By Jessica Wedemeyer
5:32am PST, Dec 24, 2020
Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at the stars who found love, suffered heartbreak or experienced some other major event in their love lives in late December 2020, starting with this surprise coupling… It turns out the rumors were true! Shia LaBeouf and Andie MacDowell's daughter, model-actress Margaret Qualley, were snapped making out at LAX Airport on Dec. 19. (See photos here.) The following day, the duo — who were first linked in October — were photographed going for a jog near his home in the Los Angeles area. (See those photos here.) Then on Dec. 22, they were snapped smooching again during a hike in Pasadena. (See those pics here.) Earlier this month, Shia made headlines when ex-girlfriend FKA twigs filed a lawsuit accusing him of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. The lawsuit prompted more of his former romantic partners — including Sia and wardrobe stylist Karolyn Pho — to level similar accusations against him. On Dec. 19, Page Six reported that, according to a source, Shia's ex-wife, Mia Goth, "initially had conversations" with twigs' legal team about potentially participating in the lawsuit, though she ultimately backed out when she "got back with Shia" earlier this year. "They're entwined in a way that none of us can understand," said the source. "It's crazy, but they are always on-again, off-again." The insider added that it would be "a stretch to say that Shia hasn't [also] been abusive to Mia." Margaret, meanwhile, is no stranger to high-profile romances with troubled stars: She dated Pete Davidson in 2019 before his most recent rehab stint. Now keep reading for more of the week's biggest celeb love life updates…
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Ariana Grande took to Instagram on Dec. 20 to announce that she and her boyfriend of less than a year, Dalton Gomez, are engaged. "Forever n then some," she captioned a slideshow of photos of herself and her beau, along with two photos showing off her unique engagement ring. "They couldn't be happier, they're just so excited. This is a happy time for them, both sets of parents are thrilled," said a People magazine source of the newly engaged couple. Echoed an Us Weekly source, "[Ariana] has really enjoyed getting to know and falling in love with Dalton out of the spotlight, something she didn't get to do in her past relationships. They are so in love and committed to spend the rest of their lives together."
RELATED: Celeb engagements of 2020
On Dec. 18, Erika Jayne took to Instagram to share several photos of text messages between her estranged husband, Tom Girardi, and his alleged mistress, California judge Tricia A. Bigelow. "She was [sleeping with] my husband Tom Girardi and he was paying her Saks bill and paying for her plastic surgery," the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star captioned the since-deleted post. (See a screenshot here.) One message between Tricia and Tom reads, "Miss you babe. Makeup sex?" Another reads, "Tonight was fantastic. Really. But it would be a whole lot better if I were [sleeping with] you." Other messages show Tricia asking Tom to cover the bill with her plastic surgeon and asking permission to go on a shopping spree at Saks Fifth Avenue. Also on Dec. 18, People magazine hinted at Erika's bombshell allegations, reporting that, according to a source, she decided to divorce Tom "because he was cheating on her with multiple women." She's reportedly "known about his infidelity for years" but "wanted to try and save the marriage." Said the source, "When she was performing her last week on Broadway [in the musical 'Chicago'], he left her high and dry and was frolicking around town instead of supporting her and attending her shows. She realized she would never be a priority to him and that was her breaking point." (Earlier this year, an episode of "RHOBH" showed Erika getting emotional while thanking Tom for his support as she starred in the Broadway production of "Chicago.") The insider added that "the split was a long time coming." An Us Weekly source, meanwhile, said that "Erika is really going through it" amid the breakup. "She's very strong, but this has been very hard for her emotionally," said the source. A second Us Weekly insider denied rumors that Erika and Tom "had an agreement in terms of being with other people" during their marriage.
