By Jessica Wedemeyer
8:23am PST, Dec 13, 2018
Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at the celebrities who found love, suffered heartbreak or experienced some other major event in their love lives in mid-December 2018, starting with our favorite super-low-key couple… Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin will be "engaged soon" a source told Us Weekly as part of a Dec. 12 report. "Chris is head over heels," said the insider, adding that the Coldplay frontman likes that the actress "doesn't thrive on the spotlight and is very understated." According to the source, Chris is simply waiting for some time to pass following ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow's September nuptials before he proposes to Dakota so as to not disrupt the lives of the two kids he and Gwyneth share: "He wanted to make sure the kids didn't have too much change all at once," said the insider. "He's a great dad." Now keep reading for more of the week's biggest celeb love life updates…
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Jennifer Garner has "slowed things down" with her new boyfriend, John Miller, "since the word got out they were dating," a source told "Entertainment Tonight" as part of a Dec. 10 report. "Jen's children, career and Ben [Affleck] are her main focus at the moment and she is not ready for anything too serious," explained the insider. "Privately, she has told friends she doesn't want to be deeply committed at the moment. … She wants to focus on family, career and getting Ben back on track. She enjoys her time with John but she has concerns of moving too quickly because she doesn't want to be disappointed. Her friends are in full support of her stepping back a bit because they all know relationships take a lot of work and right now her plate is full. … She still communicates with Ben almost daily because his sobriety is so important, she wants be a strong support and he leans on her a lot. … She truly is a great friend to him and an amazing mother."
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Though initial reports indicated Demi Lovato and clothing designer Henry Levy are just friends, the duo were photographed kissing on the lips and holding hands outside Nobu in Malibu on Dec. 8, a month after they first sparked romance rumors by holding hands during another dinner date. E! News reported in late November that the pair aren't dating and that Henry has simply been serving as Demi's "sober companion" and helping her with her recovery following her July drug overdose and subsequent time in rehab. But pictures speak louder than words!
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Julie Chen's rep told Page Six as part of a Dec. 6 report that she and husband Les Moonves are "closer than ever" in the wake of new allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace on his part, which he's denied. A source told Page Six that the "Big Brother" host, who married the CBS exec in 2004 after meeting through the network, believes that the charges against her husband are false. "Les managed to convince Julie that none of this was true, that he was being screwed over," said the insider, who noted that the former exec stopped his alleged bad behavior when he married Julie. "It did stop when he married her — that's true — but I don't see how she continues in this marriage," said the source, adding that considering how the couple met, it's obvious "Les liked to fish in the company pond." As for the duo's future, the insider acknowledged that "there are financial considerations and the overall embarrassment to deal with." Another source told Page Six as part of a Dec. 10 report that Julie and Les are "spending a lot of time" together. "She thinks he didn't do anything wrong," said the insider. "They have a small child. She's very loyal and is very supportive. She's a fighter and she sticks by her man."
The Irish webloid Gloss.ie reported on Dec. 12 that Niall Horan is on Raya, an exclusive dating app for the rich and famous, even though he's been linked to Hailee Steinfeld since late 2017. "Niall has been acting single over in London lately, so people were getting suspicious that he's back on the market," said a source. "Then when his profile started popping up on Raya, it became clear that he's single and back on the dating scene." (Further fueling the rumors that the duo called it quits? Niall didn't wish Hailee a happy birthday on social media — like he did last year — when her big day rolled around on Dec. 11.) On Dec. 13, E! News confirmed that the young lovers called it quits. "Hailee and Niall were going strong over the summer but split a few months ago and have been trying to keep it low-key," said a source. "Hailee realized she had a lot on her plate and her work schedule was insanely busy. She was gearing up for a huge press tour for her new movie [and realized they] would be apart for mass amounts of time. … They really tried to make it work. … It definitely was 'young love.'"
Michelle Williams took to her Instagram Story on Dec. 7 to announce that she and Chad Johnson have called it quits nine months after getting engaged. "I still remain fearless. I guess I still remain single! Things didn't work out," she wrote. "The healing that needs to take place is a must! I don't wanna destroy another relationship. Blessings to him, his family and ministry. #FEARLESS."
