By Jessica Wedemeyer
12:59pm PDT, Apr 16, 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 mid-April 2020, starting with one of our favorite leading ladies… Kate Beckinsale was snapped holding hands with Goody Grace during a hike in Los Angeles on April 12. The 46-year-old actress and the 22-year-old Canadian crooner were also seen together at a pre-Grammys party on Jan. 25 (pictured), though it was unclear at the time that they're an item. According to a People magazine source, they've been dating "since the beginning of the year" and are quarantining together at the "Underworld" star's home in the Los Angeles area. "They have fun and Kate seems happy. His age is not an issue for her. It's just a number," said the insider, adding that Goody is "talented, driven and mature beyond his age." Goody, by the way, is less than two years older than Kate's daughter, Lily Sheen, with former longtime partner Michael Sheen. "Kate's daughter isn't bothered by the fact that Kate likes younger guys and she is just used to it at this point," said an Us Weekly source, noting that the mother-daughter duo are "still very close" and have a "great" relationship. "Kate is attracted to younger guys that are creative — that's just her type," continued the insider (Kate's previously made headlines for her romances with younger men including comedians Pete Davidson, 26, Matt Rife, 24, and Jack Whitehall, 31). "She likes surrounding herself with them because she likes being 'in the know' and up to date on what's cool." Now keep reading for more of the week's biggest celeb love life updates…
RELATED: New celeb couples of 2020
Us Weekly reported on April 15 that, according to a source, Demi Lovato's new boyfriend, Max Ehrich, "plans to propose" after the coronavirus pandemic has abated. "Their families wouldn't be surprised by the proposal. They think they make a great couple," added the insider. According to a second source, the duo have been "getting really serious" while self-isolating together. "The quarantine has been really great for Demi and her and Max have gotten so close," said the insider. "She's doing a great job at staying sober, healthy and taking care of herself." The source added that the soap star is "a really nice guy" and that he and Demi are "happy together." Meanwhile, the singer-actress opened up about her desire to settle down and have kids during an interview for the cover of the May 2020 issue of Harper's Bazaar, which hit the Internet on April 14: After acknowledging that she could see herself ending up with either a man or a woman, the bisexual superstar said that she's "open to anything." Continued Demi, "People always ask me, 'What's your type?' And I'm like, 'Have you seen my history?' There is no type. It is solely off connection. I wish I could say, 'I only date attractive people.' But I don't." During the interview — which was conducted in early March before she started seeing Max — Demi described herself as "single as all hell." At the time, she wasn't actively looking for love, she said, explaining that she wasn't on Raya — an uber-exclusive dating app for the rich and famous — because she "deleted it out of respect" to the last person she was seeing (presumably Austin Wilson) and wasn't able to reactivate her account after they split. "We broke up and I went to get back on. And I was like, 'You know what? It's fine. I don't need to be on this because I think I'm supposed to be alone right now,'" she said. (Famous last words!)
RELATED: Celeb weddings of 2020
During her Harper's Bazaar cover interview, Demi Lovato also opened up about her former longtime boyfriend, Wilmer Valderrama, saying that she's "really happy" for him on his engagement to Amanda Pacheco. "I wish him nothing but the best, but we're not in each other's lives, haven't spoken in a long time," she said. "But I think I needed that because I needed to learn to be OK on my own. When you get into a relationship with somebody at that young of an age and then you spend six years with somebody, you don't really get to learn about yourself."
RELATED: Celeb engagements of 2020
People magazine reported on April 16 that Princess Beatrice and her fiancé, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, are indefinitely postponing their plans to tie the knot amid the coronavirus pandemic. "There are no plans to switch venues or hold a bigger wedding. They aren't even thinking about their wedding at this time. There will come a time to rearrange, but that's not yet," said a spokesperson for the couple. According to another People source, the couple — who were set to wed at St. James's Palace in London on May 29 — "never actually sent out" wedding invitations. In mid-March, there were reports that Bea and Edo planned to simply downscale their wedding plans.
