Bonnie Hunt’s first encounter with Taylor Kinney left her feeling flustered. Appearing on The Talk, the 63-year-old Cheaper by the Dozen actress reflected on meeting the 43-year-old Chicago Fire star for the first time and how their interaction made her heart race.
“You know the guy who was engaged to Lady Gaga and is on Chicago Fire?” Hunt began. “I met him at a fundraiser in Chicago for medical research. He was talking to me, and I kept thinking, ‘Is he flirting with me, or am I imagining things?’ I hoped it was real.” She went on to share that even though the event ended, their conversation lingered in her mind.
Taylor Kinney’s charm leaves Bonnie Hunt momentarily starstruck
A year and a half later, the two crossed paths again at another charity event. “He says, ‘Bonnie, hi,’ and then goes, ‘I’ve been thinking about you since I saw you,'” Hunt recalled, drawing laughter from the audience. “I knew it! He was flirting with me. Then he told me, ‘But I didn’t have your number, so I couldn’t contact you.'”
Hunt gushed, “I’m telling you, my whole body changed. Suddenly, I was 25 again.” However, the moment took an unexpected turn. “Then he says, ‘I wanted to call you because I thought maybe you could play my mom on the show,'” Hunt revealed, quickly bringing her back to reality.
Despite Kinney’s undeniable charm, Hunt was surprised to learn that he was no longer available. In May, a representative for Kinney confirmed to PEOPLE that he had married model Ashley Cruger on April 30 in a small, private ceremony in Chicago, shortly after finishing season 12 of Chicago Fire.
Kinney and Cruger had been together since 2022. In March of that year, the actor shared his first photo with Cruger on Instagram, and by April, they publicly confirmed their relationship by attending a charity event together in Utah. Cruger then posted their photo at a Texas race later that month, further cementing their public debut as a couple.
