The Truth About Jack Antonoff And Margaret Qualley

The following article includes mentions of allegations of sexual and domestic abuse.

Both Jack Antonoff and Margaret Qualley have been associated with the company they keep. In Antonoff's case, it was his long-term relationship with Lena Dunham and well-documented album collaborations with Taylor Swift (which yielded them both multiple Grammy Awards, per NJ.com). For Qualley, it was her famous mother, screen legend Andie MacDowell, whose reputation preceded her when Qualley stamped her own mark with 2019's Brad Pitt-Leo DiCaprio-Margot Robbie vehicle "Once Upon A Time... in Hollywood."

With Antonoff coming off a five-year relationship with Dunham at the top of 2018, per People, he was reportedly linked to "Solar Power" singer Lorde, via the outlet. Antonoff wrote off the rumor in a since-deleted tweet, writing, "Normally I would never address rumors but i resent having the most important friendships and working relationships in my life reduced to dumb hetero normative gossip," Antonoff expressed (via Bustle). A source also told People the two were just friends, having collaborated on Lorde's 2017 album, "Melodrama." Lorde and Antonoff co-wrote all but one song on the album, per NME. 

While the rumors surrounding Lorde appear to be pure speculation, some PDA-heavy photographic evidence in mid-August suggests that Antonoff has indeed cozied up — non-platonically — to Qualley. Keep scrolling for the deets!

What a blissful way to spend a summery New York afternoon! Jack Antonoff and Margaret Qualley were spotted locking lips while strolling toward a Brooklyn ice cream parlor on August 14, People reported. With both dressed in matching sneakers and casual, baggy-chic attire, Qualley's arm is draped around Antonoff in another photo while carrying a bag of groceries with the other. However, as the outlet pointed out, Antonoff was also seen attending a basketball game with model Carlotta Kohl later that day. 

While the maybe-couple sure looked happy in each other's company, it had been a tumultuous year, romance-wise, for Qualley. After December 2020's lawsuit from musician FKA Twigs (née Tahliah Debrett Barnett) against Shia LaBeouf, Qualley broke it off with the "Transformers" star. Barnett's allegations accused LaBeouf of sexual and physical assault, sexual battery, and, per People, "knowingly giving her a sexually transmitted disease." LaBeouf, maintaining his innocence, has entered mediation with Barnett, hoping to reach a settlement by their December court date. 

In February, Qualley publicly supported Barnett on her Instagram, writing, "Thank you" next to a photo of the singer on the cover of Elle, with a headline reading, "The Singer Tells Her Brave Story." LaBeouf and Qualley split in January, per ET Online.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Despite Margaret Qualley's January split from Shia LaBeouf and subsequent February Instagram shout-out to FKA Twigs, many criticized Qualley for having a case of "too little, too late." As Fashion reported, FKA Twigs (real name: Tahliah Debrett Barnett) filed a lawsuit on Dec. 11, 2020, accusing LaBeouf of sexual abuse, battery, and knowingly giving her an STI. But Qualley and LaBeouf were reportedly seen kissing on Dec. 19 that year at LAX and again the next day at a gas station, per the Daily Mail's Twitter. 

Internet reactions to the PDA, post-Barnett allegations, were fast and furious. One tweet shared a screenshot of a YouTube comment stating, "She has always seemed like the girl who takes criticism really well to the face but goes home and microwaves a hamster." (Yeesh.. descriptive.) Another tweeter singled out Qualley for "continuing to f*** an abuser after he was exposed." 

Fashion characterized the online hate as "women... once again blamed for the actions of the men around them." But it didn't help that Karolyn Pho, another former girlfriend of LaBeouf's, also accused the actor of domestic abuse, including head-butting and "drunkenly pinn[ing] her to the bed," per the outlet. As an insider source told Entertainment Tonight in January, "Margaret's friends aren't surprised that the relationship didn't last. Margaret was getting a lot of hate... She didn't want to risk her own career to be with him."