The Time Has Come to Explore Dakota Johnson and MGK’s Relationship Timeline

In today’s edition of potential celebrity couples who weren’t on my bingo card, Dakota Johnson’s affinity for musicians is still going strong thanks to recent dating rumors with Machine Gun Kelly.She and the musician (now known as MGK) reportedly “hit it off” at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding in July, and they’ve kept the rumor mill turning with several sightings in September—including one at Taylor’s vacant apartment.The vibe between these two is still pretty fresh, so you may be asking yourself: What’s going on with Dakota Johnson and MGK? Ahead, find a full timeline of their rumored relationship so you don’t miss a beat. (And, no, we’re not talking about the one on “Patient Zero.”)Jump to:July 3, 2026August 19, 2026September 12, 2026September 16, 2026September 17, 2026September 22, 2026September 25, 2026September 27, 2026July 3, 2026According to TMZ, Dakota and MGK allegedly met at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding at Madison Square Garden. A separate source later told People that they “had met before, but hit it off at” the nuptials.August 19, 2026Weeks after Role Model dropped “Love I You” (which features a spoken cameo from Dakota), a source told People that they had quietly split “a while ago.” Meaning: Dakota was definitely single come August.Getty ImagesSeptember 12, 2026Photographs captured the pair meeting up at Taylor’s vacant Tribeca home before reportedly heading out to dinner at Estela Restaurant with friends.BACKGRIDPer a “well-placed” Deuxmoi source, Dakota and MGK “spent several hours alone inside the apartment before leaving together and heading to Johnson’s nearby hotel, where they remained for the night.”September 16, 2026A few days after they sparked dating rumors, a People insider dished that the pair “have been hanging out and seeing each other under the radar for months now” since “hitting it off” at T&T’s wedding.While the source claims MGK “is very into” the Verity actor, they clarified that they “started off as friends and were texting often, but now they’re spending more time together. It’s a very new start, but they’re smitten with each other right now.”As for how they define their relationship? “They haven’t put a label on their relationship yet, they are just seeing where spending time together will take them,” the source shared.September 17, 2026And the sources keep spilling! An Us Weekly insider weighed in next and explained how MGK and Dakota ended up at Taylor’s place.“They hit it off and wanted some privacy,” the source said. “So, Dakota contacted Taylor, and Taylor said she wasn’t home, so they could use her place. Apparently, Taylor lets her close friends use her place when she’s away.”September 22, 2026MGK walked in the Vogue World: Milan show, where Dakota was also in attendance.Stefania M. D'Alessandro//Getty ImagesArnold Jerocki//Getty ImagesSeptember 25, 2026A source told Us Weekly that MGK and Dakota “are seriously dating and their relationship has moved quickly since they met at Taylor’s wedding. There was an instant spark and they have been keeping in touch, talking and FaceTiming every day for the last month.”Per the insider: “Everyone knew this was actually serious when Dakota traveled to support Colson in Milan [for Vogue World]. Dakota has a thing for musicians and is a hopeless romantic. Colson has this charm about him, which she was drawn to and she is really into him.”The same day, during an interview on The Run-Through with Vogue podcast, Dakota indirectly addressed speculation surrounding her dating life.“Even if I go to dinner with my manager or my lawyer, it’s like, ‘Seen with mystery man.’ I also don’t care,” she said. “I think it’s just futile.”She continued, “People are gonna believe what they wanna believe, and I don’t have the energy to fight for that. I would much rather focus on other things in my life. Every day, there’s something on the internet that’s ridiculous and true or not true, and I don’t care.”The actor jokingly added that people who spend time focusing on who she dates should “get a life.”September 27, 2026 Another day, another Deuxmoi sighting. This time, a tipster caught MGK pulling up to Taylor’s secret VMAs after-party at The Bird Streets Club, where Dakota was reportedly also in attendance. Earlier that night, Dakota presented Taylor with the first-ever Artist Director Honor at the show before the world premiere of the “Patient Zero” music video, in which she casually stars alongside Colin Firth.Neither Dakota nor MGK has confirmed the nature of their relationship at this point, but we’ll be back with more details as we have ’em!