You’ve seen the TikToks. The ones where they’re laughing in an elevator, or where he’s carrying her through a crowd, or that viral moment where they recreated a scene from 500 Days of Summer and basically broke the internet. If you spend any time on social media, you’ve probably wondered what is actually going on with McKenna Grace and Mason Thames.
Are they dating? Are they just "work besties"? Is it all just a very clever PR stunt for their movie Regretting You?
Honestly, the truth is a lot more interesting than just another "young Hollywood" dating rumor. These two have spent the last year becoming the most inescapable duo in the industry, and it wasn’t by accident.
The Uber Ride That Started It All
Most people assume they met on a movie set with a script in their hands. Nope. They actually met in the back of an Uber.
They were heading to see Deadpool & Wolverine long before they ever started filming together. Mason has gone on record saying they "clicked immediately." Instead of that awkward "nice to meet you, future coworker" vibe, they apparently spent the whole ride just making each other laugh. It’s kind of refreshing. In an industry where everything is usually managed by agents and publicists, they just... met.
By the time they showed up to film the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s Regretting You, they weren't strangers. They were already friends. That’s probably why their chemistry on screen feels so natural—they aren't trying to build it; it's just there.
Why Everyone Is Obsessed With Their Relationship Status
Look, we have to talk about the hand-holding. In June 2025, they were spotted walking around SoHo, New York City, holding hands like it was the most normal thing in the world. Then there were the aquarium dates. Mason told Seventeen that they spent a day walking around looking at sharks, sharing AirPods while McKenna played her "aquarium playlist."
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If that isn't the most "teenage romance" thing you've ever heard, I don't know what is.
McKenna is usually pretty private, but when she was asked about it on a red carpet, she got visibly flustered and dropped the classic "no comment." But then she followed it up by saying Mason is her "favorite person."
The Kissing Controversy
During the press tour for Regretting You, they let slip that they improvised "a lot of kisses" on set. Like, a lot. According to Mason, there was maybe only one take where they didn't kiss.
- Fact: They played Miller and Clara, the central love interests.
- The Twist: They were so comfortable with each other that the director, Josh Boone, just let them run with it.
- The Result: A movie that actually feels real because the actors aren't counting down the seconds until "Cut."
They Aren't Just Doing One Movie Together
This is the part most people miss. They didn't just wrap Regretting You and go their separate ways. They actually filmed two movies back-to-back.
While they were finishing up the Colleen Hoover drama, they jumped straight into New Year’s Rev. This one is a total 180. It’s a punk-rock comedy produced by Green Day. Mason plays a teenage rocker on a road trip, and McKenna is right there with him. They spent months together, basically living on sets, which explains why Mason calls her "the closest person" to him.
It's rare to see two rising stars tethered together like this. Usually, the "shipping" dies down once the movie comes out. With these two, it only seems to be getting louder because they keep showing up in each other’s lives. She even went to Texas for his 18th birthday. She bought him a Spider-Man wallet. That’s not "coworker" behavior; that’s "inner circle" behavior.
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McKenna Grace is Busy Owning 2026
While the Mason rumors are fun, McKenna is currently on a trajectory that’s kind of terrifyingly successful. She isn't just "the girl from Ghostbusters" anymore.
She just landed the role of Maysilee Donner in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. That’s a massive deal. Maysilee is a fan-favorite character from the books (the original owner of the mockingjay pin), and fans have been fancasting McKenna for years. She’s also got Scream 7 on the horizon.
She’s 19 now, and she’s already an executive producer. Think about that. Most actors her age are just happy to get a line of dialogue. She’s literally in the rooms where the decisions are made.
Mason Thames: From Horror to Hiccup
Mason isn't exactly falling behind. If 2025 was the year of The Black Phone 2, 2026 and 2027 are going to be the years of the Dragon.
He’s playing Hiccup in the live-action How to Train Your Dragon. That is a "make or break" role. If he nails it, he’s a global superstar. If it flops, well... it’s a big risk. But after seeing him handle the emotional weight of Regretting You, most critics are betting on him.
He’s also working with Dave Franco again in a comedy called The S---heads. Dave apparently "roped him in" after they bonded on their first project together. It seems like everyone who works with Mason wants to work with him again.
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Is It Love or Just Really Good Branding?
Here is the thing about Hollywood in 2026: The line between "real life" and "content" is basically gone.
Do they like each other? Obviously. You don't spend your birthdays and aquarium trips with someone you just tolerate. Are they "officially" a couple? They haven't said the words.
But maybe that’s the point. By keeping it in that "maybe" zone, they keep people talking. It’s smart. It’s also probably a bit of a shield. If they don't confirm it, the internet can't "break up" with them if things go south.
What You Should Actually Pay Attention To
If you want to keep up with them, stop looking for "leaked" dating photos and start looking at their actual career moves.
- Watch the credits: McKenna is producing more of her own work. Watch for her name under "Executive Producer."
- Follow the music: Both of them are heavily into music (Mason with the Green Day project, McKenna with her own EPs). A collaboration there is almost inevitable.
- The "Squad": They are part of a specific group of young actors (including Nico Parker and Madeleine McGraw) who are effectively taking over the industry.
The most actionable thing you can do if you’re a fan is to watch Regretting You on Paramount+. It’s the best evidence of why people are so obsessed with them. Their chemistry isn't something you can fake with a lighting rig and a good editor. It’s genuine, it’s messy, and it’s why they’re the two most talked-about names in entertainment right now.
Whether they end up as a Hollywood power couple or just lifelong friends who once shared a pair of AirPods, McKenna and Mason have already changed the way young stars navigate the spotlight. They’re doing it on their own terms, one viral TikTok and one Spider-Man wallet at a time.