The Truth About Willow Smith's Boyfriend
Willow Smith and brother Jaden have grown up and become young adults before our eyes. The children of Hollywood power couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow and Jaden are up there on the roster of Tinsel Town royalty and have they made their mark on the world, as both of them are pursuing their own careers in music. FYI, our girl Willow has come a long way from the "Whip My Hair" days, you guys.
With growing up comes the inevitable rite of passage into dating, and it appears that Willow has been sweet on someone for some time now. Specifically, she's been spotted stepping out with a handsome fellow named Tyler Cole on multiple occasions, fueling rumors that the two are a couple. They certainly look cute together!
So who's the guy lucky enough to steal Willow Smith's heart? What does he like to do, and what are his passions? Does he get along with Jaden? Here's everything we know about Willow Smith's rumored boyfriend, Tyler Cole.
Growing up with a single mother
Oftentimes, members of the Hollywood elite tend to hobnob with other members of the Hollywood elite, such as when Hailey Baldwin met Justin Bieber, or when Olivia Jade Giannulli was a guest on the Caruso family yacht.
But unsurprisingly, Willow Smith is a little bit different than the rest of them, and that includes her taste in men. Specifically, her rumored boyfriend, Tyler Cole, wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth somewhere in the Hollywood Hills, steeped in money and privilege. "My mom moved us out to Los Angeles as a single mom with a dream to be an actor," he revealed in a 2018 interview with LVL3. "She studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts ...We've been in LA for about 14 years now." That's a pretty humble origin story.
Leave it to Smith to see someone's true worth, rather than the worth in their bank account.
He's biracial and has some feelings about it
In addition to being the child of a single mother, Tyler Cole is also biracial, something that has had a significant impact on his psyche. In an interview with Galore magazine, he shared, "...my mom is white and my dad's black and I've always felt overly borderline. Not that they're categories or anybody should be categorized by race, but it's a really insufferable feeling, feeling like I have to be categorized."
Cole often has to deal with this when people express opinions about the music he makes, as some apparently criticize his eclectic tastes and raps because of the color of his skin. "As a person of color, I feel it is a lot harder to be alternative, or to do things that are out of the norm..." he explained in an interview with Alt Philanthropy. He added, "That really needs to change because some of the best rock and alternative music is being created by people of color." We agree with you all the way, Tyler!
Willow Smith's rumored boyfriend is an actor
Before Tyler Cole moved to Los Angeles, he and his mother lived in Traverse City in Michigan, according to an article in These Days. Then, after the move, as he was watching his mother pursue her acting dream, he too wound up getting a little inspired. "I eventually caught the acting 'bug' myself," he admitted in an interview with LVL3. That's hardly surprising, as Los Angeles is a city well known for its entertainment industry. How could you resist the temptation?
To that end, Cole has a few acting credits to his name, according to his IMDb page. For one, he had a starring role in Between the Miles, a 2015 film about homeless teenagers. Additionally, he managed to snag a gig in the 2019 Netflix comedy series Family Reunion as Royale, a recurring role. Congrats are clearly in order!
Cole also joined the Screen Actors Guild in April of 2019, according to a post on his Instagram page, so chances are we'll see more of him on screen in the future.
His involvement in the Smith kids' mysterious MSFTSrep
It's not just Willow Smith whom Tyler Cole is reportedly close to in the famous Smith family. In fact, he's also friends with Jaden Smith, and he's a member of the mysterious art collective that the elder Smith sibling founded, MSFTS republic, or MSFTSrep. At the time of this writing, their website is selling a variety of unique apparel, as well as a book of photography with Cole on one of the covers. It's sold out, but hopefully more copies are on the way!
But MSFTSrep isn't just a clothing line, though you often see its members repping the brand on Instagram. According to their mission statement (via Complex), MSFTSrep "could be looked at, in simplest terms, as a creative work force dedicated to supporting and waking up the population of planet earth, through attaining knowledge and personal growth."
So anything that Cole, the Smith siblings, and their MSFTSrep crew produce artistically is bound to further that mission.
