Olivia “Livvy” Dunne and Paul Skenes have different ways of handling fame.
During a joint interview with GQ, the reigning champion LSU gymnast and the All-Star Pirates pitcher discussed how they helped each other deal with life in the spotlight, including fan interactions and constant social media attention that’s mostly aimed at Dunne.
“She’s been dealing with all the notoriety and all that longer than I have,” Skenes, 22, told GQ, which dubbed the couple “Mr. & Mrs. Rizz.”
“I view it as, it’s not my job to take pictures with these people, it’s my job to throw, and them wanting to take pictures is getting in the way of that,” Skenes said.
“But she always handles everything very well — she’s very comfortable to be around for other people who come up and ask to talk, that kind of thing.”
Skenes, who’s coming off a historic rookie season with the Pirates, was described as being “still a little itchy in the spotlight.”
“I mean, she never says no to a picture,” Skenes said of Dunne. “I say no to them.”
Skenes, who is “iffy” about Instagram, has Dunne managing his account.
Things are much different for Dunne, who uses multiple social media channels to grow her brand.
The 22-year-old top NIL earner has embraced the spotlight after she became a social media sensation during the COVID-19 pandemic — when she began posting gymnastics videos on TikTok.
Dunne, who’s amassed nearly 14 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, is set to appear in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, her third year with the iconic brand.
Dunne and the LSU gymnastics team received increased security after the Tigers’ season opener in Salt Lake City, where a massive crowd of screaming male fans showed up to the meet, in January 2023.
With that level of fame, comes negativity, which Dunne said Skenes helps her navigate.
“He doesn’t care about what anyone thinks of him,” she said. “He knows what he’s doing is right. He’s not online.”
The couple met in Baton Rouge and went public with their relationship in August 2023.
Dunne is in her fifth year at LSU after winning a NCAA championship with the Lady Tigers last April.
The LSU gymnastics team won the SEC Championship for the second straight year last month — and their sixth SEC Championship in program history.
Dunne did not compete due to a knee injury that she described as an avulsion fracture of her patella, in a note posted to her Instagram Story last month.
The No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, Skenes had a historic rookie campaign with 170 strikeouts across 23 starts.
Skenes, who led the Tigers to a national championship during the 2023 College World Series, finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting.
