Kaia Gerber Opens Up About The Challenges Of Dating Pete Davidson — And He Agrees

"I’d wake up and be like, 'How did I get here?'"

Kaia Gerber and Pete Davidson GC Images; Getty Images
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In a recent interview with Vogue Magazine, model Kaia Gerber, 19, opened up about the struggles of dating one of Hollywood's most in-demand dating partners — "Saturday Night Live" cast member Pete Davidson.

Gerber, the daughter of iconic supermodel Cindy Crawford, said she never had a normal high school experience and started dating older men by default.

“You know,” Gerber said, “I was doing fashion month, but I was so young I had kissed, like, only one person. I had never had a high school sweetheart or anything. And so I tended to date older people because those were the people I was around.”

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Pete Davidson was one of those older men.

When they started dating back in October of 2019, Gerber had just turned 18 and Davidson was 26. The relationship had a lasting effect on her.

Why did Kaia Gerber find Pete Davidson hard to date?

When the two split, a source revealed to Page Six that Davidson's mental health issues had become too much for the model.

"It got very overwhelming for Kaia," the source said at the time of their break up. "Pete has a certain M.O. and he’s very intense to his girlfriends. Kaia is only 18 and it’s a lot to deal with.”

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“I got put in situations where one day I’d wake up and be like, 'How did I get here?'” Gerber told Vogue. “I have no idea what I’m doing, and I need help. And being able to ask for that help was amazing. That’s what real growing up means, not being afraid to ask.”

Crawford and father Rande Gerber were supportive of her and helped her when things got tough.

“A little later, it hit us in ways we didn’t necessarily expect,” Crawford said. “But you just have to let your kids fly and be there to pick them up if they fall. My husband, who has a great perspective, always tells me, ‘Cindy, this too shall pass.'”

Davidson is widely known for his mental health issues, and those who are critical of him have described him as a “troubled lothario.”

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He even speaks about these challenges he brings to relationships himself, and confirmed this was an issue with Gerber.

In an interview with Charlamagne tha God, Davidson explained what happened with Gerber from his perspective.

“She’s very young, and I’m ... going through a lot, and it was before I went to rehab,” Davidson said. “She should be having fun. She shouldn’t have to worry about some dude who just has issues.”

He went on to explain how he behaves in relationships and that he understands why women might find him overwhelming.

“I cry a lot. I get into deep conversations,” he said. “I like to meet your family. I like to know who you are. And some families are like, ‘Who the [expletive] are you?’ So I’m a lot for certain people. It was just how I was raised.”

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Davidson has open about his mental health issues with both the public and his partners, saying he sits somewhere between bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder on the mental illness spectrum.

“I just off the top, I’m like, ‘Hey, I’m nuts,'” Davidson said. “Here’s all my issues. Here’s what I do. Here’s the therapist. This is what happens.”

Davidson also says he does this about a month into relationships, as to not “surprise” the people that he’s with later, as he doesn’t want to waste their time or scare them later.

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He also humble brags that he’s surrounded by a good group of friends and that they let him know when they think things are getting out of hand.

“My rock bottom is when people are scared of my life and I have to go away, and then I have to bring myself back up again. So I think I’ve hit it a few times,” Davidson said. “As long as you’re around good, supportive people and if you’re strong, you can get out of it.”

Davidson admits social media and tabloid attention takes a toll, but that’s the reason that he doesn’t have any social media anymore.

“I’ve been very fortunate and lucky to date some really wonderful, beautiful, cool, talented women and with that comes [drama in the public eye], unfortunately,” he says. “So I’m aware that there’s s—, but I do think that I get a little harder than most. But like, that comes with the territory.”

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That also could have been part of the reason Gerber felt overwhelmed.

When Pete Davidson is rumored to be with someone, it becomes front-page news and everyone wants to know how they’re doing and if he’s OK.

For someone so young, it can’t be easy to be in that kind of environment.

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Gerber told Vogue she's now interested in dating men closer to her age, which is what she is currently doing.

In September, she started dating "Euphoria" actor Jacob Elordi, who is 23 years old — only four years older than Gerber.

“Being able to be with someone I trust, where we don’t want anything from each other, having a safe, steady relationship like that, has really opened my eyes to the possibilities of love and what it feels like to love without conditions,” Gerber said.

Davidson has also moved on and is dating "Bridgerton" star Phoebe Dynevor.

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Isaac Serna-Diez is a writer who focuses on entertainment and news, social justice and relationships.

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