It appears we have an emerging power couple in our midst — Sam Nivola and Iris Apatow.
Think you’ve heard these names before? You probably have.
Sam is the son of actors Alessandro Nivola and Emily Mortimer, and has been the talk of Hollywood thanks to his performance as Lochlan Ratliffe inThe White Lotus’ newest season. The premiere of Mike White’s beloved project followed his breakout role in last year’s hit, The Perfect Couple, where he shared a screen with Nicole Kidman.
It’s not just Sam’s acting chops that have people talking, either — his golden retreiver-esque looks and charisma make him one to watch both on and off the screen. When it comes to his personal life, it looks like he’s got quite the partner to share the spotlight with, too. Enter Iris Apatow, Sam’s girlfriend who is just as talented in her own right.
Much like Sam, Iris was born into Hollywood. Along with her sister, Maude Apatow (of Euphoria star), Iris is the daughter of comedy legends Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann. But don’t worry, this nepo baby has secured her own place in the industry on pure talent alone.
Safe to say they have pretty promising careers as individuals… as a couple? They’re practically perfect (pun fully intended). Scroll on for all the deets on their relationship
When Did Sam Nivola & Iris Apatow Start Dating?
Sam and Iris first debuted their relationship on Instagram in April 2024, when Sam posted a carousel of pics from when Iris visited him in Thailand while filming The White Lotus.
Six months later, the couple made it official when they stepped out for the Burberry 57th Street store reopening.
What Does Iris Apatow Do?
Sam isn’t the only one with an impressive IMBD profile.
Iris is an actress as well and her roles include Arya Hopkins in the Netflix series Love, Krystal; Kris in the 2022 film The Bubble; and Georgia in the Netflix series Unstable.
There’s more to come, too. You can also expect to see Iris in the thriller film Ballerina Overdrive alongside Lana Condor, Maddie Ziegler, and Avantika, just to name a few!
Sam & Iris Have Some Famous Friends
During a January 2025 interview with British Vogue, Sam joked about he and Iris’ shared status as nepotism babies, referring to their friend group as “some secret cabal of nepo kids who hang out in black robes.”
Their circle includes Olivia Rodrigo (who is Iris’s BFF — she starred in her “Bad Idea Right” music video) and her boyfriend Louis Partridge, Tate Mcrae, The Kid Laroi and Findlay McConnell.
The troupe even travel together. In January 2025, Iris and Liv took a group trip to Mustique. Imagine running into this crowd — safe to say we’d be in awe.
Sam & Iris' RelationshipTimeline
April 2024
On April 6, pics were shared to Insta of Sam and his White Lotus co-stars Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sarah Catherine Hook in Thailand. Iris also featured in the snaps, despite not being part of the cast.
May 2024
Sam appeared in a black-and-white photo in one of Iris’ Instagram carousels, in which she is holding him like you would a bf.
He also posted a carousel of pictures the same month that included shots of Iris in black-and-white walking through a rural area.
June 2024
Sam shared a photo seemingly taken at the same occasion as the one Iris shared in May. In this black-and-white pic, she is giving him a kiss on the cheek — now, we wouldn’t pose like this with a friend, would we?
Iris shared pictures of herself from a trip abroad on Instagram, and in the caption she credited Sam as the photographer.
October 2024
On October 16, they made their red carpet debut as a couple at the reopening of Burberry’s East 57th Street flagship store in New York.
On October 23, they also attended the Museum of Modern Art’s 16th Annual Film Benefit in New York City.
February 2025
The couple posed together at The White Lotus premiere on February 10 in Los Angeles.
Iris then shared photos of them at the premiere on Instagram, writing, “Enjoy these blown out photos🪷”
March 2025
Ahead of The White Lotus season 3, episode 5 airing, Sam shared some behind-the-scenes photos, including a pic of Iris (aka his gf) on set.