During an interview with The New York Times that hit the Internet on April 10, Shailene Woodley described herself as "very much single" — it's the first indication that she and rugby player Ben Volavola recently called it quits after about three years of coupledom. "We're societally conditioned to assume that one person can be our end-all, be-all. This is a concept I've been thinking about often right now, because I'm very much single, and I've chosen to be single for a while," she said. "The idea of being with someone … is it only because you've fallen in love with that person, or because there's a newness to understanding yourself because of what that person can offer you?" During the deeply personal interview, she also revealed that she's "someone who has experienced both an open relationship and a deeply monogamous relationship." Said the actress, "I think we're in a day and age where there should be no rules except for the ones designed by two people in a partnership — or three people, whatever floats your boat! But there has to be a level of responsibility in any relationship dynamic, and that responsibility is simply honesty and communication and trust."
Wait, what?! On April 15, Bachelor Nation super-sleuth Reality Steve tweeted that former "The Bachelor" star Chris Soules is dating Victoria Fuller, who recently competed for Peter Weber's heart on season 24 of "The Bachelor" and previously romanced country music star Chase Rice. According to the blogger, they're currently spending the week together in Iowa, where the farmer lives. Steve called the pairing "one of the more random" Bachelor Nation couplings and said that it's unclear "how long this has been going on or how serious it is." According to an Us Weekly source, Chris and Victoria recently connected when he slid into her DMs. "He apparently DMs a lot of people," said the insider.
On the April 8 episode of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," Will Forte's father, Reb Forte, revealed that the former "Saturday Night Live" star is set to wed to his girlfriend of more than a year, Olivia Modling: During their joint game-show appearance, Reb referred to his son as "currently engaged." On April 15, People magazine reported that Will popped the question over the holidays — around the time that his "The Last Man on Earth" co-star Mary Steenburgen referred to him and Olivia as soulmates on Instagram. "When one of your beloveds finds his soulmate," the esteemed actress captioned a Dec. 9 photo of the happy couple wearing matching llama holiday sweaters.
Bruce Willis raised questions about the status of his marriage when he decided to quarantine amid the coronavirus pandemic with his ex-wife, Demi Moore, and their three adult daughters — Rumer Willis, 31, Scout Willis, 28, and Tallulah Willis, 26 — rather than with his current missus, Emma Heming, and their two young daughters: Mabel, 8, and Evelyn, 5. On April 15, People magazine reported that, according to a source, "everything is great" between the action star and his wife of more than a decade. "Demi and Emma are close, and all three get on great as a big blended family. There are no issues at all. Emma needed to stay in L.A. with the young kids," said the insider. A second source added that Bruce and Demi "have been best friends for years" and are "very close."
In other quarantined-ex news… Jesse Metcalfe and Cara Santana were seen together in Los Angeles on April 8, prompting speculation that they're working on their relationship of more than a decade after calling it quits in late January amid a cheating scandal. In photos published by DailyMail.com, the actor can be seen filling his car at a gas station as his former fiancée sits in the passenger seat. According to an Us Weekly source, however, "they are definitely not back together." Explained the insider, "They own a home together and they are quarantined together. Jesse lives in the guest house. They had to make the mature decision to deal with this situation together like many people going through a breakup right now." A second source echoed that the pair are "cohabitating and quarantining together" and "making things work" amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In still more quarantined-ex news… During an interview with "Access" that popped up on YouTube on April 13, La La Anthony said that she and off-and-on love Carmelo Anthony are quarantining together with their son, Kiyan, and other family members amid the coronavirus pandemic. "It's actually been smooth sailing," she said. "To see my son just so happy — even in the midst of what's going on in the world … [that's] what's important and what matters to me. So I feel really great about that." In July 2019, there were reports that the "Power" actress was "proceeding with legal discussions" to potentially end her marriage to the basketball star after he became embroiled in a cheating scandal. It wasn't the first time he'd been accused of cheating: Melo and Lala separated in early 2017 amid reports that he'd been unfaithful and then reconciled in the summer of 2018.
