There Are So Many Red Flags In Sam And Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Relationship

Ever since Sam Taylor-Johnson and Aaron Taylor-Johnson found love in 2008, fans have been fascinated by their unexpected relationship. Most predominantly, their 23-year age gap. Though some people see the over two-decades between them as a big red flag, Hannah Reeves, an LMFT Relationship Therapist at online dating platform Private Sugar Club, told us it's not necessarily bad thing. "Age gaps aren't inherently a red flag. It's all about how the couple handles the unique challenges they bring," she explained. After all, there are plenty of couples who prove age is nothing but a number (as long as everyone is old enough to consent, of course).

But that's hardly the only thing about these two that's raised a few eyebrows. In fact, just like Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater, there are a lot of relationship red flags we can't ignore with this couple. 

Though the years between Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Sam Taylor-Johnson may not be a red flag to everyone, their ages when they met had people talking. Aaron was 18 years old when he met Sam, who was 42. Hannah Reeves explained to us that may be a red flag, sharing, "An 18-year-old is usually still figuring out who they are, what they want, and how to navigate adult relationships. I talk about the importance of 'growing together, not apart,' which can be a lot trickier when one partner is well into adulthood, and the other is barely out of high school."

However, she also pointed out the two have made their atypical circumstances work and noted that people mature at different rates. "Maybe Aaron knew what he wanted, skipped all the dating apps, and went straight for the grand gesture. And maybe Sam was ready for someone who saw her as his forever, no questions asked," she said. After all, the actor alluded to being more mature and having more life experience than others his age when he told Rolling Stone UK in March 2024, "What most people were doing in their twenties, I was doing when I was 13."

Workplace romances can come with various issues, but things can be particularly tough when one person is in a position of power. Sam Taylor-Johnson met Aaron Taylor-Johnson when he auditioned for "Nowhere Boy," which she directed. "That's a bit like starting your relationship in a high-stakes pressure cooker, which can blur the lines between romance and work dynamics," Hannah Reeves explained of this potential red flag. "I don't recommend workplace relationships even when the power dynamics are more balanced, never mind when one partner has the final say on your close-up shot." 

Equally, because of work commitments on Aaron's part, he didn't audition for Sam in a professional environment. Instead, he went to her home. "It was so inconvenient ... I opened my door to John Lennon. I instantly knew he was the guy," she told The Times in 2017. Sam has made it clear though that she gave Aaron the role on merit alone. "I knew instantly — I could see how much research he'd done already just by the way he was standing and the few words he said," she told The Telegraph in 2019.

Sam Taylor-Johnson didn't publicly announce her split with her ex-husband and father of her two children, Jay Jopling, until after she'd met Aaron Taylor-Johnson. A spokesperson for Sam and Jopling confirmed the breakup to The Independent five months after production of "Nowhere Boy" began in April 2008. "Jay Jopling and Sam Taylor-Wood are saddened to announce that, after 11 years of marriage, they have agreed amicably to separate. No other parties are involved," they said. And, much like Ryan Reynolds with Blake Lively, Taylor-Wood moved on quickly post-divorce with Aaron, announcing their engagement the following year.

Though Sam never confirmed meeting Aaron was the reason her first marriage ended, Aaron told The Telegraph in 2017 he knew immediately he wanted a relationship with her. "I knew instantly with Sam that I'd found my soulmate. I knew instantly that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with this person. I remember it very well," he said. And while it wouldn't be fair to criticize people for leaving partners who weren't right for them, the fact that Sam Taylor-Wood left a long marriage and children does give us pause. 

Aaron-Taylor Johnson made a very definitive statement to Sam Taylor-Johnson before they even dated. Speaking to Harper's Bazaar in 2019, Sam shared, "We were very professional through the entire film. No funny business. But everyone on set knew. And as soon as we finished, he told me he was going to marry me." She added, "We had never been on a date, or even kissed." That may be a red flag seeing as Sam likely hadn't stated her intentions at the time, wasn't long out of her marriage, and the duo still had a lot of getting to know each other to do.

"That's a bold move, and one that might set off a few alarm bells for those of us who like to take things slow," Hannah Reeves said. "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." Big pronouncements so early on may also suggest someone is wrapped up in the idea of romance but isn't considering the practicalities of the relationship.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Sam Taylor-Johnson wasted little time at the start of their romance. Aaron proposed to Sam on the first anniversary of their meeting and they expanded their family shortly after. "I knew I wanted a family with her, I knew I wanted kids, and a month [after proposing] she was pregnant with our first child," he told The Telegraph. The couple welcomed their first daughter, Wylda Rae, in 2010, and then became parents again to daughter Romy Hero in 2012. Moving quickly isn't always a red flag, but therapist and relationship coach Matthew Pfifer told Bolde there are circumstances where it can be. "When you're in the honeymoon phase, you're only seeing the best parts of the other person. You haven't had any fights yet or seen each other when you're tired or stressed," he explained.

But, despite all the possible red flags between Sam and Aaron, Hannah Reeves reminded us there's not just one way to have a successful romance. "Every relationship is a bit of a gamble, and not all of them follow a traditional script," she said. "Sure, there are some elements in their story that might make us pause, but who's to say what works behind closed doors?"