Your English teacher and gym teacher are getting married! Since Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement (and the release of her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl) has that classic near-opposites attract trope on our minds, why not celebrate some of film’s best couples that have major Tayvis vibes?
From the ice-bound Doug and Kate in The Cutting Edge to the slightly more fantastical Clark and Lois in Superman (2025), there are Tayvises everywhere for those with eyes to see. Let’s check out a few couples who epitomize that “So High School” vibe. And remember: knowing how to ball isn’t always about sports — sometimes ball is a state of mind, baby.
7
Zora/Henry
‘Jurassic World Rebirth’
Did anyone else think these two kind of had a vibe in Jurassic World Rebirth? Because there was a little somethin’ somethin’ there.
Why She Knows How to Ball: Zora (Scarlett Johansson) is going to get the job done. She’s ex-military, she’s armed, and she’s seriously jacked. (Like seriously, seriously jacked.) That woman is gonna knock you out and make an escape before you even know you’ve crossed her. And you’ll thank her for it. In Jurassic World Rebirth, she’s the muscle to Jonathan Bailey’s Alan Grant-esque paleontologist. It’s Zora’s connections and unbeatable aim that help get them out of nearly every sticky dinosaur situation they find themselves in, and it’s Zora who successfully gets that incredible shot at the Mosasaurus. Man, women are so cool.
Why He Knows Aristotle: A student of the aforementioned (and iconic) Alan Grant of Jurassic Park fame, Dr. Henry Loomis is the Platonic ideal of a nerd. He’s rocking a wardrobe that wouldn’t be out of place in a ‘90s adventure movie, he cries at the sight of dinosaurs, and he looks devastatingly handsome in a pair of glasses. He’s the perfectly imperfect man for Zora, who has a lot of baggage and no time for romance. Obviously. (That’s what they all say.) Give it another movie, and these two will definitely have an “aha” moment or two while looking at a baby dinosaur. Trust and believe.
6
Reed/Sue
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’
Image via Marvel Studios
As if a list would be complete without Pedro Pascal in it.
Why She Knows How to Ball: The most powerful character in The Fantastic Four: First Steps isn’t the super-strong Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), aka The Thing. It isn’t the red-hot Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), aka Human Torch. No, it’s the team’s sole female member, new mom, and political activist Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), aka the Invisible Woman. Not only is she strong enough to literally give birth in zero gravity, she single-handedly forced the all-powerful Galactus (Ralph Ineson) towards the portal that would banish him from Earth through sheer force of will. She’s the baddest mama to ever do it.
Why He Knows Aristotle: Oh, Reed Richards knows Aristotle. He probably has the ability to invent a time machine to go back and meet the man at this point. Yeah, Reed has a superpower — he sure is bendy — but that’s secondary to his all-natural, organic, home-grown power: his gigantic brain. Reed can solve any problem if you give him some time and a cozy sweater. Need to go to space? Reed can figure that out. Need to invent a faster-than-light drive? Reed can do that on his lunch break. Need to move an entire planet? Reed can get that done — but he’s going to need his wife for some inspiration. Sue Storm is the greatest multitasker of all time.
5
Glinda/Elphaba
‘Wicked’
Don’t believe this is a romantic relationship? Too bad! Argue with the wall. Or keep scrolling — you have free will.
Why She Knows How to Ball: She doesn’t. She’s probably allergic to sports. But there’s no denying that sheltered, well-meaning Glinda (Ariana Grande) — a girl with the weight of her parents’ expectations on her shoulders and a pedigreed upbringing to fall back on — isn’t on the theoretical Tayvis high school staff. She may not be teaching gym, but she’s definitely giving lessons on poise, taking feminism 101 notes between classes, and flirting with every pretty person she meets just to entertain herself.
Why She Knows Aristotle: She not only knows Aristotle, she probably wants to debate him. Elphaba’s (Cynthia Erivo) natural talents and brilliant mind make her perfectly suited to that English teacher vibe, but she’d much more likely be found teaching history. Her passion for standing up for oppressed people and her understanding of the pain of being othered would make her perfectly suited to that role — and allow her the time to form an incredibly co-dependent bond with a certain bubbly blonde.