In early March, there were reports that Julianne Hough and her husband of two years, Brooks Laich, were "totally fine" after working through "a rough patch" earlier this year. On April 15, however, People magazine reported that the duo are quarantining separately amid the coronavirus pandemic … but haven't split. "They are still together, but just not quarantined in the same place. Their relationship has always been like this, though — they like to do their own thing," said a source, noting that while the dancer-actress is staying in Los Angeles, her hubby is "living the simple life in nature, which makes him happy." Continued the insider, "Their marriage is not perfect, but they continue to work on it. They speak all the time. Brooks is coming back to L.A. once the stay-home order is lifted."
Us Weekly reported on April 14 that Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez plan to tie the knot in Italy as soon as the coronavirus pandemic has abated. "It was all planned out and paid for," said a source. "They obviously had to postpone it due to coronavirus, but J.Lo wants to marry A-Rod shortly after things go back to normal. … She wants to marry him and celebrate their love in front of her family and close friends."
In mid-April, Nicki Minaj sparked speculation that there's trouble in paradise with her husband of less than a year, Kenneth "Zoo" Petty, when she suddenly changed her name from "Mrs. Petty" to "Barbie" on Instagram and to "YIKES" on Twitter. (When she changed her name to Mrs. Petty on her social media profiles late last year, it was one of the first indications that she and her controversial beau had quietly tied the knot.) On April 14, Page Six reported that it's all much ado about nothing: "Nicki Minaj is still with her man," said a source. "It's just business as usual for her highness as she prepares to release new music." Echoed an Us Weekly source, "They're still together. Nicki has new music on the way, so she's preparing for the next era and readjusted her social media channels accordingly." ("Yikes," by the way, is the name of her latest single, while Barbie is one of the rapper's alter egos.)
After a month of stoking speculation that she and Tyler Cameron are an item, Hannah Brown finally confirmed that she's single. "If you would've asked me a few years ago, I would have been like, oh, for sure by 25 I'm married and possibly thinking about kids, like … trying to get pregnant right now probably," the 25-year-old former star of "The Bachelorette" said during an April 14 Instagram Live. When it comes to kids, "I'm not ready for that just yet. I mean, I could be, like, if something happened, absolutely, I could be," she said. "But I'm still trying to figure out my life and how it's changed. Also, you have to have a significant other for that — and I don't."
On the April 12 episode of "Watch What Happens Live," Kenya Moore said that although she and her estranged husband, Marc Daly, aren't quarantining together amid the coronavirus pandemic (she's in Atlanta while he's in New York City, where he has business commitments), they're still "together." Explained the reality star, "He has been here. He has stayed here when he comes to town, so his clothes are still there. I did start to box them up, and then — in his true fashion — he came back and was like, 'I don't wanna break up. I wanna work on our marriage.'" She added that her hubby "wants to be a better person" and made it clear that she's also open to working on the marriage — so long as Marc isn't the version of himself that fans have seen on the current season of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." Said Kenya, "I think when you're married, you have to try everything to stay together. And if you exhaust everything, then you'll have your answer at the end of the day. So right now, yeah, if he's going to be a changed person — yes [I want to make it work]. If he's going to be the Marc that you've seen? No." Recently, they've been in a good place: "We're actually getting along better than we've gotten along probably [since] shortly after we got married," she said. "It's just been no arguments, no real fights or disagreements. He's been really sweet and caring and thoughtful. It's like, 'Wow! This is the man I married!'" As for her recent assertion that Marc doesn't want her communicating with his parents, Kenya clarified that he simply doesn't have a good relationship with them. "I've met them before. They came to my baby shower. We were in communication then," she said. "I just think whatever happened in that relationship is between them. I get answers, but the answers that I get don't quite make any sense. … He has his own issues that he needs to work out, and I just don't get in the middle of it."
