Bo Burnham‘s career trajectory is something to behold. In 2006, he was a silly YouTuber; today, he’s a respected actor, comedian, musician, director, and screenwriter. His recent Netflix special Inside received rave reviews, and the 30-year-old’s rise shows no signs of plateauing.
It seems like Bo Burnham’s girlfriend Lorene Scafaria was one of the few people who didn’t sleep on his potential. The couple began dating years before his acclaimed directorial debut (Eighth Grade). They look like a fabulous couple, but you’d have to dig deep for intel about their relationship, as they’re notoriously private. Find out everything we know about Burnham and Scafaria—you might be surprised by some of the details.
Bo Burnham’s Girlfriend Is Lorene Scafaria
In a 2018 Time profile, Burnham revealed that he was living in Los Angeles with his longtime girlfriend Lorene Scafaria. The couple began dating in 2013, and their romance is of the May/December variety: Burnham is 30 and Scafaria is 43. (Another fun factoid is their heigh difference—Burnham stands at 6 feet 5 inches tall and towers over his 5’2 partner.)
In 2012, Scafaria was rumored to be dating Ashton Kutcher. The couple enjoyed Christmas of that year on holiday in Italy. Before that, she dated The OC star Adam Brody. However, the couple broke up after two years together, at which point Brody began dating his now-wife, Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester.
Despite their eight-year relationship, Burnham and Scafaria don’t have kids. Perhaps they’re both too busy with their careers to start a family. There could be other factors involved but don’t expect either to talk about it anytime soon (more on that later).
Lorene Scafaria Is Also A Writer And Director
Scafaria has a successful Hollywood career of her own. Her 2012 directorial debut, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, starred Steve Carell and Keira Knightley; unfortunately, it bombed at the box office. But Scafaria redeemed herself when she wrote and directed the 2019 hit Hustlers, starring Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu.
According to IMDb, her credits also include screenwriting (Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist), TV directing (New Girl), and acting (Coherence).
Scafaria is part of a screenwriting clique known as The Fempire. The trio of gal pals includes Diablo Cody (Juno) and Dana Fox (What Happens in Vegas).
Dating someone who’s seasoned in the industry has been helpful to Burnham. According to Time, “he credits [Scafaria] with showing him some of the Hollywood ropes.” And in 2019, when Burnham won an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay, he thanked his partner in his speech.
“To my girlfriend, Lorene Scafaria, who’s here… she’s a writer-director and I was inspired to do this by watching her work, so thank you,” he said. Watch him accept the honor below:
Burnham also praised Scafaria in a 2019 Instagram post promoting Hustlers.
“I have had a front row seat to the making of this movie, having lived with the genius who made it as she struggled to convince people that this was a movie worth making—and furthermore, that she should direct it,” he wrote.
“Many told her no, that though she wrote the script, and had directed two beautiful films prior to this, that she was not the right fit to direct it. Those people now sell cream cheese for a living or something, I assume. This movie is brilliant and warm and funny and sexy just like the woman who made it. I love this movie and I love her.”
Bo Burnham And Lorene Scafaria Keep Their Relationship Fairly Private
Burnham’s post about his girlfriend and the work she put into Hustlers was a rare move. The couple is very private about their personal lives—the move makes sense, given that the comedian reflects on the hazards of social media in his stand-up routines.
“I know very little about anything, but what I do know is that if you can live your life without an audience, you should do it,” he said in 2016’s Make Happy.
It’s not often that Burnham and Scafaria mention each other on Instagram. It seems they prefer to use the medium to promote their latest projects. (For instance, Scafaria recently hinted that she’s involved in a future episode of HBO’s Succession.) However, in 2018, she posted a surprising pic of her boyfriend and their adorable puppy:
Do Burnham and Scafaria have plans to marry? We may never know. But if keeping the details of their romance under wraps is the secret to their success, then we encourage them to carry on as usual.
