Just like a prison sentence, age is just a number for many A-Listers. While celebrities have been able to evade a prison sentence, most of these relationships should be concerning the police. The beloved Leonardo DiCaprio and Camila Morrone have an age gap of 22 years, and have caught the internet’s attention. Or the infamous Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor with an age gap of 31 years.

DiCaprio and Morrone were rumored to have started dating in 2017, when Morrone was 20 and DiCaprio was 42. However, their relationship wasn’t confirmed until 2018. They were smart and kept their relationship private and were never seen on the red carpet together until they made their first appearance at the Oscars in 2020. 

Morrone commented on fans’ criticism with “I guess I just hope… people will learn to live with a little less hatred… and place their time interests elsewhere because living without hatred feels pretty good.”

Paulson and Taylor have been together since 2015. Paulson is reportedly deeply in love with Taylor despite the age gap, stating “It’s the most wonderful, extraordinary thing that could have ever possibly happened in my life.” They continue to support each other by going to red carpet events and popping up on each other’s social media.

Teacher Joe Youngbauer commented on these rather large age gaps.  “On one hand, if you’re an adult and that relationship works for you then who am I to say that it’s not okay, but I do think with that wide of a gap, you’re just in different stages of your life,” stated Youngbauer. 

As previously mentioned with the pair being in different stages of their life, junior Camille Havill believes “Younger people aren’t as attractive, especially if they’re 31 years younger than me”. In fact, many PV students believe even 3 years is too large of a gap for students. 

For many students, there is a difference in maturity between a freshman and a senior. Prepubescent freshmen are fresh out of junior high and have just turned 14. Many play their video games and run around the hallways screaming obscene things, while many seniors are mainly getting focused on college admissions and what they want to do with their lives. 

However, seniors are kids too, and there’s some that are more immature than the rest. “If a senior wants to date a freshman, it’s not normally for good reasons. I have heard many stories about a senior using a freshman for their body” Havill expressed. 

Immaturity affects all students in many ways, but it stops being immaturity and turns into predatory behavior when a young person is being manipulated into being some way. 

Horror stories like those worry Dr. Barbara Greenburg . “There is generally a big maturity difference between 15-year-old and 17-year-old girls and… your daughter might be exposed to behaviors and peer pressure that she is not ready for,” Greenburg answers.  

All in all people should be able to love who they want, when they want. However, in some cases, it can become predatory when being romantically involved with someone not as emotionally developed.