Model Emily Ratajkowski and French film director Romain Gavras were spotted holding hands and passionately kissing in Rome during a romantic lunch date this week.
The couple appeared completely smitten with one another as they strolled through the streets of the Italian capital while on their way to lunch, marking their latest public display of affection.
Ratajkowski and Gavras were first linked in November of last year after being photographed kissing in New York City. The couple later confirmed their relationship by going Instagram official in February.
The romance represents the longest relationship for Ratajkowski since her 2022 divorce from movie producer Sebastian Bear-McClard.
Career and filmmaking background
Gavras, 45, is a Paris-born French film director with an estimated net worth of $5 million (£4 million). The son of renowned Greek-French filmmaker Costa-Gavras, his work on cinematic projects has taken him across the globe.
He has earned widespread critical acclaim for his filmmaking. His second feature film, The World Is Yours, was screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. His follow-up feature, the drama Athena, made its world premiere in competition at the 79th Venice International Film Festival.
His latest feature, Sacrifice, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. The movie marks his English-language directorial debut and stars Anya Taylor-Joy as a crazed zealot who plans to sacrifice three important people to save the world from destruction.
The film boasts a high-profile ensemble cast, including Chris Evans, Vincent Cassel, Salma Hayek, and John Malkovich, alongside singer Charli XCX, comedian Sam Richardson, and rapper Yung Lean.
In addition to feature films, Gavras has directed acclaimed music videos. He earned a Grammy nomination in 2013 for Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Frank Ocean's hit single "No Church in the Wild." He also won an MTV Video Music Award in 2012 for directing M.I.A.'s music video for "Bad Girls."
Past relationship with Dua Lipa
Prior to dating Ratajkowski, Gavras was in a relationship with pop star Dua Lipa. The couple split in 2023 after eight months of dating following a summer romance.
A source stated at the time of their breakup: "Dua and Romain have gone their separate ways after a summer of love. She has blinkers on when it comes to her career and the pair ended the relationship before things turned sour." Reports indicated the separation was prompted by her busy work schedule.
Dua Lipa appeared to reference the split several months later during an interview, sharing how her outlook on breakups had evolved.
She stated: "I’ve had breakups in my life where I felt like the only kind of breakup you could have was when things just ended really badly." She added: "Things ending in a nice way was such a new thing.… It taught me a lot."
Following her separation from Gavras, the singer met British actor Callum Turner, and the couple recently married.
Romance with Rita Ora
Gavras also previously dated The Voice Australia judge and singer Rita Ora. The pair began dating in 2020 and enjoyed a whirlwind romance that included exotic holidays in Ibiza and Corfu.
The relationship sparked engagement speculation when Ora was spotted wearing a large diamond ring on her finger. However, the couple ultimately split during the Covid-19 lockdowns.
A spokesman for Gavras told the Daily Mail at the time: "Rita and Romain split up months ago because of difficulties with their respective work commitments. They remain close friends."
A source close to Ora also shared details about the breakup: "Rita and Romain tried to make it work but they both agreed it wasn't meant to be. They remain close but it was simply impossible to maintain a relationship where they barely saw each other."
The insider added: "And given both their busy schedules for 2021, the writing was very much on the wall towards the end of last year." Ora has since married New Zealand film director Taika Waititi.
Views on love and conflict
Despite his high-profile romantic history, Gavras has rarely spoken publicly about his exes. However, he hinted at past relationship struggles when he described love as "conflict."
He offered the reflection during a promotional tour for his film Athena, which follows three siblings whose lives are thrown into chaos after the tragic death of their youngest brother in unexplained circumstances.
When asked by Flaunt magazine why he is drawn to the spectacle of violence and conflict, Gavras explained: "All drama is conflict, you know? Even if it’s a love story - it’s always about conflict. At the moment, I’m actually trying to self-analyze as to why I am drawn to this type of imagery, and I think it’s to do with what I was raised on."
He added: "I was mostly fed with Greek tragedy and Greek myths, and they’re extremely violent, and full of strong iconography... For me, every conflict has the same patterns, and whether it’s now, or from past, it is essentially the same. It’s always a movement towards chaos, because rage blinds everything; rage blinds reason."
