It all started, as the best things often do, with a DM slide. Eyal Booker was fresh off his stint on the best reality show of all time, Love Island. Delilah Belle, daughter to Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin, liked what she saw. A transatlantic romance was born: Booker flew to California, they spent Coachella 2019 together, and the rest is history. Turns out the best relationships come together offscreen!
The two have now been going steady for the whole pandemic, co-starring in denim campaigns, posing together on luxury yachts and posting romantic odes to each other on Instagram. But how well do they really know each other?
It's the most romantic month of the year, COVID-19 or not, so we asked the clout-y couple to get intimate and quiz each other about their deepest fears, desires and ambitions.
Eyal: What are you still trying to prove to yourself?
Delilah: I'm still trying to prove that I'm good enough. Sometimes rejection in business makes me feel as though I'm not enough, when deep down I really know I am.
Eyal: What would you tell yourself a year ago today?
Delilah: I would tell myself that everything works out. At the beginning of COVID, I thought I wouldn't see Eyal for so long that it would break our relationship considering he was in London and I was in LA. I'd tell myself we will be stronger than ever. I'd also tell myself to keep pushing your music because you're going to have an amazing song coming out soon.
Eyal: What are you more afraid of: Failure or success? And why?
Delilah: I'm more afraid of failure because I feel like in the modeling industry I've gotten a taste of it. When you get turned down for jobs you feel as though you're not good enough, which led me to believe I failed. I've realized now that that is just part of the job, though. I'm also afraid to put my music out because I'm afraid if I fail at my main passion then what else would I do?
"I'm still learning how to decompress and get control over my anxiety." –Delilah Belle
Eyal: What have you witnessed recently that has given you hope for humanity in any big or small way?
Delilah: The whole Black Lives Matter movement was a huge step towards hope for humanity. The amount of people who joined the movement and the protests was a beautiful thing because it showed that we can and should unite, and change the narrative.
Eyal: What are you giving too much of your energy to? What is that at the expense of?
Delilah: Recently I've been giving too much of my energy worrying about contracting COVID, which leads me to isolate myself and feel crazy because people my age don't seem to be taking it as seriously as it should be taken. Another thing I've been giving too much energy to is what others think of me and how they judge me. This also leads me to isolate myself because it gives me massive social anxiety and drains me when I constantly think people are judging.
Eyal: What are you still trying to understand about yourself?
Delilah: My mental health. I'm still trying to navigate it, and make sure I'm happy and mentally stable and healthy. I'm still learning how to decompress and get control over my anxiety.
Delilah: What has this year taught you about yourself? Good and bad.
Eyal: I lost touch with myself for a while — with my self-belief, spirituality and what it means to me. I wasn't being true to myself. I was letting other people dictate who they believed I should be and I was listening to them. I lost my way and in turn was suffering with quite bad anxiety, and allowing it filter into my relationship with family and friends, my work life, and just life in general. The good in what I learned was how to reconnect with my truth — to trust myself, the person I really am and the things and beliefs that make me, me. In doing that, my life started to flow again. I started to create my own destiny and future like I always had done before I lost myself. I guess the saying goes, "Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find yourself again," and I feel that's exactly what happened.
Delilah: Is there someone in your life you feel misunderstood by? What do you wish they would understand?
Eyal: Truthfully, I think some people misunderstand the person I am now, and think I've changed since going on TV and being in the public eye. I'm still the same me and I always will be. Change is inevitable and I think people use it as a cheap shot sometimes. We all change and grow every day, that's the beauty of life. Who we are today is not who we'll be tomorrow. Some friendships change because of interests, circumstances and so many other factors. That's just how life goes. Just because I may not be as friendly with some people as I once was does not mean I have any less love for them or think of them any differently. Sometimes life pulls people in different directions and that's ok, too. The sooner we accept that the sooner we make peace with the way some friendships change or evolve.
Delilah: What are you judging yourself too harshly for? How can you show yourself more empathy?
Eyal: I judge myself too hard about not achieving everything I want instantly and making sure I'm working hard enough. I have quite a tough mentality towards work and making sure I'm doing absolutely everything in my power to get to where I want to be that sometimes I'm too hard on myself. I wasn't given the life I lead, although I have incredible parents who have always had my back, supported me as much as possible and encouraged me to go chase my dreams. A lot of the time I beat myself up if I don't feel like I'm doing enough. I think I can show myself more empathy by being kinder to myself and realizing some days are great and other days not so great, but knowing I'm always trying my best.
"I, like everyone else, have my own battles and struggles to overcome." –Eyal Booker
Delilah: Who deserves more of my time? How can I show up for them?
Eyal: Generally speaking, sometimes I have a lot on my mind and sometimes I'm not as present as I would like to be with Deilah, my family and friends. So truthfully it's about becoming more in control of my mind and thoughts — realizing and accepting that sometimes it's time to switch off and spend quality time with the people you love, and to be present and fully there in both body and mind. Family and friends is what's most important in life.
Delilah: What have you overcome this year that you're not sure you could?
Eyal: COVID was going to either make or break mine and Delilah's relationship, and we weren't always sure if we would be able to see each other and spend time with each other but somehow we managed to get through it, make it work and come out even stronger. COVID is not over yet, but we've made it this far and that's pretty special to me considering at the beginning we weren't sure how we would navigate through it.
Delilah: What are you working through that others done see?
Eyal: Everyone is always fighting their own internal battles. I'm not going to list all the things that may not be as easy for me as others think, but there's a lot I've been working through and it's a constant evolution of self-development. Sometimes people see Instagram, they see what I look like and the life I'm lucky to lead, and assume everything has just come easily and been handed to me on a plate. That couldn't be further from the truth and I, like everyone else, have my own battles and struggles to overcome.
Photography: Leo Baron