They were the "it" couple that nobody saw coming, and then, just as suddenly, they were the couple that wasn't. Honestly, if you spent any time on TikTok in 2022 or 2023, you probably saw a grainy video of Austin Butler and Kaia Gerber making out backstage at an awards show or looking intensely moody in a Saint Laurent campaign. They had that specific brand of Hollywood magnetism that made people obsessed.
But by late 2024, the silence became deafening.
The Quiet End of an Era
Rumors started swirling when Austin was a no-show at the Gerber family’s annual New Year’s Eve trip to Cabo San Lucas. If you follow the Gerbers—Cindy Crawford, Rande, and Presley—you know that Cabo is their sanctuary. Being invited is basically like getting a key to the kingdom. Austin had been a fixture there for years. When he didn't show up to ring in 2025, the internet knew.
The news officially broke in January 2025. Sources confirmed to People and TMZ that the pair had called it quits after roughly three years.
It wasn't a messy, plate-smashing breakup. No "scandal" or cheating allegations followed. Instead, insiders described it as a relationship that simply "ran its course." Basically, they grew apart. By the time the news hit the public, Kaia was already being spotted with someone else: Lewis Pullman.
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The Age Gap That Set the Internet on Fire
You can’t talk about Austin and Kaia without talking about the ten-year age gap.
Austin was 30 and Kaia was 20 when they first grabbed a yoga class together in December 2021. For most people, a decade isn't a huge deal. But for the internet? It was fuel for a thousand think pieces.
The real "internet-breaking" moment happened when a 2007 photo resurfaced. It showed a five-year-old Kaia Gerber meeting Austin’s then-girlfriend, Vanessa Hudgens, at a High School Musical 2 premiere. Austin was 15 at the time. Seeing a literal child meeting the woman who would later be replaced by that child in a romantic context was, for many, "kinda weird."
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Critics argued they were in different life stages. Austin had spent a decade grinding for his "big break" before Elvis catapulted him into the stratosphere. Kaia, while undeniably hardworking, was born into the highest echelons of fashion royalty.
A Timeline of the Major Moments
Looking back, their relationship was a masterclass in "private but not secret." They rarely talked about each other in interviews, yet they weren't afraid of a little PDA when the cameras were rolling.
- December 2021: The "Yoga Date" that started it all.
- March 2022: They made it "official" at W Magazine's pre-Oscar party.
- May 2022: The Met Gala. This was the hard launch. They didn't walk the carpet together, but they met at the top of the stairs for a kiss that went viral.
- May 2022: Cannes Film Festival. If the Met Gala was the launch, Cannes was the coronation. The photos of them kissing on the red carpet during the Elvis premiere are basically iconic now.
- January 2023: The Golden Globes. This was Austin's big night, and Kaia was caught on camera celebrating his win with a lot of enthusiasm backstage.
- October 2024: Their last major public sighting at a Gracie Abrams concert in New York.
Why the Spark Faded
By mid-2024, reports started leaking that things weren't as "secure" as they once seemed. A source told Life & Style that Austin was starting to feel the disconnect between their two worlds.
He's a guy who struggled for years to be taken seriously. She's a "nepo baby" (her words, sort of) who has always had the world at her fingertips. While they shared a love for old movies and quiet nights, the fundamental differences in their upbringings allegedly started to grate.
There were also those persistent engagement rumors. In 2023, DeuxMoi reported that Austin had popped the question. The internet went into a frenzy. However, representatives for the couple were quick to shut it down. They weren't heading for the altar; they were heading for a crossroads.
What’s Next for the Former Power Couple?
As of early 2026, both have firmly moved on.
Kaia has been frequently seen with Lewis Pullman (son of Bill Pullman), and the vibe seems much more low-key. They were spotted looking very cozy at the Venice Film Festival, and sources say she enjoys the "easygoing" nature of the relationship.
Austin, meanwhile, has leaned into his work. With Masters of the Air and Dune: Part Two behind him, he’s focused on cementing his status as a generational talent. He hasn't been linked to anyone seriously since the split, seemingly preferring to keep his head down and his voice... well, whatever voice he’s using these days.
If you're following the aftermath of this A-list split, here are a few things to keep an eye on:
- Social Media Cleanups: Watch for the subtle archiving of old photos, though both have historically been quite sparse on Instagram anyway.
- Award Season Seating: Now that they are both single (or with new partners), the "will they run into each other" drama at the 2026 ceremonies will be peak tabloid fodder.
- New Project Overlap: Both are active in the indie film scene; a shared casting call would be the ultimate awkward Hollywood moment.
The Austin and Kaia era was a specific moment in pop culture—a blend of "Old Hollywood" glamour and "New Hollywood" celebrity. It didn't last forever, but while it did, it certainly gave us plenty to talk about.