Rumer Willis is used to life in the public eye as the daughter of Hollywood A-listers Demi Moore and Bruce Willis. And when it comes to romance, the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actress has settled down and recently welcomed a baby with another figure used to life in the cultural limelight.
But just who is The CW star's musician boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas? Join HELLO! as we explore all there is to know about the Vista Kicks singer and the father of Bruce Willis' first grandchild.
Who is Rumer Willis' boyfriend?
The 90210 star is currently dating Derek Richard Thomas. Derek is an accomplished singer, band member and music producer, and fittingly for his musical interests, it appears he first met Rumer through music.
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On May 28, 2022, Rumer mentioned Derek for the first time on social media via an Instagram post about a gig at which they had both taken part. "@derekrichardthomas and [his band] @thehailmaries are the most talented singers and songwriters I have heard in a very long time (maybe ever) and tonight I had the pleasure of getting to sing a few tunes with them," the 34-year-old gushed on social media.
READ: Rumer Willis and boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas make relationship official in surprising post
"Was so lovely getting a chance to sing [Derek's song, 'How Many Years'], it’s one of my favorites," the actress later wrote alongside a video of her and Derek performing together at Jam in the Van. Derek and his band had previously performed at the same venue, but this was the first time he and Rumer had performed together.
Following their concert together in May, Derek and Rumer were seen out and about together, suggesting the couple might have started dating. Then, in October 2022 the musician took to Instagram to confirm his and Rumer's relationship through posting a photo of him and Rumer along with the caption: "Happy Birthday @rumerwillis. In the short time we’ve been together you have filled my life with joy and peace.
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"Everything is just so easy with you," the singer and guitarist continued. "We sing, we dance, we play and most of all we laugh… you’re a magical human I’m so glad you came into my life." In November 2022, Rumer officially acknowledged their relationship on her own social media for the first time, captioning several photos which showed the pair kissing and hanging out together with a love heart emoji.
What does Derek Richard Thomas do?
The 28-year-old musician is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and music producer who is best known for his work as the lead singer of Vista Kicks. Rumer's boyfriend also releases music under the name DRT, and is known for his role as the producer of the band The Hail Maries. As previously mentioned, Derek met Rumer through his music in 2022 when she fell in love with his solo work and his work with the Hail Maries.
The accomplished producer, whose band Vista Kicks has opened for the Rolling Stones and boasts over 500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, is a big fan of getting everyone around him involved with his music. In August 2022, early into his and Rumer's relationship, the actress' step-mom Emma Heming Willis posted a sweet video which showed Derek jamming with Rumer's dad Bruce at their $9.8million LA mansion.
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In February 2023, Vista Kicks announced they would be taking a break from playing music together for a variety of reasons. Writing on his Instagram about the news, Derek said: "I will continue to make music as @derekrichardthomas [and] produce artists on @inthedrtrecords" before going on to also say that the band would still be "leaving the door open to come together in the future." However, Derek's made clear his main focus for the time being is settling into family life during his break from the band "as most importantly I am becoming a father!!"
Is Rumer Willis married?
No, Rumer and Derek have yet to tie the knot. The couple remain happily together as boyfriend and girlfriend for the time being. On December 20, 2022 the 24-year-old revealed she was pregnant with her and Derek's first child via a post which she shared on her Instagram, and which was later also celebrated by her mom Demi.
Rumer went on to discuss her pregnancy on several occasions via social media as well as through public appearances. In an episode of Peggy Rometo and Kimberly Van Der Beek's podcast Bathroom Chronicles, the star opened up for the first time about her pregnancy journey and how excited she is to finally become a mom.
"It was never a question for me that I wanted to be a mom," she said, explaining: "It's like one of those weird things that I know sometimes people have such clarity about, like 'Oh, I want to be a musician, I want this… [It] just felt like such a divine purpose and something that when I started thinking about it, felt like such joy."
On Valentine's Day 2023, Derek shared a sweet tribute to Rumer, celebrating their soon-to-be born child and the journey they were on to becoming a family. "Thank you for growing our child from scratch, I have so much reverence and respect for this journey you're on," the Vista Kicks star wrote. "We're on it together, but you're doing all the heavy lifting and I get to just cheer you on, feed you tacos and appreciate you. I can't wait to dance around the kitchen with our baby."
On April 25, 2023, Rumer and Derek welcomed a little girl together. "Born at home on Tuesday April 18th, you are more than we ever dreamed of," Rumer revealed via Instagram alongside a sweet photo of her little one asleep by her side. The Dancing with the Stars winner was immediately inundated with congratulatory messages, one of the first coming from Melanie Griffith, who commented: "She is beautiful!! Congratulations Mama!
What did Rumer Willis name her baby?
Following the birth of Rumer and her boyfriend Derek's first baby in April 2023, both stars took to Instagram to reveal the couple had named their daughter Louetta Isley Thomas Willis. "You are pure magic," they added in the post's caption, alongside a seedling emoji.
"Hi my tiny petal. We missed you so much for so long. Ill love you every moment of every day ! Youre [sic] kooky aunts are obsessed with you," Rumer's sister Tallulah commented on Rumer's post. The 34-year-old's mother Demi wrote: "Pure love for this little birdie." Meanwhile, Emma Heming Willis penned: "Omg we love her so so much," on behalf of her and Rumer's dad Bruce.
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