During an interview with "Extra" that popped up online on April 10, NeNe Leakes said that she and her husband, Gregg Leakes, do not have an open marriage. "No, it is not [open]," she said. "I think the reason that people think that is, first of all, there is an age difference between Gregg and I. … I have been with Gregg since I was 28 years old. He was young and I was young, so now they think that since he has gotten older, are they doing anything in the bedroom? The answer is: We're doing a lot in the bedroom." Added the reality star, "I am a flirt, and my husband knows that. … I am not sleeping with these men, and my husband is very much OK with that."
During an April 9 appearance on the "Rick and Sasha" radio show, Toni Braxton said that she and her fiancé, Birdman, "have gone back and forth on wedding dates" and definitely want to tie the knot sometime this year. Explained the singer, "We had a great date, but then it was getting too big — we didn't want a big wedding. Then we said, 'OK, we don't want it too small. Then he said, 'OK, let's do the drive-thru.' I'm like, 'We are not doing a drive-thru. I'm not ordering fries after we get married, babe.'" Added the Grammy winner, "We've been trying to figure it out, but we are definitely gonna do it this year." She went on to explain why she and the rapper are so off-the-radar when it comes to their relationship: "We're aloof," she said. "You don't hardly ever see us together. When we were out, it was a lot of people saying things, and I'm kind of sensitive — I can't deny it. And I want to keep our business private. People can ask me questions — I'm fine with that. It's just sometimes people just have too much of an opinion … and I didn't like that. So we decided we were gonna keep our life quieter." The duo sparked rumors they'd called it quits when they deleted photos of each other from Instagram after they got engaged more than two years ago.
On April 10, Us Weekly reported that, according to a source, Kelley Flanagan "really likes" Peter Weber and "has been into him since the day they met." (They briefly met before she competed for his heart on season 24 of "The Bachelor" and reconnected after they wrapped shooting the reality show.) "She was genuinely hurt, upset and confused when she was eliminated," said the source, noting that the lawyer truly "fell for" the pilot and "didn't go on 'The Bachelor' to just become an Instagram star." Peter has been spending time with Kelley in the wake of his breakups from Hannah Ann Sluss and Madison Prewett. Speaking of Hannah Ann…
On the April 9 episode of Kaitlyn Bristowe's "Off the Vine" podcast, Hannah Ann Sluss opened up (again) about her breakup from Peter Weber: "After we got engaged and then I found out about me being the only girl left, I thought, 'Oh, this is going to be hard to work through,'" she said, referencing the fact that the pilot proposed to her after his other finalist, Madison Prewett, walked away from the competition. "But I was very committed to making it work," she continued, adding that she and Peter were in love "at that time." However, she also acknowledged that their breakup "definitely didn't come out of nowhere." She went on to say that while season 24 of "The Bachelor" was airing earlier this year, she was "grieving the loss of the future" she thought she had with Peter. "And no one can know about it. No one can know that everyday I'm hurting. … I'll be out to lunch with my friends and go to the bathroom and just cry and pretend like everything's fine," she said. "I felt so betrayed by him." Less than a week later, on the April 15 episode of the "Your Favorite Thing" podcast, Hannah Ann shaded her ex while discussing the type of guy she wants to date next. After saying that her next beau will be "the opposite" of Peter, she said she's looking for someone, "very manly" who won't be "messing around" but will be "just to the point [and] decisive." Added Hannah Ann, "I want him to be hot, like, super-hot and hunky. … I want him to be very manly, very, very decisive [and] very independent." She went on to describe the current state of her love life as "really wacky and boring" due to the coronavirus pandemic.
