As rumors circulate about Leonardo DiCaprio’s dating life, one of his ex-girlfriends revealed what it’s like dating the A-lister.

There are few actors currently working in the film world that are as widely celebrated as Leonardo DiCaprio. While he started off as a heartthrob in projects like Romeo + Juliet, he has continued to stay at the top of the film world for decades. The Oscar-winning actor is also known for his colorful dating history, with a number of young models crossing his path through the years. And now Leonardo DiCaprio’s ex talks breaking up with him at 25, and what it was like to date the actor during the hype of James Cameron’s Titanic.

There’s been a ton of chatter about Leonardo DiCaprio’s dating history lately, following his recent split from Camila Morrone so shortly after she turned 25. The internet has made countless memes about this, and the frequent Scorsese collaborator’s penchant for dating younger women. This discourse inspired his ex-girlfriend Kristen Zang to speak out to People about what it was like dating Leo in the late 1990’s. She also referenced the current chatter, saying:

I visited Leo for long periods of time on various sets in different countries. I loved his friends and he loved mine. We were like one big happy family. Leo was a very sweet and thoughtful boyfriend. We also had some hard times like all couples do, and broke up for a bit in 1997 and then got back together. Then, about 4 months after my 25th birthday (ha, I know what you’re thinking) it was over for good.

This certainly peels back the curtain on what it’s like to date an A-lister like Leonardo DiCaprio. While it was many years ago, Kristen Zang seemingly had a very deep connection with the Inception actor. And she doesn’t seem to appreciate seeing all the headlines about DiCaprio’s recent break-up, calling them “ageist.”

Later in that same op-ed with People, Kristen Zang explained what it was like to be dating Leonardo DiCaprio while he was so young and wildly successful. She described the juxtaposition of their relationship as young people at the top of the world, saying:

We were kids. My friends knew his friends and Hollywood back then was like a big high school. It was, dare I say, an innocent time. We were nerds. Good looking nerds with glamorous jobs, but still nerds. We went to amusement parks, concerts, museums and the movies. I was with him when he made Romeo & Juliet, Titanic, and The Beach.

That sounds like quite the time. But time has passed, and Kristen Zang has gotten married and has her own locally-sourced dog food company. While discussing how life got so much better after she turned 25, Zang also mused on the current headlines surrounding Leonardo DiCaprio’s break-up with Camila Morrone. As she put it,

As far as Leo and his latest breakup, who knows what happened. Maybe she really cared for him but was just ready for the next chapter, perhaps it’s temporary, or maybe it’s none of our business but can we stop with the ageist headlines and comments? But let’s keep the funny memes coming, they’re stellar. Truly.

While we’re living in uncertain times, one thing is clear: everyone loves a good meme. And so while Kristen Zang seemingly wants the public to go easier on her famous ex-boyfriend, she also seemingly is tickled by some of the online content surrounding Leonardo DiCaprio. Talk about balance.

Leonardo DiCaprio has a number of upcoming projects coming, with his next release being Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.