Leonardo DiCaprio has developed a reputation for dating significantly younger women, and as concerning as that already is, it’s his pattern of calling those relationships off that needs some more scrutiny. DiCaprio has never dated a woman over 25 years of age – ever. His most recent break-up with Camile Morrone further solidified this theory as they called it quits only a few short months after her 25th birthday.
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This triggered a slew of memes about DiCaprio and his relationship history. Let’s talk about the DiCaprio-Morrone breakup and why the situation just simply isn’t funny despite the running jokes online. Finally, let’s take a look at how Hollywood dismisses large age gap relationships and why we’re only realizing now just how bizarre they truly are.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Camila Marrone Break Up Spark Viral Memes
DiCaprio, 47, and Morrone, 25 finally called off their relationship after more than four years together. This confirmed the decades-long gag of DiCaprio’s relationships having an expiration date. If you weren’t already aware, DiCaprio is famous for his large age-gap relationships as well as for never dating a woman over the age of 25. Is this pattern a fact?
Yes, it is. Gisele Bundchen was 23 at the time of their split and Bar Refaeli was 25. At the time that he was dating these women, DiCaprio was in his late 20s to mid-30s. But, he was the only one aging in his relationships. He then was linked with Blake Lively who was then 23, followed by Toni Garrn, 21. Both Kelly Rohrbach and Nina Agdal were his previous two relationships before Morrone and both ended when the women were 25. Now, the latest, is Morrone who (to no surprise) was also 25 when she and DiCaprio decided to part ways.
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We can confirm that this is in fact a motif that most have picked up on. The question now becomes, why? How and why DiCaprio seems to steer clear of anyone over the age of 25 is what needs to be analyzed. Hollywood has dismissed large age gaps in the past which normalized them in the context of the industry.
But with many celebrities now coming out with their stories of being in a similar situation, it’s come to light that these large age gaps need to be reconsidered and criticized rather than made into a punchline. Let’s look at Demi Lovato and Taylor Swift and how their experiences have shaped our new perspective on age gaps in Hollywood.
Taylor Swift and Demi Lovato Speak Out Against Age Gap Relationships in Hollywood
If you haven’t streamed Taylor Swift’s 10-minute rendition of her 2012 hit “All Too Well”, then you should do so. Not solely for the fact that it’s a lyrical masterpiece, but because it divulges some details about her relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal. Swift was 21 during their relationship while Gyllenhaal was 30.
The song as a whole is heart-wrenching and really demonstrates the fragility of her innocence and inexperience at 21 versus the somewhat manipulative nature of Gyllenhaal at 30. Now 41, Gyllenhaal- like DiCaprio- has a history of dating younger women including his current girlfriend and French model Jeanne Cadieu who is 26. The lyrics that made the most impact are as follows:
“And I was never good at telling jokes but the punch line goes / I’ll get older but your lovers stay my age,” along with, “You said if we had been closer in age maybe it would have been fine / And that made me want to die.” These words are extremely telling, and paint a picture of an unhealthy relationship between the two.
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Swift isn’t the only one giving a voice to young women who have felt victimized in large age gap relationships. Demi Lovato has also recently released her song “29” which is about her ex-boyfriend Wilmer Valderrama. The two dated from 2010 to 2016. They met when she was 17 years old and he was 29 but supposedly didn’t start an actual relationship until she turned 18. That being said, the age gap wasn’t the only questionable aspect of their relationship but also that she was a freshly turned adult.
Some of the lyrics that stood out from Lovato’s “29” include:
“Finally 29 / Funny, just like you were at the time / Thought it was a teenage dream / Just a fantasy / But was it yours or was it mine / 17, 29,” as well as, “I see you’re quite the collector / Yea, you’re 12 years her elder / Maybe now it doesn’t matter / But I know, I know better.” The last set of lyrics seems to refer to his fiancé Amanda Pacheco who is 12 years younger than Valderrama.
Both of these songs are poignant as they highlight a larger issue within Hollywood. When did we start to become aware of these large age gaps in Hollywood and what does it say about these men?
The Curse of Large Age Gaps in Hollywood Relationships
Both Swift’s “All Too Well” and Lovato’s “29” allude to the fact that it’s not their first time or last dating a younger woman. Gyllenhaal and Valderrama have indeed followed that pattern of being involved with women who are much younger. This is the same pattern that we see with DiCaprio. It’s strange that while many stand behind Swift and Lovato and their shared experiences in unhealthy relationships with older men, Morrone is the subject of viral memes. The sensitivity that we had with Swift and Lovato needs to extend to all women getting out of relationships, especially with older men.
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Morrone may not have been a minor, but she was only 20 years old when she was first linked with DiCaprio. Consensual relationships between adults are not always problematic, but we also have to wonder why men who are nearly 30 or above are attracted to 20-something-year-olds.
Hollywood has never advocated for the safety of young women in relationships and we’ve seen this time and time again, including R. Kelly and his myriad of crimes against underage girls. Rather than denouncing these relationships or even being critical of them, they have been romanticized in the public eye.
The long history of sexism and predatory behaviors in Hollywood has roots that extend for miles. Significant age gaps come with a gap in maturity, emotional intelligence, experience, and more which can make manipulation much easier than you may think. So, while age gaps aren’t inherently dangerous, they can turn out to host more harm than good.