On Dec. 9, Nicki Minaj revealed on Instagram that she has a new boyfriend: a man from her past named Kenneth Petty who happens to be a registered sex offender who served time behind bars for manslaughter. According to The Blast, back in 1995, a teenage Kenny was convicted of attempting to rape a 16-year-old girl he was dating at the time. He was sentenced to between 18 and 54 months in state prison, though it's unclear how much time he ultimately served. Then in 2002, he killed a man after shooting him three times in the stomach. He pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and served seven years of a 10-year prison sentence that ended in May 2013. His five-year supervised release period ended earlier this year. On Dec. 11, TMZ reported that the rapper first fell for her beau when she was a teenager. She reportedly believes that Kenny, who planned her 36th birthday trip and whom she's described as "one of her first loves," has changed for the better over the years. (According to TMZ, Nicki "couldn't care less" about his past crimes because she "seems to believe Kenneth was falsely convicted" because he was dating his victim and has claimed that her mother "had it in for him and made false allegations" about him.) Friends tell the webloid that the pair have "great chemistry," that Kenny treats the rapper like a queen, that she's "much happier since rekindling their romance" and that "friends haven't seen her this happy with anyone in years." On Dec. 12, TMZ reported that the pair have been dating for a few months and are already talking marriage and kids.
Offset is "madly in love" with Cardi B and "plans to pull out all the stops to get her back," TMZ reported on Dec. 10, a day after the Migos rapper tweeted, "F— YALL I MISS CARDI." According to the webloid, "Offset was desperately trying to save his marriage before Cardi made the announcement they were done." He reportedly tried to prove that he wasn't cheating and that nothing came out of his purported attempt to set up a threesome with Summer Bunni and Cuban Doll. TMZ adds that Offset "only loved Cardi and his daughter" and "will take every chance he can to save his family." There's one major obstacle to reconciliation and regaining Cardi's trust, though: the "Bodak Yellow" chart-topper's legion of loyal fans, who aren't shy about expressing their hatred for Offset on her social media channels. TMZ reports that Cardi reads blogs and comments and can be easily swayed by public opinion.
Meanwhile, Cardi B has presented a strong front in the wake of the breakup: During a Dec. 8 performance in Chicago, she changed up her "MotorSport" lyrics, rapping, "I get up set off. I turn Offset on. I told him the other day, yeah, we gon' get a divorce," instead of, "I told him the other day. Man, we should sell that porn." She then addressed the split in a Dec. 9 Instagram Live: "We fell in love with each other. Things was not always gravy cause at the end of the day, we are two different people. But we never did anything for f—– publicity," she said before launching an expletive-filled rant directed at followers who've accused her of breaking up with Offset as part of an elaborate publicity stunt. "A lot of people say that, yeah, I move too fast. Maybe I did. Maybe I didn't. I don't know," she continued. "People fall in love. People get married. People have kids. I don't regret anything cause at the end of the day, I have my daughter. … I learned a lot. I really didn't know nothing much [about] the music industry and my husband helped me. He made me wiser. He let me open my eyes to a lot of things, and even though we're not together anymore … I learned a lot." On Dec. 10, Page Six reported that things have actually been harder for the new mom than they seem: Cardi was booked to perform at a Miami nightclub on Dec. 5 — just hours after she announced the breakup — but refused to leave her hotel room because she was so sad about the split. According to Page Six, she "had to be pushed to a car just to get her there" because she "didn't want to go." Members of her entourage were reportedly overheard saying that she "didn't want to get out of bed — she was so upset about Offset." Once she finally made it to the venue around 4 a.m., "She didn't look like she was thrilled to be there," a witness told Page Six. Then E! News reported that "there is still a chance of reconciliation" for Cardi and Offset, who've yet to start divorce proceedings. A source said that things have "been really hard" for the pair, and although Offset is "trying to win Cardi back," she's "not on board yet" — even though she "still loves" Offset and "wants her family to be whole again." Said the insider, "They haven't been spending time together and Cardi expressed she still wants her space. She is very busy right now with her work and is focused solely on Kulture. … She has her up and down moments where she thinks there could be a chance they can salvage their relationship, but then Cardi is also very upset over the cheating situation. She is very torn and is trying to stay focused on business matters right now. … She doesn't want to have to co-parent Kulture, but isn't quite sure if they can make their relationship work."
