Newsflash: Luke Wilson's Age Gap With His Girlfriend Is None Of Our Business

When it was announced that Luke Wilson and his girlfriend had a baby together, many people focused on their age gap. Previously, "The Royal Tenenbaums" actor had kept his relationship with girlfriend Kendall Yates mostly under wraps. In 2023, it was confirmed that the pair was dating, and they were spotted a few times by paparazzi out in public. But Wilson didn't make their romance Hollywood-official until June 2024, when he brought Yates to an after-party for the premiere of "Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1." A year later, Yates was by Wilson's side at another premiere, and that time they had their newborn baby in tow.

When Wilson attended the premiere for his "The Hawk" Netflix series on July 8, with Yates holding their baby, media outlets shared the news. Some affixed the couple's 30-year age difference to their headlines — at the time of the premiere, Wilson was 54 years old and Yates was 24 years old. Many fans were surprised to learn that the couple had a bigger age gap than they thought and had a negative reaction to the news. "I'm sorry but this is disgusting. I am in my 50's and would have nothing in common with someone 24 years old," one X user replied. "She has more in common with the baby," another wrote.

Meanwhile, others pointed out that not only was a large age difference nothing new in Hollywood, where some celebrities marry people younger than their kids, but that Yates was a grown woman free to choose who she wanted to start a family with. "Do they make each other happy? Do they [treat] each other with respect? Then it's none of our business," one defender wrote. "If he really couldn't have a traditional relationship, then this is such a smart move, girlfriend not wife," another commented. This wasn't the first time fans judged Wilson and Yates' relationship.

As mentioned, Luke Wilson and Kendall Yates rarely make public appearances together, but photos of the couple out together in Los Angeles were published by the Daily Mail in April. That, of course, was only months before they walked the red carpet with their newborn baby. Pics showed Yates in a very baggy white t-shirt that did little to conceal her large baby bump. 

The snaps inspired a Reddit thread where some attacked the "Old School" star for having a child with a woman 30 years his junior. That sparked debate, as other Redditors defended the couple. "The age gap isn't for everyone, but she's an adult and decided to pursue the relationship too," one wrote. Some believed the actor and his younger girlfriend had made a sensible decision. "He stated his intentions and followed through on them, he supports financially," a Redditor replied.

Luke isn't the only one in his family who had kids before getting married. His brother Owen Wilson had three kids with ex-girlfriends. Owen welcomed his third child in 2018, and being an uncle has had an impact on Luke. "I definitely, you know, want to start a family, and both my brothers have great kids, and I so enjoy being around them," the "Idiocracy" actor said on "Today with Hoda & Jenna" in June 2024. That was during a discussion about how being in his 50s had affected Luke. "I certainly have the feeling that I definitely have matured," he said. That milestone of turning 50 certainly appeared to be a motivating factor for Luke to have his own kids. "Oh, okay. So this is where the phrase midlife crisis comes from," he told People in June 2021.