Inside January Jones' Relationship With Nick Viall

The "Bachelor Bubble" might be real, but it's not uncommon for Bachelor Nation to seek love outside the mansion. Who could forget the unlikely pairing of Tyler Cameron and Gigi Hadid? Florida native Cameron caught Hadid's eye during his debut on Hannah Brown's season in 2019, and when Brown cut Cameron from her final four, Hadid made her move. The couple's brief relationship included mini-vacations to Lake George and meet-cutes with Serena Williams, but things fizzled by October of that year, per Us Weekly. (Now, of course, there's Leonardo DiCaprio, so everything appears to have worked out just fine for Hadid.)

More than one example of a Bachelor alum finding love with an A-lister exists, though. Perhaps the most successful case is "Modern Family" actor Sarah Hyland, who connected with Wells Adams via social media during his time on "Bachelor in Paradise," according to People. Of their meeting, Adams later said, "The Internet — it's amazing." In 2017, the couple confirmed their romance to E! News, and in August, Hyland and Adams officially tied the knot.

There was also a blink-and-you'll-miss-it flirtation between Demi Lovato and "The Bachelorette" Season 15's Mike Johnson, though that never made it past a few dates and ended after Johnson blabbed about her kissing skills to the media (via Refinery29). Still, the point remains: Something about Bachelor Nation seems to have an almost mystical hold on Hollywood. For more, let's ask "Mad Men" star January Jones, who briefly dated everyone's favorite Bachelor Nation villain: Nick Viall.

Nick Viall may be one of the most hated Bachelors of all time, thanks to his multiple appearances on the franchise, and his perceived "slut-shaming" of Andi Dorfman. Many viewers, including January Jones, weren't fans. After Jones publicly blasted the reality star, Viall attempted to make amends, as the actor explained on a 2020 episode of Dax Shepherd's "Armchair Expert" podcast. "Nick slid into my DMs, and he's like, 'I'm so sorry that your perception of me is so negative, I'd love to take you out to coffee and see if I can change your mind,'" she revealed.

Jones agreed to a date, where she "grilled" Viall about the inner workings of "The Bachelor." After a few more dates, she conceded that, while the former Bachelor was cast as the villain on the show, he was different from his TV portrayal. "The thing that attracted me to Nick was he seemed like — I mean he was cast as the 'villain' — but he was actually, he had a bit of a brain, you know, so there was something else there," Jones admitted.

Though Viall's former girlfriend, Andi Dorfman, supported his relationship with Jones, it never really led anywhere. Rumors spread that Jones and Viall were dating after he called off his engagement to Season 21 winner Vanessa Grimaldi, but Jones denied the reports. "I'm single. But [Nick is] a friend of mine and tells me lots of inside scoops," she told E! News.

Currently, Us Weekly reports that Nick Viall is dating surgical technologist Natalie Joy, but he and Jones are "still cool," as he shared on an episode of "Better Together With Maria Menounos." "The first time I knew who January was, I was a kid living in Milwaukee watching 'Mad Men,' and this was like the hottest person I've ever seen. And then fast forward 10 years later, and I'm on a date," the Bachelor alum shared. "She was a delightful, wonderful person and I enjoyed my time with her. ... It's nice to still be able to call her a friend."

Somewhere in between Jones and Joy, Viall was also linked to "Hart of Dixie" star Rachel Bilson. Per People, the duo fueled rumors after Bilson first appeared on Viall's podcast, "The Viall Files," and then allegedly went on a dinner date together. On an episode of Brad Goreski's "Brad Behavior" podcast, the celebrity stylist quizzed Viall on his time with Bilson. "We hung out, and her friends were [at dinner] too," he responded, admitting to Goreski that he and Bilson grabbed a meal together. 

However, much like his short-lived 'ship with Jones, he and Bilson were just a flash in the pan. Whether Viall and Joy are the real deal still remains to be seen. In August, the "Viall Files" host teased a future engagement (via E! News), so wedding bells might very well be in his future!