RELATED: Notorious celeb cheating scandals
On the Dec. 22 finale of season 16 of "The Bachelorette," Tayshia Adams accepted a marriage proposal from Zac Clark. "I want to experience life with [Zac] by my side. He's what I've always wanted," she told People magazine during an interview that debuted online after the episode aired. "Just the way he was speaking to me, you could tell he had maturity that I was really attracted to. And there was something I couldn't put my finger on. He had a mystery to him that I wanted to get to know more about," she said of their initial attraction. Chimed in Zac, "When she walked in the room, oh my God, the physical attraction was immediate. And in our first interaction, I knew she was special." Continued the addiction specialist, "I am committed to this [relationship]. Not just for today, but forever." Concluded Tayshia, "Zac is my person. And this just feels so right." Earlier this month, fans spied the former phlebotomist sporting what appeared to be an engagement ring. She later hinted she might end up with Zac when she singled him out as the suitor from her season who was "future husband material" during an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." She also told him she loved him early in the season — long before she started falling for anyone else.
In sadder Bachelor Nation love news… On Dec. 23, Evan Bass and Carly Waddell — who fell in love on season 3 of "Bachelor in Paradise" in 2016 and tied the knot the following year — released a joint statement to People magazine announcing that they "made the difficult decision to separate." Said the duo, who welcomed a daughter in 2018 and a son in 2019, "We will always cherish our time together and continue to have the utmost respect for one another as we focus on what's best for the future of our family."
On Dec. 17, The Sun reported that Tom Cruise and "Mission: Impossible 7" co-star Hayley Atwell are secretly dating after growing close on set. "Tom and Hayley hit it off from day one," said a source. "Lockdown, and all the difficulties that came with it, brought them even closer and they've become fairly inseparable. They've been meeting up after hours, and she's been to his London pad. They get on brilliantly, and both seem very happy." But the following day, People magazine threw cold water on the British tabloid's report, which one source called "not true at all!"
Us Weekly reported on Dec. 22 that, according to a source, things between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie "remain extremely tense" as they continue battling over custody of their children. The Oscar-winning actress has reportedly become "more prickly" as she grows increasingly "frustrated" with the situation, which their "egos have once again derailed." Said the source, "Brad and Angelina are equally responsible for the never-ending drama. Sadly, their children are collateral damage." The insider noted that Angelina's frustrations are exacerbated by her inability to travel: "She has wanted to do humanitarian work beyond the United States but needs permission from Brad to take the kids out of the county," said the source.
On the Dec. 21 episode of Andy Cohen's SiriusXM radio show, Jennifer Lopez said "there's definitely no rush" to marry her fiancé of nearly two years, Alex Rodriguez. In fact, they've even "talked about" forgoing tying the knot all together after canceling their wedding plans twice amid the coronavirus pandemic, she revealed. "At our age, you know, we've both been married before. It's like, 'Do we get married? Do we not? What does it mean for us?' And it just comes down to personal, like, 'What do you want to do?'" she said. "It was really sad because we were supposed to get married in June [in Italy] and we had planned it all. … So we canceled it. And then we tried to regroup for later in the year — a few months ago. And it was like, 'Nope, still not the right time.' So it was just a little disappointing. And then you just think to yourself, 'Well, things will happen in their divine time.'" Ultimately, J.Lo and A-Rod decided they do still want to get married eventually. "It's something that maybe is still important to us, but there's no rush. There's no rush. It'll happen when it happens," she said.
"Entertainment Tonight" reported on Dec. 21 that, according to a source, Leonardo DiCaprio and his girlfriend of three years, Camila Morrone, "are very in love." Said the source, "Camila is his dream girl. She's young, sweet, simple and it's easy because she gets along well with his family and he gets along great with hers too. They've known each other forever and it just works."
Teresa Giudice made her relationship with her new boyfriend, Luis "Louie" Ruelas, Instagram official on Dec. 22. "The BEST thing that came out of 2020," she captioned a photo of herself and her beau cuddled up at a restaurant.
In other Instagram debut news… Jesse Metcalfe made his relationship with his new girlfriend, Corin Jamie-Lee Clark, Instagram official in honor of her birthday on Dec. 19. "Happy Birthday, babe!" he captioned a photo of himself and the Canadian beauty posing by his beloved '70s Chevelle. The duo were first linked in August.
