“Never Seen Her This Happy,” How Gigi Hadid Rebuilt Her Life as a Single Mom and Found New Love

For Gigi Hadid, motherhood didn’t just mark a new chapter — it completely redefined her life. Becoming a single mom in the public eye isn’t easy, especially when your every move is under a microscope. But in the years following her split from Zayn Malik, Gigi quietly stepped into a role that demanded more strength, grace, and emotional maturity than any runway ever could.

Raising her daughter Khai largely out of the spotlight, Gigi embraced a life of balance, prioritizing her child’s well-being while maintaining a thriving modeling career. She structured her life around Khai’s needs, planning travel around parenting schedules, finding joy in the everyday rituals of motherhood, and co-parenting with compassion and patience.

Still, love has a way of finding those who are ready for it. Now, after years of focusing on her daughter and herself, Gigi has found happiness again — with Bradley Cooper.

Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper have gradually transitioned from a private romance to a public, supportive partnership, intertwining their lives and families. Their relationship, which began in October 2023, has evolved into a bond characterized by mutual respect and shared values.

Their initial connection reportedly sparked at a birthday party for Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ daughter in September 2023, where both attended with their children. This encounter led to subsequent outings, including a dinner at Via Carota in New York City, marking the beginning of their relationship.

Over time, Hadid and Cooper have been seen together at various events, such as cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles during an NFL playoff game. Their daughters, Khai and Lea, have also spent time together, indicating a blending of their families.

Bradley Cooper is also a parent. He and Irina Shayk exemplify healthy co-parenting after their split, remaining deeply committed to raising their 8-year-old daughter, Lea, together. And Gigi has spoken about the positive influence Cooper has had on her life. She described their relationship as “very romantic and happy,” emphasizing the trust and support they share.

“I respect him so much as a creative,” Gigi said, “and I feel that he gives so much to me: encouragement and, just, belief. For those people you admire to encourage you, it can create so much belief in yourself. Like, what’s the worst thing if I auditioned for this? You jump and take the leap.”

In May 2025, Hadid made their relationship Instagram official by sharing a photo of them kissing during her 30th birthday celebration. This public acknowledgment signifies a new chapter in their relationship, built on a foundation of shared experiences and mutual understanding.

“Yolanda [Hadid] and Bella [Hadid] love Bradley but the main thing they care about is that he treats Gigi with love and respect,” one source tells. “Bradley is different from any of Gigi’s past relationships and they’ve never seen her this happy with a partner before.”

Before she found Bradley: Gigi and Zayn’s path to co-parenting

Supermodel Gigi Hadid started dating English singer Zayn Malik in late 2015. They broke up and made up several times, but in April 2020, Gigi announced that they were expecting their first child. The couple’s first child, a girl named Khai Hadid-Malik, was born in September 2020, but by the end of 2021, Gigi and Zayn had split up again. This left the former lovers with a difficult question: how to organize co-parenting so that their daughter doesn’t feel like she’s missing out on anything from either parent.

Taking care of the baby is their top priority.

The answer to the question turned out to be simple. Understanding that their child had forever bound them, Gigi and Zayn made their daughter’s happiness their top priority. Despite all their disagreements, they tried to establish a healthy relationship not as lovers but as parents. They realized that even though they had broken up, they would have a long life together. Their main principle of co-parenting lies in the fact that Gigi and Zayn made their child’s well-being and happiness their main priority.

They adapt to their daughter’s schedule.

Gigi once shared that the birth of her daughter changed her life and made her want to feel more settled. While she used to devote herself entirely to work in the past, now she tries to plan trips for the time when her daughter is with her father. This way, Zayn helps his ex-girlfriend maintain a balance between her career and motherhood. On the one hand, Gigi has time to spend with her child and enjoy their time together, and on the other hand, she can pursue her professional goals.

Gigi is really happy her daughter takes after Zayn.

After a painful breakup, it’s often hard for people to see the traits of their ex-lovers in their kids. But Gigi is happy that her daughter takes after her dad, and she loves talking about how similar they are. She says that her daughter has British food preferences, “She’s clearly a child who was grown in my stomach eating a lot of British food—breakfast, beans, curries. And she still eats like that. She even says some words with a little [English] accent, which I love.”

Gigi shares her emotions, “She has already given me so much. I always wanted to be a mom, but I was never obsessive about it or [thought that] I was put on this Earth to be a mom.” Zayn also enjoys fatherhood, “The love I feel for this tiny human is beyond my understanding.”

Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper’s romance shows how love can blossom from stability and shared values. Meanwhile, Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet just made their relationship red carpet official. And Jennifer Lopez is making headlines of her own, moving on from Ben Affleck.