MrBeast and Thea Booysen probably would not have met when they did if an ambitious trip to Antarctica had gone according to plan. Their relationship began in South Africa in 2022, not through a dating app or a carefully arranged celebrity introduction, but because several people became ill, filming was delayed, and a mutual friend invited Booysen to dinner. It sounds slightly too neat when told afterwards. Still, that unexpected change of plans placed two people at the same table, and the conversation apparently became interesting very quickly.
MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, had travelled to South Africa with fellow online creators Logan Paul and Casey Neistat. The group had intended to continue to Antarctica to film a video. According to Booysen, members of the travelling party tested positive for COVID-19, forcing them to cancel the project and remain in South Africa longer than expected.
During that delay, Donaldson arranged to have dinner with a mutual friend. The friend suggested that Booysen join them, giving her an opportunity to meet one of the world’s most recognisable YouTube creators in what was, strangely enough, a fairly normal setting.
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Their first dinner felt more like an interview
Booysen has admitted that she was interested in meeting Donaldson in person. She already knew who he was, naturally, but she appears to have been more curious about the person behind the MrBeast name than impressed by the scale of his online following.
At dinner, Donaldson began asking her a long list of questions. Booysen initially thought he was simply being friendly and genuinely interested in learning more about her. She later discovered that he was, in a loose sense, evaluating whether they might be compatible.
Donaldson had reportedly been looking for a new girlfriend and had certain qualities he wanted in a partner. That makes the evening sound rather formal, perhaps even a little uncomfortable. Booysen did not seem offended by it, though. She was attracted to the fact that he could follow a detailed conversation and respond thoughtfully to different subjects.
She later explained that being able to keep up with her intellectually mattered to her. Donaldson asked questions, listened and showed that he had interests beyond viral challenges and expensive YouTube productions. For Booysen, who has studied psychology, law and human cognitive neuropsychology, that kind of curiosity was important.
It was not only Booysen who walked away impressed.
Donaldson later recalled being struck by the range of her knowledge. She spoke about her work as an author, her academic interests and the hobbies she cared about. He said he quickly found her both intelligent and beautiful and knew within the first few minutes that he wanted an opportunity to date her. Fortunately for him, Booysen had also felt a connection.
There is something slightly funny about Donaldson approaching romance with a list of questions. Then again, his entire career has been built around planning, testing ideas and studying what works. Perhaps it would have been more surprising if he had entered the dating world without some kind of system.
MrBeast reached out after the dinner
The evening did not immediately turn into a full relationship. After their first meeting, Donaldson contacted Booysen through X, the platform previously known as Twitter.
Rather than opening with an ordinary romantic message, he asked about her upcoming fantasy novel, The Marked Children. Booysen is not only a gamer and online creator but also an author, and Donaldson apparently wanted to read her work.
About a month later, she sent him the book. That exchange led to a phone conversation that lasted around three hours. Long phone calls do not always mean romance is coming, of course, but in their case, it became another sign that they enjoyed talking and could hold each other’s attention for a considerable amount of time.
Their connection developed from there, though geography complicated things. Booysen is from South Africa, while Donaldson’s businesses and production work are mainly based in the United States. She also spent time in Scotland while completing her master’s degree in human cognitive neuropsychology at the University of Edinburgh.
Long-distance relationships can be tiring even when neither person has a public career. In their case, both had busy schedules, separate professional goals and a great deal of travel. Yet they continued seeing one another and gradually became more open about the relationship.
Booysen has built her own identity online under the name TheaBeasty. She has streamed games, worked as an esports commentator and become involved with the South African esports organisation Nixuh. That independence may be one reason their relationship appears balanced. She understood the online world before dating Donaldson and had her own projects rather than simply becoming an extension of his brand.
He reportedly wanted to propose much earlier
Donaldson appears to have become serious about the relationship fairly quickly. By 2023, he was reportedly already interested in proposing.
Booysen asked him to wait until she had completed her master’s degree. It was a practical request and, I think, a revealing one. She wanted to finish a major personal goal before moving into the next stage of their relationship. Donaldson respected that decision rather than turning the proposal into another huge surprise before she was ready.
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Booysen later celebrated graduating from the University of Edinburgh with a master’s in human cognitive neuropsychology. Her academic background has remained an important part of how both she and Donaldson describe their connection. Their time together is not limited to travelling or appearing at public events. They have said they enjoy discussing science, learning new things, playing games and watching educational programmes.
On Christmas Day 2024, Donaldson finally proposed at home while both of their families were present.
The proposal contained a little of his familiar showmanship, but it was far smaller than one of his videos. Donaldson deliberately dropped a large box to create noise and make Booysen think that was the surprise. He then presented the actual ring, got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. They announced their engagement publicly on New Year’s Day 2025.
For someone known for giving away houses, cars and enormous amounts of money, proposing in a family home was almost unexpectedly restrained. Maybe that was the point. The moment belonged to them, not to an audience waiting for a dramatic thumbnail.
Their wedding plans are surprisingly private
Donaldson has said he does not want the wedding to become a giant public production. He and Booysen have discussed holding an intimate ceremony on an island, far away from large crowds and surrounded mainly by close friends and relatives.
That decision may surprise people who associate MrBeast with massive sets, huge prizes and videos designed to attract millions of viewers. His private life, however, seems to operate under different rules.
Donaldson has explained that he rarely takes time away from work, so he wants the wedding to be a chance to slow down and spend meaningful time with people they care about. Booysen has expressed a similar preference, saying they want something beautiful but not overly extravagant.
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As of July 2026, recent public speculation about a possible wedding date has not been followed by a clear official announcement confirming that the ceremony has taken place. The couple have generally kept the details private, which is consistent with what they said they wanted from the beginning.
Their story could easily have been very different. The Antarctica project might have continued as planned. Donaldson might have left South Africa without attending that dinner, and Booysen might never have received the invitation from their mutual friend.
Instead, a cancelled shoot created extra time, an ordinary dinner became an accidental first date, and a message about an unpublished book led to a three-hour call. Four years later, the two are engaged and planning a future that appears far quieter than the videos that made Donaldson famous.
