Six years. In Hollywood time, that’s basically an eternity. Most celebrity couples burn out before the ink on their first joint interview even dries, but Dylan O’Brien and Britt Robertson were different. They didn’t do the red carpet PDA thing. They didn’t post weekly "appreciation" photos on Instagram.
They just existed.
Then, one day in 2018, they didn't. No big announcement. No dramatic "we ask for privacy during this time" PR statement. They were just... over.
How The First Time Started Everything
It’s almost too poetic that they met on the set of a movie called The First Time. It was 2011, and the film was this indie teen rom-com directed by Jonathan Kasdan. Dylan was the breakout star of Teen Wolf, and Britt was coming off The Secret Circle.
The movie is basically 90 minutes of two people talking and falling in love over one weekend. Turns out, the chemistry wasn't just acting.
Honestly, it wasn't love at first sight, though. Britt later joked in interviews that their first kissing scene was actually kind of a disaster. She told Hollywire that she didn't feel good about the first take, and they had to redo the whole thing the next day.
Eventually, they figured it out. They got really good at it.
By the time the movie hit Sundance in January 2012, they were a thing. But they weren't the type to shout it from the rooftops. If you wanted to see them together, you had to catch a blurry paparazzi photo of them grabbing coffee or wait for a rare mention in a magazine.
The Mystery of the Missing Relationship
Why does everyone still talk about them? Probably because they were so normal. While other stars were out there staging paparazzi shoots, Dylan and Britt were just living.
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Dylan would show up on her sets. He was spotted in Vancouver while she was filming Tomorrowland with George Clooney. Britt would return the favor. It was a low-key, supportive vibe that felt authentic.
I remember when Britt did an interview with Brit + Co in 2016. She talked about how they kept things going while being famous and busy. Her secret? Not being "overly communicative" on social media. She basically said she didn't find any use for it.
That’s why their fans—the "Brylan" shippers—were always so hungry for scraps. When they did talk about each other, it was always sweet, but grounded.
The Accident That Changed Things
The biggest test for the couple came in 2016. If you follow Dylan’s career, you know about the Maze Runner: The Death Cure accident.
It was horrific.
He was pulled off a vehicle and hit by another during a stunt gone wrong. He suffered a "concussion, facial fracture, and lacerations." It was the kind of injury that changes a person. For a long time, Dylan was out of the spotlight, recovering both physically and mentally.
Britt was there for all of it.
Dylan told People that his girlfriend was a "saint." She was on a plane to Canada as soon as she heard. She stayed by his hospital bed. When he finally came back to promote American Assassin, he credited her as one of the main reasons he was able to get through the trauma.
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At that point, fans thought they were endgame. If you survive a near-fatal accident together, you're set for life, right?
The Quiet End of Dylan O’Brien and Britt Robertson
Relationships are weird. Sometimes, you survive the big storms only to realize the foundation has shifted during the calm.
By early 2018, the rumors started.
There were no more sightings. No mentions in interviews. Then, the internet did what it does best: it started tracking social media. In late 2018, news broke that they had officially split.
The confirmation didn't come from them. It came from the fact that they were both seen with other people. Britt was spotted hanging out with actor Graham Rogers. Dylan was seen out with Chlöe Grace Moretz (who he actually had a crush on years prior).
By December 2018, Us Weekly confirmed the six-year relationship was dead.
Why did they break up?
Nobody knows. Seriously.
Neither of them has ever sat down for a "tell-all" interview about the split. There was no cheating scandal. No public fighting. Most insiders suggest they just grew apart. They were in their early 20s when they met and almost 30 when they ended. People change a lot in those years.
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Britt eventually moved on and married Paul Floyd in 2023. Dylan has been linked to a few people since, like Rachael Lange, but he remains famously private about his personal life.
Why We Are Still Obsessed
There is a certain nostalgia for the Dylan O'Brien and Britt Robertson era. It represents a time before TikTok and before every celebrity couple felt like a marketing collaboration.
They felt like a real couple you’d see at a grocery store, not a brand.
Even today, if you go to TikTok or Tumblr, you’ll find edits of them. People love the "met on set, stayed together through the trauma" trope. It’s the ultimate "what if" story for fans of 2010s YA cinema.
What This Means for You
If you’re looking at their relationship and wondering how to handle your own long-term situation, there are actually a few "normal person" lessons to take away:
- Privacy is a choice: You don't have to post every dinner date to be "real." Sometimes keeping things offline makes the bond stronger.
- Support matters: Being there during a crisis (like Dylan's accident) defines a relationship more than the good times ever will.
- Growing apart isn't a failure: Six years is a huge chunk of life. Just because it didn't last "forever" doesn't mean it wasn't a success while it happened.
If you want to revisit their chemistry, your best bet is to go back and watch The First Time. It’s probably the most honest look we'll ever get at what they were actually like together.
Next Steps for Fans: If you’re looking to keep up with what they’re doing now, check out Britt Robertson’s recent work in The Rookie: Feds or Dylan O'Brien’s upcoming projects like Ponyboi. They’ve both moved on, and honestly, we probably should too—but it’s okay to look back every once in a while.