Growing up in the shadow of the Hollywood sign isn't exactly normal, but for Ryder Robinson and Iris Apatow, it was just Tuesday. You’ve probably seen the headlines. Maybe you caught a blurry Instagram story back in 2022 and wondered if these two were actually the real deal or just another PR stunt cooked up by bored managers.
Honestly? It was way more wholesome than that.
The son of Kate Hudson and the daughter of Judd Apatow didn't just meet at a Coachella afterparty. They grew up together in a tiny, tight-knit bubble of Santa Monica families. While the rest of the world was obsessing over their "Instagram official" debut on Valentine's Day 2022, they were basically just two kids who had known each other since they were in diapers. It was a classic "boy next door" story, if the boy next door happened to have a rockstar dad and a movie star mom.
The Relationship Timeline: Why Ryder Robinson and Iris Apatow Mattered
People often forget how much pressure is on these kids. When Ryder posted that picture of him kissing Iris on the cheek, it wasn't just a post. It was a cultural moment for Gen Z. It felt like the ultimate crossover episode between the Hudson-Hawn dynasty and the Apatow-Mann comedy empire.
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- February 2022: The hard launch. Ryder posts the Valentine's snap.
- March 2022: Iris goes on The Drew Barrymore Show and calls Ryder a "lovely angel."
- May 2022: They celebrate their one-year anniversary, meaning they’d been low-key dating since 2021 without anyone really noticing.
Iris was pretty open about why it worked. She’d spent her teens "dating a fair share of weirdos"—her words, not mine—and Ryder was a breath of fresh air. He was steady. He was kind. Even Leslie Mann and Kate Hudson were in the comments section dropping heart emojis like they were proud PTA moms. It’s rare to see that kind of cross-family support in Hollywood, where things usually end in messy "unfollowing" sprees.
Where Are They Now? The 2026 Update
If you’re looking for a dramatic breakup story involving a leaked voicemail or a messy TikTok, you’re going to be disappointed. By 2024, the public romantic link between Ryder and Iris had mostly faded. Life happened. College happened. Career paths diverged in a big way.
Iris Apatow is currently having a massive moment in 2026. She’s no longer just "the younger sister from Love." She officially joined the cast of Hulu’s Tell Me Lies for Season 3, playing a freshman named Amanda who gets caught up in some pretty heavy campus drama. She’s also moved on romantically; she’s been linked to actor Sam Nivola since 2024. They even live together in New York now with a cat named Kumo.
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Meanwhile, Ryder Robinson has been carving out his own path, mostly staying away from the acting world. While his mom is still a rom-com queen, Ryder has leaned more into the lifestyle and sports side of things, occasionally popping up in fashion circles but mostly keeping his private life behind a very locked-down social media presence.
The "Nepo Baby" Elephant in the Room
We have to talk about the label. "Nepo baby" gets thrown around like an insult, but Iris and Ryder always seemed to handle it with a shrug. Iris has been working since she was a toddler in her dad's movies like Knocked Up and This Is 40. She’s put in the hours.
The fascinating thing about their 2022 romance wasn't just the fame. It was the normalcy of it. They went to the same school in Santa Monica. They shared the same friend groups. In a city where everything feels curated and fake, their relationship felt like one of the few things that was actually organic. They weren't trying to sell you a vitamin brand or a crypto scam; they were just two nineteen-year-olds who liked each other.
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Why People Are Still Searching for Them
Even though they've both moved on, the fascination remains. Why? Because they represented a specific era of "Young Hollywood" that felt reachable. They weren't trying to be untouchable icons. They were posting grainy selfies and hanging out at home.
Key Takeaways for Fans:
- They are no longer dating. Iris has been in a committed relationship with Sam Nivola for over two years.
- Iris is a rising scream queen/drama star. Between Tell Me Lies and her role in the upcoming Hunger Games prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, her career is skyrocketing.
- The families are still cool. There’s no bad blood between the Hudsons and the Apatows.
If you want to keep up with Iris, her latest work on Hulu is the best place to start. She’s moved past the "celebrity girlfriend" tag and is proving she has the range to lead a series on her own. As for Ryder, he seems perfectly happy letting his work—and his life—speak for itself without the need for constant paparazzi validation.
To stay updated on Iris Apatow's career, you can follow her filmography updates on IMDb or catch the latest episodes of Tell Me Lies on Hulu. For those interested in Ryder’s journey, keep an eye on his occasional creative projects and his family’s social media, where he still makes the occasional, much-hyped appearance.