Director Sam Taylor-Johnson and actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson made a family night out of the premiere of Aaron’s new R-rated film, “Kraven The Hunter.”
The Hollywood power couple stepped out in New York City Tuesday night with Sam’s adult children for the premiere of the Sony film, which expands the studio’s Spider-Man universe established in films like 2018’s “Venom” and this year’s “Madame Web.” The couple, who have been dogged by commentary over their age gap for years (Sam is 57, and Aaron is 34), don’t often step out in public with their children.
Angelica, 27, and Jessie Jopling, 18 – Sam’s daughters with ex-husband Jay Jopling − joined for the occasion. The Taylor-Johnsons’ younger daughters, 14-year-old Wylda and 12-year-old Romy, were not in attendance.
Speaking with E! News at the premiere, Aaron said “I have four daughters” but “due to the rating, I can only let the ones that are old enough to watch it.”
“Kraven,” the latest in Sony’s Marvel universe which releases in theaters Friday, introduces Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the title Spider-Man antagonist, a big-game hunter from the comic books.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
The origin story centers on Kraven’s upbringing under a ruthless crime lord dad (Russell Crowe) and journey to become the world’s greatest hunter, with Ariana DeBose as voodoo priestess Calypso and Alessandro Nivola as villainous Rhino.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson has criticized ‘intrusive’ attention on 23-year age difference
The Taylor-Johnsons met on the set of “Nowhere Boy” in 2008 when Aaron, who was around 18 at the time, auditioned in front of then-42-year-old director Sam and eventually landed the role of John Lennon. He proposed a year later.
“We were very professional through the entire film,” Sam told Harper’s Bazaar in 2019. “But everyone on set knew. And as soon as we finished (filming), he told me he was going to marry me. We had never been on a date, or even kissed.”
“And a year to the minute after we met, exactly one year to the minute, I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me,” Aaron added.
Heading to the theater?15 must-see movies for the holidays, from ‘Wicked’ to ‘Moana 2’
In 2010, the two welcomed their first child together, Wylda Rae. Two years later, they got married and had their second daughter, Romy.
Years later, the two returned to collaborating professionally by adapting the book “A Million Little Pieces” into a 2018 film. The couple co-wrote the screenplay; Sam directed, and Aaron starred in the lead role.
The Taylor-Johnsons have previously cited their age difference as a reason why they tend to keep their personal lives private.
“The attention was intrusive,” Aaron Taylor-Johnson told New York Magazine in 2017 of the initial public reaction to their relationship. “But having to deal with that early in my career probably got me to a place where I can more quickly just go, ‘Oh, (expletive) it’ instead of wanting to rip someone’s head off for asking questions I don’t like.”
Contributing: Brian Truitt and Jenna Ryu
