Yesterday, we discussed the obvious heteronormative gossip that Lorde and Jack Antonoff are likely together now. Jack is visiting Lorde’s hometown of Auckland, New Zealand, which is quite a flight (from New York) to visit someone who is “just a friend/coworker.” Jack and Lorde were pap’d in Auckland looking handsy and coupled-up. There was another dude in the wider shots, which you can see here. Apparently that other dude is Lorde’s real boyfriend, if you believe that. The Blast says his name is Justin and he’s from New Zealand too. And if that’s not enough for you, People Magazine had this story:
Are they or aren’t they? Since news broke of Jack Antonoff‘s split from Lena Dunham in January, tabloid whispers have linked the Bleachers frontman to his friend Lorde (aka Ella Yelich-O’Connor). Most recently, the musicians were photographed looking cozy in her native Auckland, New Zealand, where Antonoff’s band opened for Paramore.
But a source tells PEOPLE, “There’s nothing going on between Ella and Jack,” adding: “There’s not any type of romantic situation. They’re just friends — they really are just friends.”
Instead, Lorde is reportedly dating the third person pictured in the photos, a man named Justin, The Blast reports.
When you’re fresh from a breakup, do you spend all of Grammy Weekend with your “just friends” coworker during multiple events? Sure, I can see that. What happens when you’re “just friends” coworker won’t shut up about how much she adores you and thinks you are just the best? Okay, it’s a little bit weird, but it happens. But then what happens when you travel 20 hours to New Zealand just to hang out with your just-a-friend? Yeah. I’m sorry, I’m not buying it. And I don’t know what “Justin” is getting out of this either. Justin seems like the one who is just a friend.
PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: Lorde cuddles up with Lena Dunham's ex Jack Antonoff in her New Zealand hometown https://t.co/g7DJxN3wKS pic.twitter.com/kA69X4gsbk
— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) February 21, 2018
Photos courtesy of Getty.
Threesome maybe?
The people story says his band is in Auckland to open for Paramore, so it seems he didnt just travel there just to see her.
Yeah, this whole theme of how inconceivable it is that someone would have a legitimate reason to be in NZ must be kind of insulting to New Zealanders. The story still works without it.
NZ is usually part of a band’s world tour, being a well populated country of the world and all.
I’ve been under the impression she was a lesbian and that Greenlight song was about her and Taylor swift.
She could be bi. She looks realy, really into him in literally every pic of them I’ve seen. Likr a schoolgirl with a crush. Him, not as much. But he’s 33 and she’s 21, so there’s that.
SURE JAN
Ha! Threesomes, the non-heteronormative relationship choice. That Antinoff guy would never do that publicly tho’, he is a bro in hipster clothing. They wish they were that ‘edgy’.
She doesn’t want to be seen as w home wrecker. Same thing happened with Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield, he was dating Shannon Woodward (the 3 of them were all papped together going home in the same car at the 2011 globes) he spilt up with Shannon in the may and then rumours came out about him and Emma but they denied it and said they were just friends until they held hands months and months later (bullsh*t), I guess it’s to protect the women in the scenario because as usual it’s always the women’s fault.
I’d be seriously annoyed if I was Justin and she was actually dating him. There’s no reason to be hanging off Jack like that, specifically when both of them are staring into the lens of this camera. And Justin is right there. How awkward would you feel if your girlfriend was just constantly hanging off your friend while you’re right there? Weird.
Regardless if they’re dating or not, I put both of them in the ‘thirsty’ category, right next to their dear friend Taylor.
To be fair, Jack was in NZ in part because he had a show with his band.
I don’t believe them, though. And they clearly called the paps here.
Jack, you left your girlfriend for a 20 year old a bit too soon after she had a major surgery. Own it. It happens. We’ve all done morally questionable things before. Denying it for a longer period of time isn’t going to help your case.
At this point he’ll be at the alter with Lorde still releasing statements like “Oh just because I’m marrying a girl in a white dress means we’re together?! Shove your heteronormative gossip!”
Normally I would agree. But wasn’t the breakup announcement, which states that he’d moved out a while ago, before the announcement that she was having surgery?
It is a difficult time for Lena no matter what and I wish the paps would leave her and Antonoff alone for a while.
YUP
😂
His band was opening for Paramore in Auckland on Feb 13. So he wasn’t there just for Lorde, and given they’re close friends and collaborators it would have been a bit odd for him to be in her home town and not hang out with her.
gas anyone considered that lorde may be polyamorous? it could be that guy is her boyfriend but she is dating antoff as well. which would explain why her boyfriend would be so cool with the behavior.
There is no chemistry/acknowledgement/interaction with Mr.Third Guy.
To me, the shot looks like he is some random dude on the street trying to get around them or to purposefully get into the shot, and he agreed it was okay to use his image to further their agenda.
Perhaps they aren’t a “couple,” perhaps FWB?
He also looks about 12. But I think some of it is that Lorde looks older than 20, so it could be throwing me off.
He really bugs me. He’s obviously very flattered by Lorde’s interest and he’s going along for the ride. It won’t last.
And I’m Hermoine Jean Granger of Griffyndor House. My two best friends are Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.
See how that works? If you add some extra details, people will totally believe you!!
I am Gandalf.
Certification signed by: Bilbo Baggins.
They are obviously together, it’s total bs that they are claiming they aren’t.
