Minka Kelly Opens Up About Her Romance with Dan Reynolds — After an Awkward Interview

Actress Minka Kelly recently allowed a rare peek into her relationship with Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds, sharing on The Drew Barrymore Show how their bond formed on a backdrop of creativity, vulnerability and mutual understanding. The 45-year-old star revealed that Reynolds read her memoir Tell Me Everything before they ever met in person, an unusual beginning that drew them closer.

Minka Kelly was asked about boyfriend Dan Reynolds by Drew Barrymore after the actress shut down Jenna Bush Hager’s questions.

The “Drew Barrymore Show” host wanted to know whether Reynolds has read Kelly’s memoir.

The Unusual Beginning

Kelly explained that after a mutual friend introduced them via text and FaceTime (while she was abroad working), she casually mentioned she had just submitted her manuscript.

“And he was like, ‘I wanna read it,’” she recalled.
“So I was like, ‘Well OK, here you go. You’ll either be terrified and run for the hills, or you’ll see the beauty in all of it.’”
Reynolds, she says with relief, turned out to be the latter. The experience deepened their connection early on, setting a foundation of emotional honesty. ([turn0news7])

Barrymore quipped afterward:

“God, if we could all come with a dossier about our lives, how amazing would that actually be?”

A Follow-Up to a Tense Interview

The candid reveal came right after a slightly awkward moment on Today with co-host Jenna Bush Hager. During Kelly’s appearance to promote her Netflix holiday film Champagne Problems, the interview pivoted to her romance. Bush Hager mentioned a birthday Instagram tribute Kelly had posted for Reynolds and asked about their relationship. Kelly responded carefully:

“I feel very lucky… he’s a really good guy.”
When the host noted her reticence, she added lightly:
“Sounds like you don’t want to talk about it. That’s fine.”

What They Say About Their Relationship

• Kelly and Reynolds went public with their romance in 2022, after he finalized his divorce from his ex-wife, Aja Volkman. ([turn0news7])

• The pair have kept their relationship largely private, but Kelly’s Instagram tribute last summer was heartfelt:

  “This beautiful man has healed wounds in me he did not inflict … By embodying true masculinity … Thank you for blessing my life in ways I never thought possible — but always dreamed of. I love you, Dan.”

• In the Drew Barrymore interview, Kelly spoke about how reading each other’s work created “a deeper level” of understanding between them. Reynolds himself has described their early connection as “really strange and awesome” due to how it bypassed conventional dating.

  Why This Matters

  • The story underscores how relationships today can begin in non-traditional ways: reading each other’s art, long texts/FaceTime, before “meeting in real life.”

  • It highlights Kelly’s intentional approach to her private life: she acknowledges the relationship but retains boundaries and control over what she shares publicly.

  • The shift from the awkward Today Show interview to the more open Drew Barrymore Show conversation shows the nuance of celebrity interviews—balancing promotion of a project (the film) with personal delicacy.

  • For Reynolds, it reinforces his reputation as someone thoughtful about emotional depth (something his music often reflects).

  What’s Next

  Kelly continues to promote Champagne Problems, while their relationship quietly evolves. Given how they started—through mutual respect and shared creative vulnerability—fans may see a gentle, grounded arc rather than typical tabloids. Whether the public will learn more about their day-to-day remains to be seen, but this episode gives insight into a relationship built not just on romance, but on shared expression.