Hollywood loves a good mystery, and sometimes, a red carpet moment can spin into a full-blown rumor mill. That’s exactly what happened when acting legend Christine Baranski and music artist King Princess stepped out together. But fear not, fans, because Baranski’s team has quickly set the record straight.
"Christine and King Princess are strictly friends and nothing more," Baranski’s representative told Page Six on Friday, August 22. "They have never had a relationship, nor do they have one now." The rep also made it clear that any talk about the two being a couple is "pure speculation."
The buzz began after Baranski, 73, and King Princess, 26, walked the red carpet arm-in-arm. This was at the Broadway return of Mamma Mia on Monday, August 18. Fans of the movie version of the musical will remember Baranski as the sassy Tanya. Their appearance together instantly grabbed headlines.
Baranski looked dazzling in a silver sequined suit, finishing her look with a pair of cool sunglasses. King Princess, whose real name is Mikaela Mullaney Straus, sported a unique newspaper-print button-up shirt. She paired it with black pants, a studded belt, several silver necklaces, and sunglasses. The pair were even photographed holding hands, adding fuel to the fire. King Princess then shared several photos from the night on social media. Her Instagram caption on Wednesday, August 20, simply read "#LoveIsLove," which certainly got some fans talking.
This delightful friendship actually bloomed on a different set. King Princess and Baranski first met last year during the filming of the second season of Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers. Baranski played Victoria, an older woman dealing with ALS. King Princess made her acting debut in the drama as Tina, a pianist dating Wolfie, played by Maisie Richardson-Sellers.
Baranski quickly hit it off with the "1950" singer. She shared details of their bond with Interview Magazine in May. "We sat at the bar, ordered our martinis, and suddenly, we were talking about our grandmothers, who deeply influenced our lives," Baranski remembered. "I think that’s where we created a deep bond." The Mamma Mia actress also called King Princess "an incredibly talented young woman, very opinionated, deeply funny and witty." She said their friendship was "the greatest gift." Baranski added enthusiastically, "We’ve created a curious bond and want to remain friends. It’s a great gift."
In her personal life, Baranski was married to Matthew Cowles. They tied the knot in 1983 and stayed together until he passed away in 2014 at age 69 from congestive heart failure. The couple had two daughters, Lily and Isabel. Baranski opened up about returning to work after her husband’s death in a 2018 interview with Parade. "A few months after Matthew’s passing, I had to be back in front of a camera, but it helped to be with my community," she said. "Everyone knew and loved me, so going back to work was good."
As for King Princess, she has been romantically linked to Amandla Stenberg and creative director Quinn Wilson in the past.