When they met, he had a string of blockbuster action movies to his name, while she was a model who had just gained her Victoria’s Secret wings.
Now 15 years and two children later, Jason Statham and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley are ‘couple goals’.
Let’s take a look back at their love story, including how they first met and their relationship now.
Jason Statham, now 56, was born in the English town Shirebrook on July 26, 1967, to mum dancer Eileen, a dancer, and Barry, who sold goods on the streets.
A young Statham took up diving and was a member of the British National Swimming Squad for 12 years, competing at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.
After being scouted at training, the 178cm-tall Statham won modelling contracts with Tommy Hilfiger, Levi’s and French Connection, the latter choosing him for his “very masculine” looks.
He appeared in a few music videos before his big break when then little-known British director Guy Ritchie cast him in the 1998 film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and his 2000 film, Snatch, opposite Brad Pitt and Benicio del Toro.
The film was a huge hit and opened doors for Statham in Hollywood.
By the time he met fellow Brit Huntington-Whiteley at a London party, Statham was the star of films, The Transporter, and its sequel. He also starred in The Italian Job and another Ritchie film, Revolver.
Huntington-Whiteley was born in Plymouth, England, on April 18, 1987, to Charles, a surveyor, and fitness instructor mum Fiona.
At 15, she did work experience at a modelling agency in London’s West End, and was signed after leaving school. At 16, she landed her first modelling job for a Levi’s jeans commercial before travelling to New York for a shoot with Teen Vogue.
The 175cm-tall model made her catwalk debut in 2004 on the runway alongside Naomi Campbell at New York Fashion Week.
In 2006, she became a Victoria’s Secret Angel, and scored her first major ad campaign with Burberry in 2008, before landing her first British Vogue cover that year.
In early 2009, Huntington-Whiteley, then 22, and Statham, then 42, met at a London party. During a Q&A on her Instagram Story, the model said it was “instant chemistry.”
In a 2013 interview with Glamour, Huntington-Whiteley said their 20-year age gap was not an issue.
“His knowledge and strength are really inspiring and attractive, and that can come with a man who’s had a bit of time,” she said.
“We have a connection that has nothing to do with age. Work comes and goes, but if you have someone at home who thinks you’re the greatest person in the world, that keeps you going.”
The couple kept their relationship low-key at the start, waiting two years before making their red carpet debut at the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. That same year, they posed together on the red carpet at the 2011 Met Gala.
In a 2014 interview with The Violet Files, Huntington-Whiteley said the pair liked to share a laugh together.
“Jason has taught me nearly the whole dictionary of Cockney rhyming slang,” she said. “I get quite a few odd looks because people don’t expect it to come out of my mouth. In the US people just think we are bonkers.”
In April 2015, Huntington-Whiteley told Net-a-Porter’s The Edit that being one half of a celebrity couple had its downsides.
“It can become a frenzy walking down the street with [Jason],” she said.
“People relate to him and feel like he’s the guy they grew up with, so it’s tricky. You can’t always do the right thing… Doing normal stuff just isn’t the same.”
The couple caused a frenzy when they arrived on the Golden Globes red carpet in January 2016 with the model sporting an engagement ring. The following day, reps for the couple confirmed the news.
The ring’s designer Neil Lane later told People that Statham had hunted for the perfect ring.
“Jason wanted something perfect and flawless, and he kept coming back to this one,” he said.
Six months later, Huntington-Whiteley took to Instagram to wish the actor a happy birthday, calling him “the love of my life.”
The following February, the model again took to Instagram with a special announcement. “Very happy to share that Jason and I are expecting!” she wrote alongside a pic of her baby bump.
She showed off her baby bump again when the couple hit the red carpet that month for the Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
They welcomed son Jack Oscar on June 24, 2017, with the new mum announcing his birth with a black-and-white photo of his tiny hand in hers.
She told Extra the following year her partner was a great dad.
“He is very happy to get up at 5 in the morning and do daddy duty and let me sleep an extra hour,” she said. “He’s very hands-on, he’s a brilliant dad. I am very lucky, he’s a great partner.”
In a rare move, Statham took to Instagram on May 29, 2018, to congratulate his fiancee on the launch of her beauty brand Rose Inc.
“This girl launched her new venture today,” he wrote. “So proud to see you chase your dreams and make them a reality. Congratulations babe.”
In August 2018, Huntington-Whiteley shared a rare photo of Jack in the background of a photo before the premiere of his dad’s new film, The Meg. “Dad’s movie premiere. So proud of you j,” she wrote on Instagram.
The following year, she shared photos of herself with Statham on a series of romantic vacations.
In 2020, the model took to Instagram for a Q&A to say Jack was a chip off the old block.
“I’m really proud to say he has a proper English accent and he does have the same booming loud voice as Jason. The pair of them are sooo noisy!”
The couple announced in August 2021 via Instagram they were expecting their second child before welcoming daughter Isabella James on February 2, 2022.
The couple appeared as loved-up as ever recently. They were at the world premiere of Fast X in Rome, Italy, in May 2023, and at London Fashion Week in September, with the two snapped sharing a tender moment as they sat front row.
Huntington-Whiteley occasionally shares snippets of her life with Statham and their two children with her 20 million Instagram followers.
Last June, she wished Statham a happy US/UK Fathers’s Day, writing “Happy Father’s Day to our King. Thank you for being such an amazing Daddy to our babies. I love you forever,” alongside a photo of him holding their daughter.
Statham and Huntington-Whiteley remain together but are yet to marry.
Huntington-Whiteley told Extra shortly after welcoming Jack that getting married was something they looked forward to, but wasn’t a huge priority.
“I think the time will come. We’ve been so focused on our work and Jack came along, we definitely talk about it. We’re looking forward to that time. It’s also not a huge priority for us. We’re so happy.”
Statham, who has a net worth of about $150 million, appeared in The Expendables film franchise and joined the Fast & Furious franchise, before moving into producing films such as The Beekeeper.
Meanwhile, Huntington-Whiteley, who has a net worth of about $45 million, moved into acting, taking over from Megan Fox as the female lead in the 2012 film Transformers: Dark of the Moonz, before appearing in the 2015 film Mad Max: Fury Road.
The couple split their time between homes in LA and London, which is their main base.
Both homes have been extensively renovated in a minimalist style and showcased by Vogue.
