Meet Olivia Dunne's MLB Star Boyfriend, Paul Skenes
The love lives of celebrities are always a topic of interest to fans, and that rule even applies to people who have risen to fame through social media, like the D'Amelio family. But when fans aren't speculating over Charli D'Amelio and Landon Barker's relationship, they're turning their attention to a new TikTok sensation — Olivia Dunne. However, for Dunne, the sudden attention was something she wasn't expecting and even harder to deal with as her personal life went under scrutiny.
Dunne gained a following after starting at Louisiana State University and joining the gymnastics team. Before attending LSU, she competed in the 2016 and 2017 P&G Championship, putting her on the map as one to watch. Aside from her athletic success, Dunne has found social media fame, accumulating nearly five million followers on Instagram and seven and a half million followers on TikTok. Since her rise to celebrity status, Dunne has been open about dealing with heightened scrutiny and online discourse, including speculation and attention about her boyfriend, MLB pitcher Paul Skenes.
Dunne and Skenes met while attending LSU
Paul Skenes has been making as many professional moves as Olivia Dunne has; both athletes have risen to success in the early years of their careers. Skenes attended LSU for a year before he was picked first in the 2023 MLB draft and contracted out to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Along with his athletic success, Skenes broke a record with his contract, signing over for $9.2 million, surpassing previous record holder Spencer Torkelson with a $8.4 million contract.
Skenes explained to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he and Dunne met while at LSU because Skenes' friend was dating Dunne's roommate. The couple confirmed their relationship in August 2023 after eagle-eyed fans spotted Dunne with Skenes in a TikTok video. Since then, the two have been spotted out and about, attending an LSU football game together and enjoying a romantic during the holidays in New York City.
Skenes and Dunne have struggled with the media attention
As Olivia Dunne has learned the hard way, gaining any kind of online following comes with lots of unprovoked attention, whether positive or negative. Dunne told Elle in 2023, "It's hard to handle at times, definitely, because I am just a 20-year-old student." So when news of her relationship with Paul Skenes reached the masses, public scrutiny put a strain on their relationship.
"It can be a pain in the butt sometimes, to be honest, in terms of actually going anywhere," Skenes explained to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I do wish she could come to a baseball game and just enjoy it. It does irk me."
Despite the increased eyes on the couple since they confirmed their relationship, Skenes and Dunne are determined not to let it get them down. "She does get it ... I'm sure it'll get better as I go up levels, but that's something I want for her," Skenes explained about his desire for Dunne to be able to go out in public without being mobbed by fans.