At the start of the year, Kendall Jenner seemed to be enjoying being single, with the supermodel revealing that she loves the freedom that comes with being untethered.
‘I like the independence I have now. And I can do my own thing,” the Vogue supermodel told In Your Dreams podcast host Owen Thiele.
But soon after, her life changed and Jenner’s carefully guarded solitude was turned upside down.
Later that same month, the 30-year-old reportedly started dating her longtime boyfriend, 29-year-old Oscar-nominated actor Jacob Elordi.
It didn’t take long for fans to discover their relationship: the new couple was photographed together at an Oscars party in March and then were caught kissing at Coachella in April. And they began traveling together, first to Hawaii and Tokyo, and later to Australia and Idaho.
A series of dates followed – most recently they were spotted at a Japanese barbecue restaurant on Tuesday.
But their quick romance, which comes after Elordi previously romanced Jenner’s friend and fellow model, Kaia Gerber, has some people concerned.
“Some of Kendall’s family members think she spends too much time with Jacob and cares for him too much,” a source told the Daily Mail. ‘They are completely inseparable. She plans all their expensive trips, she has the big houses, she books the private jets, she has the connections.”
Kendall Jenner is spending a lot of time with boyfriend Jacob Elordi and it’s causing concern for her family. Seen on August 24 in London
‘They are completely inseparable. She plans all their expensive trips, she has the big houses, she books the private jets, she has the connections,” the source said. Seen in London on August 22
Elordi has already made herself comfortable in her homes in Beverly Hills and Montecito, California.
And he’s spent time with her VIP best friends like Hailey and Justin Bieber, and bonded with her sister Kylie Jenner and her boyfriend Timothee Chalamet. He’s also met Kendall’s lesser-known friends, like Renell Medrano and Lauren Perez.
Jenner’s famous family is happy for her, but also concerned, the source said.
Khloe Kardashian in particular has told her half-sister to be careful: ‘Khloe is a sweetheart and sometimes pretends to be Kendall’s mother. She is super supportive of all her siblings, so warm, generous and kind, but also like a helicopter parent at times, so it’s only natural that Khloe tells Kendall to be careful.”
Khloe’s own painful track record with men has made her so suspicious that she has sworn off dating for the past five years.
Sister Khloe Kardashian has told Jenner to be “careful,” a source said
“Khloe has been burned so many times. I mean, look what Lamar does [Odom] and Tristan [Thompson] has done to her, so it’s understandable that she’s wary of men,” the source added. “She doesn’t want to scare Kendall, she just told her sister to keep one eye open.”
Kylie, on the other hand, has told her older sister to go for it and jump right into the new relationship. “Kylie was the one who told Kendall and Jacob to date in the first place, so she’s not saying take it easy, she’s saying enjoy it!”
However, another source said there are warning signs and emphasized that Elordi is dating Jenner partly for the headlines.
“This is absolutely everything Jacob wants as he loves every minute of his celebrity life and Kendall only gives him more – it’s like medicine for his ego,” the second source said.
Jenner has a history of dating famous people – Bad Bunny, Devin Booker, Ben Simmons and Blake Griffin are a few examples – but none have had quite the reputation for womanizing as Elordi.
However, another source said there are warning signs and emphasized that Elordi is dating Jenner partly for the headlines. Seen at the Vanity Fair Oscar party in March
“This is absolutely everything Jacob wants as he loves every minute of his celebrity life and Kendall only gives him more – it’s like medicine for his ego,” the second source said. Seen in Hawaii in mid-May
Elordi has dated a string of beautiful, famous women during his six years of fame, including Joey King, Zendaya, Kaia Gerber and Olivia Jade Giannulli.
‘Friends are worried that Jacob will break Kendall’s heart because he has dated so many women and he tends not to stay in a relationship for too long. It is a cause for concern,” the source added.
Friends have urged the cover girl, who has said on Keeping Up With The Kardashians that she is battling anxiety, to slow down the romance a bit and take care of herself.
“Her friends have suggested she spend more time with her horses and on passion projects like home design, and more nights out with her friends,” the source shared.
She has indeed been with her horses and dogs – which she reminds her fans of with her Instagram photos. But Elordi never seems to be far away, as his Golden Retriever Layla appears in her images.
But the reality TV star is okay with spending so much time with a Hollywood heartthrob. “Kendall says they’re doing a great job, and he’s a good person, so why mess with a good thing?” said the source.
‘They’re worried that Jacob will break Kendall’s heart because he’s dated so many hot girls and he tends not to stay in a relationship for too long. It is a cause for concern,” the source added. Seen in Tokyo in early June
‘Kendall is radiant, she is completely in love and thinks Jacob could be the one. Who knows, she might become Kendall Elordi,” the source said.
Jenner has never married, although she told Vogue France earlier this year that children are in her future. When asked if she planned to have children, she replied: ‘Yes, of course. I want them, but not now. I want to make sure I can spend a lot of time on it, but for now I’m still too busy.’
As for Elordi, he wants little ones too. When the Wall Street Journal asked him last year if he wanted children, he said, “I’d love to.” He also said that becoming a father would make him “the happiest person in the world.”
So far, there are no signs that Elordi plans to dump the beauty. “Jacob has been super sweet, he’s a nice guy, so no one can say he’s a bad influence or a jerk,” the source said.
And he was there when she needed him.
“When her grandmother MJ died, she was very sad, and Jacob was there to wipe away the tears. He is very close to his family, so he knows how important family is,” the source said.
It appears Jenner has spent some time alone with her horses and dogs, but often there are clues that Elordi is nearby
Jenner was seen cuddling with Elordi’s Golden Retriever Layla in one of her Instagram photos from mid-August
It also appears that they may grow even closer together, the second source said. ‘He didn’t think it would be a big thing, but it is now, and no matter how active his career is, he puts time into his relationship. Things are going much better than anyone, including herself, could have imagined.”
And he doesn’t get any advice from his family to slow down. “His family is starting to accept that it’s Jacob’s way or the highway. Right now his family is okay with it, or at least he pretends to be okay with it.”
As for their future, Elordi and Jenner will continue to try to keep a low profile.
“There’s no way he’ll appear on the family show The Kardashians, there’s no way,” the first source said. ‘But maybe later they will work together on a fashion campaign. He likes to model so it can happen.”
Elordi has so far modeled for the brands Bottega Veneta, Calvin Klein, Chanel (as the face of Bleu de Chanel), Cartier and TAG Heuer.
“Maybe he’ll do a sexy Calvin Klein ad with his lady love? A bit cheesy, but fans would go crazy,” the source said.