Jack knows it’s a bad look for him. I hate Lena with a passion, but a guy leaving his girlfriend during a stressful surgery which resulted in her never being able to have children for a 20 year old is not a good look for Jack. He looks cold and callous, he looks like he tried Lena in for a younger model, or worse left her cause of an inability to get pregnant.
Lorde looks stupid too, she betrayed a friend and stole her friends man. Again I hate Lena but you have to be a cold b!tch to steal your friends man while she’s having a health issue. Both of them look like despicable people who just didn’t care what Lena was going through. Worse for Lorde because she just wrote an entire album about how awful it was her boyfriend cheated on her.
I am not defending the dynamic, but it is possible that the break up occurred well before the announcement of the break up, a la JustJen.
It’s pretty obvious they were still together while Lena was having health issues. The break was like in either Nov or Dec but the relationship with Lorde’s been going on for over a year now.
Even if they were just friends, the timing of being seen together everywhere seems insensitive.
Lorde should be spending time with Lena, not with Lena’s ex.
He is such a tool.
I looked at the DM photos very carefully. My verdict: they could well be just friends.
Me too! I don’t get what people are going on and on about! There is nothing sexual there! One awkward, funny, friend hug. He was in town for a gig. Newsflash: international bands and musicians do actually travel to Australia and NZ for gigs all the time. I just don’t see it and it annoys me! Ha ha!
Honestly, I have loads of male friends and we mess around, laugh, talk glowingly about each other, sometimes have a friend hug or stacks on, or play fights or whatever. There has not ever and never will be anything sexual there. Men and women can be friends and even be affectionate and not be intimately involved in any way. I find it so odd when people think otherwise.
At current time I am sent on long overseas projects for months at a time always with a male co-worker. We live, work and socialise together in foreign countries and usually become close friends (and occasionally despise each other). People constantly assume we’re couples and it is incredibly annoying – especially when we’re both single and interested in meeting people of the opposite sex that we are actually interested in! We’re always telling the other person to “go away!” when we see someone we like. Ha ha ha ha. I’m sure if someone took photos of us at certain times all of these people would be claiming we’re “definitely together! They’re doin’ it for sure!” because we know each other SO WELL and spend way too much time together.
Lorde and Antonoff spent a tonne of time together working and collaborating and I’m sure they are super super close. Anyone who’s worked in theatre for example, knows that everyone gets close there too. It STILL doesn’t mean people are necessarily together.
I’m totally on board with them being very close friends and collaborators who vibe off each other and the other dude being her boyfriend. MAYBE I’m wrong but none of this supposed “clear evidence” is anything of the sort.
You know, I’d buy that she doesn’t want to be seen as a home wrecker, except in every single picture with him she just looks like the cat who swallowed the canary!
This is annecdotal reasoning, but, I have a boyfriend and a best friend who is a guy. I’ve hung out with both at the same time. I have never hung my arms around or acted super chummy and touchy with my best friend while my boyfriend is right next to me. I actually don’t do it regardless, much less if the man I’m dating is next to me. Look at the body language. She hardly acknowledges her so called boyfriend while is turned towards Jack at all times.
I made a similar comment about Mr. Third Guy, above.
Well it depends on their dynamic. If he doesn’t have a problem with it, why should she or random strangers who don’t know her? I’ve had close male friends that my ex loved and wouldn’t give a crap if I hugged them a million times – we were all close, he trusted me completely and he knew my friends were just friends. I have a very close group of guy friends from school and they all hug me in front of their wives and fiances (no girlfriends left!) I’m close to their ladies too. Super close in fact. We went to a wedding and I was the ONLY single person there. It was in a beautiful location with the Sydney Harbour Bridge directly behind us. I spent ages taking nice photos of all of my coupled up friends and then the girls insisted I take one with ALL the guys hugging me. It was a big laugh. No one cared. So you know, I don’t see the issue with this at all. Unless her boyfriend has an issue with it? In which case maybe that’s his issue that they need to work out between them? If she was completely ignoring her boyfriend and hanging off her friend constantly – then yes, that’s not cool and I could see the problem. But giving a close friend who has just arrived in town a side friend hug? Eh? Whatever.
How did the writer of this post miss the part about him having a professional reason to be in Auckland?
I’ve no opinion on whether they’re hooking up or not. Eh, who knows? Young, horny people will do whatever they feel like doing at any given time. I really wish I was in Auckland, though, or anywhere in NZ, for that matter. I adore the place, it’s like my second home, but I’ve had to cancel three trips there in the last 4 years due to health issues. It’s a long way for you guys – 3 hours for me! – , but trust me, well worth the trip. Stunning place, beautiful people.
I can’t wait to go some day when I have the cash. What are your favorite places to go/things to do in New Zealand?
Body language says she is really into Jack and that Justin is her cousin, or maybe her little brother, who is tagging along for the day on a visit to the big city of Auckland.
He’s such a poser, in the photos where others are smiling directly at the camera he’s always looking off to the side. He probably thinks it’s soooo heteronormative to smile directly at a camera.
Justin works at her record label in New Zealand
I have guy friends with whom I have a very brotherly relationship and we totally greet and walk down the street like this. I treat my guy friends like my girl friends and we have friendly affectionate relationships, no lines have ever been crossed.
Justin works for her record label so it’s unlikely that they’re dating. Though there were rumours of them dating a few years ago.
I didn’t care for the show Girls and Lena’ s public persona but even if Jack and Lorde are not involved romantically they know that these pictures are taken and especially because of Lena’s health situation, it is a highly insensitive way to behave for both of them.