Kristen Zan, a former model and actress who was linked romantically to Leonardo DiCaprio in the late 1990s, addressed a long-standing rumor about the actor’s dating preferences in a column for a major publication. She reflected on their time together and offered her perspective on how public narratives about his relationships have evolved over the years.
“We met by chance at a friend’s gathering when I was nineteen, and our relationship began when we were both twenty-one,” Zan shared, recounting the early days of their connection.
During their four-year romance, Zan described how they often moved through social scenes with a sense of freedom, rarely interrupted by the glare of cameras. She recalled moments of normalcy—visiting amusement parks, catching concerts, exploring museums, and enjoying movies—moments that felt like a private world away from the spotlight.
She was alongside DiCaprio as he rose to international fame in landmark films like Romeo + Juliet, Titanic, and The Beach, a period she now looks back on with a mix of nostalgia and pride.
According to Zan, their split occurred when she reached twenty-five and chose to end things on her own terms, a decision she describes as being rooted in a personal feeling of readiness rather than a reaction to external pressures.
She suggested that the actor’s sense of growth at the time may have surpassed the expectations of a partner of that age. The dynamic, she notes, was as much about personal development as it was about the arc of a young celebrity navigating fame in their twenties.
Today, Zan resides in Oregon with her husband, who works in the construction industry, and she has launched a dog food business. She pointed out that discussions about the age of DiCaprio’s partners can send a harmful message to young people, implying universal timelines that may not fit every individual’s path.
According to Zan, at twenty-one or twenty-five, a person may be uncertain about what they want from life. She believes that a larger perspective—embracing experiences, self-discovery, and ultimately caring for others, including animals—can shape a person’s direction in profound ways. She emphasizes that confidence and self-love often grow after a certain age, bringing clarity about one’s choices and priorities.
As the discussion around DiCaprio’s dating history continues to surface in the public sphere, Zan’s reflections offer a nuanced view: that personal growth, timing, and the evolving understanding of what one seeks in a partner are deeply individual. Her account underscores the idea that meaningful relationships can exist at various stages of life and that maturity can redefine what people look for in companionship.
In looking back, Zan remains thoughtful about her own life choices and the public’s fixation on youth. She asserts that the message should focus on healthy, respectful relationships and the idea that personal development does not end with youth but continues across the decades in pursuit of fulfillment, purpose, and well-being for both people and their pets.