The Two Men: Who Was Billie Eilish Dating In 2022? Unpacking The Controversial 11-Year Age Gap Romance

As of December 2025, the curiosity surrounding Billie Eilish’s love life remains one of the most searched topics by fans across the globe. The year 2022 was a pivotal period in her romantic journey, marked by two distinct relationships that dominated headlines. The first half of the year saw the quiet end of her relationship with an actor, while the latter half ignited a highly-publicized and controversial new romance with a fellow musician that captured the world's attention.

The definitive answer to "who is Billie Eilish dating in 2022" is split: she broke up with actor Matthew Tyler Vorce in May 2022 and began her relationship with The Neighbourhood frontman Jesse Rutherford in October 2022. It was the latter pairing, defined by a significant age gap, that became the most talked-about celebrity couple of the late year, setting the stage for her romantic life moving into 2023.

Jesse Rutherford: The Musician Who Captured Her Heart in Late 2022

Jesse Rutherford's relationship with Billie Eilish was the defining public romance of her 2022. While the relationship was short-lived, concluding in May 2023, its beginning in the final quarter of 2022 sparked intense media scrutiny and fan discussion.

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Jesse James Rutherford: Biography and Profile

• Full Name: Jesse James Rutherford
• Date of Birth: August 21, 1991
• Age (as of late 2022): 31
• Place of Birth: Thousand Oaks, California, U.S.
• Occupation: Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Former Actor
• Known For: Lead vocalist of the alternative rock band The Neighbourhood (often abbreviated as The NBHD).
• Notable Works: The hit single "Sweater Weather" (2013), "Daddy Issues," and the album I Love You.
• Solo Career: Also releases music under his own name, including the album & (2017).
• Fashion/Style: Known for his distinctive and gender-fluid fashion sense, often influencing his musical projects.

Rutherford's career is deeply rooted in the indie and alternative rock scene, a stark contrast to Eilish's pop and dark-pop dominance. His band, The Neighbourhood, achieved massive success with their melancholic and atmospheric sound, making him a well-established figure in the music industry long before their public pairing.

The Controversial Romance: Billie Eilish and Jesse Rutherford Timeline

The relationship between Billie Eilish and Jesse Rutherford became official in October 2022, but the rumors began circulating weeks prior. The pair were first spotted getting cozy on a dinner date at a vegan restaurant in Los Angeles.

Public Debut and Age Gap Scrutiny

Their relationship quickly became a source of significant controversy due to the notable age difference. When the couple went public, Eilish was 20 years old, and Rutherford was 31, marking an 11-year age gap.

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This age disparity drew immediate criticism from fans and media commentators. Many online discussions questioned the dynamics of the relationship, especially given that Eilish was a minor when she first met Rutherford years earlier. However, the couple addressed the controversy with a playful, tongue-in-cheek approach.

For Halloween 2022, the couple chose costumes that directly mocked the criticism: Eilish dressed as a baby, complete with a colorful bonnet, and Rutherford dressed as an old man, complete with a bald cap and gray hair. This move was seen by some as defiant and by others as dismissive of legitimate concerns regarding power dynamics in age-gap relationships.

The *Vanity Fair* Interview Confirmation

The relationship was officially confirmed by Eilish herself in her annual *Vanity Fair* "Time Capsule" interview, released in November 2022. In the interview, she openly gushed about Rutherford, stating that she was "really happy" and "really excited" about the relationship.

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She praised his ability to make her feel seen and comfortable, a sentiment that resonated with fans who wished for her happiness. The interview provided a rare, candid glimpse into her private life, which she typically keeps guarded. She described their connection as one that made her feel "inspired" and less "terrified" of the world.

Despite the public scrutiny, the couple maintained a high profile through the end of 2022, attending the LACMA Art + Film Gala in matching Gucci blankets and pajamas, a memorable and unique red-carpet moment that solidified their status as a unique celebrity pairing.

The Breakup of Early 2022: Matthew Tyler Vorce

Before the whirlwind romance with Jesse Rutherford, Billie Eilish's 2022 began with her still in a relationship with actor and writer Matthew Tyler Vorce. Their relationship had begun quietly in April 2021 and lasted just over a year, concluding in May 2022.

The End of the Relationship and Cheating Rumors

The breakup became public knowledge in May 2022, and rumors quickly began to circulate on social media that Vorce had cheated on the "Happier Than Ever" singer. The speculation gained traction, leading to significant online backlash directed at the actor.

In a rare move, Matthew Tyler Vorce took to his Instagram Story to publicly confirm the split and address the allegations. He firmly denied the cheating rumors, calling out the online toxicity. "Nobody cheated on anyone," Vorce wrote, asking fans to stop spreading "lies" and speculating about her private life.

Eilish herself subtly addressed the situation by reposting Vorce’s message, lending credence to his statement and signaling that the breakup was an amicable, or at least non-scandalous, end to their time together. This closure in May 2022 paved the way for her to enter the next chapter of her dating history later that year.

Billie Eilish’s Dating History: A Pattern of Privacy

Billie Eilish has always been fiercely protective of her private life, especially her romantic relationships. Her public romances with both Matthew Tyler Vorce and Jesse Rutherford were exceptions to her rule of extreme privacy.

Prior to 2021, Eilish was briefly linked to rapper Brandon Quention "Q" Adams, known professionally as 7:AMP, a relationship she later confirmed in her 2021 documentary, Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry. This relationship, which ended in 2019, was kept entirely out of the public eye until the documentary's release, highlighting her commitment to keeping her personal life separate from her global career.

The increased visibility of her 2022 relationships is a testament to her growing maturity and comfort in sharing parts of her life, even as she continues to navigate the intense pressure and scrutiny that comes with being a global superstar and multiple Grammy Award winner. Her brother and musical collaborator, Finneas O'Connell, has often spoken about the difficulty of maintaining privacy under the celebrity microscope, especially concerning the age gap criticism directed at her and Rutherford.

Ultimately, 2022 saw Billie Eilish transition from a private, year-long relationship to a very public, albeit controversial, pairing. The year was a significant marker in her personal timeline, demonstrating her evolution both as an artist and a young woman navigating fame and love.