How Rebel Wilson's 50-Date Challenge Led to a New Partner - And a Surprising Revelation

Rebel Wilson has fallen head over heels with someone, and she couldn’t be prouder. 

The Australian actress recently opened up about her romantic adventures over the last couple of years and the journey she’s been on to find her significant other. Though she’s been 100% transparent about her strenuous road to fitness and health, she’s been far more tight-lipped about her private sphere, and for a good reason: she doesn’t want to reveal anything to the world unless she knows in her heart it’s something worth sharing and raving and gushing about. 

RELATED: Why We Need To Talk About Rebel Wilson’s Shocking Weight Loss

Lo and behold, her quest has come to an end, but she didn't find a man at the end of the tunnel, she found a woman. Coming out is a difficult process for anyone, not least for someone who’s spent the last decade in the public eye receiving considerable criticism for her body and her choices. Rebel had to genuinely put herself out there to understand herself and her hopes and desires for the future.

This voyage of self-discovery resulted in a grand total of 50 dates in one year, which may sound exhausting for most people, but proved to be just what Rebel needed to ignite her sense of confidence and spontaneity. 

What came next surprised her as much as everyone else. 

Rebel Wilson on Her 50-Date Challenge - And Why She Did It

In a candid podcast interview on U Up?, the Pitch Perfect actor detailed her 50-dates, and why she decided to undertake such an elaborate challenge in the first place.

According to Rebel, she wanted to embark on a "Year of Love," where she would say “no to nobody” and explore everything the contemporary dating scene had to offer, no holds barred. As uncomfortable as it was at certain times, it’s the unfamiliarity and the awkwardness that reinvigorated her drive to find romance. “I think I went out with about 50 people in that one year, but some of them were just one date and then you think, ‘Oh, no,'” she said in the podcast. 

I deliberately wanted to push myself to date a bunch of people and gain that experience, which I know is not normal, but it really helped me find out what I liked and what I didn't like. 

Rebel Wilson on U Up?

In some cases, they were billionaires, and in others, they were “people who had nothing,” but nevertheless, each date was unique, and it taught Rebel something new about herself; something she could utilize as she figured out what her ideal partnership would look like. This aspect of “gaining experience” was crucial to her self-development: you often don’t know your preferences unless you experiment.

Jumping through the hoops Rebel did not only clarifies what you like in a person, it also delineates what you don’t like, which can be just as essential to forging a connection with someone. In Rebel’s view, it certainly wasn’t “normal,” but it was also paramount to her evolution as a woman, and she wouldn’t take back the 50 dates for anything. 

Of course, Rebel made sure her dates were in the loop about her mission, and that no one was hurt. At the end of the day, it was an excellent way to elevate her “self-worth” and provide her with the balance she needed to enter a long-term commitment with someone. 

The Woman Rebel Wilson Found at the End of Her Dating Journey

Rebel's pursuit eventually paid off in the most unexpected way possible. She’d been fixated on looking for the right man, not knowing that the perfect woman was right under her nose.

In the same podcast, Rebel disclosed she is currently in a relationship. Though she didn't initially disclose her girlfriend's identity, she did delve into how they crossed each other’s paths.

“I met them at a friend's set-up. He had known both of us for at least five years, and he thought we would hit it off -- and then we did!” Having a mutual friend enabled an immediate sense of trust, and they were able to build their relationship from the ground up. 

RELATED: Rebel Wilson Had To Learn One Powerful Truth Before Losing Weight

In early June 2022, Rebel finally introduced her love to her supporters. In an Instagram post, she wrote, “I thought I was searching for a Disney Prince… but maybe what I really needed all this time was a Disney Princess,” she said alongside a photo of herself with her girlfriend, Ramona Agruma, with the hashtag “love is love.” 

Over the week that followed, there was speculation that she might have been coerced into coming out after The Sydney Morning Herald gave her only two days to comment on her new relationship before outing her to the masses. This predicament not only highlights the battles LGBTQIA+ people have to fight on a daily basis to maintain their privacy, but also the sometimes dubious journalistic practices that dominate the lives of celebrities. Rebel even replied to the story on Twitter, saying, “Thanks for your comments, it was a very hard situation but trying to handle it with grace.”

Ultimately, the whole endeavor of finding the right one has been fruitful, though not without growing pains. Rebel would have never known or discovered her orientation unless she’d been in the right mindset; she needed to move out of her comfort zone and expose herself to new adventures, as intimidating as they may have seemed at the time. 

Pride Is about Being Yourself

Today, our universe is a little brighter and more exhilarating because of one person’s decision to be 100% themselves.

Your authentic self is more beautiful than you could ever imagine, and no matter how contentious it may seem to society, they will eventually accept you because you accept yourself.

Rebel Wilson has faced a lot of criticism by both industry media and the public on her appearance for the majority of her career; it’s time she earned some happiness for herself. Pride isn’t about meeting other people’s expectations, it’s about being out and loud about who you are, no matter the obstacles laid in your path. 

KEEP READING:

Rebel, Rebel, Never Settle: Why We Must Always Reach for More