Sam Taylor-Wood, 42, pregnant by actor Aaron Johnson, 19 *Update* Married

[Harumi]

^Catherine wasn't a teen when she started seeing Michael. The reservations some people have with this relationship isn't due to gender bia, imo.

I don't necessarily think the relationship is unstable or unsatisfactory for the people involved, and maybe they'll have an happily ever after (and even if they don't, most marriage end up in divorce regardless of age-gap); but let's not try to sidetrack the issue of a mature adult having babies with a teen (which is what some people object to) and turn it into a 'girl power' debate.

 

[Label Basher]

that poor boy

Why? Don't feel sorry for him. He's an adult and has chosen to spend his life and raise kids with an amazing women. The guy is also doing well for himself actingwise and moneywise.

Sorry I wouldn't bat an eyelid if Colin Firth knocked up Emma Watson. As long as they love each other and they treat each other all right that's all I care about.

 

[Caroliiine]

^Catherine wasn't a teen when she started seeing Michael. The reservations some people have with this relationship isn't due to gender bia, imo.

I agree... in fact, recently there was a huge outcry over Doug Hutchison's new marriage. He is 51 and just married a 16 year old. Apparently she signed up for acting lessons from him and they fell in love. That's a bigger age gap than Aaron and Sam but I think the situation is quite similar in that the older one was in a position of authority (director/teacher).

 

[littlepaperstars]

Why? Don't feel sorry for him. He's an adult and has chosen to spend his life and raise kids with an amazing women. The guy is also doing well for himself actingwise and moneywise.

Sorry I wouldn't bat an eyelid if Colin Firth knocked up Emma Watson. As long as they love each other and they treat each other all right that's all I care about.

Exactly! Thank you!

 

[pavonine]

I'm 23, and personally, I wouldn't dream of going out with a teenager. Never. Even the most mature and well-adjusted and worldly-wise teen is still, well, a teen. I do, however, find myself incredibly attracted to older men who are terrifically intellectual, experienced, well-spoken, well-read, talented etc. Not that I've ever dated older men, but I suspect any such relationship to be terribly exciting. He's young and good looking, and I'm sure she finds it terribly exciting as well. Maybe they are being immature and selfish, maybe a couple of years down the track, the relationship will run its course. It's their life, innit? I just hope the children won't be affected - and mind, there are several ways in which the children could be affected. Isn't her daughter 14 now? For a start, it'd be incredibly odd for a 14 year old to have a 21 year old step-father, non?

 

[Not Plain Jane]

I agree with littlepaperstars and label basher insofar as, if they are happy together, why not? I personally don't care too much about whether it is older men with younger women (which is still more common no matter how you slice it, and when something is more common it is generally more accepted), or older women with younger men in relationships. If it works, and they're happy, so be it! Love is too complicated to rationalize or make sense of. I assume an older woman, who is intelligent, experienced, etc, could be just as exciting to a younger man as an educated older man is to a younger woman.

If the issue is not gender, but rather is that Aaron was 17 when they hooked up, it alters the angle somewhat. They are two different issues, really. When is statutory r*pe age? 16 years? If so, then there is nothing illegal about them getting together. Likely, too, at 17 most guys have developed a sex life; thus, it must have been consensual between them. So I am not sure what the issue is then. Legal? Immoral? Or just uncomfortable?

 

[tigerrouge]

I imagine that if I'd fought cancer twice, I'd start doing things that I wouldn't have dared to do before life taught me some lessons about how short it can be. That doesn't mean I'd start doing sensible things, but I'd certainly get on with making the most of whatever time I have left, in whatever way I'd see fit. So if she's not breaking any laws and everyone's happy and provided for, I wish them all the best.

 

[fashionista-ta]

I imagine that if I'd fought cancer twice, I'd start doing things that I wouldn't have dared to do before life taught me some lessons about how short it can be. That doesn't mean I'd start doing sensible things, but I'd certainly get on with making the most of whatever time I have left, in whatever way I'd see fit. So if she's not breaking any laws and everyone's happy and provided for, I wish them all the best.