Willow Smith's rumored boyfriend takes music seriously
One of the primary passions in the life of Willow Smith's reported boyfriend is music. So far, the singer and guitar player has released two albums: Stranger in 2016 and We're in Love & the World is Ending in 2017 — the latter of which was inspired by someone special. "I fell in love two years ago and that kinda inspired the whole album," Tyler Cole confessed in an interview with Alt Philanthropy. Could he be talking about Willow? We hope so!
That experience also rendered Cole's music much more personal. "My music got to a place where I couldn't even try to make music without expressing myself deeply, you know?" he continued. He explained that whenever he'd write "things would just pour out of [him]." What an incredible, emotional experience that had to be.
Cole doesn't show any signs of slowing down, either, as he's quite busy at the time of this writing. "I'm working on so much music right now. I'm producing some stuff for other artists, I'm writing songs with a lot of people, and I have another album that I'm slowly working on," he added. Keep up the good work!
Willow Smith's rumored boyfriend is passionate about filmmaking
As if having a rising acting career and a burgeoning music presence weren't enough, Willow Smith's rumored boyfriend, Tyler Cole, doesn't limit his creativity to those avenues. Rather, he's been cultivating yet another artistic pursuit for longer than either acting or playing music. "Filmmaking is probably my first passion, even before music, only because that's how I started making art before I was actually able to record and produce music," he explained in an interview with Alt Philanthropy. "I was out recording videos with my iPhone or my little flip camera with my friends." So his passion for the arts was evident from the start.
Additionally, Cole has parlayed his love of filmmaking into directing music videos. And as with everything else in his life, he has ample ambition, and he clearly wants to get behind the camera as often as possible. "I definitely plan on directing a lot more videos," he continued. "I actually also made a feature film." Talk about one seriously impressive resume!
Exploring his origins in The Father Complex
Tyler Cole's aforementioned feature film came to fruition in June of 2019, when it debuted at the famous TLC Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Of course, both Willow Smith and Jaden Smith were present for the event, and the film itself is branded as an offering from the MSFTSrep art collective.
Inspired by the desire to find out more about his absentee dad, Cole named the film The Father Complex. In it, he and his friend Charlie Burg journey across the country to see if Cole can track down the whereabouts of father, which, in turn, would hopefully lead Cole to learn more about himself. "One day, I was overtaken by such a strong curiosity to know who my biological father is, that I took it into my own hands," he wrote in a post on his Instagram page. "This film is my real life; a coping mechanism, if you will. I hope it can inspire others to seek their own truth and answer questions for themselves." That's some powerful stuff.
As it turns out, Cole learned that his father was in prison, something he rapped about in a video on his Facebook page. That couldn't be easy to contend with.
The power of music is real for Tyler Cole
Tyler Cole doesn't just make songs. Willow Smith's rumored boyfriend is also a fierce music aficionado, and he sincerely appreciates the material that other people make — and believes wholeheartedly in its power. "Music is universal. It literally has the ability to affect our emotions," he shared in an interview with Status magazine. "It has been medically proven that a good [chord] progression can shift your mood entirely." He's not wrong, as scientific research has proven, according to an article in Science Daily.
Cole isn't just talking about lyrics, either, as melodies and harmonies themselves convey emotion on their own. "I think implementing messages in music is far more powerful than just saying the words alone," he continued. "It has the ability to reach more people and have a bigger impact." He's right — can you imagine if you removed the score from your favorite film? You'd lose so much of the emotion!
Opening for Jaden Smith on the Vision Tour
In the spring of 2018, Tyler Cole shared that he would be joining Jaden Smith on his Vision tour as the opening act. "Super excited to announce that I'm gonna be joining my bro [Jaden Smith] on his vision tour," Willow Smith's reported boyfriend wrote in a post on his Instagram page. "We went from playing free shows at public parks to sold out venues." That's a pretty impressive trajectory, you guys.
The tour had two legs: one on the west coast that hit cities from San Diego to Portland, and one on the east coast that went from Detroit to Atlanta. They must have had an amazing time bringing their music to the masses together, as Cole had a bit of an adjustment period when it was over. "I'm home in LA, already back to work on the art but I honestly wish we were still on the road," he mused in another Instagram post. He went on, "The vision tour is over but the vision lives on." Amen to that, Tyler.
