Louisa Jacobson, daughter of the legendary actress Meryl Streep, has publicly come out as queer, sharing the joyous news on Instagram alongside her partner, much to the delight of netizens and social media personalities.
The 33-year-old star of “The Gilded Age” posted photos with her partner, Anna Blundell, on June 22, coinciding with her mother’s birthday and the celebrations of Pride Month.
Jacobson expressed her happiness in her post, writing, “blessed to be entering the Joyful New Era bb.” Her caption referenced a recent New York Times article titled “We’re Entering a Joyful New Era of Lesbian Fashion.”
Support for Jacobson’s announcement poured in across social media. Blogger Sky Maddas praised her timing, saying, “COMING OUT AT YOUR MOM’S BIRTHDAY IS SO ICONIC [sic].”
Socialite Derek Blasberg joined in with a cheerful, “Happy pride.” Fans added encouraging comments like “omg so happy for you! [sic]” and “We’ll support you in every era kiddo [sic]!”
Earlier in June, Jacobson hinted at her relationship by sharing a carousel of ten photos on Instagram, showcasing her affectionate bond with Blundell. One image captured the couple posing for an elevator mirror selfie, both in matching black outfits.
Another photo showed Blundell, wearing an “ITALIA” cap, kissing Jacobson’s cheek, who looked casual and happy in orange-tinted sunglasses and a grey denim jacket.
One more snapshot depicted the couple holding hands while walking down the street, both dressed in matching denim and black long-sleeve outfits.
In the final photo, Blundell and Jacobson stood in a living room, each holding a drink and looking toward a table outside, where a child sat alone. Jacobson captioned her post, “Cute spring things.”
Despite her public coming out, Jacobson has kept her romantic life relatively private. While she has posted photos with Blundell, Blundell has only shared about their relationship once on Instagram.
On December 15, 2023, Blundell, a producer, posted a similar photo captioned “Annual update,” featuring herself looking away while Jacobson smiled at the camera under a red light.
Jacobson’s new relationship mirrors her mother’s romantic life. After separating from her longtime husband, Streep reportedly sparked romance rumors with one of her “Only Murders in the Building” co-stars last March, following their appearance at the Golden Globes.
Before these rumors, Streep had been married to Don Gummer for 45 years. They wed in September 1978 after knowing each other for less than a year. Streep and Gummer met through her brother, Harry.
Now, the Oscar-winning actress and Gummer are separated. A spokesperson for Streep revealed in 2023 that the couple had been separated for more than six years. Before this announcement, they were last seen together at the 2018 Oscars.
The spokesperson emphasized that while Streep and Gummer will always “care for each other, they have chosen lives apart.”
Following their split, there is speculation that Streep has moved on with her co-star in “Only Murders in the Building,” Martin Short. Rumors of their romantic involvement began when they were seen together at the 81st Annual Golden Globes.
At the event, Streep and Short were seated with Selena Gomez, their co-star in “Only Murders in the Building.” The trio’s nominations for their roles added to Streep’s record as the most-nominated actor in Golden Globes history.
Seeing the chemistry between Streep and Short at the Golden Globes, fans took to social media to comment on the possibility of them being a couple. One fan commented on their excitement, “Sitting with the knowledge that Meryl Streep and Martin Short might be in love but I have no proof [sic].”
Fans agreed that if Streep and Short were dating, they’d be iconic. “If Martin Short and Meryl Streep are dating that’s the biggest power couple going,” one fan pointed out. Another added, “Martin Short and Meryl Streep — be the power couple of 2024 we all need if you aren’t already.”
Like Streep, Short was also in a long-term marriage. He married his wife, Nancy Dolman, in 1980, and they were together until her passing in 2010.
Dolman died of natural causes after a 911 call from Short’s Los Angeles home. The couple had been married for 30 years and had three children: Oliver Patrick, Henry, and Katherine Elizabeth Short.
Reports indicated that Dolman had been battling ovarian cancer since 2007. In 2019, Short reflected on his marriage and losing his wife, calling their marriage “a triumph.” He expressed that he still communicates with her, seeking her input on decisions, especially concerning their children. He believed that those who pass away continue to influence their loved ones.
Short explained, “This idea that it just ends, and don’t speak of them — that’s wrong. That’s based on denial that we’re all going to die. So to me, she’s still here.” Losing his wife also led him to embrace risk-taking.
The Canadian-born actor doesn’t believe in bucket lists, focusing instead on daily happiness. He keeps a list of categories like health and career, periodically giving himself a report card to identify areas for improvement.
Short reminisced about a childhood question: “What is the most important thing in life?” His response was simple yet profound: “To be happy.” For Short, part of that happiness comes from being helpful to the people he loves. “That’s what takes you from day to day,” he added.
Now, fans speculate whether Streep is one of the people Short loves. Rumors of a romance between them intensified after they were seen together at the 2024 AFI Luncheon.
Moreover, Streep and Short’s characters in “Only Murders in the Building” fell in love during the third season of the Hulu comedy. Fans have noted their great on-screen chemistry. “Only Murders in the Building” is a collaborative creation by Steve Martin and John Hoffman.
Hoffman shared that Streep expressed gratitude to him for crafting the romantic storyline involving her and Short’s characters in the series, noting their incredible on-screen connection. In season three, episode five, Streep and Short’s characters share a date on a ferry overlooking New York City.
Hoffman recalled Streep’s fondness for the ferry location, ranking it among her top two favorite filming sites. “It was the most magical night of shooting, and they were completely beyond wonderful together,” Hoffman remarked about the scene and the chemistry between Streep and Short.
Besides their on-screen chemistry, Streep and Short have been enjoying their time together off-screen. On February 21, 2023, the pair had dinner with friends at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, California.
For the outing, Streep wore black pants paired with a hot pink button-down and a red jacket. Short donned a gray sweater and a black blazer.
An insider shared details about the dinner. “They were really enjoying their meal and having a blast the whole time,” the source said of Short and Streep, adding that there was “lots of laughing” and that the group “couldn’t have been having a better time.”
Despite their close bond, Short has denied any romantic involvement with Streep. In an interview in January 2024, Short addressed the idea of them being a power couple, saying, “We are not a couple, we are just very good friends.”
From Jacobson’s new relationship with Blundell to Streep’s close friendship with Short, both mother and daughter are embracing new chapters filled with love and support.