‘Are you joking?’: Age-gap debate erupts over potential new celeb romance

A real sign that things are changing is the debate over a potential new celebrity couple due to their age gap.

There’s been a flurry of excitement over the very idea that Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson could be dating, but there’s also a growing sense people are over the age-gap romance.

Neeson, 73, and Anderson, 58, are currently promoting their film The Naked Gun, and in true Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell style, everyone’s wondering if their on-screen chemistry has translated to a real-life love affair, as both gush about each other while on the press circut. Anderson described Neeson as the “perfect gentleman” and someone with whom she has a connection.

“I have a friend forever in Liam and we definitely have a connection that is very sincere, very loving, and he’s a good guy,” she said.

Anderson has praised the actor for being a “good guy”. Picture: Sebastian Reuter/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures

Anderson also said they’ll be friends for life. Picture: Backgrid

Meanwhile, Neeson praised Anderson for having zero ego, claiming he was “madly in love with her” platonically as she’s terrific to work with.

“I can’t compliment her enough, I’ll be honest with you,” he said.

It’s an absolute lovefest, and rooting for them as a couple is an extra layer of fun for fans because both have been unlucky in love.

Anderson has been married five times, and Neeson tragically lost his wife, Natasha Richardson, in 2009, and has never remarried.

It isn’t unusual for co-stars to become close when trying to promote a movie, but online people are really loving the idea of the pair dating.

“I would absolutely love these two together,” one gushed.

Someone called them “extremely cute”, another fan said they’d make a “hot” couple, and someone else described the match as “truly adorable” if true.

Mr Neeson, 73, and Ms Anderson, 58, are currently promoting their film The Naked Gun. Picture: Adrian DENNIS / AFP

Some people have claimed they’d love if they got together. Picture: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

In a real sign that things are changing, there are also people disapproving of the 15-year age gap.

“Problematic age-gap,” one person claimed.

“Gross!” Another remarked.

“When Pamela was being born, Liam Neeson would already been in a 10th grader. A 10th grader,” someone else pointed out.

There were, of course, people slamming those who were upset by the age gap, with someone asking, “Are you joking?” and another pointing out that they’re both “grown adults,” so it is fine.

While someone said it was “definitely not” problematic, but argued that if one was in their 40s and the other in their 20s, it would be.

Today is a far cry from years past, before these debates could be had in comment sections across the internet.

People didn’t even really blink when Tom Cruise married Katie Holmes, 16 years his junior, in 2016.

The pair got married in 2016 and Cruise was in his 40s, while Holmes was in her 20s. Picture: AFP PHOTO/Shaun Curry

George Clooney is 17 years older than Amal. Picture: TheStewartofNY/FilmMagic

There certainly wasn’t much concern when George Clooney married Amal Clooney, who is 17 years his junior, in 2014.

The cultural response to age gaps in the early 2000s was so blasé that people are still surprised to learn that Ryan Reynolds is a decade older than Blake Lively.

Age gaps just weren’t conversation starters, so the fact that people online are even flagging or noticing a potential couple’s 15-year age gap says everything.

People went from not being outraged at men in their late 40s marrying women in their 20s to people being upset about a potential age-gap romance between two movie stars who both have adult children.

The culture has shifted, or at the very least is shifting.