Dan Reynolds shares 'really strange' way he bonded with Minka Kelly


Imagine Dragons star Dan Reynolds and Minka Kelly were brought "a lot closer" after she shared her deepest vulnerabilities with him and vice-versa.
The 'Radioactive' hitmaker got to know everything about his partner's past when they were long distance, as she decided to share her memoir, 'Tell Me Everything', with him, which saw her open up on her painful childhood, homelessness, and abortion.
Dan shared with PEOPLE: “She’s like, ‘Well, if you’re going to share your art, I can share something with you, but it’s very vulnerable for me. Do you want to do this or not?’
“She was very scared for me to read the book because we hadn’t met, just as much as I was scared for her to hear a song that I’d written.
“But we shared it and then it ended up being a really beautiful thing and brought us a lot closer. I think it helped us both kind of understand each other on a deeper level quite quickly.”
Dan admits it was a “really strange” way for them to meet and get to know each other.
The musician said: “I was hearing all her life stories from youth to now, and she had a really hard, colorful, beautiful life.
“Getting to read it all before you even meet somebody… I’ve never had that kind of introduction to someone.”
Before embarking on a relationship with the 'Believer' hitmaker, Minka dated Trevor Noah, but they split in May 2022.
Dan split from his ex-wife Aja Volkman, 44 - with whom he has daughters Arrow, 11, Gia and Coco, seven, and son Valentine, four - the same year.
Dan and Aja split in 2018 but later reconciled, and then in September 2022, Dan confirmed they had gone their separate ways.
In a social media statement, he said at the time: “I am saddened to say that after many beautiful years together Aja and I have separated.
“Being great parents to our children is our number one priority. Thank you for always supporting us with love and care for all these years.”
In 2021, Dan recalled how he hadn't spoken to his spouse for seven months and was "driving to the lawyer's office to sign the divorce papers" in 2018 when Aja sent him a text that ultimately saved their marriage.
He said the text had "turned [his] perspective upside down".
Dan shared at the time: "She said she didn't need to own me to love me. She loved me without expectations."