We hope they hit the road together again in the future!
He co-produced Willow Smith's 2019 album
In the summer of 2019, Willow Smith made a big announcement on her Facebook page: her eponymous album was ready to go! Additionally, she worked very closely with someone special in order to fully manifest her musical ambitions. "This is the first time I've ever co-produced an album with one of my closest friends," she mused in a post on her Facebook page. "S/O to Tyler Cole for being instrumental in the creation of my musical vision, GRATITUDE!" We are 100 percent here for this artistic partnership.
Of course, Cole had nothing but good things to say about both the new album and his rumored girlfriend. "Willow's new self-titled album is out...produced entirely by me and her," Willow Smith's alleged boyfriend wrote in a post on his own Facebook page. "I am so proud of this project and this girl. Her talent is unparalleled." This is so sweet and wholesome, and definitely #relationshipgoals. Congrats, you two!
He played a big role in Jaden Smith's ERYS album
If you thought that Willow Smith got all of Tyler Cole's musical attention, you'd be wrong, as he also worked on Jaden Smith's 2019 album, ERYS. "I'm featured on a lot of it (guitar, bass, vocals) and before you hear the album I just wanna say that I'm inspired by this boy [Jaden Smith] for seeing his vision through and doing something so unique and honest with his art," Willow Smith's rumored boyfriend wrote in a post on his Instagram page. "I am honored to be friends with and work so closely with one of my favorite artists." The bromance is real, y'all!
Cole is also aware of the power of celebrity, and the impact that he and Jaden have on the world given their artistic platform. "Many people look to their favorite artists for motivation and are influenced directly by their beliefs," he explained in an interview with Status magazine. "That's why we have to be careful with our words and actions knowing that we're leading others with them." That's a good way to approach being an influencer.
Feminism is his jam
In addition to being an artist in many mediums, Willow Smith's reported boyfriend, Tyler Cole, is also quite the woke thinker. As for what concerns him the most in the world? "I think sexism is the biggest issue we're dealing with in America right now," he explained in an interview with Alt Philanthropy. "So that's what I am most passionate about and focused on at the moment." He's a feminist! Welcome to the sisterhood, Tyler.
Even though there's still a lot of work to be done in the era of the #MeToo movement, Cole is optimistic that things won't always be this way. "The whole Hollywood/Harvey Weinstein scandal has made me continuously so angry and so upset, but at the same time, I truly feel like this is sparking a change," he continued. "People who actually practice misogyny are starting to see that this is no different from racism or any other issue."
Tyler Cole embraces his feminine side
According to an article in AdWeek, Generation Z is defying conformist gender ideas and is creating new norms of beauty that fly in the face of traditional standards of masculinity and femininity. To that end, more gender neutral products are on the market than ever before, and gender fluidity is at an all-time high. The kids are alright, indeed.
Unsurprisingly, Tyler Cole's perception and expression of gender is consistent with that of his peers. Willow Smith's rumored boyfriend is not afraid to wear makeup — and, frankly, we think he wears it well, as he happily embraces his feminine side. "All people have masculine and feminine energy within them," he shared in an interview with Status magazine. We can get on board with that.
Cole even dressed as a woman in one of his videos, "Love at First Fight," and had the male version of himself box against the female version. "The concept was my own personal masculine and feminine sides battling each other as boxers," he explained.
His relationship with Willow Smith is probably unconventional
Willow Smith hasn't been shy about discussing her sexual orientation and romantic preferences. Specifically, she isn't straight and she isn't monogamous, which definitely bucks traditional norms. "I love men and women equally," she confessed in an episode of Red Table Talk. "So, I would definitely want one man, one woman." That's a woman who knows what she wants!
Additionally, dating and romance are very serious for Smith, as she's not into the whole casual thing. "I feel like I could be polyfidelitous with those two people," she continued. "I'm not the kind of person that is constantly looking for new sexual experiences. I focus a lot on the emotional connection, and I feel like if I were to find two people of the different genders that I really connected with and we had a romantic and sexual connection, I don't feel like I would feel the need to try to go find more." Our girl really knows herself.
So if she and Tyler Cole are indeed in a romantic relationship, their partnership is likely just as special as it is unique.