A few weeks ago, Aaron Johnson and Sam Taylor-Wood announced that they were expecting their second child together. He’s 21, she’s 44. They got together when he was 18. Their first child together, Wylda Rae, just turned one year old. So… it’s intense. Anyway, they were spotted last night after dining at Claridges in England. These are some photos of them in the taxi, but if you want to see Sam’s latest bump, go here to The Mail. I’m glad they’re out and about, and they do look happy with each other, with the world, with everything. So I guess they’re solid? Sure. For now.
They raised eyebrows when they got together because of the 23-year age gap and critics said it would never last – but Sam Taylor-Wood and fiancé Aaron Johnson showed just how blissfully happy they were together on a night out in London last night. It was the first time Croydon-born artist Sam, 44, and Kick-Ass star Aaron Johnson, 21, have been seen since announcing they are expecting their second child together – and their deep love for each other was clear for all to see.
The couple, who raised eyebrows when they began dating in 2009 due to their 23-year age gap, already have a one-year-old daughter called Wylda Rae.
Ms Taylor-Wood, who was awarded an OBE for her services to the arts earlier this year, is due to give birth early in 2012, her representative confirmed last month. The pair met on the set of Ms Taylor-Wood’s directorial debut Nowhere Boy, in which Mr Johnson, 21, played a young John Lennon. The couple, who live in a £11million townhouse in Primrose Hill, north London, then got engaged on Halloween of that year.
Ms Taylor-Wood, who also has two daughters from her marriage to art dealer Jay Jopling from 1997 to 2008, previously revealed it was Johnson who wanted the couple to start a family.
She said: ‘Aaron, almost before anything started between us, said he wanted kids. He was very clear about wanting a family. We hardly go out now – it’s just us. Aaron has brought a set of values I didn’t even know I was looking for – family values.’
She added: ‘He is more grounded. He has been getting work offers which he has turned down because he wants to be here for the crucial first months of Wylda’s life.’
Ms Taylor-Wood also attacked the media for concentrating on relationships between younger men and older women, who have been labelled ‘cougars’.
She said: ‘In the old days, “controversial” in a relationship meant same-sex or mixed races. Now, it is a woman with a younger man. That would not happen with a man.’
Mr Johnson has also defended the relationship, saying: ‘I’ve got a wonderful woman. I’m an old soul, and she’s a young soul.’
[From The Mail]
Wow, Aaron had “family values” at the age of 18?!? I guess I shouldn’t be so shocked. After all, there’s a segment of the American population who think it’s fine for two 16, 17 or 18-year-olds to get married in general, or if the guy got the girl pregnant. What’s so different with this? That Sam is older and wiser and she’s already had plenty of experience raising two nearly-adult children? I think Sam and Aaron make more sense than two 17-year-olds getting married and having a baby, honestly.
Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News, and one photo from June, courtesy of WENN.
Good Luck to them. If it was an older man and younger women, I bet that would have never been stated. Double standards suck! Hope these two have a happy long life together.
I find it weird that she didn’t already have that sense of “family values” since she already had 2 children. What’s the deal with that? In terms of their being together, she’s my age, and I can’t imagine being with someone that much younger. She’s way more secure that I am-I’d always be thinking he’d want someone closer to his age and without all the complications.
“Aaron has brought a set of values I didn’t even know I was looking for – family values.”
Erm…you’ve got 2 kids already. Were they raised by wolves in your back garden or something?
“That would not happen with a man.”
Because no-one ever mentions the 16 years between Tom Cruise & his Stepford wife, or the 25 years between Michael Douglas & CZJ, or the 35 between Green Mile guy and his *cough* 16-year old bride or the 63 years between Anna Nicole Smith & J. Howard Marshall in EVERY SINGLE ARTICLE about them, do they?
I don’t care what 2 consenting adults get up to, but if it’s no biggie she wouldn’t keep commenting on it – as it is it’s the only thing keeping this woman relevant because her “art” sure ain’t cutting it these days.
Go on – name any of her installations.
Threse 2 crazy kids are growing on me. I hope they make it.
I think they make a cute couple actually, but I often eye roll when they try to do the whole “aaron’s the adult in this relationship, AND he brings the family values” rhetoric. It’s just to try to answer back critics of their age gap, but it just makes her look like an idiot as a result if some kid has to explain to her what adulthood looks like. I think instead she should be like, who wouldn’t want a piece of 19 year old ass? lol
They’ve already lasted longer than most hollywood couples that are similar in age. What is the average time for a couple in that business to stay together? A couple of months, until something better comes along?
These two really love each other, so i’ll take them over the ‘fakes’ any day
They do seem like the real deal and a bit of fantasy (minus the kids) come true. @riley, yes who wouldn’t want that?!
I can’t get on board with supporting this relationship. She was 42. He was 18. The power dynamic is off.
