It was late 2015. One Direction was basically on the brink of their "hiatus" (which we all know turned into a permanent break), and the fandom was in absolute shambles. Amidst all that chaos, Louis Tomlinson—who was already dealing with the news that he was about to become a father—started showing up in paparazzi shots with a girl who wasn't Briana Jungwirth.
That girl was Danielle Campbell.
If you weren't on Twitter (now X) during that era, you missed a very specific kind of internet fever dream. Louis Tomlinson and Danielle Campbell weren't just another celebrity couple; they were the center of a storm involving baby rumors, a boy band's ending, and a level of scrutiny that would make most people delete their social media accounts in an hour. Honestly, looking back at it now from 2026, it feels like a lifetime ago, but the details of their year-long romance still hold some of the weirdest trivia in 1D history.
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The Millions of Milkshakes Debut
It all started in December 2015. They were spotted at a place called Millions of Milkshakes in West Hollywood. It sounds like a Disney Channel date, right? Danielle was already pretty famous in her own right—she was starring as Davina Claire on the hit CW show The Originals.
People didn't know what to make of it. At the time, Louis was preparing for the birth of his son, Freddie Reign, who was born just a few weeks later in January 2016. The timeline was... tight. It’s one of those things that usually sends a PR team into a full-blown panic.
But Louis didn't seem to care about the "bad timing" optics. He was seen with Danielle in Chicago (her hometown) for the holidays, grabbing ice cream and acting like a normal 20-something couple. It was a weirdly domestic start for a guy who was arguably the most famous pop star on the planet at that moment.
Making It Instagram Official (The "Lucky" Post)
They didn't rush to confirm anything. For months, it was just grainy photos of them walking dogs or grabbing coffee in LA. It wasn't until April 2016 that Louis finally posted that infamous black-and-white photo on Instagram. It was a simple shot of him kissing her cheek with the caption: “Lucky.”
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That one word basically broke the internet.
For the next few months, they were inseparable. You’ve probably seen the photos from the Monaco Grand Prix in May 2016. They looked like the quintessential Hollywood couple—big sunglasses, expensive yachts, and a lot of PDA. They even did the music festival circuit, showing up at Glastonbury and looking surprisingly low-key.
The Briana Jungwirth Tension
You can't talk about Louis and Danielle without mentioning the drama with Briana Jungwirth. Being the "new girlfriend" while the "mother of the child" is navigating the first year of parenthood is a nightmare scenario.
In July 2016, things got messy.
Photos surfaced of Danielle at the beach in Malibu with Louis and baby Freddie. Shortly after, Briana tweeted something about not wanting another woman to "interact" with her child and "confuse" him. It was a public jab that confirmed what everyone suspected: the co-parenting situation was tense. Danielle was stuck in the middle of a custody battle and a very loud fan base that wasn't always kind to her.
Why Did They Actually Break Up?
By the time late 2016 rolled around, the vibes changed. The couple hadn't been seen together in a while. Then, December 2016 hit, and it was a devastating month for Louis. His mother, Johannah Deakin, passed away after a battle with leukemia.
Danielle was there. She was seen supporting him during his emotional performance of "Just Hold On" on The X Factor just days after his mother died. She even posted a birthday tribute to him on December 24, calling him "my love."
But by January 2017, it was over.
The split was reported as "amicable," which is usually celebrity-speak for "we just grew apart," but the timing was interesting. Almost immediately after the breakup, rumors started swirling that Louis was back in contact with his long-time ex, Eleanor Calder.
The Friend Zone and Beyond
Unlike many messy Hollywood breakups, Louis and Danielle actually seemed to stay on decent terms. Insiders at the time told The Sun and People that they were "still mates."
- No "Lemonade" style diss tracks.
- No shady Instagram captions.
- Just a clean break.
Danielle eventually moved on and started dating her The Originals co-star Colin Woodell in 2018. They got engaged in 2023 and officially tied the knot in September 2025. Louis, meanwhile, went back to Eleanor for several years before they finally called it quits again around 2022/2023. More recently, in early 2025, he’s been linked to Zara McDermott, showing that his taste in high-profile, talented women hasn't changed much.
What Most People Get Wrong About Them
A lot of fans back then claimed the relationship was a "PR stunt" to distract from the baby news. But if you look at the actual evidence—the way Danielle supported him through his mother's death, the quiet dates in Chicago, the way they've never bad-mouthed each other in the decade since—it feels a lot more real than people gave it credit for.
She was a 21-year-old girl who stepped into a literal firestorm of fame and family drama, and she handled it with a lot of grace.
Lessons from the Louis and Danielle Era
If you’re still following the lives of the 1D guys, there are a few things we can take away from this specific chapter:
- Privacy is a Choice: Louis showed that even at the height of fame, you can keep the "how we met" details quiet if you really want to.
- Co-parenting is Hard: The friction between Danielle and Briana was a real-world example of how difficult it is to blend families under a microscope.
- Timing Isn't Everything: They met at a "bad" time, but they made it work for over a year, proving that life doesn't stop just because things get complicated.
If you're looking for more updates on what Louis is up to now, you should check out his latest tour footage or follow Danielle’s career—she’s been killing it in projects like Tell Me a Story and more recently The Waterfront.
Keep an eye on social media for any potential reunions, though honestly, they’ve both clearly moved into very different chapters of their lives. The best way to stay updated is to follow verified fan accounts that track their career moves rather than just the gossip.