Photo: Instagram
Wedding bells may be ringing soon ... maybe.
By Elizabeth Ward — Written on Nov 21, 2019
When US Senator and candidate for the Democratic Party's 2020 presidential nomination Cory Booker appeared on "The Wendy Williams Show" last week, Wendy hit him with some tough questions about his romantic intentions with his current girlfriend, actress Rosario Dawson.
Specifically, Williams asked Booker directly, "Will you marry her?"
The pair have been dating for more than a year and things seem to have moved pretty swiftly for the couple during that time.
Despite conflicting schedules and hard times — Dawson’s father Greg is battling cancer and Booker is hoping to run for President of the United States of America — the two have managed to make time for each other and seem seriously committed.
The New Jersey senator opened up to Williams about his relationship with the actress, telling the detailed story of how they met and even admitting that wedding plans aren’t out of the question, and making sure to note that if he does propose, he'll be sure to pick an engagement ring that suits her well.
“Look," he said, "I have hope, I have hope.”
Are Cory Booker and Rosario Dawson getting married?
The two are not engaged as of yet, but in the meantime, here are 6 fun facts to know about the US Senator Cory Booker, actress Rosario Dawson, and their relationship.
1. Booker credits comedian Sarah Silverman with bringing him and Dawson together
Booker, 50, said he owes a lot to comedian Sarah Silverman because if it weren’t for her, he and Dawson, 40, would never have fallen in love.
While the Senator originally met the actress when the two attended a fundraiser for then gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous, Booker has joked, "She didn’t give me the time of day."
When they later met again at a rooftop party hosted by Silverman, he says the two hit it off right away. “I have a lot of gratitude for Sarah Silverman," Booker told Williams. "The roof was on fire that night."
Booker also admits he was nervous about asking Dawson for her number, but eventually worked up the courage — and the rest is history.
2. Even when they're apart, Booker finds romantic ways to show Dawson he's connected to her
In April. Dawson, who says she calls the Senator "Cab", noted that in spite of his hectic schedule — not only is he running for President of the United States, he's also a sitting U.S. Senator — he makes sure to connect with her in special ways on regular basis.
"Cory sends me a song every day we’re not together," she shares, "and it’s just stuff like that where I’m sort of like, ‘He is so romantic and beautiful.'"
3. If he doesn't propose soon, Booker could be the first bachelor President living in the White House in nearly a century and a half
To date, only two unmarried men have been elected President of the United States.
James Buchanan, who served as the 15th President from 1857 to 1861, never married.
Grover Cleveland served as both the 22nd President from 1885 to 1889, and again as 24th President from 1893 to 1897. He married Frances Folsom in 1886, one year into his first term.
If Cory Booker remains a bachelor and is elected President of the United States, he will be the third unmarried Commander-in-Chief to reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
However, he was sure to note that a lot could happen by next year...
4. Dawson’s last boyfriend was comedian Eric Andre
Speaking with Williams, Booker said of his first encounter with Dawson, "We were both, I think, not really looking at that point."
That's likely because the political event in question may have taken place around the same time Dawson had confirmed she was dating comedian Eric Andre, and Booker is believed to have still been involved to some extent with former on-again off-again girlfriend Chanda Gibson.
In an appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" in April 2017, she spoke to the fact that, for some reason, people didn't believe she and Andre were dating.
To prove the two were actually an item, she said, “He started posting more pictures of like our tongues touching and stuff, like personal pictures. I'm like,'Dude ... You’re such a millennial, man. You don’t post the tongue pictures! I'm going to be 38 next month. Come on!'"
Fortunately for Booker, she and Andre split up in November of that same year.
5. Dawson opened up about her love for Booker in October
Dawson said she realized her feelings for Booker when trying to explain to her younger cousin how you know when you're in love with someone. The only explanation she could think was the way she feels about Booker.
“For my whole life, I’ve always felt like, even when I got into a relationship, I was trying to be the center of the storm and everything was just this maelstrom out there,” she says. “But for the first time, I feel like I have someone in the center of the storm with me.”
6. If Booker and Dawson marry, her teenage daughter could potentially be part of the First Family
Dawson adopted her 16-year-old daughter Lola when the now teenager was already 11 years old.
Dawson has said she's known she wanted to adopt an older child since she was 5 years old and found out her dad was not her biological father.
"[My parents] got married when I was 1 year old. So I didn’t know any different of him being my dad," she said, "but it occurred to me, like, ‘OK, I was a cute baby when you decided to do that. What if it was right now? What if all of these years Mom and I had been on our own? Would someone wanna come in now and be my dad, you know?’”
Elizabeth Ward is a writing student finishing her bachelor’s at the University of Louisville. She covers news, entertainment, relationships and everything in between.