She's off the deep end, watch as we dive in. Last February, Lady Gaga was spotted cozying up to investor Michael Polansky ahead of her pre-Super Bowl performance. Page Six ran
photos of the pair kissing on a balcony in Miami. Polansky was also on hand during Gaga's Saturday night show and by her side during Super Bowl LIV, per Entertainment Tonight. Now, they're IG official and even attended the 2021 inauguration as a couple. Below, everything we know about the musician's man of more than a year.
Polansky is a Harvard grad and works with Facebook co-founder Sean Parker.
Polansky, a Harvard graduate, runs Facebook co-founder Sean Parker's Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. According to his LinkedIn, Polansky has served as CEO for The Parker Group, which houses the mogul's various charities and businesses, for the last decade.
He's clearly steeped in Parker's dealings, as his LinkedIn also shows he's the co-founder/executive director of The Parker Foundation and a managing partner in Parker Ventures. According to the Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy website, Polansky also serves on the six-person board tasked with breaking down barriers against cancer research.
Earlier in his career, Polansky worked at Founders Fund alongside Parker and Peter Thiel (both characters in the 2010 Oscar-nominated movie The Social Network). In 2013, he co-founded the bipartisan policy organization Economic Innovation Group (EIG), which also involves Parker. Interestingly enough, Justin Timberlake played Parker in 2010's The Social Network, and Gaga was the musical guest on Timberlake's May 2011 SNL episode.
He and Gaga have been spotted together before.
Before spending Super Bowl weekend together, Gaga was seen kissing Polansky in Las Vegas on New Year's Eve. Clearly, things are getting serious as he was spotted hanging out with Gaga's family over Super Bowl weekend. Polansky reportedly spoke with Gaga's mother Cynthia Germanotta during her daughter's performance and danced alongside Gaga and her sister Natali during Jennifer Lopez and Shakira's halftime show.
Halftime dance w Ga Ga #SuperBowlpic.twitter.com/LxftKZIFEj
— Jeff Ross (@realjeffreyross) February 3, 2020
News of their relationship comes about a year after Gaga ended her engagement to talent agent Christian Carino in February 2019. (Coincidentally Bradley Cooper, who Gaga was previously rumored to be involved with, had a friendly reunion with his ex Irina Shayk on the same weekend.)
Sources say Parker may have introduced the couple.
Per Page Six sources, Gaga and Polansky have "likely known each other for a while through events Parker has hosted at his LA mansion." The insider claims the couple connected at Parker's December 2019 birthday party.
In fact, Cooper says he met Gaga in April 2016 when she performed at the opening of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Parker's home. While there, she sang Édith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose," which inspired Cooper to cast Gaga in her Oscar-nominated role from A Star Is Born.
"I was at a cancer benefit with my mother. I really did not know Lady Gaga’s music," Cooper told W magazine. "They had a surprise musical guest, and Stefani came out with her hair slicked back."
They regularly share sweet couple selfies on Instagram.
“Michael is a really smart guy, a very serious guy, who has always been low key," a source told Page Six about the CEO and investor. But on Monday, February 3, Gaga took their romance public, posting their first IG as a couple. "We had so much fun in Miami. Love to all my little monsters and fans, you’re the best! ❤️" she captioned a photo of the two cuddling up on a boat.
Gaga followed that post up with a Valentine's Day shoutout to Polansky. "Happy Valentine’s Day!! “Babe, do I have lipstick all-over me?”?#valentines ❤️????????????♀️happy v-day to all my monsters!!! I love you!!! ❤️??," she captioned a photo of the pair.
Then, came an Instagrammable sunset picture from the couple on February 18. And—in a nod to her new single "Stupid Love"—Gaga captioned a March 5 selfie with Polansky, "I’ve got a STUPID love?."
Gaga is "getting serious" with Polansky during quarantine.
E! spoke to a source during Super Bowl weekend about how Gaga was feeling during the first months of the two's romance. The source said Gaga "has been dating the same guy for over a month. They've been seeing other since before the holidays, and she's crazy about him."
