Christine Baranski and King Princess, far from strangers to one another, have nonetheless clarified that their bond remains steadfastly platonic, despite recent rumors swirling around their relationship. In an Aug. 22 statement to E! News, Christine's representative set the record straight: "Christine and King Princess are strictly friends and nothing more. They have never been romantically involved, nor are they currently."
The speculation began when the 26-year-old musician, whose real name is Mikaela Mullaney Straus, accompanied the 75-year-old actress to the Broadway premiere of 'Mamma Mia!' on Aug. 18. On the blue carpet, the pair were spotted holding hands as they posed for cameras, prompting a flurry of curiosity among fans.
King Princess, who openly identifies as a lesbian, subsequently posted several snapshots from the evening on her Instagram on Aug. 20, captioning them with "#loveislove." Understandably, this sparked a flurry of questions and comments from intrigued followers.
"Obsessed with whatever is going on here," wrote one inquisitive fan. Another quipped, "My favorite part of this is that I have no idea if it's real or not."
Throughout their time filming the second season of 'Nine Perfect Strangers,' Christine and King Princess have never shied away from showcasing their incredibly close friendship. During a conversation for Interview Magazine in May, King Princess revealed, "We were connected somehow. There was an unspoken mind meld happening—it didn't need to be voiced."
Echoing her sentiments, Christine described their bond as the "greatest gift" she received from the show, explaining, "Developing a friendship with this wildly talented young woman who's so opinionated, deeply funny, and witty has been incredible." She added, "We've curiously bonded, and we want to remain friends."
Aware that their strong connection might stir up some buzz, King Princess joked during the interview, "Be careful, Christine, because people will talk." But the 'Gilded Age' star remained unfazed, playfully referring to their first outing together as "our first date" and adding, "Let's give them something to talk about."
Recalling their evening, Christine said, "We actually got dressed up and finally had dinner. I remember we went to this chic, French-inspired bar. Sitting at the bar, sipping our martinis, we found ourselves talking about our grandmothers who deeply affected and influenced our lives. That's where we truly bonded."
Prior to the rumors of a romance with Christine, King Princess was briefly in relationships with actress Amandla Stenberg in 2018 and director Quinn Whitney Wilson from 2019 to 2023. Meanwhile, Christine was married to actor and playwright Matthew Cowles from 1983 until his passing due to congestive heart failure in 2014. Together, they share two daughters, Isabel Cowles, 41, and Lily Cowles, 37.
