Are John Mayer and Kiernan Shipka Dating? 24-Year Age Gap Sparks Criticism of Possible Romance
Are John Mayer and Kiernan Shipka dating?
Mayer, 45, and Shipka, 22, were recently spotted having a fancy Italian dinner together, reigniting dating rumors that first swirled back in February.
The pair were spotted at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, Calif., on Nov. 6, according to photos published in The Daily Mail. According to the publication, the duo stayed at the restaurant for four hours and Mayer even serenaded Shipka at one point.
They left separately, but onlookers apparently reported that Shipka got into Mayer's limo a few blocks from the restaurant.
According to PopSugar, the pair were also seen together in February at the Tower Bar at the Sunset Tower Hotel in Los Angeles, sparking backlash at the time about their 24-year age gap.
Now, that backlash has been reignited on social media.
Shipka is a former child star known for her roles in Mad Men and Netflix's The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. She has previously been linked to Charlie Oldman, son of actor Gary Oldman, and filmmaker Christian Coppola.
Mayer has famously dated a string of celebrity women, including fellow artists Vanessa Carlton in the 2000s and Taylor Swift, who allegedly wrote the 2010 song "Dear John" about him.
Swift's new album, Midnights, also features a song called "Would've, Could've, Should've," which fans have speculated might be about the singer's relationship with Mayer, which occurred when she was 19 and he was 32.
One person even referenced the infamous relationship on Twitter, writing, "KIERNAN SHIPKA RUN FAR FROM JOHN MAYER HAVE U NOT LISTENED TO MISS SWIFT."
"If a man who is twice your age shows interest in you, don’t let him fool you. his interest is purely in your purity. john mayer is old enough to be kiernan shipka’s father. he is a predator, end of story," another person tweeted of the dating rumors.
Many fans pointed out that the pair's 24-year age difference means that Mayer could have at one point had children that would be Shipka's age by now.
"Need kiernan shipka to get some real friends to sit her down and help her out..... because why do i see her out and about with old creepers every other week genuinely so freaked out for her," another fan added.
Another fan claimed to have seen Shipka at one of Mayer's concerts.