Elena Samodanova is taking a page out of her estranged husband Gleb Savchenko's playbook. On Dec. 21, she was snapped smooching former "Dancing With the Stars" troupe member Vlad Kvartin — who teaches classes at the dance school Elena and Gleb share — on the beach in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. (See the photos here.) Just last week, Gleb debuted his relationship with "Sharknado" franchise star Cassie Scerbo in Cabo. He and Elena announced they were calling it quits in early November. According to TMZ, she filed for divorce in Los Angeles on Dec. 22.
On Dec. 17, The Daily Mail broke the news that Gillian Anderson and "The Crown" creator Peter Morgan recently split after four years of coupledom. Writes the British tabloid outlet, "The relationship has run its course — not helped by various work commitments and family logistics (each has children from past relationships) — though they remain great friends." The breakup is said to be amicable.
On Dec. 12, Jaime King was snapped holding hands with Mr. Checkpoint founder Sennett Devermont while running errands in the Los Angeles area. They've been seen together several more times since then. The model-actress first posted about Sennett on Instagram in early November, though it was unclear at the time they were anything more than friends. Things between them are serious enough that in mid-November, Jaime shared a photo of Sennett snuggling one of her two sons with her estranged husband, Kyle Newman.
On the Dec. 21 episode of the "Scrubbing In" podcast, Kaitlynn Carter revealed that her boyfriend of about seven months is Brock Collection designer Kristopher Brock. "He's a dream," she gushed. "It's the most seamless, chill relationship. I've never had a relationship that was just easy. … I feel like he's the first adult that I've ever dated." She added that things are "going very well" and called her beau the "gayest straight man" she knows, noting that they have a "lot of feminine things in common." Said the blonde beauty of their low-key romance, "I don't want to have a relationship that's in the tabloids. I don't want to do overly public things." She also opened up about her last two romances, which were both extremely public: She said of former longtime partner Brody Jenner, "I think the reason he and I ended up getting married in the first place was because we were always such good friends. And that is something we've been able to salvage through our split." As for her whirlwind romance with Miley Cyrus, Kaitlynn said "no one was more surprised that I was all of a sudden dating one of my girlfriends than I was." Added the reality star, "When I look back, I know that I had feelings for her that were maybe different from feelings I had for other friends. It was entirely unintentional, but I was very deeply in love with this person."
On Dec. 17, People magazine broke the news that "Glee" alum Chord Overstreet is dating Suzanne Somers' granddaughter, "The Bold and the Beautiful" actress Camelia Somers. It's unclear how long they've been an item, though Chord could be seen sitting next to Camelia at her birthday dinner in early October. (See a photo here.) Page Six later reported that the young couple quarantined together in Nashville over the summer.
Former "The Real Housewives of Orange County" star Alexis Bellino announced on Instagram on Dec. 18 that she and her boyfriend of about two years, Andy Bohn, are engaged. "One good thing actually came out of 2020. Yes, @acbohnz. I'm all YOURS. #engaged," she captioned a photo of herself and her beau kissing on the beach with her new engagement ring on full display. She later shared a video and a slideshow of photos depicting the proposal, along with the caption, "Snap shots of the special day. For a Covid engagement this is 100. Actually, even for a non-Covid engagement this was incredible, heartfelt and on the water which is our happy place. Thank you Drew. I love you beyond. So excited to call you my fiancé."
"Riverdale" star Casey Cott took to Instagram on Dec. 19 to announce that he and his long-term girlfriend — whose name he's managed to keep under wraps — are engaged. He shared a selfie with the brunette beauty with her engagement ring on display and captioned the shot with three diamond-ring emojis.
On Dec. 16, Tyler Perry revealed on Instagram that he and his girlfriend of 14 years, Gelila Bekele, recently called it quits. "This is what a midlife crisis looks like. I'm 51, single and wondering what the next chapter in my life will look like," he captioned a mirror selfie. A People magazine source said that the duo — who share son Aman — "amicably split some time ago and remain close friends." Added the insider, "Their focus is on being the best parents they can for their son."
During an interview with Page Six that hit the Internet on Dec. 21, Keke Palmer alluded to her mystery boyfriend: "I have some love in my life. … There's some love there," she said, adding that "it's not a love life" if she reveals her beau's identity "because it's public." Joked the singer-actress, "At the end of the day, just know your girl Kekes is not lonely — ever!" She's rumored to be dating Dutch singer Styn, with whom she's collaborated on several songs in the past two years. The duo have made several appearances on each other's Instagram feeds this year.