Let’s put this in a different context. Sam is a female teacher and Aaron is in her class. She’s 42 and he’s 18. They hook up and have a kid. What would the consequences be then?
tapioca – I would not have a problem with them being together if they hooked up when he was a bit older. If he was in his early 20s and she was still 24 years older then it would be more acceptable to me. The issue is that an 18 year old is still socially and emotionally immature and developing as a person.
After reading Corey Feldman’s thread and then this one…. something is just off with this hook up…..
I always think of Maxwell Caulfield and Juliet Mills when there’s a post on these two. There was an 18 year age difference when they got married, he was 21 and she was 39.
30 years later they are still married, so it can be done.
Wishing Sam and Aarron the best.
@Turtle Dove The only consequences I see from your scenario is the teacher losing her job.
good for them if they’re happy…but her “family values” statement is off putting- its like her past relationships with her ex-husband and 2 children don’t matter anymore. WTF!
I wish them well and hope they’ll be able to withstand censure from society on top of all standard challenges of maintaining relationships and raising kids together.
Just because lots of young adults you know are reckless airheads caring only about getting laid and drunk doesn’t mean every one who’s 18 is. I know I wasn’t. Don’t see why this guy can’t be an exception as well.
@Turtle Dove: There is a big difference between a simple (albeit large) age gap and a teacher-student relationship. Not sure about the USA, but here in Canada, the age of consent is 16, except when the adult is in a position of trust and/or authority over the young person, such as a teacher or doctor, in which case it’s 18. Some people desire a certain “power dynamic” in their personal relationships and it works for them.
I don’t know – these people are both adults, have been dating for a couple of years and have a family together. They don’t even look mismatched standing next to each other. Nothing to see here, really.
Yeah, it is fine now.
But what about when he’s 60 and she’s 83?
My parents have a 16-year age gap and it is NO FUN FOR THEM.
They aren’t hurting anybody, so what’s the big deal?
I love this couple and hope they prove everyone wrong. No one would bat an eye if the genders were reversed.
@Toot: I am SO glad to hear Max and Juliet are still married! That was scandalous back then!
My “old man” was 20 and I was almost 32 when we got together. 15 years and still going strong!
I only think its messed up because he was a teenager. The age difference wouldnt bother me if they hooked up in his twenties. 18 is still..ugh its just weird. What happens when he passes 25 and his career picks up and there are young hot girls around him? Unless they have an open relationship it wont last. Hes a young guy who hasnt lived out the party years.
The 23 year age gap is only relative to age. If he was 30 i would be a different story but he was 18.
And I’m still not sure he isn’t in it for something. I don’t care if his m.o. is to date older women but let’s be real his first older girlfriend is a well connected millionairess, spare me the old soul bull. I doubt he’d give her a second glance if he couldn’t get something from her. That’s not to say he doesn’t love her but he wouldn’t have given her a jump off if he didn’t get something from it or see an opportunity.
Only here because ever since Kaiser posted that video of him dancing, I find him pretty hot. Like others have said, it’s sort ill-advised to suggest you didn’t have family values when you’ve already been married and have children. Guess the PR agent didn’t think of that.
In the UK the age of consent is 16 and drinking age is 18. It seems we start partying and having sex earlier than in the US and it quickly becomes boring for some people.
Also since he’s been acting since he was a kid, he has probably been treated and acted like an adult since he was quite young.
I think it’s entirely possible that he went wild when he was younger and grew tired of it & wanted to grow up and concentrate on his work.
It’s about as likely as with any other man that he’ll suddenly want to start going out again and be interested in other women.
I wonder how weird it gets when one of them does something that reminds the other how old they really are and have a – D: Oh dear God! – moment
I saw an interview Sam T-W gave on an English chat show that was pretty interesting. She’s survived cancer twice and she really seems to be about living in the moment. I think this relationship makes sense if that is your world view.
I wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about the future- will he want to experience some adult life without all of the responsibilities? what happens when I reach an age where I really look older and he’s still virile? etc…
She isn’t thinking about the future; she’s living in the present, and right now they are in love, and happy, and building their family.
I haven’t met a 19 year old that I would want to date (and I’m 32), but I guess it could happen!
…ewwwww 60 and 83…yowza…whatever happened to that Maxwell Caufield (Grease 2) and Juliet Mills? Apparently they’re still together and i would LOVE to see some recent shots of the two of them…he’s 51 and she’s 69…been married since 1980!
hope the kids get his hair
I think they seem happy. Anyway, she doesn’t have two “nearly-adult” children–her daughters are 13 and 5. Sure, the 13 year old may be a little close in age to Aaron for some people but it’s not as if she has children of the same age as him.
She is lucky, he is super cute
Honestly, as much as I see how in love they are, I just can’t over their ages. I know, there’s this double standard with older men-younger women but dude, I just wish Sam was as gorgeous as Nicole Kidman or Catherine Zeta-Jones- only because Aaron is so hot.