Best movies of 2023 🍿 How he writes From 'Beef' to 'The Bear' Our free games
Megan Fox

Megan Fox calls out 'ridiculous' criticisms of her age difference with Machine Gun Kelly

Jenna Ryu
USA TODAY

Bye haters: Megan Fox is standing up to misogynistic criticisms of her personal life.

In a one of her first major interviews this year, Fox got candid about the "ridiculous" backlash she's received about her relationship with Machine Gun Kelly and the age gap between them. 

"You want to talk about patriarchy? The fact that he's four years younger than me, and people want to act like I'm dating a younger man." she said in the InStyle interview published Wednesday. Machine Gun Kelly, whose real name is Colson Baker, is 31, while Fox is 35.

Though she acknowledged that the punk rock singer has "lived like he's 19 his whole life," she emphasized that "he isn't 19" and called out a double standard.

"No one would blink twice if George Clooney was dating someone four years younger," she said. "Four years? Go (expletive) yourself. We would have been in high school together. That's so ridiculous that women are treated that way."

Rumors about the two dating were first fueled when Fox showed up in the music video for Kelly's single "Bloody Valentine" in May 2020, but they went public with their relationship with an Instagram post on July 28.

Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly at UFC 261.

Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly:See their relationship timeline

Fox said the constant media scrutiny she endured used to take a toll on her mental health until her "incredible breakthrough" at the end of 2019. 

"I realized that I had been living in a self-imposed prison for so long because I let other people tell me who I was or what I wasn't. I hid because I was hurt," she reflected.

"I came home, and my whole life changed. I got a divorce and I started working more and doing more things. I ended up meeting Colson, and then literally everything exploded from there."

'It just is what it is':Megan Fox has relatable working-mom moment as kids crash interview

Megan Fox reflects on mom shaming, says she's 'grateful' for Brian Austin Green's new girlfriend

Fox also reflected on the mom-shaming she said she experienced following her split from Brian Austin Green, 47, in May. The two were married for nearly 10 years and share three sons Noah, 8, Bodhi, 7, and Journey, 4.

'I will always love her':Brian Austin Green confirms split with Megan Fox

“There's so much judgment,” she said, adding that people often ask "Where are your kids?" whenever she is out with Kelly. 

"Do you ask their dad when he's out?" she asks. "No, because you don't expect a dad to be with the kids all the time, but I'm supposed to not be seen and be at home with my kids."

According to Fox, critics often assume she's a bad parent when she isn't photographed with her kids. In reality, the actress said she intentionally keeps them out of the spotlight in order to respect their privacy. 

"I have to leave and sometimes I don't want them photographed and they don't come with me. This whole year I've been very surprised by how archaic some of the mindsets still are in some people."

On Tuesday, Fox revealed there's no bad blood between her and Green's new girlfriend, Sharna Burgess. 

The "Beverly Hills, 90210" alum posted an Instagram selfie kissing Burgess.

“It’s been a really long time since I’ve been with someone I can truly share life with,” Green captioned the snap from Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom.

In response, Burgess commented: “There’s no one else I could ever imagine sharing it with. I love you."

Fox also commented on the post, writing that she is "Grateful for Sharna."

On Wednesday, Green took to his Instagram stories to clarify where his relationship stands with Fox today.

"For people that need or want clarification. Megan and I get along great. Neither of us are sending petty digs to each other. We both work really hard to get along and coparent well for our kids," he wrote. 

'Hollywood is not adapted to women':Megan Fox shares 'pressure' of being a working mom

Featured Weekly Ad