On the April 10 episode of Scheana Shay's "Scheananigans" podcast, Kristen Doute dished on her new boyfriend — "a really nice guy" whom she's known for "many years" and who's also friends with the rest of her squad. "I was trying to keep it very under wraps," the "Vanderpump Rules" star said of her mystery man, with whom she's quarantining amid the coronavirus pandemic. "We're having a really great time and he's kind of back and forth between his house and mine — and that's fine because we're not socially interacting with anyone else." As for her controversial ex, Brian Carter, "He texts me every once in a while to check in on [our dogs]," she said. "[I have] nothing but love and respect for him. I've moved on. I believe he is doing the same."
On the April 8 episode of SiriusXM's "The Jess Cagle Show," Joe Manganiello dished on meeting his wife, Sofia Vergara, at the 2014 White House Correspondents' Dinner, which she attended with her then-fiancé Nick Loeb. "She was wearing this dress that looked great on her, and I just could not take my eyes off of her," recalled the actor, adding that he and his brother "just kind of followed her around" during the star-studded event. Later in the evening, Sofia's "Modern Family" co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson told the "True Blood" actor that his "friend Sofia" wanted "to come over and say hi" because she was a "big fan" of his work. "I said, 'Oh, your friend Sofia whose fiancé is also at this party?'" recalled Joe. "I didn't know what [Jesse] was up to. I was like, 'Is he gonna get me into a fight in my tuxedo here? What is going on?'" Ultimately, Joe and Sofia met and exchanged "pleasantries." Just three weeks later, Sofia announced that she and Nick were calling it quits. Joe immediately "hit up Jesse Tyler Ferguson" and said, "I don't know what kind of emotional state she's in, but tell her I want to take her out." Jesse gave Joe's phone number to Sofia, who was shooting "Hot Pursuit" in New Orleans at the time, and the rest is history! "I said, 'I'm coming to New Orleans. If you're not available, I'm just gonna do some sightseeing, but I'm gonna be there and if you're free I can take you out,'" Joe dished. "She said, 'You're crazy.' I said, 'I'll see you next week.'" Within a year and a half of their first meeting, they'd started dating, gotten engaged and tied the knot.
On the April 9 episode of Variety's "The Big Ticket" podcast, Olivia Munn said that she's never "been that girl" who dreams about her wedding day. "I've just never been the person that's like, 'Oh, I can't wait to get married. This is what it's going to be like [and] what my ring would be,'" she said. "The idea of getting married has always made me a little [nervous]. … I'm like, 'It's hot in here, right?' It's like, 'Really?' … Yeah, I just feel like to pick one person forever." She went on to say that she's only gone to four or five wedding in her life. "The weddings I have gone to, I do find boring," added the actress. "I always think this is interesting at weddings: I feel like the wedding part is really for whoever's marrying them, because you only see the backs of your friends' heads." Olivia, by the way, has been dating Comcast heir Tucker Roberts since late 2018.
During an interview with The New York Times that hit the Internet on April 10, Sandra Lee opened up about the current state of her relationship with her former long-term partner, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo: "He's still my guy," she said, adding that they talk to each other "nearly every day." Dished the TV chef, "Neither one of us, well as far as I know, has had a date. … We share a home, we share children, we share friendship. I will protect him and be there for him until the day I die." She went on to call her ex and his three daughters from a previous relationship "family." Concluded Sandra, "They always will be my family." The Food Network star and the politician called it quits in September 2019 after 14 years of coupledom.
