Penn Badgley and Zoe Kravitz shared an intense bond during the two years they were together. Both Kravitz and Badgley spoke of their relationship in previous interviews, but the former "Gossip Girl" actor was much more open about the depth of his feelings. In 2012, Badgley portrayed singer Jeff Buckley in the indie film "Greetings From Tim Buckley," and he spoke of how his relationship with Kravitz served as inspiration when he was preparing for the role.

In an interview with Yahoo! in 2013, Badgley said, "At that time I was falling madly in love in a way that was changing me and opening me up. And it was an integral part of playing Jeff." He revealed during that conversation that he met Kravitz in New York City, but failed to divulge further details on the circumstances that brought them together. He did, however, go on to discuss some difficulties they faced in their relationship in another interview later that year.

Speaking with Elle in May of 2013, Badgley was asked how he and Kravitz dealt with time apart when one of them is filming a movie. He replied, "There's definitely no secret. I'd say honesty is always the best policy. There are always a lot of arguments — but even if honesty starts some, it avoids bigger ones."

The fact that the pair were experiencing arguments during this period lends some perspective on why they called it quits soon after the interview with Elle came out.