Agreed. I'm already 'to hell with what people think' ... let's hope nothing accentuates it

He says he's an old soul and she's a young soul ... I think they're probably both old souls, and I really do believe that is the most important age of all.

 

[cestmagique]

That double standards argument is so odd to me.
Firstly, because it's false.

Thank you. To me, there are a lot of situations, with particular couples, in which an age difference that big and the younger partner being a teen at the start of the relationship would not seem like an issue. But this couple strikes me as odd in a way I can't really place, and it seems like a lot of other people share that feeling. It's not a general question of good/bad/right/wrong, it's quite specific to these two people.

I think what weirds me out is that someone so young would so thoroughly... assimilate into someone else's much more established and commitment-filled life. Being married at a young age is something that you can undo, but that can't be said for having two children. Also the 'back in the day, 13-year-olds married and it wasn't a big deal' argument is pointless because both of these people were raised in modern society. It wasn't as if 13-year-olds were magically fully mature back then anyway and aren't now; ever seen Coal Miner's Daughter?

 

[Deleted member 116957]

Also the 'back in the day, 13-year-olds married and it wasn't a big deal' argument is pointless because both of these people were raised in modern society.

That's actually sort of a modern myth, aside from it being more common amongst the highest aristocratic classes (arranged marriages for the creation of alliances, etc.). For common people it was quite common for men and women to get married in their early/mid 20s.

But anyway, that has nothing to do with anything, I just always want to correct that when people say that!

 

[Not Plain Jane]

^ Classic that you, cestmagique, have a quote by C.S.Lewis, given his supposedly questionable "relationship" with Mrs. Moore, a woman 26 years older.

 

[cestmagique]

^Because my signature is obviously related to this topic, right?

^^I agree, overall it's a misconception. Certain regions had more of that young marrying, but it wasn't the average.

 

[Not Plain Jane]

I meant that in a joking way, only just pointing it out because C.S.Lewis lived with his deceased friend's mom, even introducing her as his own mom, but it has since been determined that he was likely lovers with her, and she was much older. So no, your quote isn't related but Lewis is, in a humourous/ironic way. That's all. No offense meant.

I think in the South it was more common re: younger-older marriages. But even in the 1800s Poe had to hide his marriage to his 13 year old cousin for a few years not because she was his cousin but because she was 13! lol.

 

[dajrekshn]

they're married!

LONDON — Publicists say artist Sam Taylor-Wood and actor Aaron Johnson have tied the knot.
A statement Friday from Public Eye Communications said the couple, who have two young children, married on Thursday – the summer solstice – in Somerset, southwest England.
The statement said 45-year-old Taylor-Wood wore a dress by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. The 22-year-old Johnson wore a suit by Tom Ford.
Johnson played the young John Lennon in Taylor-Wood's 2009 film "Nowhere Boy" and went on to star in "Kick ***" and the upcoming "Anna Karenina."
The statement said the couple would both use the surname Taylor-Johnson.

huff post

 

[visualoptimism]

well, it looks like they are a serious couple and i am very happy for them! i have only just read this thread for the first time and i can't believe some of the responses regarding how disturbing this is. in all his interviews regarding this he seems so mature on the subject and very happy and stable in the relationship.

i think it is definitely handled differently when it's older women with younger men versus older men with younger woman. partly based on the fact that usually men take longer to mature than woman, which is in part why we see so many relationships between older men and younger women. people think it's something "weird" but in reality it really isn't.

she hasn't done anything wrong, it seems she has been through a lot in her life and it's a great thing that she took a chance in this relationship because it seems to have worked! i don't agree with the argument that he is too young to have a child, as he said he is an old soul. and by looking that they have married, it seems that he is very mature.

anyway hope everything keeps going well for them!

 

[softgrey]

i know a guy who married a woman about 20 years older than himself when he was only 19 yrs old...

let's just say it didn't end well...
for either of them...

...

 

[Larek]

well good for them!
they have 2 kids now and getting married
he seem pretty grounded and I wish them all the best