Age gap relationships are becoming increasingly common, and the entertainment scene is certainly no stranger to this trend. From iconic couples like Joke Silva and Olu Jacobs (with a 16-year age gap) to the self-confessed sex addict, Michael Douglas, and his lovely wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones. There’s a 25-year age difference here. While there are still suspicions of ulterior motives on at least one side of the engagement, people are a little more welcoming of these arrangements than they were before. And as is often the case, if celebrities can, then more and more, so can the regular people of the world.

But is age really just a number? Let’s explore:

The Perks of Pairing Up Across Age Groups

Shared Passions:

Take power couple Leonardo DiCaprio, 42, and Camila Morrone, 22. Though with a 20-year age gap, their shared love for acting has created a strong foundation for their successful careers and personal lives. Shared passions – and it doesn’t matter what those passions are  – can help sustain a relationship, regardless of the age difference. Similarity, and most definitely not the totally incorrect “opposites attract” mantra is the secret sauce in a relationship. As such, PLU – people like us, can be the biggest pillar for a successful union.

Wisdom and Experience:

Veteran actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has been married to pilot Captain Matthew Ekeinde for over two decades, despite their 10-year age difference. Omotola has credited her husband’s guidance and support as a key factor in her continued success. An older partner, typically, an older man, can offer valuable life experience and mentorship to his younger wife. Of course, there are several other factors at play, but all things considered, a patient older man can help guide his younger less experienced wife through life without friction. Well, that is until she start to make tons of money while his earning capacity is in decline. But lets keep things positive. It’s almost Christmas.

Fresh Perspectives:

The most powerful of power couples, Jay-Z and Beyoncé, first started dating back in 2001, when Jay-Z was 32 years old and Beyoncé was only 20. From the outside, and that perspective is all most of us can ever hope to have, the couple have a playful and vibrant relationship. Beyoncé’s incredible and inexhaustible youthful energy must inspire Jay-Z, while he offers her stability and support. Her superstar status probably ensures he doesn’t become overbearing, and his many millions as a music mogul confers enduring respectability on him as well. Together, they continue to sit firmly astride the top of the heap, repackaging and redefining success from their 2 different but complimenting perspectives.

Challenges to consider

• Life Stage Mismatch: Actress Regina Daniels sparked controversy with her marriage to billionaire Ned Nwoko, who is shall we say, considerably older. While they seem deliriously happy at the moment, polygamy issues aside, their vastly different life stages could create challenges in the long run. Long run for her, not much longer for him. But the ever youthful senator is clearly intent on holding on to his youth and will likely die trying to keep up in every respect. And that’s probably where the real challenge is for our guy – keeping up; keeping it up even.

• Societal Pressures: And then there’s Macron. The French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, who is 24 years his senior. And after an absolute barrage of taunting memes, scathing comments, and relentless lewd jokes about the couple, most people have come to accept them as they are. According to a study by 2 clever psychologists, Lehmiller and Christopher, (2008), “partners with more than a 10-year gap in age experience social disapproval”. Yet, several studies have also found that the level of satisfaction reported by high age-gap couples is higher than in close age-gap pairings.

• Communication is Key: Once again, we end it all here – communication. After all is said and done, any and every successful relationship must have this one key ingredient, regardless of age.

Mind the gap

Ultimately, the success of any relationship, regardless of age, depends on respect, communication, and shared values. Celebrities, home and abroad, offer real-life examples of the joys and challenges of age-gap relationships.  Mutual support, trust, and effective conflict resolution are equally crucial. Let’s throw in patience and a sense of humor, likely based on self-deprecation. Self deprecation means both parties are able to make fun of their age-gap situation. They can find the funny side often. And only then, take on the rest of the world.

None of these success factors have anything really to do with age.