On Dec. 17, retired tennis champ Maria Sharapova announced on Instagram that she and her boyfriend of two years — British businessman Alexander Gilkes, who was previously married to fashion designer Misha Nonoo — are engaged. "I said yes from the first day we met. This was our little secret, wasn't it," she captioned a slideshow of photos and videos of herself and her beau. Alexander, meanwhile, captioned a slideshow of two photos of Maria, "Thank you for making me a very very happy boy and saying yes. I look forward to a lifetime of loving you, and learning from you."
Bachelor Nation's Marquel Martin — who competed for Andi Dorfman's heart on season 10 of "The Bachelorette" in 2014 and then appeared on "Bachelor in Paradise" — took to Instagram on Dec. 19 to announce that he's engaged to longtime love Kari Kaisner. "So tonight I did a thing…a blessed thing," he captioned a photo of himself and the bride-to-be popping a bottle of champagne at the Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa in Las Vegas. "I was so nervous going into this. But now that it's over, I'm so relieved. I'm just so excited to spend the rest of my life with Kari," Marquel told People magazine of the proposal.
Speaking of Andi Dorfman… On Dec. 16, the former star of "The Bachelorette" took to Instagram to share a photo of herself sitting on the beach between a mystery man's legs. The photo, which was taken from her companion's perspective, managed to keep his identity under wraps. After fans flocked to the comments section with questions about her potential new romance, Andi cropped the photo so the man's legs were no longer visible and then re-posted it. The mystery legs made another appearance on her Instagram feed the following day: They could be seen reflected in the window in a photo of Andi posing on the deck outside her bedroom.
"Big Brother" alum Jackson Michie sparked rumors he's dating "Cheer" star Morgan Simianer when he shared several videos of them hanging out together on TikTok on Dec. 20. (See one here.) A day earlier, the cheerleader also shared a video of herself and Jackson on TikTok.
During an interview with Us Weekly that hit the Internet on Dec. 17, Austen Kroll denied rumors that he's hanging out with Kristin Cavallari to make his ex-girlfriend, Madison LeCroy, jealous. "For people to think that we broke up, you know, last week, and then that I tried to run off and rub Kristin in her face or something is so absurd," he said. He went on to say that after they shot the "Southern Charm" reunion earlier this month, he was left with "heartache" and "went to blow off steam." He added that he's "been a fool for so long" where Madison is concerned. "Madison surrounds herself with 'yes' people. Everyone in her life just tells her, 'Yes, yes.' She's not used to being told no," he continued, adding that the blonde beauty takes pride in "cutting" people off. "People out there don't understand the timeline of all this because they haven't seen the season [or know] what I've experienced on the reunion. They're just experiencing what happened last week. And what happened here last week is that Madison, you know, played [me] out to be a lazy loser that she couldn't be with anymore."
Hilary Duff took to Instagram on Dec. 21 to mark her first wedding anniversary with husband Matthew Koma. She captioned a photo of them as they "slammed a plate of apps" on their wedding day, "Always with you babe. For you. Over and over I choose you and this. Thank you for being a good man. Best I've ever met." Matthew, meanwhile, captioned a different wedding photo, "One year ago today looked a whole lot different. I can't imagine this last year without you to Clorox groceries and avoid the world with. When I asked you to be my wife, we had no idea our first year would look like this…They always say 'the first year is the hardest,' but in our case it was for completely different reasons and I'm so in awe of your bada**ery. How you're able to be the mom, individual, wife, spirit, and tie dye influencer you are, while making it look so easy is mind boggling and I don't know what I did right to deserve being on the receiving end of it. Thank you for being the most steady, supportive, empathetic, loving, and passionate. Thank you for the endless hours of indulging my obsession with deceased songwriters and pretending it interests you. Thank you for making me drink water and eat breakfast. You make me so much better. You make our family what it is. You're the only thing that makes me cry through the Prozac. I love you."