In a video posted to her YouTube channel on April 9, Jeannie Mai opened up about finding love with her fiancé, Jeezy, after taking a year to focus exclusively on herself following her late-2017 split from her husband of a decade, Freddy Harteis: "I knew that coming out of divorce, the last thing I should be doing is trying to date," she said, adding that she lost her "equilibrium" during her marriage and felt like she was "coming out of a whirlwind" when she and her ex finally called it quits. "I didn't know who I was because when you're a wife, you define yourself as a wife and you do everything you're supposed to do in order to serve this marriage, to fight for it, fight the guilt if it's not working out," she said. She went on to say that she "could not believe how long [it] took" to get to a point where she "could quiet the noise and just hear the sound of my own thoughts." She started saying no to her friends, ignoring her phone and staying home on weekends so she could "literally just be at peace" with herself. The process allowed her to get over her embarrassment about being divorced in her late '30s, overcome her fear of starting over again and move past her concerns about her ability to meet someone new. "It's OK to be a work in progress, to actually accept that — that was a big turning point for me," she said, noting that she "wasn't ready to date" yet when her friends first started trying to set her up. After a year of working on herself, though, she "started to build this idea of the type of relationship" she wanted. "It actually made me not need to go out and look for dating but instead just carry on with my life feeling more confident about how OK I was," she said. She then listed the qualities she determined she needed in a relationship: thorough communication, brutal honesty, respect, understanding, vision, forgiveness, unity and healthy love. "When I got so specific with what exactly I wanted, I absolutely believe that I [manifested] what came to life," she said. When she went on her first date with Jeezy on Nov. 28, 2018, she "immediately knew that he was special," she gushed. "I just saw this crazy kindness in his eyes and this humility," she continued while fighting back tears. "He — like me — hasn't made the best choices in life. Things didn't always turn out the way they were supposed to, but in our careers, we look like we have all the answers. We look like, 'Yo, these people can't possibly live a day being unhappy.' But I could see right away that he had been broken like me. It was insane. So I was able to connect with that. We are great at where we are at right now, as far as spending each day to unveil more of each other and appreciate it." Concluded Jeannie, "I absolutely positively know that I could not have fallen in love today had I not fallen in love with myself."
During an interview with Women's Health that hit the Internet on April 14, Alison Brie gushed of husband Dave Franco, "I'm so lucky I'm married to a really wonderful, open person. We have great lines of communication, and I can talk often about my feelings." The duo tied the knot in 2017.
During an April 8 Instagram Live, Nicole Ari Parker opened up about the importance of spending quality time as a couple with her husband, Boris Kodjoe, after nearly 15 years of marriage: "I wish that he was my boyfriend again," she said. "I don't necessarily want to be single, but I miss the single life. I miss the text messages for no reason. I miss the coming up from behind me when I'm scrambling eggs and just kissing me on the back of the neck." She went on to say that when strangers flirt, "they have a freshness or a newness" that can be enticing. "I personally believe that if you're in it for the long haul, that freshness and newness is still possible — if you talk about it," she continued. "I know we talk about date night — we need to go have a date night. I know we talk about kissing and texting for no reason, but the last [time] you texted me was over the cabinet guy." The "Soul Food" co-stars tied the knot in 2005 and have since welcomed two children.
During an interview with HELLO! magazine that popped up online on April 12, Elizabeth Hurley said she'd "love to fall madly in love with someone" once the coronavirus pandemic has abated and she's no longer "locked down with blood relatives." Added the actress, "Maybe when it's over I'll put my headlamps on full beam and make an effort."
Al Roker took to Instagram on April 12 to announce that his daughter, Courtney, recently accepted a marriage proposal from her boyfriend, DJ Wesley Laga. "We are so thrilled the @djweslaga asked @ouichefcourtney to marry him. #shesaidyes Could not be more thrilled for these two," the proud papa captioned a collage of photos of his little girl and her new fiancé showing off her engagement bling. On her own Instagram, Courtney explained that her beau originally planned to pop the question during a vacation in Paris: "Life sometimes takes you in a different direction for a reason. We should have been in Paris, but with how the world is at the moment, it was placed on hold. Instead, Wes brought Paris to me with the music, lights and live cam shot of the Eiffel Tower on our TV. I said yes to my best friend last night and I am over the moon! Thank you Wes for making me your partner in crime for life. I love you," she captioned an April 11 slideshow of photos.
