Exclusive Interview
‘Age of Attraction’: Why Nick Viall & Natalie Joy Had Doubts About Hosting at First (VIDEO)
What To Know
- Natalie Joy and Nick Viall host Netflix’s new reality series Age of Attraction.
- The couple shares an 18-year age gap.
- Nick and Natalie told Swooon they were originally hesitant about how age gaps would be portrayed in the series.
“Compatibility has no age range,” Natalie Joy Viall, cohost of Netflix’s newest dating experiment reality series, Age of Attraction, told Swooon. “If you are connecting with someone, and you are compatible with someone, lean into that.”
Ahead of the premiere of Age of Attraction, hosts Natalie and Nick Viall sat down with Swooon to talk all things age gap romances, from entering a relationship with their own 18-year age difference to hosting a new series all about intergenerational connections.
According to Nick, he and his wife were brought into the series by the production company Velvet Hammer, which came up with the ageless romance concept. “They’re the geniuses behind this,” Nick explained. “We were invited in because, obviously, we have an age difference ourselves.” Nick is 45, while his wife is 27, fitting squarely within the ages of the couples on the series, who share age gaps from 15 to 33 years.
While the duo was a natural fit for the hosting gig, Nick confessed, “We were presented with what the concept was, and we were very interested. But at the same time, we wanted to make sure, you know, how this was going to portray these age differences.” While they were hesitant at first, he explained, “We couldn’t be more happy with how it turned out.”
Netflix
Age of Attraction strives to subvert the stigma surrounding age gap romances. After falling in love with someone outside of her typical age range, Natalie shared what she hopes viewers take away from the series.
“I think that compatibility has no age range,” she revealed to Swooon. “It’s like, if you are connecting with someone and you are compatible with someone, lean into that, and to not listen to what the outside noise might be, or what you think the judgments might be.”
“People are having a hard time out there in the dating world, and I think we’re always complaining about options, right?” Nick told Swooon, “When I met Natalie, I was caught off guard by how much we had in common and our shared values. The only thing that was stopping me from moving forward was outside voices, which really shouldn’t influence your decision… It’s been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. My relationship with Natalie — she’s brought so many wonderful things into my life.”
Netflix
For Nick and Natalie, hosting Age of Attraction opens the door to inspiring others to explore similar connections without judgment. “We just wanted to give people permission to explore these connections they were making,” Nick explained, “And if they were to discover that there is an age difference, to not let that deter them from really fleshing out their connection.”
Did any of these connections last? Find out more about the Age of Attracion couples in Swooon‘s complete couples Season 1 guide and watch Swooon‘s full interview with Natalie Joy and Nick Viall above!
Age of Attraction, Season 1, Episodes 1-5, Streaming Now, March 11, Netflix
Age of Attraction, Season 1, Episodes 6-7, Wednesday, March 18, Netflix
Age of Attraction, Season 1, Episode 8, Wednesday, March 25, Netflix
