Last night at the Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year event in London, my obsession Sam Taylor-Wood received the Renaissance Woman of the Year Award, accompanied by my other obsession, her fiancé, Aaron Johnson. As you know, their relationship – she’s 43 and he’s 20 and they’ve been together almost 2 years and are now parents to a daughter, 4 months – has been the source of much debate. She insists that were it reversed, if the man was older, no one would give a sh-t:

“In the old days, controversial' in a relationship meant same-sex or mixed races. Now, it is a woman with a younger man. That would not happen with a man and certainly not with a male director. Every article about the film in the UK has mentioned the age difference between us, however unrelated, and almost none in America.”

No, darling, in America the publicists are just more ruthless. Trust.

Sam also reveals that it was Aaron who wanted to start having babies straight away. That he was the one who pushed to take their commitment to another level:

“Aaron, almost before anything started between us, said he wanted kids. He was very clear about wanting a family. We hardly go out now, it's just us. You know what I used to be like! Aaron has brought a set of values I didn't even know I was looking for, family values. He is more grounded. He has been getting work offers which he has turned down because he wants to be here for the crucial beginning months of Wylda's life. This time I don't want help and Aaron wants to be here and be involved. How refreshing is that?”

You know, there’s a scene in the movie Made in Dagenham (which EVERYONE SHOULD GO SEE!!!) when Sally Hawkins’s husband is yelling at her for working too hard to fight for women’s equality in the workplace because that means he has to do all the washing up at home and he’s tired of it. So his argument is “well I don’t beat you, I don’t drink, I don’t cheat on you, and I work hard for a living, why don’t you consider yourself more fortunate?”

And she’s like – um, dude, that’s the way it should be. You expect me to congratulate you for doing what you should be doing?

Sam’s words about Aaron kinda remind me of that. Aaron stays home and helps her with the kid. Aaron is declining acting jobs because he doesn’t want to miss any moments in Wylda’s life. And for some reason, this impresses her.

Um, dude, that’s the way it should be.

Is that the new Renaissance?


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Photos from Wenn.com