The Rumored Reason Glen Powell And His Ex Gigi Paris Really Split
Glen Powell and Gigi Paris might not have been deemed an "It Couple," but that didn't stop fans from going into a frenzy when news of their breakup surfaced, especially with rumors swirling around that Powell's on-screen romance with his "Anyone But You" co-star, Sydney Sweeney, had spilled over into real life. After all, it was just too coincidental that Powell and Paris called it quits in the middle of Powell and Sweeney promoting the rom-com in which they swapped spit a bajillion times. But it turns out Sweeney wasn't the homewrecker the internet wanted her to be.
However, it's not like the rumors were unfounded, either. Fans grew even more suspicious when Paris unfollowed Sweeney on Instagram, which is the digital equivalent of a friendship breakup. What's more, it was also around this time that photos of Sweeney being chummy with Powell's family when they visited the film's shoot in Australia surfaced, adding even more fuel to the fire. Then again, actors getting close with each other's families is hardly proof of a behind-the-scenes scandal, and stars sparking romance rumors whenever they pretend to be in love on-screen is almost a tradition at this point (see also: Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio).
Despite all the drama, both Sweeney and Powell still made an effort to shut down the rumors (more on this later). And the main culprit for Powell's split from Paris? It's apparently the same old reason why so many celebrity romances fall apart: the strain of a long-distance relationship.
Paris reportedly grew tired of dating long distance
Just in case it wasn't clear the first time — Sydney Sweeney had nothing to do with Glen Powell and Gigi Paris' split. A source close to the pair confirmed to ET that the breakup indeed occurred when Sweeney and Powell were doing their "Anyone But You" promo, but their parting of ways was civil.
The breakup has been a long time coming, too. A source told People that their relationship had already been on the rocks for some time, even before "Anyone But You" started filming. "Gigi and Glen had broken up several times. They had been on the rocks since 'Top Gun' came out. Gigi was never happy with the long distance filming and when she came to Australia they both decided to break up for good," they said, with another insider confirming that no third party was involved at all. "It wasn't about infidelity," they clarified. "She's on different coasts modeling, he's on different coasts filming. When she left, they were on great terms."
As for the whole unfollowing shebang? There's not much drama about that, either. "Gigi only unfollowed Sydney on social media because Sydney never followed her back," the source dished. "This had nothing to do with Glen and Sydney. Gigi is aware that Glen and Sydney never hooked up."
Powell took the breakup hard
Glen Powell isn't afraid to admit that his separation from Gigi Paris had been tough on him. They did spend roughly three years together, after all. Speaking with Business Insider, the "Twisters" star shared that doing promo for "Anyone But You" proved difficult because he was simultaneously trying to come to terms with the split. "I was with someone that I really loved and cared about and was trying to kind of make sense of a lot of stuff," he said.
He also got candid about the breakup in an interview with Men's Health, acknowledging the effect his lifestyle has placed on the relationship. "It's a lot to deal with. Honestly, I really try to be a great partner. When I love, I love hard. I also understand that the speed and uncertainty of my life is a very hard thing to put up with," he explained.
Now, if you were duped into thinking that there was something going on between him and Sydney Sweeney, it's all just for show, apparently. "I'll pretty much give Sydney all the credit for this. I don't have the mental capacity to pull anything like this off, but she's very smart ... And look, Sydney and I do have authentic chemistry," he acknowledged. And to put the rumors to rest, Sweeney cleared the air once and for all in her "Saturday Night Live" monologue, clarifying that she and her fiance, Jonathan Davino, co-produced the film and that he had been on set there the whole time. "I just want to let everyone know that he's the man of my dreams, and we're still together and stronger than ever," she said. There, case closed!