Dylan Sprouse is setting the record straight about how his nearly decade-long romance with Barbara Palvin actually began.
During an Aug. 4 appearance on Amanda Hirsch’s “Not Skinny but Not Fat” podcast, the former Disney Channel star shared the real story behind his first encounter with Palvin. While their relationship origin is often associated with Sprouse reaching out to the model through social media, he revealed that an in-person meeting actually came first.
The pair crossed paths at a Harper’s Bazaar Icons party, where Palvin made an immediate impression with her sense of humor.
“We met in person at the Harper’s Bazaar Icons party, and she cut me in line for the red carpet,” Sprouse recalled on the podcast. “Totally like a rom-com, she just jumps over the red velvet divider and cuts me.”
Rather than letting the moment pass, Sprouse decided to call her out, sparking an exchange that quickly caught his attention.
Dylan Sprouse Was Won Over by Barbara Palvin’s Humor
Sprouse remembered telling Palvin that her looks were not going to earn her a spot ahead of him in line.
Palvin responded by turning her attention to his red and white striped shirt.
“What, are you a hot dog vendor?” she asked him.
The playful comeback worked.
Sprouse said the interaction was enough to make him “immediately” interested in Palvin. What could have been a brief red carpet encounter instead became the beginning of something much bigger.
Sprouse suggested that the two meet again later that evening and told Palvin to wait for him by the door. He also sent her a direct message inviting her to continue their playful conversation.
Palvin was ready to take him up on the invitation.
“Hey I’m still here by the door. Are you coming or not?” Sprouse recalled her responding.
That message left little doubt in his mind that their flirtation was mutual.
Their First Meeting Led to a Lasting Relationship
The couple’s memorable first exchange eventually developed into a relationship that has lasted for years.
Sprouse and Palvin married on July 15, 2023, celebrating their wedding in Hungary, where Palvin was born. Three years later, they are preparing for another major milestone together.
The couple revealed at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival that they are expecting their first child, a baby girl.
Sprouse has openly shared his excitement about becoming a father. Their growing family adds another chapter to a relationship that began with an unexpected red carpet encounter and a perfectly timed joke.
The actor has also publicly supported Palvin throughout important moments in her life and career. At the 2025 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Sprouse attended to cheer on his wife after she underwent surgery for endometriosis. He distributed yellow pins on the red carpet to help raise awareness of the condition and described supporting Palvin at the event as “very special.”
Years after that first meeting, Sprouse’s latest podcast appearance gives fans a clearer picture of where their relationship really started.
Instead of a perfectly planned introduction or a carefully crafted social media message, their connection began with Palvin jumping ahead of him in line and making fun of his shirt. For Sprouse, her confidence and quick sense of humor were enough to make the encounter unforgettable.
Now married and preparing to welcome their daughter, Sprouse and Palvin can look back at a first meeting that sounds remarkably like the beginning of a romantic comedy, even if it took years for Sprouse to finally clear up the story.
