As you’ve no doubt heard by now, Leonardo DiCaprio has broken up with Camila Morrone after four years of dating.
In the weeks since, the split has inspired countless jokes, memes, and thinkpieces about Leo’s apparent refusal to date anyone over the age of 25.
(Camila turned the big 2-5 back back in June, and she and DiCaprio reportedly went their separate ways soon after.)
Some folks have been gently roasting Leo for his dating preferences, while others have been calling him out as a full-blown misogynist.
Now, we have an interesting insider’s perspective from a woman who once knew the Oscar winner very well.
Kristen Zang is a model who dated DiCaprio for four years at the height of his fame.
Kristen began her romantic relationship with Leo when they were both 21, and she stuck by him as he became the biggest movie star on the planet thanks to his role in Titanic.
After four years of dating, Kristen ended the relationship, and now, she’s penned an essay for People magazine in which she decries the recent criticism of her ex.
“Now over 20 years later when I read the headlines and online comments with his most recent ex girlfriend being referred to as having ‘aged out’ or being ‘too old for Leo at 25,’ puh-lease (insert dramatic eye roll) I think we can and should do better,” Zang writes.
“What kind of message is this sending to young people?” she asks readers.
Kristen goes on to explain that she’s found tremendous happiness in the years and since she and Leo parted ways.
I met the love of my life when I was 38 and got married when I was 40. So you youngins out there, listen up. Life gets so much better after 25,” she explains.
“Yes, you get more wrinkles but you also get more confidence and more love for yourself.”
Zang goes on to point out that none of knows what happened between Leo and Camila.
“As far as Leo and his latest breakup, who knows what happened,” she writes.
“Maybe she really cared for him but was just ready for the next chapter, perhaps it’s temporary, or maybe it’s none of our business but can we stop with the ageist headlines and comments? But let’s keep the funny memes coming, they’re stellar. Truly.”
Zang goes on to current how much she loves her current life as a dog food magnate.
“As for me, I’m 48 years old now, (ancient indeed),” she writes.
“I live in the countryside of Oregon with my hot husband, Shea, who’s a builder and also happens to be younger than me (joke’s on you, Leo ), my really cute rescue mutt, Harley Dee, and I own a locally-sourced dog food company www.emmalouskitchen.com. Turns out, I was barely scratching the surface of life at 25.
We sort of understand what Kristen is saying but at the same time … not really.
She was in a relationship with Leo when they were both in their early twenties, and that makes her some sort of authority on dude’s dating policies 25 years later?
Kristen dumped Leo so she knows how Camila feels after getting dumped?
The piece is interesting for its description of what it was like to be near DiCaprio in his early days as an A-lister — and we’re sure it’s an effective advertisement for an online dog food brand!
But Zang doesn’t really provide much insight into Leo’s aversion to women near his own age.
