Why Kaia Gerber Isn't With Boyfriend Austin Butler on the 2023 Oscars Red Carpet

Austin Butler’s big night as best actor nominee at the Oscars began without his 21-year-old model girlfriend Kaia Gerber at his side on the red carpet. Butler, 31, opted to attend the Academy Awards solo, without his partner of over a year.

He explained on the red carpet that he actually brought his agent James Farrell as his date. “I’ve got my best friend here with me, who is also my agent,” he said on ABC’s pre-show, per People. “And I owe my career to him, so as a thank you, I wanted him to be by my side tonight.”

This isn’t surprising: Butler and Gerber have not attended any ceremonies together, but they have been at other award season events and after parties. The move may be Butler’s way to give the two a little privacy. When Butler was asked about his relationship with Gerber in a May GQ interview, he made it clear he has no intention of talking about it ever, if he can help it. “I don’t think there’s anything I want to share about that. But thank you for providing the space,” he said.

Gerber wasn’t photographed solo on the carpet either, so it’s unclear whether she is at the Academy Awards. She was last photographed in Austin, Texas, at South by Southwest yesterday. (But Austin to Los Angeles isn’t a long trip.)

The couple may attend Oscar after parties together, or Gerber could join Butler quietly in the ceremony. The two were seen making out backstage at the Golden Globes, after all, so there is precedence. More recently, they posed together at W‘s Best Performances party on February 24. They were seen kissing “all night” there, too, per Page Six.

But one thing is clear: Butler wanted his Oscars red carpet moment to be his own, at least.

Senior News and Strategy Editor

Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.