Here is some potentially internet- or at least Instagram-breaking news: supermodel Naomi Campbell, 48, and super Boy-band-er Liam Payne, 25, are apparently an item. It seems that their courtship began on the ‘gram earlier this month, and it has been well-documented by @CommentsByCelebs. The account called attention to their flirty (“cheeky” for my readers across the pond) exchanges, which include heart and heart-eyed emoji, as well as Payne calling Campbell “perfection in a person” and Campbell calling Payne a “beautiful soul.”
At first, these stray interactions between British elite were equal parts amusing and confusing. I spent several minutes considering the idea of Campbell becoming Bear Payne’s, Liam’s son, step-mother. Would she teach him how to throw cell phones at the help or how to curate a skin-care regime that will have him looking 36 months old for the rest of his life? What confused me was not their 23-year age difference, but the idea that the Naomi Campbell would date a former X Factor contestant! Now various gossip sites are reporting that the two were seen leaving a concert at the O2 Arena together, “and Liam was seen putting his arm around Naomi’s waist.” So this is real, and the more I’ve thought about it, the more I have realized that this couple actually makes sense.
For starters, both are somewhat-recently single. In July 2018, Payne split from his partner of two-and-a-half years, and the mother of his son, the mononymous performer Cheryl. Campbell split from her boyfriend, British rapper Skepta, in the spring of 2018 (though it was rumored that they may have been still seeing each other up until August of 2018, when Skepta posted a sonogram image belonging to an unidentified woman on his Instagram). Here, it is important to note that Cheryl is ten years Payne’s senior, and Skepta is ten years younger than Campbell.
Aside from their perfectly timed splits, neither has been shy about making their “types” public. Campbell has been attracted to multimillionaires, billionaires, or princes of a variety of ages, races, and ethnicities, but she’s also had a very strong track record with musicians. Apart from Skepta, she has reportedly dated Lenny Kravitz, Eric Clapton, Adam Clayton, Lars Ulrich, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Tommy Lee, Usher (before his alleged herpes related “greenish discharge”), Damon Dash, and Quincy Jones.
As for Payne, who appears to have a thing for dark-haired ladies, it’s rare that you’ll find him with a woman his age or younger, and that’s been the case since he was a teenager. His first girlfriend, who Directioners will remember, was dancer and fitness guru Danielle Peazer. The pair dated from 2010–2013, and she is five years older than Payne. The one break from his pattern of dating older women was a brief relationship with his childhood friend, Sophia Smith, who is only a few months younger than the musician.
Only time, and Instagram stalking, will tell if Campbell and Payne are the real deal, but if they are, I can’t wait for the inevitable thirst traps they post as a couple.
