The Rita Ora, Tessa Thompson, and Taika Waititi Situation, Explained

On Sunday, May 23, paparazzi photos of writer-director-actor Taika Waititi and his rumored girlfriend, singer Rita Ora, relaxing with actor Tessa Thompson hit the internet, sending Twitter into a small frenzy. (The pics are…cuddly, to say the least.) No one involved has publicly commented on the—admittedly, slightly invasive—pics, but here's what we know about everyone's relationship status. 

Taika Waititi and Rita Ora have been together in Australia for a minute. 

Waititi married producer Chelsea Wistanley in 2011, but the two quietly separated in 2018, reported Page Six. Meanwhile, Ora and French director Romain Gavras split in early 2021. For months now, Waititi has been in Australia directing Thor: Love and Thunder; Ora has also been in Australia, where she's a judge on the country's version of The Voice. After the two were spotted out and about a few times, Ora seemed to confirm their romance in an Instagram post in April, posting a picture of herself being embraced by Waititi in a carousel of photos.

Thompson was previously linked to Janelle Monáe.

Thompson, who plays Valkyrie in the Marvel movies, and singer Janelle Monáe had an on-again, off-again relationship, which they didn't often discuss. Thompson confirmed the relationship in a 2018 interview in which she also came out. Her Marvel character, Valkyrie, is also slated to have a queer relationship in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Waititi and Thompson are working on a movie together. 

Please see: The aforementioned Thor: Love and Thunder. He's directing; she's starring. 

The pictures. 

The Daily Mail reports the cozy pictures seen around the world were taken after an “all-night party” at Waititi's place in Sydney.

People seem excited about it.

“TAIKA WAITITI IS TRENDING BUT DON'T CLICK ON IT BECAUSE YOU'LL JUST BE JEALOUS NO MATTER HOW YOU IDENTIFY,” one person tweeted.

But wait, Tessa’s got a new man?

Just days after the pictures that broke the internet were released, Page Six published video of Thompson and model Zac Stenmark leaving a home together and kissing on the sidewalk…and reported that the footage had been taken on Sunday, i.e., the same day as the post-party pics. Stenmark is an Aussie native who has a twin brother who is also a model. And Tessa is a woman who knows how to make the most of a trip abroad.

Waititi responded: “It's fine.”

After the pictures in question broke the internet, the director spoke to the Sydney Morning Herald about his viral moment. Asked in June whether the attention bothered him, he responded, “Not really…I think in the world of the internet, everything goes away pretty quick. And also, is it that big a deal? No, not really. I was doing nothing wrong. It’s fine.” Honestly, mature AF.

Sounds like he certainly made himself at home. Indeed.

We will update if more information becomes available.

Originally Appeared on Glamour