4
Kate/Doug
‘The Cutting Edge’
This cult classic begs the question…is knowing how to ball the same thing as knowing how to play hockey? Yes. The answer’s yes.
Why He Knows How to Ball: Doug (D.B. Sweeney) may not spend much time on the court, but he’s got more than his share of experience hitting the ice. His professional hockey career comes screeching to a halt when an injury to the head causes him to lose his peripheral vision. Desperate to still achieve Olympic gold, he signs up to become the aristocratic and stuck-up Kate’s (Moira Kelly) newest figure skating partner. He may not be especially well-read — something Kate mocks him for relentlessly — but the man can skate.
Why She Knows Aristotle: Prissy, fussy, insufferably snobby — pick a descriptor, and Kate is it. She’s incredibly intelligent and has a work ethic that the entirety of Silicon Valley would be envious of. Her heart is hidden inside a safe more secure than Fort Knox. But Doug’s talent and charm slowly reveal the combination to that safe, leaving her in quite the love quandary indeed. But as she learns, matters of the heart can definitely be figured out on the ice. And dammit, that lunkhead Doug just might be the only man for her.
3
Clark/Lois
‘Superman’ (2025)
Clark and Lois are both smart cookies. Let’s not get it twisted. But we both know which one of them secretly dons a super suit and uses their super strength to protect the world from bad guys. (Lois, obviously.)
Why He Knows How to Ball: Ball is a state of mind, and damn if Clark (David Corenswet) doesn’t have the vibe of Air Bud. He’s loyal, virtuous, and kind. And he’s an alien. The man can pick up an entire bus without breaking a sweat, okay? That’s crazy. But all that bravado doesn’t make him infallible, and the sociopolitical consequences of his choices as Superman are often challenged by his super-genius journalist girlfriend, Lois (Rachel Brosnahan).
Why She Knows Aristotle: Lois doesn’t need superpowers to keep up with her golden retriever of a boyfriend. In fact, it’s Clark that’s usually one step behind Lois, often looking to her for advice or guidance when he can’t quite grasp the intricacies of his quest to protect the planet. It’s Lois’ quick mind that leads her to team up with Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) to rescue Superman from Lex Luthor’s (Nicholas Hoult) clutches, as well as expose Lex as the supervillain he truly is.
2
Sam/Austin
‘A Cinderella Story’
What 2000s teen isn’t able to quote this movie by heart?
Why He Knows How to Ball: Austin (Chad Michael Murray) shares a lot in common with half of the #1 couple on this list. Though he yearns to be taken seriously as an academic, Austin is a star football player whose dad has hung all of his hopes and dreams on his son attending USC. 2000s dads really forced their kids to live out their own missed chances rather than going to therapy, huh?
Why She Knows Aristotle: Bullied and brilliant Sam (Hilary Duff) lives out her own version of Cinderella’s tale in her late father’s diner. She has dreams of attending Princeton and the brains to make it happen — but not the funds, which are controlled by her evil stepmother (a hysterical Jennifer Coolidge). At least she has her mysterious online pen pal, Nomad, to talk to…
1
Troy/Gabriella
‘High School Musical’
We can’t finish things off without the couple who epitomize the genre now, can we?
Why He Knows How to Ball: Come on now. He’s Troy Bolton! While Troy (Zac Efron) has his share of soft boy moments in High School Musical — and more than his share of musical theater talent — we know he’s one hell of a basketball player. So good that all his dad’s hopes and dreams hinged on him doing it professionally, which is a totally normal and not-damaging thing to do as a parent.
Why She Knows Aristotle: Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) is a nerd, and proud of it. Her brain is her biggest asset, and she has no problem flexing that little fact whenever she feels like showing off. Gabrielle is quietly brilliant and incredibly talented at basically everything she tries. You know, like a freakin’ Disney princess.
