Karwai Tang / Getty Images
Demi and Wilmer met in 2010, when she was 17, and he was 29. They turned romantically concerned when she turned 18 and dated on and off for roughly six years.
Jeff Vespa / Getty Images
In 2022, Demi seemingly slammed their 12-year age gap on a music titled “29.” She mentioned, “Petal on the vine / Too young to drink wine / Just five years a bleeder, student and a teacher / Far from innocent / What the fuck’s consent? / Numbers told you not to / But that didn’t stop you.”
Related: Teyana Taylor’s Faux Nipple Dress And More Celebrity Looks From The 2026 Actor Awards
Seemingly referring to Wilmer once more on Keke Palmer’s podcast on March 3, Demi questioned, “Why was my boyfriend 30? … You look back in hindsight, when I turned 30, I was like, ‘That’s not OK.’”
@eitherwaydemi / Baby, This Is Keke Palmer / Via youtube.com
Demi’s feedback wound up sparking a renewed dialogue about what number of younger women sadly share similar experiences. And amid the discourse, followers have unearthed footage of Demi talking about her relationship with Wilmer on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show in 2015.
Axelle / Getty Images
In the clip, Demi — who was 22 on the time — defended her and Wilmer’s relationship after Ryan informed her that she was “too young” for him. The host started, “Did you know that I met your friend Wilmer before you were born? Like, we used to hang in Hollywood.”
After reminiscing on his and Wilmer’s friendship, Ryan requested Demi, “You guys have been close for how long now?” She replied, “I met him five years ago and we became close after that… I looked at him and was extremely attracted to him.”
“When I first met him, I’m not shy [about] dating older men,” she shared. “He was like, ‘Woah, slow down. You’re too young.’”
Related: 13 Times Celebrities *Allegedly* Faked A Romance To Promote A Movie, Show, Or Project
Ryan then mentioned, “You are too young,” to which Demi replied, “Not anymore!”
Ryan then laughed and joked that Demi was getting “defensive.” The singer went on to state, “I’m 22,” prompting Ryan to ask how previous Wilmer was. “He’s 35,” she mentioned, to which he replied, “Oh, God! He’s my age!”
Demi later added, “I’m basically 30!”
Despite briefly calling out the age hole, Ryan really went on to reward Demi and Wilmer’s relationship, telling the singer that the couple had been “in sync.”
In recent years, the clip has received an increasing number of critical comments. Someone wrote a couple of years ago, “Watching this in 2024, and when he said ‘I met your friend Wilmer before you were born’ says A LOT. I’m glad Demi realizes that she was in an inappropriate relationship… but Wilmer also KNEW BETTER not to be with someone who’s 11-12 years younger than him…. Ryan saying that honestly says a lot.”
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
“This makes me feel ill watching this now,” another recent comment read, while someone else said, “This didn’t age well.”
And final week, the clip resurfaced amid a now-viral TikTok compilation. One widespread remark with over 18,000 likes read, “Ryan Seacrest was SO REAL for that. Straight to her face too,” whereas another person mentioned, “The way Ryan tried to tell her…. when you are in it, you don’t get it.”
“The approach her face modifications when Ryan says ‘God, he’s my age,'” another user said.
However, at the same time, many internet users questioned why Ryan didn’t “have the identical vitality” for Wilmer throughout an interview that befell a month after his chat with Demi.
Kevin Winter / Getty Images
Related: 22 Absolutely Bonkers Things I’ve Learned About Old Hollywood Celebs That Made My Jaw Hit The Floor
In said interview, which was also included in the recent TikTok compilation, Wilmer appeared to defend his and Demi’s age gap by telling Ryan Seacrest and fellow radio host Ellen K, “I wanted nothing to do with her!”
“‘Stay away from me,’” he jokingly recalled saying, while Ryan and Ellen laughed. The radio hosts then quipped that Demi “persisted” and “chased” Wilmer down.
Acknowledging this clip now in mild of Demi’s newest remarks, one TikTok user said, “He blames the teenager for chasing him when he’s the adult and can make his own decisions.” Another echoed, “It doesn’t matter if someone younger chased him, he should have said no. He’s the adult.”
“So, he (the adult) is blaming her (the teenager)?” another person said.
Let us know what you assume within the feedback, and take a look at Demi’s look on Keke’s podcast here.
You Might Like: 31 Before And Afters That Prove These 33 Body Care Products *Actually* Work
You Might Like: If You’re Tired Of Wasting Money On Duds, These 39 Personal Care Products Actually Deliver
Also in Celebrity: 21 Actors And Singers Who Could’ve Been Way More Famous, But Actively Chose Not To Be
