Kaia Gerber has spent much of her adult life having her relationships discussed in public. Now, the 24-year-old model and actress is offering a rare glimpse into why her romance with Lewis Pullman feels different from what came before.

Gerber, who has been linked to the 33-year-old actor since January 2025, described their relationship as one in which she feels able to remain fully herself. In a September 2026 cover interview published Aug. 11, she explained that she no longer wants romance to require changing how she behaves depending on whether she is with a partner, friends or colleagues. Instead, she values being able to carry the same sense of identity into every part of her life.

That perspective appears to reflect lessons Gerber has learned from earlier relationships. She said that dating while famous—particularly from a young age—has sometimes been difficult because public attention can reduce a person to who they are romantically involved with. Gerber also spoke about facing harsh and misogynistic labels surrounding her dating history.

Her mother, Cindy Crawford, has offered relatively simple advice: learn from experience and avoid repeating the same mistakes. Gerber said she believes she has become good at doing exactly that.

Gerber has also previously suggested that friendship is an important foundation of her relationship with Pullman. She said dating someone she considers a friend has changed the way she approaches disagreements, respect and emotional connection. She indicated that their relationship has helped her heal in meaningful ways.

Another lesson has involved learning not to lose herself in a partner. Gerber recalled that in past relationships with older men, she sometimes changed her personality or sacrificed parts of her own life in an attempt to demonstrate love. With time, she came to recognize that giving up her identity was not a healthy way to create lasting trust or respect.

Gerber and Pullman have a nine-year age difference, but her comments suggest the more important change is how she now approaches love itself. Rather than reshaping herself around someone else, she appears focused on maintaining the person she already is.

The couple have generally kept their romance relatively private, though they were photographed holding hands at the Venice International Film Festival in September 2025. Both also come from well-known Hollywood families: Gerber is the daughter of Crawford and Rande Gerber, while Pullman is the son of actor Bill Pullman and dancer Tamara Hurwitz.

For Gerber, the significance of the relationship seems to be less about public milestones and more about something quieter: discovering that being close to another person does not have to mean becoming someone different.