A once-strong Hollywood friendship has cooled dramatically. Leonardo DiCaprio and Bradley Cooper, long-time friends, have grown distant since Cooper began dating model Gigi Hadid. The reason for the strain is rooted in the past: Hadid and DiCaprio were briefly involved romantically before her relationship with Cooper began. Sources describe the situation as “mega awkward,” revealing that DiCaprio is having a hard time accepting the serious relationship between his old friend and his former flame.
The Source of the Strain
The awkward dynamic stems from a past romance between Leonardo DiCaprio and Gigi Hadid. The two were linked throughout late 2022 and into the following year. At the time, sources indicated that “Leo is definitely pursuing Gigi,” and that “Gigi is smitten”. However, their relationship eventually fizzled. An insider explained the situation, stating:
“The dynamic is mega awkward because Gigi fell hard for Leo back when they hooked up, but he wanted to play the field, so things fizzled out. At the time, there was a lot of resentment from Gigi and her friends towards Leo”.
After DiCaprio and Hadid parted ways, Bradley Cooper entered the picture. Reports suggest DiCaprio assumed this new relationship would be short-lived. However, contrary to those expectations, Cooper and Hadid have built a strong, committed partnership that has lasted nearly two years.
A Friendship Fades
As Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid’s relationship strengthened, the bond between Cooper and DiCaprio weakened. The two actors, who were once very close, are no longer on the same terms. According to insider reports, Cooper has chosen to distance himself from DiCaprio out of loyalty to Hadid. A source close to the situation revealed that Cooper did not want “to stay friendly with someone who treated his girl shabbily”.
This has left DiCaprio on the outside looking in. The same source added, “All Leo can do is hope Bradley and Gigi split up and stick with his other pals in the meantime. None of them holds a candle in friendship terms to Bradley, though… Leo loved him like a brother and misses him like crazy”. The source also claimed that DiCaprio feels Cooper has “broken the bro code” and that he “really doesn’t understand what he sees in Gigi”.
Bradley and Gigi’s Growing Bond
While one friendship has faded, another bond has flourished. Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid were first linked in October 2023 and have since become one of Hollywood’s most solid couples. They have been spotted on numerous dates, shared family vacations, and have even begun blending their families. Cooper shares his seven-year-old daughter, Lea, with his ex-partner Irina Shayk, while Hadid has a four-year-old daughter, Khai, with her ex Zayn Malik. The couple has been seen with both children, and a source notes that they “have kids in common” and “each admire the other’s success”.
Their relationship has steadily grown more serious. In early 2025, a source said the couple was “serious about each other, but an engagement would be a big step,” noting they were in “no rush” to get married. However, by July 2025, reports indicated that Cooper was “considering marriage and kids with Gigi” and might “pop the question in the next couple of months”. Hadid made their relationship Instagram-official in May 2025 by sharing a photo of them kissing during her 30th birthday celebrations.
New Chapter for DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio, for his part, has not been alone. He has been in a serious relationship with Italian model Vittoria Ceretti since the summer of 2023. Their relationship has also progressed, with DiCaprio having introduced Ceretti to his mother. Reports from November 2023 indicated that DiCaprio was “completely smitten” and was even being “exclusive” with Ceretti. Friends of the actor were said to be supportive and were “keeping their fingers crossed that Leo may have finally found The One”.
Despite being in his own relationship, the reported rivalry with his former friend persists. An insider claimed that the two actors are now in a “quiet competition to settle down,” with DiCaprio allegedly wanting to marry his girlfriend before Cooper does. The same source described “stupid rivalries” between the two, noting they have competed over “houses, cars, vacations, environmental campaigns and their relationships with beautiful models”.
Credits: Radar Online, Harper’s Bazaar