If Cardi B and Offset don't reconcile, she can always fall back on Chris Brown, Hollywood Life reported on Dec. 8. "Chris is dying to shoot his shot with Cardi, now that she is single," said a source. "He has always found her sexy and now that Offset is out of the way, Chris is ready to make Cardi his girl. Chris loves Cardi's music, thinks she is gorgeous, sexy and talented but would never disrespect Offset by trying to hit on his wife. Now that the lane is clear, Chris will be liking some of Cardi's pics, maybe leave a few comments and plans to slip into her DMs too. Chris wants to let Cardi know anyway he can that he is interested as soon as possible."
In early December, Priyanka Chopra celebrated her new marriage by officially changing her name to Priyanka Chopra Jonas on Instagram. On Dec. 10, she shared a sweet selfie with her new husband, along with the caption, "Marital bliss they say." Nick, meanwhile, celebrated their first week of marriage by sharing a photo of them cutting their wedding cake, which he captioned, "One week ago today."
Ariana Grande accidentally sparked speculation that she and ex-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez have reconciled romantically when she left an innocuous comment ("these colors are sick") on a photo of the backup dancer that he posted on Instagram on Dec. 10. After sending fans into a frenzy, the singer left a followup comment: "we're friends everyone take a big ol breather."
Liam Hemsworth isn't just Miley Cyrus's boyfriend or fiancé, she told Howard Stern on Dec. 12. He's now her "survival partner" following the devastating wildfires that ravaged California and claimed their Malibu home in November. After the host asked for clarification regarding their relationship status, the singer-actress said, "I call him my 'survival partner' now. He thinks it's not romantic, but I learned that it is. That is why you pair up with someone, for survival, and he was so incredible [during the fires]. He got all [our] animals out in his truck." She went on to joke that her off-and-on love "got a lot of action" for his hard work saving their pets: "We had to make sure he knew I was very, very grateful," she said. It's still unclear whether or not the longtime couple, who originally got engaged in 2012, plan to tie the knot.
In other Cyrus family news… Trace Cyrus and Taylor Lauren Sanders (pictured) are engaged, the rocker announced on Instagram on Dec. 6. "Well… It's official! SHE SAID YES! We're getting married! I will love you FOREVER!!!" Miley Cyrus's older brother captioned a video showing off his love's engagement ring just moments after the proposal, which follows another Cyrus family engagement. Trace and Miley's younger brother, Braison Cyrus, announced on Instagram on Nov. 23 that he got engaged to visual merchandiser Stella McBride. "She said yes 💍 My life has changed in so many amazing ways this year but the most amazing has been meeting and falling in love with you. I love you with all my heart and I cannot wait to marry you," Braison captioned a slideshow of two photos.
Sofia Richie's feelings for Scott Disick are the real deal, People magazine reported on Dec. 10. "She loves Scott and wants to be with him," said a source, adding that the model "loves being around Scott and his kids" and "is hoping that her relationship with Scott lasts." The mother of said kids, Scott's ex-partner Kourtney Kardashian, is reportedly OK with the 20 year old spending time with her three children: "Sofia is happy that she has proved to Kourtney that she is great with her kids," said the insider. (Interestingly, People retracted a portion of their story in which their source says that Sofia "is getting better at handling Scott's family situations in a mature way" and "knows that Kourtney isn't her biggest fan," which she "understands." Added the insider in the since-deleted portion of the report, "Sofia and Kourtney will never be best friends.")
On the Dec. 12 episode of the "Today" show, Gwen Stefani said "there is zero pressure" for her and boyfriend Blake Shelton to get engaged because of the "trauma" they experienced in their first marriages (alleged cheating by their spouses). "I think when there's trauma, the way we had trauma back in the day, going through all these hard times, to get to a place where you find somebody that's like your best friend that you know that you can depend on and trust and just go through life. I think we're just trying to be in the moment as much as we can." So is Blake her forever? "I hope so!" said the singer. "I never thought I would get this moment, and so it's just really special."
Katie Cassidy and Matthew Rodgers — who got engaged in June 2017 — tied the knot in Sunset Key, Florida, on Dec. 8, the "Arrow" actress announced on Instagram. "I can't help falling in love with you… YES! It's official! #MrsRodgers I love you my husband," she captioned a photo of them kissing during their nuptials.
