In recent years, Cooper has frequently spoken about fatherhood and his strong bond with Maisani, whom he once described as his \u201cbest friend.\u201d The longtime CNN<\/span><\/span> anchor even revealed that spending more time with his children played a major role in his decision to leave CBS\u2019 60 Minutes<\/em> in 2026<\/a> after nearly two decades on the program.<\/p>\n So where do Anderson and Benjamin stand today, and who else has Cooper been linked to over the years? Find out more about the journalist\u2019s dating history and family life below.<\/p>\n Benjamin, a Hunter College grad, and Anderson Cooper’s romance began in 2009, though the circumstances of how they meant aren’t confirmed. The couple did not go public with their relationship until 2015, three years after Anderson came out as gay. Anderson and Benjamin made several public appearances together while they were dating and also enjoyed some vacations as a couple, including trips to Venice, Italy and Tahiti in 2017.<\/p>\n In March 2018, Anderson announced he split from Benjamin. However, the NYC bar owner and the journalist have continued their journey and\u00a0have been on great terms. In fact, Benjamin has been a co-parent to Anderson’s 1-year-old son Wyatt Cooper\u00a0<\/strong>ever since the little one was born in April 2020. The two even still live together in the Big Apple raising baby Wyatt. “There is no acrimony between us,” Anderson told PEOPLE<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>last year of his relationship with Benjamin. “Even though it’s maybe unconventional because he’s my ex, he is my family.” The political commentator added, “While we were a couple, he wasn’t sure he wanted kids, which was one of the issues we’d always had.\u00a0But when I decided, ‘I’m just going to do this,’ he started to be interested.”<\/p>\n So would the exes ever get back together? That seems to be a definitive no. Ellen DeGeneres<\/strong><\/a> asked Anderson just that while she was interviewing him<\/a> on her talk show in February 2021.\u00a0“No, that’s not gonna happen!” Anderson confidently responded. However, Anderson did once again applaud his ex in the interview, saying that Benjamin “is such a great parent.”<\/p>\n It’s unclear whether Anderson is currently dating someone else, though he has been linked to TV personality Andy Cohen<\/strong><\/a>. It’s a charge both parties, however, have denied. “What is it about Anderson Cooper that keeps you from falling in love with him?” Howard Stern<\/strong><\/a> asked during an episode of his show in January of 2022. “I just think it\u2019s not what our relationship is based on,” the Watch What Happens Live<\/em><\/a> host replied.<\/p>\n “We\u2019re just friends; that’s not a part of it. I think, at this point, we know each other too well. We\u2019re not attracted to each other in that way.”\u00a0While he admitted that Anderson is “a handsome guy,” he added that, “we\u2019re not in that place.”<\/p>\n The BFFs explained in a joint interview how the rumors may have started. Though they admitted they’d been set up for a blind date back in the 90s, it never happened. \u201cI knew within 45 seconds, I was never going on a date with\u00a0Andy Cohen,” Anderson hilariously told Jimmy Fallon<\/strong><\/a> during a 2017 appearance<\/a> on The Tonight Show\u00a0<\/em>of their first meeting.<\/p>\n “I imagined him in like a Bluetooth headset, gesticulating,” he added. “He was all excited, and he violated my cardinal rule, which is he asked me about my mom within the first minute of talking to me.” Andy exclaimed, “I wanted to date the Vanderbilt boy! I was excited.”<\/p>\n![\"Benjamin](\"https:\/\/hollywoodlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/benjamin-maisani-5-things-to-know-shutterstock-embed.jpg?w=620&resize=620%2C930\")
Benjamin and Anderson’s Romance Lasted 9 Years<\/h2>\n
\n“Benjamin and I separated as boyfriends some time ago, we are still family to each other, and love each other very much,” he told\u00a0Entertainment Tonight<\/i>.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Benjamin](\"https:\/\/hollywoodlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/benjamin-maisani-5-things-to-know-shutterstock-embed1.jpg?w=620&resize=620%2C413\")
Would They Ever Get Back Together?<\/h2>\n
![\"Benjamin](\"https:\/\/hollywoodlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/benjamin-maisani-5-things-to-know-shutterstock-embed2.jpg?w=620&resize=620%2C930\")
Who Is Anderson Cooper Dating Now?<\/h2>\n