Hollywood Dating

By: K. Trisha Wibawa

Edited by: Fiorina Siamir

Celebrities, dating, relationships, PR – dating in Hollywood is a very prevalent topic in current culture and society, a popular topic of discussion amongst teenagers and adults alike. Celebrity relationships dominate the internet, and rumours and gossip spread like wildfire on social media platforms. Many aspects are involved in celebrity relationships, PR relationships, harassment, privacy, and dating co-workers. With that, we will be taking a deep dive into the reality of Hollywood dating. 

True love or business? PR relationships, once you have seen one, you have probably seen them all. You've seen publicity stunts to promote new projects, such as music or movies, to cover up rumours, for damage control, or even to stay relevant. PR relationships in the media are strategic public relations stunts used for promotion or publicity. These relationships typically do not last long, typically lasting under a year. While on the dating scene, those celebrities enjoy the many benefits of dating one another, one of the most sought after, publicity.

Two celebrities are seen going out together, which will bring them much attention and publicity causing many tabloids, magazines, and gossip sites to spread the news and make the start of a hot rumour that the couple is dating and deeply in love. Though it may be hard to spot PR relationships, sometimes they may be right in front of your eyes. Seeing two celebrities papped before the release of a new movie they co-star in together will make you question the authenticity of their relationship. 

For example, many speculate that Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s relationship was PR. In June 2019, a collaboration between the two called 'Señorita' was released. Fans lost it when the pair collaborated, implying that they may be more than friends in the lyrics. In July 2019, the two started dating, making their relationship official to the public. In November 2021, the pair officially announced their split, which left many fans heartbroken but led to much gossip and speculation about whether or not their relationship was real or a stunt. Even when ‘Señorita’ was released, many thought the relationship was only to promote their new collaboration, leading many to raise their eyebrows.

The convenience of the timeline of their relationship made it seem like it was all for publicity. From the build of anticipation and teasing that Mendes and Cabello did in December of 2018, to the release of the song in June of 2019 (with a clear implication that they weren’t just friends), to the announcement of their relationship just a month later, and finally to their breakup in late 2021, it did seem like they were together to promote the song.

However, the pair aren’t the only couple who were speculated to be in a PR relationship. Many others, such as Harry Styles and Taylor Swift, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, Timothée Chalamet and Lily-Rose Depp, Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn, Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift, and many more, were thought to be PR stunts.

Jack Ketsoyan, a publicist who worked for PMK-BNC talent agency, admitted to putting together two famous couples in particular, working in Cameron Diaz and Jameela Jamil’s favour. He says that “celebrity romances, that are, allegedly, set up for all the sweet, sweet, publicity,” and that celebrities are bound to contracts for at least a year. ‘The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a good piece of fiction that shows the “behind-the-scenes” of dating in Hollywood and how it is to get your name to the top. The book shows Evelyn Hugo’s seven husbands and the reasons she married each husband, from publicity, to cover up rumours, and to get herself to the top.

Consequently, with a huge following and millions of eyes watching their every move, it is inevitable that harassment (for lack of a better word), a lack of privacy from the paparazzi trying to get ahead of each other trying to get the latest photos and selling them off to the highest bidder are not sensitive to know boundaries or genuine relationships. Being lovebirds in public, celebrities are practically in a glass aquarium, constantly watched and subjected to all sorts of reactions from adoration, hate, jealousy, and criticism. Having cameras flashing and questions thrown at your face while out with your partner doesn’t seem like a pleasant experience for those that are in a real relationship, and yet that’s the reality that almost all celebrities have to face just to spend the day out with the person they love, PR or not. 

Things get crazier when celebrity couples go their separate ways and call things off; they are bombarded with thousands and thousands of questions from fans and the press. Imagine not being able to go through heartbreak without people prying into your love life. Sometimes, fans even leave comments on family members' social media posts. Many private details that should not be shared with the general public are dug up and shared by fans. Everyone has to remember, celebrities are people too, just like you and me. Jennifer Aniston once said, ‘I’m a human being, having a human experience in front of the world. I wish it weren’t in front of the world. I try really hard to rise above it.’ Devoted fans of the ex-couple even go as far as harassing their new partners, which at times may stem from their jealousy.

This leads to the discussion of toxic or delusional fans. They genuinely believe that they might be able to date their idol celebrities such as Harry Styles or Justin Bieber one day. Oh, how I wish to live in that delusional bubble of theirs. Jealousy, jealousy! Fans will go out of their way to harass their idol’s current partners out of jealousy and pure hatred, wanting to be in the place of their idol’s partner. There are times when someone that may be a love interest to their idol goes near them, fans will freak out and be protective over their idol, despite the celebrity being a grown adult who can make decisions for themselves.

Finally, many co-stars who date on the big screen may fall for each other off-screen. Considering co-workers on a TV show or movie typically spend hours and hours on set with each other, you can say it’s easy to fall for your co-star. People love seeing two people they idolise translate their on-screen romance into an off-screen one. Now, it all may seem nice for two co-stars to date each other, like Tom Holland and Zendaya, but what happens to those couples who break up and have to still shoot romantic scenes together?

For example, Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse, Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder, Camila Mendes and Charles Melton, Joey King and Jacob Elordi, Jennifer Aniston and Tate Donovan. They are all co-stars who have dated each other but have broken up while still having to shoot scenes of their characters being romantically involved with each other. Was it awkward? Was it weird? Well, people have different opinions on the matter. Nina Dobrev says she doesn’t think it’s “weird at all,” while others, such as Tate Donovan, found it tough to act like his character was falling in love with someone who was playing a character he had just broken up with in real life.

Dating in Hollywood isn’t exactly what it seems, with struggles and being in the public eye. Understandably, some celebrities choose to keep their relationship private. ‘I just like to keep my private life private. I try my best, but at the same time, I try not to let being out with someone affect my everyday life. If I want to go out and grab a smoothie with a friend who’s a male, I’m not gonna let the paparazzi stop me from doing that and living my life and just being a normal person.’, Kendall Jenner told Entertainment Tonight. 

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