'Candyman' and 'Aquaman' Star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Is a Treasure, but Who Is He Dating?

If you haven't heard of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II before, chances are you'll hear of him now. The actor has made a name for himself in Aquaman and its sequel, HBO's superhero epic Watchmen, and the horror flick Candyman.

Every Hollywood heartthrob needs a leading love, so it's no surprise fans want to know if Yahya is dating anyone currently. Here's the scoop on Yahya's love life.

Already a Hollywood It actor, Yahya is known for his breakout role as Clarence "Cadillac" Caldwell in Baz Luhrmann's musical drama series The Get Down on Netflix. Shortly after, he snagged supporting roles in 2017 blockbusters such as The Greatest Showman and Baywatch. He also appeared in the mystery drama The Vanishing of Sidney Hall the same year.

Yahya launched to stardom in 2018 as the villainous Black Manta in DC's Aquaman alongside Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, and Willem Dafoe. He appeared in Jordan Peele's Us and later earned his first-ever Emmy award for his work on the HBO Max show Watchmen, another superhero property. In 2020, Yahya's performance in The Trial of the Chicago 7 earned him over five nominations for best ensemble work and a Screen Actor's Guild Award.

Like many actors, Yahya appears to keep his privacy around his romantic life, preferring to focus on drawing attention to his career. That said, in 2020, rumors were flurrying when Yahya was spotted getting breakfast with actress and TV personality La La Anthony, who has been married to NBA player Carmelo Anthony since 2010. La La and Carmelo have been on and off since 2017 when cheating rumors rocked their relationship.

A source spoke to People magazine about the outing and said the get-together was "purely platonic." A different source speaking to Page Six added, "They are just friends, they have been working out together, and Yahya has been giving her tips on acting." Yahya has an extensive background in theater, having a master of fine arts from the Yale School of Drama.

For anyone who wanted more of Yahya's multi-dimensional David Kane/Black Manta from the first Aquaman, get excited! Yahya might be thrilling and chilling as the lead in Nia DaCosta's blockbuster horror film Candyman, but he has already geared up to return in the Aquaman sequel, titled Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom.

In an Instagram post from Aug. 2, 2021, Yahya showed off his buff physique and explained he was getting back into peak condition to take on the second Aquaman flick. "BLACK MANTA. Back Under Construction! #Aquaman2" he wrote. Actor Michael Beach, who played his character's father in the original film, left a sweet note in the comments. "Go get 'em, son! Avenge me," he said.

Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom is currently filming in London, but Candyman arrives in theaters everywhere on Aug. 27, 2021. Early reviews praise Yahya's performance in particular as "spinning into madness," and we know he's equally capable of playing the villain, the hero, and characters in between. Perhaps soon fans will see him take on another role: boyfriend!