Before he was the terrifying Joe Goldberg on You and before she was the definitive Catwoman, Penn Badgley and Zoe Kravitz were the ultimate indie-cool couple of New York. Honestly, if you blinked between 2011 and 2013, you might have missed it.
They weren't exactly chasing the paparazzi. They were mostly spotted wearing beanies, walking around Brooklyn, and looking like they just walked out of a Sundance film festival. But for Penn, it wasn't just some casual rebound after his high-profile split from Blake Lively. It was, in his own words, "earth-shattering."
The Brooklyn Love Nest
The timeline kicks off around the summer of 2011. Penn was wrapping up the massive cultural phenomenon that was Gossip Girl, trying to distance himself from the "Lonely Boy" persona. Zoe was the quintessential "it girl," the daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet, carving out her own path in films like X-Men: First Class.
They didn't just date; they moved in together.
The couple shared a loft in New York, reportedly living together for a significant chunk of their nearly two-year relationship. It was a serious commitment. Penn even became close with Lenny Kravitz. "We get along, we talk music," Penn told US Weekly back then. Imagine being "Dan Humphrey" and having to hold your own in a conversation about guitar riffs with Lenny Kravitz. Talk about pressure.
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Why Penn Called It "Earth-Shattering"
Most actors give the standard, "She's great, we're happy" lines in interviews. Penn went the other direction. While promoting his film Greetings from Tim Buckley, where he played the legendary singer Jeff Buckley, he got incredibly vulnerable about how his relationship with Zoe fueled his performance.
"At that time I was falling madly in love in a way that was changing me and opening me up," Penn told Movie Line in 2013. "And being in love, real, true, earth-shattering love — even though it sounds hyperbolic I really was going through it — helped me be as good as I could be."
It’s rare to hear a celeb talk like that. Especially someone as private as Badgley. He basically credited Zoe with giving him the emotional depth needed to play an icon like Buckley.
Why Did Penn Badgley and Zoe Kravitz Break Up?
By June 2013, it was over.
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There was no "cheating scandal" or dramatic blowout. According to sources at the time, it came down to the classic Hollywood killer: conflicting schedules. Zoe’s career was exploding, and Penn was transitioning from TV star to indie musician and film actor.
A source told US Weekly at the time that "it just wasn't working" and that they were simply at "two different stages in their careers." It was an amicable split. No messy Instagram unfollowing (Instagram was barely a thing then anyway). No shady interviews. They just... grew apart.
Where Are They Now?
Fast forward to 2026, and both have moved into entirely different chapters of their lives.
- Penn Badgley: He found long-term stability with musician and doula Domino Kirke. They started dating in 2014, married in 2017, and have a son together. Penn has famously talked about how his Baha'i faith and his relationship with Domino changed his perspective on romance and fame entirely.
- Zoe Kravitz: After a marriage to Karl Glusman and a high-profile engagement to Channing Tatum that reportedly ended in late 2024, Zoe has recently been linked to Harry Styles in 2025/2026. She’s also moved into directing, with her debut Blink Twice proving she’s much more than just a "cool girl" icon.
What We Can Learn From Their Relationship
Kinda crazy to think about, but the Badgley-Kravitz era was a masterclass in how to have a high-profile relationship without the high-profile drama.
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- Privacy is a choice: Even at the height of Gossip Girl mania, they kept the details of their home life off the front pages.
- Artistic inspiration: Penn using his "earth-shattering" love to fuel his acting is a reminder that the best work often comes from real-life vulnerability.
- Amicable endings are possible: You don't have to hate your ex. Sometimes, people just run out of time for each other, and that’s okay.
If you're looking back at this era of 2010s celebrity culture, it's worth checking out Penn's performance in Greetings from Tim Buckley. Knowing he was "falling madly in love" during the filming gives the movie an entirely different weight.
For those navigating their own long-distance or career-heavy relationships, the "Penn and Zoe" story is a bittersweet reminder: sometimes "earth-shattering" love is exactly what you need for a season, even if it isn't meant for a lifetime.
Keep an eye on Penn's podcast, Podcrushed, where he occasionally drops nuggets of wisdom about his past roles and life lessons—it's easily the best way to get his current perspective on his early career years.