Who Is Elle Fanning’s Boyfriend, Gus Wenner?

Reported by Harper's Bazaar.

Elle Fanning's relationship timeline reads like a rom-com pitch: she meets Gus Wenner in 2023, brings him to the Golden Globes months later, posts him constantly on Instagram, and declares him a keeper. What makes the story worth paying attention to isn't just that she's happy—it's who he is and what that says about her romantic instincts. According to Harper's Bazaar, the actress has always been vocal about believing in love at first sight and destiny. In a 2023 interview, she said flat out: "I'm a hopeless romantic. I believe in love at first sight. Call me crazy, but I feel that it's my destiny." With Wenner, she seems to have landed on exactly what she was looking for.

Wenner isn't a household name, which might be the whole point. His father, Jann Wenner, founded Rolling Stone and co-founded the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—so there's pedigree, but he's carved his own path. After a decade at the magazine, Gus became CEO in 2022, only to step down in May 2025 to serve as Executive Chairman and pursue new ventures. He's also an executive producer on documentaries including Little Richard: I Am Everything and Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine. Before that, he was in a folk-rock band called Gus+Scout with Scout Willis, daughter of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, releasing a self-titled EP in 2012. He's the kind of guy with a résumé that spans media, music, and film—someone operating in creative spaces without needing to act.

The Instagram Era of Relationships

Their public presence has been unapologetically visible. They made their red-carpet debut at the 2024 Golden Globes and have since walked the Met Gala together and attended multiple premieres. Fanning posts him regularly, celebrating Valentine's Day with a caption that reads like pure contentment: "Everyday is valentines day my love." In a 2025 Vanity Fair interview, she made a blunt observation about modern dating: "If your partner doesn't post you on Instagram, that's a red flag." It's a statement that reframes social media from performative to protective—a public declaration as proof of commitment.

The real validation came from her sister. Dakota Fanning, during that same Vanity Fair chat, called Wenner "the brother I never had," and Elle confirmed: "Dakota loves him. That's the seal of approval." Coming from someone whose judgment Elle clearly trusts, it's the kind of endorsement that matters more than any paparazzi moment.

What's refreshing about Elle and Gus isn't that they're a power couple in the traditional sense—it's that they're not trying to be. He's not an actor angling for Oscar buzz; she's not dating for the headline. They're just two people from the industry adjacent world, happy to show up for each other and post about it without apology.

Read the original at Harper's Bazaar.