5 Signs Kaia Gerber And Austin Butler's Relationship Wasn't Going To Last

When news broke in January 2025 that Kaia Gerber and Austin Butler had split after three years of dating, not everyone was surprised. TMZ claimed that the two mutually ended their romance in late 2024, but there were plenty of signs the relationship wasn't going to last long before that. One of the biggest indications that it probably wouldn't last forever was their extensive age gap. The former couple first ignited dating rumors back in 2021 when Gerber was 20 and the "Elvis" star was 30. 

Though a decade between a couple isn't always a red flag, it can cause problems for those who don't know how to manage an age gap relationship. People in their early 20s can be at a considerably different life stage than those in their early 30s, and the significant age difference between these two stunning stars was never more obvious than when Gerber's awkward connection to Butler's ex Vanessa Hudgens came to light in 2022. But, sadly, that wasn't the only sign these two weren't going the distance.

As somewhat expected of a couple with a 10-year age difference, almost immediately there were suggestions in the press that Kaia Gerber and Austin Butler were simply too different. But it wasn't just the years between them that reportedly caused a divide. "Kaia is from a different world than Austin, who had to fight for everything he has and prove himself at every turn. The fact that his dreams are finally coming true after years of struggle has only intensified that disconnection," a source dished to Life & Style magazine in May 2024, adding, "Sure, they're both 'actors' but they have nothing in common, and they know it." 

Gerber grew up in the spotlight thanks to her famous parents, supermodel Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, and Crawford has naturally ensured her kids live lavish lifestyles. Gerber has made no secret of her privileged upbringing, either, telling The Wall Street Journal in 2024, "I personally am very aware of all the wonderful things it has done for me, and I would never, ever say anything negative about it, because that is my truth about it." Butler had humbler beginnings and he started actively working his way to the top when he was a teenager. Those fundamental differences in their upbringings eventually came to a head. 

As the insider put it to Life & Style, "This is not a match made in heaven, and it's starting to dawn on Austin that Kaia doesn't take her so-called 'career' nearly as seriously as he does." 

There's no one perfect timeline for romance, but it's hard to argue that Kaia Gerber didn't move on a bit too quickly with Austin Butler following her split from Jacob Elordi. The supermodel and the Australian actor were together for just over a year, and they broke up in November 2021. Just one month later, Gerber was photographed out and about with Butler. Despite seemingly being fresh out of another high-profile romance, the "Bottoms" star was apparently all in from the get-go. In fact, as a source excitedly informed OK! magazine in July 2024, "After two weeks of dating, Kaia told him that she loves him, and now she's asked him to move into her Los Angeles home."

Gerber's rush to proclaim her love for Butler could arguaby be taken as another indication that this celebrity couple wasn't going to last, as moving too quickly can sometimes be a sign that someone is getting carried away by romance and not thinking things through. As Hannah Reeves, an LMFT relationship therapist at online dating platform Private Sugar Club, explained to Women, "I often remind clients (especially those in the early stages of dating) that sweeping declarations can feel incredibly romantic, like something straight out of a rom-com. But they can also be a bit of a red flag." Especially, as it turns out, when you're fresh out of another serious relationship.

Though Kaia Gerber and Austin Butler were often snapped attending glitzy events and looking cozy out in the world together, pointedly, neither party discussed the other in interviews. The supermodel was asked about her man during her 2024 chat with The Wall Street Journal, but reasoned simply, "Honestly, I feel like so few things in my life are private, and that is one of the things that I try to keep as sacred as possible." What made Gerber's explanation somewhat odd, though, was that she was willing to open up about her private life in a sentimental way while dating Jacob Elordi. 

"Being able to be with someone I trust, where we don't want anything from each other, having a safe, steady relationship like that, has really opened my eyes to the possibilities of love and what it feels like to love without conditions," the supermodel gushed to Vogue in 2021.Butler also made it clear that his and Gerber's romance was strictly private in a long-ranging 2022 GQ profile, in which the Oscar nominee notably opened up about virtually everything else in his life. "I don't think there's anything I want to share about that," Butler stated bluntly when asked about his influencer girlfriend.

The "Dune 2" star also noted that he didn't look at any candid shots of them either, sharing, "I go, 'If I don't see the picture, then it doesn't really exist to me.' I don't want to be really negative, but there's hardly any job I despise more than paparazzi." The two A-listers also avoided posting any photos of each other on social media throughout their relationship, despite Gerber, as a model and influencer, being very active on Instagram.

Three months before Kaia Gerber and Austin Butler's breakup was confirmed, rumors proliferated that her famous parents had become increasingly disillusioned with their relationship the longer it went on. "Rande [Gerber] and Cindy [Crawford] both love Austin and think of him as family, but the fact is he isn't. After dating their daughter Kaia for over three years he's shown no sign of asking her to get engaged," one source revealed to the Daily Mail in October 2024. "They don't think for a minute he isn't serious about her, but he's 33 and isn't it time he thought about settling down?" 

It was even hinted that her parents had confronted the actor about walking down the aisle, asserting, "Austin assured Rande his intentions are only honorable and he needs a little more time. He pointed out to Rande that Kaia is only 23." And, while Butler reportedly wasn't in any rush to propose, an insider rapidly shut down growing speculation that he'd proposed to Gerber in April 2023, in a brief statement to TMZ. Notably, the Oscar nominee has a reputation for long-term romances not ending in wedded bliss. Prior to the model, he famously dated Vanessa Hudgens for almost a decade.

Kaia Gerber and Austin Butler's relationship was notably hit with split rumors more than once before their breakup was actually announced publicly — and that's rarely a sign that an A-list couple is in a good place. In September 2024, candid images surfaced on X, formerly known as Twitter, showing Gerber partying and getting close to "Saturday Night Live" star Marcello Hernandez in New York. An onlooker even detailed to gossip site Deux Moi, "[They were] all over each other, ignoring everyone else at their table." That led to people speculating about whether she and Butler were even still together. Gerber and Hernandez never publicly addressed their headline-grabbing night out, but the supermodel sent a clear message that she was still with Butler the following month. 

Gerber was photographed holding hands with the "Bikeriders" star on the streets of NYC, right before they attended a Gracie Abrams gig together. Sadly, that wasn't the first time breakup rumors swirled. A few weeks earlier, Butler raised eyebrows when he skipped Gerber's 23rd birthday. She posted pics from Disneyland on Instagram, sarcastically quipping in the caption, "Obviously spent my birthday at the most mature place on earth." But the "Bottoms" star wasn't just keeping her romance private this time; Butler didn't attend. As a source confirmed to Life & Style magazine, "Kaia had a blast with her family and friends at Disney, but Austin's absence was very noticeable. It sparked rumors that the romance is over." Even worse, Gerber spent Butler's big day by his side earlier in the year.