Yahoo Lifestyle Serena Page and Kordell Beckham Know You Want to Be Their Third
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Serena Page is laughing at Kordell Beckham in a way that’s making me wonder if I should leave them alone. We’re on a date at The Riff Raff Club in Manhattan, drinking French 75s and admiring the skyline view. Well, they’re on a date that I’ve crashed in the name of asking questions. My first was going to be something about whether the couple that captivated millions of Love Island USA fans is truly in love. Real love, not reality TV love. But then Kordell fails to remember the name of their song—you know, the kind couples adopt as their own romantic theme—and Serena starts giggling (“It’s ‘California King Bed’ by Rihanna,” she says), and I already know the answer. This is an unproduced connection.
In my defense, being suspicious of a TV romance is more than fair, especially considering the number of contestants who move into the Love Island villa for clout purposes and the show’s low relationship success rate. Let’s also throw in the reality competition’s unique setup, where prospective pairs “recouple” by switching partners every few episodes and viewers vote for their favorite duos. The constant shuffling makes any declaration of love pretty hard to buy into. Yet Kordena voters—who quickly gave Kordell, 22, a model and aircraft fueler, and Serena, 25, a former media planner, this celebrity couple name—still believed.
Maybe it was Kordell’s obvious obsession with Serena from episode 1. Or the pair’s genuine growing affection for each other that was spliced into plenty of TikTok edits (see: Kordell’s “I’ll always stick around and I just don’t know why.”) Or the very relatable way Serena dealt with her valid trust issues. Or their amusing, viral miscommunications (go ahead and google “Serena and Kordell long-term goals,” I’ll wait). Or, of course, their shared fashion sense: Since their first scene together, where they appeared in accidental twinning outfits, they’ve dressed in step, in an almost surreal way. (They showed up to this very interview in matching gray hoodies and, “At the Love Island reunion, Serena changed her dress, and it still correlated with what I had on,” says Kordell.“It’s weird as fuck.”)
Whatever their specific magic, it was enough to earn them a fandom and a first-place title. It also helped the show double in viewership and finally catch up to its UK counterpart in cultural relevance, paving the way for the future (the next Love Island USA season will air this summer on Peacock). Meanwhile, Serena and Kordell have secured their status on many a “dream relationship” moodboard, although both are reluctant to put their real-life romance on a pedestal. “I don’t necessarily believe in relationship goals,” says Serena. “Comparing your relationship to another one can be pretty damaging, especially to one on TV or social media.”
Serena especially knows the fallout of measuring what you have against others. In the age-old reality television tradition, her worth is constantly stacked up against that of her female costars Leah Kateb and Jana Craig. “It’s stupid,” she explains. “We have such different personas and goals. And you know what I clocked? Nobody does that with Kaylor and Liv,” she adds, referring to two of her white costars. “Leah and Jana are my sisters. Not only will they be bridesmaids, they’ll be aunties to my kids.” (Kordell lives for this clarification. “Y’all heard it here—bridesmaids!” he says.)
And speaking of hard truths, I have to ask the couple about a part of their storyline that’s been bothering me for months. At one point on the show, while he was still coupled up with Serena, Kordell kissed another girl. It was not the midseason betrayal that grates so much (this is still reality TV, after all) as the way fans obsessed over Kordell’s mature apology and sincere communication that helped the two get back on track. What does it say about our culture, I wonder, that a man gets celebrated for initiating a healthy conversation after stepping out? “It was a little shocking seeing so much support for that,” Kordell quickly agrees. “Right!” Serena adds: “It makes men feel like they should be applauded for doing the bare minimum all the time—because what got us in that ridiculous situation to begin with?”
If tonight is anything to go by, they’ve moved past the hurdle and arrived at the point where there is no bigger Serena fan than Kordell and vice versa. Throughout our date, he brags about how hilarious she is. He admires her business know-how and strongly supports her dream to run multiple companies one day. “Y’all see a glimpse of it in this photo shoot,” he points out. “She’s in that suit!”
She loves how considerate he is, how sweetness is his instinct. (“I’m innocent,” Kordell says. “Innocent is crazy,” Serena replies.) She likes the way he relaxes her. “He hypes me up and makes me feel so comfortable... comfortable enough to do weird stuff!” she laughs. They would both like to keep working in entertainment and have a shared interest in modeling and acting. “We lowkey work well together,” Serena says. “At least when we don’t have to look each other in the eyes, because I’ll start laughing.”
Offscreen, things may not be picture-perfect, but they do sound just right for them. “I probably piss him off while we’re watching movies,” says Serena. “I ask a lot of questions.” “Oh my god,” Kordell confirms, “I’m getting stressed out right now thinking about it.”
At one point, after a round of shots they demand we all take together, I’m ready to ask if I can officially join their loving union. And I know I’m far from alone in feeling this way. “We get people online asking to be our third,” Kordell says. “Some people say they just want to sit on the wall like a fly.”
“That’s so cute, because it means they love us both,” Serena interjects. “But I don’t share my man.”
“And I don’t want to be shared.”
First image: On Kordell: JW Anderson jacket. Calvin Klein boxers. The Elder Statesman socks. On Serena: JW Anderson jacket. Pretties tank top. Calvin Klein boxers. Los Angeles Apparel socks. Tom Wood earrings.
Stylist: Marcus Allen. Hair: Nai’Vasha at The Wall Group using Kenra Professional. Makeup: Shaina Erlich at Kramer + Kramer using Dieux Skin. Manicure: Nori at See Management using Dior. Movement director: Ash Rucker.
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