friends before their relationship became romantic. Alexandra, 50, spoke to People about her relationship with Keanu, 59, in 2023.
“The good news about falling in love as an adult is that I had built my own career by the time that my relationship had begun. I feel very confident in the relationship on the red carpet. I feel confident on it alone. It’s interdependent and independent in the best ways," she told the publication.
4. Bill Hader
Actor and comedian Bill Hader, 45, might be dating Ali Wong, 41. He was married to Maggie Carey from 2006 to 2017, and reportedly had a brief romance with Ali Wong in 2022 following her divorce from Justin Hakuta, to whom she was married for eight years.
Around the same time, Bill and Anna Kendrick, 38, reportedly broke up. Though Bill and Ali had a short-lived relationship in 2022, there were rumors that they had started dating again in 2023, which seemed to be confirmed when they were spotted kissing and holding hands in public. In 2024, they attended several high-profile events together, including the 2024 Critics Choice Awards.
5. Tim Burton
Tim Burton, 65, was with his former partner, Helena Bonham Carter, from 2001 to 2014. His relationship with actress Monica Bellucci, 59, was made official in 2023 when Tim and Monica appeared on the red carpet together and Monica confirmed their relationship when speaking to Elle France.
“What I can say … I’m glad I met the man, first of all,” she told the publication. Monica was married to French actor Vincent Cassel for 14 years before they split up in 2013.
6. Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton is actually younger than his wife. Blake, 47, married Gwen Stefani, 54, in 2021. They met on The Voice while they were both married. Gwen was previously married to Gavin Rossdale but got divorced in 2016, while Blake and his ex-wife Miranda Lambert got divorced in 2015.
Gwen and Blake appeared on the red carpet together for the first time in 2016. Speaking to Today, Blake opened up about the best thing about his relationship with Gwen.
"I mean, the best part is lying down with her at night and then waking up and she’s there in the morning," he said in 2023. "I just didn’t know that that was out there, that that was possible."
7. Daniel Craig
While Daniel Craig's relationship isn't a recent development — he and his wife got married in 2011 — there is not a significant age gap in the relationship. Sure, Craig, 56, and his wife Rachel Weisz, 54, have been together for a while, but they were not super young when they tied the knot. Craig was previously married to Fiona Loudon.
They're somewhat private about their private lives, but in 2018, Rachel spoke about the relationship on Good Morning America.
"We love to go to see theater and discuss things that we've seen. We respect each other. We appreciate each other's work," she said at the time.
8. Ben Affleck
This one as debatable, as Ben Affleck, 51, and Jennifer Lopez, 54, dated and planned on getting married in the early 2000s. They canceled their wedding, though, and both went on to pursue relationships with other people. Ben was married to Jennifer Garner from 2005 until 2015. Jennifer Lopez married Marc Anthony, whom she was married to from 2004 to 2014.
Later in life, Jennifer and Ben reunited in 2021 and got back together. They got married in 2022.
9. Hugh Jackman (Possibly)
While it's unclear if Hugh Jackman, 55, will find himself in an age-appropriate relationship after his divorce, there's still hope — along with rumors that he is dating Sutton Foster, 49.
While Sutton is around Hugh's age, she is also married. Their alleged relationship, which was reported by In Touch in December 2023, appears to be nothing more than a rumor, but people are waiting to see who Hugh might date after his divorce from Deborra-Lee Furness, who, at age 68, was older than her husband. They were married for 27 years and announced their separation in 2023.