Mick Jagger and Noor Alfallah are no longer an item, the 23 year old revealed on Instagram by sharing photos of herself and her new man: 57-year-old German investor and philanthropist Nicolas Berggruen. It unclear when exactly the brunette beauty and the 75-year-old Rolling Stones rocker parted ways, though she started spending time in public with Nicolas in April.
Gemma Chan and Dominic Cooper made their public debut as a couple at an afterparty for the British Fashion Awards in London on Dec. 10. The duo, who were first linked in August, have yet to walk a red carpet together.
Are Rosie O'Donnell and her fiancée, Elizabeth Rooney, headed for a split? That's what Radar Online — which should be taken with a grain of salt — reported on Dec. 11, alleging that the pair have been fighting recently. "The main thing was Rosie felt Elizabeth flaunted their relationship on social media, and Rosie just isn't like that. She is much more low-key," said a source. But another insider alleged there's a different source of tension for the couple: "The only thing Rosie and Elizabeth ever fight about is Elizabeth's ex," said the second source, who noted that the duo didn't spend Thanksgiving together. "Rosie caught Elizabeth communicating with her ex and Rosie packed up all of her stuff and almost ended it."
Amber Heard dished on her relationship with Elon Musk during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that hit the Internet on Dec. 6. "Elon and I had a beautiful relationship, and we have a beautiful friendship now, one that was based on our core values … intellectual curiosity, ideas and conversation, a shared love for science. We just bonded on a lot of things that speak to who I am on the inside. I have so much respect for him," she said. As for the current state of her love life? "I'm in a relationship with me," she said. (The actress was linked to Heidi Klum's ex Vito Schnabel earlier this year.)
There's no bad blood between Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum, Us Weekly reported on Dec. 6. "They've both handled their split maturely from the start," said a source. "This whole situation has never been contentious, and there's never been any animosity or hatred toward each other."
In video published by TMZ on Dec. 11, Kodak Black proposes to City Girls rapper Yung Miami with a purple Ring Pop at a concession stand at Santa's Enchanted Forest in Miami on Dec. 9. (It's unclear whether or not they're actually engaged … or even dating.) Later, he told 103.5 The Best radio DJ Papa Keith that he's getting married "to the money" and "getting engaged for real" because "why not?" Okay then.
On the Dec. 9 episode of "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," Kandi Burruss and Tameka "Tiny" Harris made it clear that they've never hooked up. "Hell, no," said the star of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," who's fessed up to taking a dip in the lady pond in the past. "Oh, no," chimed in Tiny. "Absolutely not," added Kandi. "Let me tell you: It's a funny story because back when we were younger, Kandi would never even let you, like, [cuddle up to her] on the plane. I like to be, like, laying on everybody. She would be like, 'Get off of me. Get off of me.' I never even thought she would like women. She'd never let you touch her," explained Tiny, adding that she didn't know her Xscape bandmate sometimes liked women until she told her. "It's not like I was going around picking up girls or nothing," said Kandi. "Everybody has an experience in their life — or an experience or two — and you don't necessarily go running around telling everybody because just for instance like now, I've been branded the lesbian of the show. … If a person has an experience or has had a couple experiences, it doesn't determine what they want all their lives." She concluded of Tiny, "She's like a sister to me. She's like family. No. … People just automatically think, like, you hook up with your friends or something."
Kendall Jenner raised eyebrows on Dec. 10 when she took to her Instagram Story to share a photo of a love letter she received: "Dear Kendall," reads the handwritten note. "We may be miles apart but my love for you grows stronger & stronger by the minute. My innermost feeling is love for you. I will love you until death separates us. Right now this separation is killing me, but in my heart I know that nothing could come close to separating us. We are united into one forever, body & soul and I want you to know that I love you from the deepest part of my heart." She blacked out the signature to conceal the sender's identity, prompting speculation the letter could've come from rumored beau Ben Simmons or even former love Harry Styles, who reportedly has similar handwriting. Later, the model revealed the signature: "M+M" for photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot, who are professionally known as Mert & Marcus. "My secret admirer's actually @mertalas & @macpiggott," Kendall explained.
