When Penn Badgley launched into our hearts in Gossip Girl, we didn’t imagine that 17 years later, we’d still be crushing on him. And although his turn as a homicidal maniac in You has tested the limits of our affections, we just can’t help but hold a yen for this curly-haired man with an intense gaze.
While there are many realities we’re not ready to face in our parasocial crush on Penn Badgley, one is that he seems to be very much in love. However, if you look into the relationship of this celebrity couple, it’s immediately clear that Badgley met his very-cool match in Domino Kirke. And as the two prepare to expand welcome twins later this year, we’re looking back on their romance—including their unlikely beginnings in a meatball shop.
Is Penn Badgley Married?
Yes, Penn Badgley is married to Domino Kirke, who has since adopted the hyphenated surname Kirke-Badgley. Badgley and Kirke met in 2014 and quickly became an item. The two were married in a courthouse ceremony in 2017, followed by a rustic reception at an “upscale organic eatery”. It seems the two were married again months later, with new photos emerging of Domino in a different wedding dress, celebrating with friends on a farm. It was a celebrity affair, with the guest list including Heidi Klum, Mariska Hargitay, Sophia Bush, Debra Messing.
Who Is Penn Badgley’s Wife, Domino Kirke?
So, who is the mystery goddess who stole Badgley’s heart? Well, she’s not that mysterious, after all. Domino Kirke is the daughter of Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke and Lorraine Kirke, who ran the prominent Lower East Side vintage store, Geminola, which frequently supplied costumes to Sex And The City. Her sisters are Girls and Conversations With Friends star Jemima Kirke, and actress and singer, Lola Kirke. Domino is the oldest of the trio, born in December 17, 1983.
Domino is a doula and reiki practitioner but, like the rest of her family, also has a foot in the arts. A talented musician, Domino has released two LPs, her most recent recording, The Most Familiar Star, coming out on April 18, 2025. She’d previously been in the band DOMINO, which toured with Lily Allen and had released an EP with Mark Ronson.
How Did Penn Badgley and Domino Kirke Meet?
Penn and Domino reportedly met for the first time at a meatball shop in 2014. At the time, Badgley had been couch surfing and Kirke—as fate would have it—had a room available. They met at this “meatball shop”(per Kirke’s description), where she offered him the room. But it’s safe to say she had other things in mind from the start…
“I got his number because I was really interested in him living with me, and I thought he was cute,” she said on the podcast. “And it would have been nice to have a little winter, you know, fling with my roommate.”
And if you’re wondering if she’d been eyeing him since Gossip Girl days, the answer is a firm no: Kirke had never seen it.
Does Penn Badgley Have Kids?
Penn Badgley has a son with Domino Kirke, as well as a step son, Cassius, whom Kirke had in a previous relationship in 2009. Their son, James, was born in August 2020.
In 2025, Badgley and Kirke revealed they were expecting twins, to be born mid-this year. Making the announcement, Domino took to Instagram with a photo of her, Badgley and James in a photobooth. The caption read: “Babies #3 and #4 coming this Summer! Talk about a PLOT TWIST! Spontaneous twins are beyond magical. We are stunned. We are in awe. Can’t think of anyone else I’d rather be on this ride with @pennbadgley.”
Kirke had previously been vocal about her experiences with pregnancy loss prior to conceiving James.
Who Are Penn Badgley’s Ex Girlfriends?
If you’re wondering about Badgley’s previous relationships, let’s take a look back at his dating history…
Blake Lively, 2007 – 2010
As if we could forget, Penn Badgley dated his Gossip Girl co-star an on-screen love interest, Blake Lively, for three years. The two met after Badgley was cast as Dan Humphrey. They dated for three years on-and-off while filming the series, which ran from 2007 until 2012. However, the two separated in 2010.
Reflecting on the relationship in an April 2025 interview with Call Her Daddy, Badgley said dating Lively while acting opposite her was a “struggle”. Both actors expressed difficulty separating themselves from the characters they played on screen, which they say contributed to a strained relationship. “It was the struggle,” he said. “What starts to happen when you’re in this one role for a long time — the aspect of celebrity being a part of it, a huge part of it — there is not enough separation, I think, for anybody.” Badgley added that he wasn’t “emotionally mature” enough at the time.
Zoe Kravitz, 2011 – 2013
While we may never know exactly how Penn Badgley and Zoe Kravitz met, we know they hit it off and dated for nearly three years. Badgley was filming Gossip Girl at the time, and was therefore living in Kravitz’s hometown of New York. The two reportedly lived with each other for some of that time, and Badgley has described their relationship as “real, true, earth-shattering love.” Sources say they eventually broke up due to busy work schedules and not having “enough time” for each other.
