Kristoffer Borgli, the 40-year-old Norwegian director of the upcoming film The Drama starring Zendaya, detailed a past age-gap romance with a teenage girl in a 2012 essay that has recently resurfaced.
Reflections on the Relationship
At age 27, Borgli wrote about a relationship with a girl ten years his junior, who was still in high school. Although the age of consent in Norway is 16, his close friends viewed the romance as outside acceptable bounds, confirming it as a significant age disparity.
He described waking up one morning to find “a blonde girl, a high school student enjoying the sporadic holidays in May” beside him in his apartment. Borgli explained, “I chose to see her that way, to define her by her age, and I chose never to see her again. But you can’t choose what the heart wants.”
Despite his decision, the pair continued communicating via Facebook and text messages. Borgli described the summer as “the best and most exotic summer I’ve ever had.”
Prior to this relationship, Borgli had been the younger partner in another age-gap romance, where he was fascinated by a teenager interested in piano, writing, and films.
Influence of Woody Allen
Borgli referenced Woody Allen’s 1979 film Manhattan, where a 42-year-old man dates a 17-year-old girl, portrayed positively and romantically. He questioned, “Then why shouldn’t my relationship – with a considerably smaller age difference – in 2012 be ‘within bounds?’ I chose to listen to Woody over my friends.”
Allen’s own life included a controversial 35-year age-gap marriage to Soon-Yi Previn in 1997; Previn is the adopted daughter of Mia Farrow, whom Allen dated for 12 years.
The Drama and Public Response
Borgli directs The Drama, an A24 romantic dark comedy set for theaters on April 3. Zendaya and Robert Pattinson star as an engaged couple facing an unexpected twist during their wedding week that some early viewers call disturbing. The film lacks a trigger warning, surprising audiences marketed to expect a typical wedding story.
The cast also features Mamoudou Athie, Alana Haim, Hailey Gates, and Zoe Winters. Borgli previously helmed Dream Scenario (2023) with Nicolas Cage.
Social media reactions to the essay include comments like, “Ooooof that’s disappointing,” and “Yikes, I was not aware of this.”
Zendaya and Pattinson will reunite in upcoming projects Dune: Part Three and The Odyssey.
