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Gabourey Sidibe capped off the last decade by falling in love on the low.
The 36-year-old Empire star is dating a guy named Brandon Frankel, who also works in entertainment. While she’s shared very little of him on her own Instagram page, on his, he’s shared pictures of Sidibe since May. They both love cats (she has her pet Aaron and he had a cat named Peaches that actually passed this week), travel and spending quality time together. They seemingly rang in the new year and decade as a pair and he publicly fawned over the actress and how important she’s been in his life.
“I’m truly thankful for my close family, friends, associates past and present…and most of all, for THIS Queen right here,” he wrote as the caption to images of them together celebrating the arrival of 2020. “You’re a ball of sunshine, so generous and giving of your time, resources, and love- and your excitement and passion for life and people/things you love truly lights up my heart. You’ve taught me so much about life, myself, and the world that is truly invaluable. You make me push myself to be a better me, even though you probably don’t even realize you are. I love you more and more every single day- which seems impossible, but continually amazes me. Here’s to 2020- and thank you for loving me so unconditionally. I love being your [sic] forever-Dork.”
And while she’s low-key about sharing images of Frankel on her Instagram, she responded to his heartwarming message with her own lovey-dovey note on his page.
“You’re my favorite Love Song. You’re the cherry on top of this last decade and the foundation of the next,” she said. “I’m excited for all the matching hoodies, Mickey/Minnie outfits to DisneyLand, and your favorite shirts that somehow become MY favorite shirts. My cold feet, being warmed up by your USUALLY hot skin, al dente potatoes, fucked up rice and seasoned meat, cooked to burnt, yelling at the cats to come cuddle with us, alternating between trash reality shows and business reality shows like shark tank, competing to fall asleep first, walks in the rain, the snow, the heat, the mall, the jungle, cenotes and bat caves! We have so much to look forward to in the decades to come! You make me happier than I’ve ever been, I’m so glad we found each other and I’m gonna point and yell ‘DOG!’ for you, when I see one in public forever.”
She also surprised him in December with a trip for his 35th birthday to the Yucatan.
“This surprise birthday vacation was a dream,” he said. “Trip filled with amazing food, Mayan ruins, swimming in Cenotes with bats and stalagmites/stalactites, Pools & jacuzzis, massages and facials, sound baths, meditation, laughing super hard…and more. Crazy to believe 8 days went by that quick. Love you to the moon and back my Queen @gabby3shabby.”
The This Is Just My Face author shared in 2017 that after having weight-loss surgery and slimming down significantly, she was ready to see what the dating world had to offer. She told PEOPLE she was looking for someone she could truly have a good time with.
“I’m not very superficial. I like really funny guys, I like guys who are smart, I like people that read, I like people that have really interesting things to do, I like people that really enjoy their jobs,” she said. “I don’t want somebody who’s like constantly stressed and in a state of their life that they don’t want to be in — you’ve got to be upwardly mobile; that’s emotionally, spiritually, physically and monetarily. And I’m not necessarily into look. I’m more into personality.”
Looks like she’s found what she’s looking for in Frankel.
