Sydney Sweeney Glen Powell: Dating Rumors, Age Gap Explained

Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell lit up social media in 2023 when their on-screen chemistry in Anyone But You convinced millions they were dating in real life. Despite persistent speculation, wedding attendance, and a 9-year age gap that dominated headlines, neither actor ever confirmed a romantic relationship.

Co-stars in: Anyone But You (2023) · Rumors sparked during: Film promotion · Age difference: Approximately 9 years · Sweeney statements on rumors: Addressed publicly · Powell ex-girlfriend split: April 2023

The table below summarizes verified details about the Anyone But You co-stars and the rumors that surrounded them during the 2023 promotional cycle.

Were Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell a couple?

Both Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell have consistently stated they were never romantically involved. In interviews during the film’s promotion, Sweeney addressed the speculation directly. “We don’t care what people think of us and that we talk,” she said in 2023. Glen Powell later acknowledged Sweeney’s role in sparking the rumors themselves, reportedly stating she suggested the dating speculation to promote their on-screen chemistry. The co-stars joked about the rumors in 2024, months after the film had wrapped.

Public appearances together were limited to official press events and one notable attendance at Powell’s sister’s wedding in Dallas, Texas. During that weekend, Sweeney was photographed with curly hair at a local restaurant with Powell, fueling the so-called “curly hair theory” among fans tracking their interactions.

Promotion sparks rumors

The romantic comedy Anyone But You, loosely based on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, gave Sweeney and Powell ample opportunity to showcase their chemistry. Filming began in February 2023, with Sweeney aged 25 and Powell aged 34. By the time the film released later that year, Sweeney had turned 26, and the 9-year age gap became a talking point alongside the dating rumors.

Public denials

Neither actor has confirmed a romantic relationship. An insider quoted in coverage stated Sweeney was “not ready to confirm any relationship publicly,” though no official statement backed this characterization. Both Sweeney and Powell addressed the speculation on multiple occasions, framing their friendship as genuine but platonic.

The pattern: Both actors consistently deflected romantic speculation while acknowledging the chemistry that made the rumors plausible. Their public statements prioritized friendship over romance, though the sustained media attention suggested audiences were not fully satisfied with those answers.

Did Sydney Sweeney leave her partner for Glen Powell?

Sydney Sweeney was engaged to Jonathan Davino since 2022 and in a committed relationship during Anyone But You filming. Reports of her engagement ending surfaced around the time of Glen Powell’s sister’s wedding, though the exact timing remains unclear. Sources reported the breakup occurred before major rumors intensified in late 2023. There is no evidence linking Sweeney’s split from Davino directly to her co-star.

Fiancé breakup timeline

Sweeney and Davino’s relationship reportedly ended amid the heightened media attention. The wedding attendance, which predated the breakup for some outlets, became conflated with the relationship timeline in online discussions.

Rumors vs facts

No direct causation between Sweeney’s presence at Powell’s family event and her subsequent breakup has been established by any credible source. Both actors maintained their public denials throughout the period.

The implication: The timeline confusion allowed speculation to fill gaps where confirmed facts did not exist, making it difficult to separate coincidence from causation in public narratives.

What is the age difference between Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell?

Glen Powell was born in 1988; Sydney Sweeney was born in 1997. That makes the precise age gap 8 years and 11 months, or approximately 9 years. At the time of Anyone But You filming in early 2023, Sweeney was 25 and Powell was 34. By the film’s release, she had turned 26 while he remained 34.

Sweeney birth year

Sydney Sweeney was born on March 31, 1997, making her 25 during filming and 26 at the time of release.

Powell birth year

Glen Powell was born on October 21, 1988, placing him at 34 years old throughout the 2023 promotional cycle.

Gap calculation

The verified 9-year gap sparked commentary comparing it to historical Hollywood pairings. ScreenRant noted this gap was smaller than examples like Oppenheimer or Lost in Translation, where decades separated co-stars.

What this means: The age gap became a recurring point of discussion despite being relatively modest by Hollywood standards, suggesting audiences were primed to scrutinize every detail of the Sweeney-Powell dynamic.

Did Glen Powell bring Sydney Sweeney to his sister’s wedding?

Sydney Sweeney attended the wedding of Glen Powell’s sister Leslie Powell in Dallas, Texas. She was photographed with curly hair during the weekend, a detail fans seized upon as evidence of her involvement with Powell. Sweeney was also seen dining with Powell at a local restaurant during the wedding festivities.

Event details

The wedding took place in Dallas, Texas, with Sweeney’s attendance generating significant online discussion. Photos from the event circulated widely, with fans analyzing her hairstyle, positioning, and interactions with Powell’s family.

Powell addresses attendance

Glen Powell addressed the wedding attendance in interviews, characterizing his and Sweeney’s relationship as platonic. He expressed concern about how rumors affected his ex-girlfriend, who reportedly sought “respect during promo” in public statements made in 2025.

The catch: Wedding attendance at a family event became the single most-cited “evidence” of a potential romance, demonstrating how context and framing can transform innocent social interactions into fuel for speculation.

Is Sydney Sweeney in love with Glen Powell?

No confirmation of romantic feelings has ever been provided by either actor. Sweeney has described her relationship with Powell as one of “love and respect,” language she used to address the persistent speculation. Powell similarly framed their connection as a strong professional friendship and genuine chemistry that translated well to screen.

Chemistry in film

The characters Bea and Ben in Anyone But You are portrayed as contemporaries with minimal age gap emphasis in the script. In the film, Bea is a law student in her 20s, while Ben is a Goldman Sachs employee who claims to be 29 (others doubt it). The on-screen dynamic generated substantial audience investment in the couple.

Off-screen statements

Both actors have made light of the situation in interviews, with Powell reportedly saying, “Sydney is brilliant to pull that off… I don’t have the mental capacity to start something like that.” The playful banter suggests an comfortable friendship rather than romance.

The pattern: Both actors consistently deflected romantic speculation while acknowledging the chemistry that made the rumors plausible. Their public statements prioritized friendship over romance, though the sustained media attention suggested audiences were not fully satisfied with those answers.

Timeline

Three distinct phases mark the Sweeney-Powell rumor timeline, each characterized by different levels of media intensity and public response.

The implication: The rumor cycle extended well beyond the film’s release window, with both actors still addressing speculation years later. This longevity suggests the promotion strategy succeeded in keeping audiences engaged, even at a cost to personal privacy.

Confirmed vs Unclear

Sorting the facts from the speculation helps contextualize what is known and what remains unverified.

What they said

“We don’t care what people think of us and that we talk.”

— Sydney Sweeney, 2023 interview

“Sydney is brilliant to pull that off… I don’t have the mental capacity to start something like that.”

— Glen Powell, 2023 interview

The pattern: Both actors consistently deflected romantic speculation while acknowledging the chemistry that made the rumors plausible. Their public statements prioritized friendship over romance, though the sustained media attention suggested audiences were not fully satisfied with those answers.

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Rumors linking Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell ignited during Anyone But You promotions, with truth behind the rumors unpacking the nine-year age gap and sister’s wedding details amid denials.

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