Things have only gone stronger for the couple since then. A source told Entertainment Tonightin March, "They both felt social distancing and quarantine was the right thing to do, and it's given them time to spend together and focus on one another without work or any other distractions." Gaga even shared a snapshot of her quarantine with Polansky on Instagram. She captioned a photo of the couple interlocking hands, "Day 6 of self-quarantining! Going strong, playing video games and cards, and taking care of ourselves. Important reminder: keep your mind as stress free as possible and your body moving. #selflove#selfcare#bekind try not to pass it in case you have it #corona it’s ok and so wonderful to stay home if you can!What a kind act for the world ❤️."
The source went on to explain that while Gaga wanted to keep their relationship private at first, their strong connection inspired her to take their romance public. "Gaga is really getting serious with her boyfriend, and the chemistry is undeniable," the insider said. "At first she wanted to keep it low key and quiet because she had just gotten out of a relationship and thought taking it slow would be good, but they had an immediate connection, so it was tough to keep under wraps. They were spending so much time together, she finally decided to post on Instagram to make it official."
Since then, the couple hasn't been shy about going out in public together. Gaga embraced summer dressing and went nearly pantless on two separate occasions last June, with Polansky by her side. One afternoon, they were spotted grabbing iced coffee together and the other the couple could be seen getting takeout in Malibu. On both occasions, Gaga and Polansky wore masks.
The couple worked on the One World: Together at Homefundraiser special together.
Another sign that this couple is going strong: they're working together. On April 18, Gaga shared that Polansky was helping fundraise for those on the frontlines of the pandemic through the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. "With some of my co-fundraisers @booconnor@michaelpolansky#oneworld#togetherathome Miss you @wanaynay our other co-fundraiser and producer and missing our other co-fundraisers @who & @glblctzn," captioned a photo of the pair wearing matching Together at Home merch.
Gaga also referenced Polansky's work during an interview with Morning Joe. "With Born This Way Foundation, my mother, Cynthia Germanotta, and our co-founder Maya [Enista Smith], who I love so very much—they are working with my, the love of my life on something for mental health," Gaga said, per People.
Polansky's ex-girlfriend has spoken about his relationship with Gaga.
Ever wonder what it would feel like to see your ex dating a celebrity? Lindsay Crouse, senior staff editor at The New York Times and Polansky's ex, wrote about the experience in a February 2020 op-ed. Titled, "My Ex-Boyfriend’s New Girlfriend Is Lady Gaga," she explored what it was like to see Polansky, whom she dated for seven years, be photographed by Gaga's side in paparazzi shots. "Lady Gaga is amazing," Crouse wrote, concluding his relationship had a positive impact on her outlook. "Comparing yourself with her is incredibly motivational, and I recommend you try it, regardless of how you relate to who’s dating her."
Polansky loves to support and "take care" of Gaga.
Five months into their relationship, Polansky was reportedly a support system for Gaga as she released her sixth album, Chromatica. The night her long-awaited record dropped, Gaga and Polansky celebrated the occasion by dancing to her new song, "911." Sporting masks and socially distancing, the pair danced in front of a background of bright pink and metallic balloons that spelled "Chromatica."
According to an Us Weeklysource in June 2020, Polansky enjoys attending to his girlfriend in multiple ways. “She loves to be wined and dined and taken care of, and Michael certainly does that for her,” a source told the outlet of Gaga. “He loves to take care of her and spoil her, and they love to travel together.” The insider added, “Michael is very wealthy and likes to treat her to nice things and experiences.”
They both enjoy Italian cooking.
Gaga has long praised her Italian heritage and has been known to cook an expert bowl of pasta. She even cooked some for Cooper when they met about A Star Is Born. Last August, the singer shared a few snapshots from a night-in cooking with Polansky. While he doesn't appear in any of the photos, Polansky does get a shoutout in the caption. "I put rosé in my Bolognese. Making dinner with love?and some spicy Italian gravy. Love to everyone!! ?? ??? mangia !!!!!! Xxxxxxoooooxoooo?" she wrote alongside some kitchen shots and a couple of selfies. Gaga added, "I love connecting with my culture with someone I love ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️."
He attended the inauguration by Gaga's side.
Another major milestone in their relationship was attending the inauguration together. Gaga, wearing a custom Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown, was on hand to sing the national anthem at President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris's inauguration. Polansky went to the historic event as her date and was spotted sharing a masked kiss with Gaga. A source told Us Weeklythat ahead of her performance Gaga was "grateful to have the support of Joe, Jill, her family, her boyfriend and the American people."