Minka Kelly is known for her intricate love life almost as much as her acting career. Kelly initially gained fame from Friday Night Lights. Since then she has starred in multiple films and TV shows.
Kelly has a messy dating history. There are lots rumored romances and break-ups and make-ups. Even before she was uber famous, Kelly was snagging celebrity men. Check out her full dating history below.
Brian White 2003-2004
Before Minka Kelly and Brian White were both famous they dated. There’s not much to say about their relationship, except they dated for a solid year before calling it quits.
Donald Faison 2004-2005
Donald Faison and Minka dated for less than a year. Kelly was definitely a rebound for Faison. They began dating soon after he separated from his first wife, Lisa Askey. They lasted less than a year and he quickly moved on to date CaCee Cobb, who he eventually married in 2012.
Kelly and Faison attended many red carpets together during their short relationship.
Despite being super public about their relationship they never talked about their romance to the press while together or after they broke up.
Chris Evans 2007, 2012-2013
Chris Evans and Kelly dated on and off between 2007 and 2013. The couple dated in 2007 but split up after a year of dating. At the time Kelly was way more famous than Evans because she was starring in Friday Night Lights and Evans has yet to be cast as Captain America. They got back together in 2012 and stayed together for a little over a year before calling it quits again. They were rumored to have gotten back together again briefly in 2014, but that’s unconfirmed.
John Mayer 2007
Kelly and singer John Mayer had a brief fling from fall 2007 to New Year’s Eve. They kept their breakup on the low and didn’t even tell friends until a month after they broke up. Their fling was brief, but they both moved on. Afterward, Mayer went on to date Jennifer Aniston.
Derek Jeter 2008-2011 & 2012
One of Kelly’s longest relationships is with Derek Jeter. The couple dated for nearly three and a half years. They began dating in summer 2008 and confirmed their relationship in October of that year. The couple was super serious, Kelly even rode on Jeter’s Yankees float during their World Series parade. There were marriage rumors in 2010 before they ultimately split in 2011. Their breakup in August 2011 blindsided fans because they seemed to be the real deal. In 2012 they were both hanging out in Paris sparking dating rumors again, but they went nowhere.
Wilmer Valderrama 2012 & 2016
Kelly and actor Wilmer Valderrama dated in 2012 for a brief moment. After Valderrama split with Demi Lovato in 2016 he was spotted back with Kelly. Kelly denied they were back together or even dated.
“He’s a good friend to me,” Kelly told Power 106’s J Cruz and Krystal Bee in 2016. “And it’s funny – he’s not my ex. We are good friends, and we always have been. We’re not exes!”
Sean Penn 2015
Sean Penn and Kelly dated back in 2015. For Kelly’s 35th birthday, Penn footed a very expensive dinner bill for her and her friends at a restaurant in Napa. Their romance happened a few weeks after Penn and Charlize Theron broke up, so it was most likely a rebound. Kelly tweeted that she and Penn were just friends, but they continued to go out together.
Josh Radnor 2015-2017
Josh Radnor and Kelly began dating in December 2015 and broke up in March 2017. They kept a low profile on their relationship and went on a few trips together. They vacationed to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in October 2016. Their romance cooled off and they split in March 2017.
Jesse Williams 2017-2018
In July 2017 it was confirmed that Kelly was dating Jesse Williams. Their relationship started three months after Williams split with his ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee. Many fans accused Williams of infidelity, but Kelly shot down those rumors. The couple split up in January 2018, so their relationship was only six months long.
2019
After breaking up with Jesse Williams, Minka Kelly has been spotted kissing a man but no relationship stories were unveiled.