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Garrett Hedlund’s First Date With One of His Famous Exes Involved a 3 a.m. Canoe Ride
Getty / Randy Shropshire
You may recognize Garrett Hedlund from movies and TV series like “The Tutor,” “Tulsa King,” and “The Marsh King’s Daughter,” but he’s also made headlines in recent years for his whirlwind romance with Emma Roberts. Before the stars got together in March 2019, Hedlund was in a longterm relationship with Kirsten Dunst and Roberts was in an on-and-off relationship with her “American Horror Story” costar Evan Peters. However, when things with their respective partners didn’t work out, Hedlund and Roberts soon found love with each other, and in August 2020, the “Maybe I Do” actor announced she was pregnant with the couple’s first child. That December, it was revealed she had given birth to a boy named Rhodes.
Hedlund told “Today” in August 2021 that they chose the name Rhodes because he loves traveling. “I thought there was something wonderful within the journey and anticipation and always holding on to your wonderment about something,” he said. “My father, before he passed away, we had a three-week road trip and so it was roads. And my grandfather and I used to go on rowing trips, so ‘Row’ for short, and then Emma and I are avid readers, so Rhodes scholar, but really it’s just rodeo.”
Although Hedlund and Roberts are no longer together, they continue to coparent Rhodes and occasionally give glimpses of their family life on Instagram. If you want to know more about their journey toward parenthood, as well as Hedlund’s past relationships before he met Roberts, then keep reading to learn all about his dating history.
Getty/ Araya Doheny / NBC
Leighton Meester (January 2011)
Hedlund was briefly linked to his “Country Strong” costar Leighton Meester in January 2011. After they presented together at the Golden Globes, the pair reportedly attended an afterparty where they were “making googly eyes at each other all night,” “Today” reported at the time.
“They were hanging out by the bar laughing and talking very close for a long time,” an eyewitness told “Today.” “He had his hand on her back and she was just looking up at him, smiling ear-to-ear as he was leaning down and whispering something to her.”
The source added that at one point, they kissed during the party. “As the night went on they didn’t exactly hide their affection for each other,” they said. “They were all over each other! They seemed really happy.”
Things must have fizzled, however, because there were no further reports of the romance.
Getty/ Jeff Kravitz
Taylor Swift (April 2011)
In April 2011, Hedlund was seen getting dinner with Taylor Swift in Nashville. At the time, a source told Us Weekly it was their “first time going out” after emailing each other for some time.
“She hinted they should get together,” the source claimed to the outlet. However, it seems a relationship never blossomed between them, because they weren’t seen together again.
Getty / Kevork Djansezian/NBC
Kirsten Dunst (January 2012-April 2016)
Hedlund met Dunst in 2011 when they costarred in the film adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road.” According to US Weekly, the pair confirmed their romance in January 2012. The “Triple Frontier” actor opened up about their relationship in a 2013 interview with Details, explaining that his first date with Dunst didn’t go exactly as planned. “I took her out on a 3 a.m. canoe ride,” he said. “It was not a stable canoe. We fell out and had to swim back in mucky, sh*tty water, like golf-pond water.”
Obviously, that didn’t turn Dunst away, and the stars officially became an item. Over the years, Hedlund and Dunst attended several red carpet events as a couple, including the 2013 premiere of “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,” the 2014 premiere of “Unbroken,” and the 2016 Golden Globes.
Despite rumors of an engagement, the couple split in April 2016. “They have very different personalities and weren’t on the same page when it came to their future,” a source reportedly told People about the breakup. “Their relationship has been very rocky for a while, so the breakup is actually a relief for them.”
Getty/ Pascal Le Segretain / BG015/Bauer-Griffin
Emma Roberts (March 2019-January 2022)
In March 2019, Hedlund was rumored to have begun dating Roberts, who had recently called off her engagement with her on-and-off-again partner Evan Peters. “They have gone on a few casual dates and are exploring a relationship, but it is definitely not anything serious yet,” a source close to the “Scream Queens” star told E! News at the time. While the source added that Roberts isn’t “one to rush into things,” they noted that she “really likes Garrett.”
That April, Hedlund and Roberts were spotted holding hands while walking around New York City together. They were photographed smiling and laughing together during their stroll, leading fans to believe they were officially dating. Roberts hinted that May that she was seeing someone new in an interview with Cosmopolitan. “It’s hard enough to be with someone by yourself, let alone with an audience,” Roberts said about dating in the public eye. “Growing up is hard. Sometimes it makes me sad that I can’t have a private moment.”
After more than a year of dating, Us Weekly reported in June 2020 that Hedlund and Roberts were expecting their first child together. The “Holidate” actress confirmed the news just weeks later on Instagram. “Me…and my two favorite guys 💙💙,” she captioned a photo of herself cradling her baby bump while sitting beside Hedlund.
The couple welcomed their son that December, and in January 2021, Roberts debuted their baby on Instagram for the first time. “Thank you 2020 for getting one thing right ☀️,” she captioned a photo of her holding her son. She also announced her son’s full name by writing, “Our bright light Rhodes Robert Hedlund 🧡.”
Exactly one year later, People reported Hedlund and Roberts had split “following a rocky few months in their relationship.” Since then, Roberts has moved on with “The Rookie” actor Cody John, while Hedlund has seemingly remained single.