Bella Hadid is moving forward after the end of a relationship she once believed would last. The supermodel, 29, quietly split from cowboy Adan Banuelos, 36, after more than two years together, and sources say the breakup has left her deeply emotional as she recalibrates her life and priorities.
News of the split surfaced on January 26, with insiders confirming that the relationship ended a few weeks earlier, shortly after the holidays. While the decision did not come overnight, those close to Hadid say it has still been difficult to process.
© Getty“Bella is doing her best to stay positive and distract herself since their split. She’s been staying busy with work and spending time with close friends. She is still processing the breakup since it was a very serious relationship,” a source shared with Entertainment Tonight.
In the weeks since the breakup, Hadid has leaned heavily into her career. She has been promoting her new FX series 'The Beauty,' making public appearances, and attending events tied to her fragrance brand, Orebella.
According to one insider, the increased workload was not just a coping mechanism but also part of what ultimately strained the relationship.
© Getty“It was after the holidays and is still very recent and fresh,” a source told Us Weekly. “[She] threw herself back into work and is very focused.”
The insider added that the romance began to unravel when Hadid’s schedule intensified. “[It started] when she got busier with work promoting her new series, taking on more campaigns and events with Orebella.”
While busy calendars played a role, distance compounded the challenges. Hadid and Banuelos were long distance for extended periods, a dynamic that proved difficult to sustain. “[They] both had busy schedules and were long distance [for a while],” the source explained, adding that it “wasn’t working out.”
© Bella HadidBeyond logistics, deeper differences emerged over time. “They also realized they had differing opinions and values about life and their future. There was a lot that was putting strain on the relationship,” the insider said. “Adan really wanted her to be in Texas with him, but Bella was ready to spread her wings again and take on more work in Los Angeles and New York.”
Though Hadid embraced her life in Texas during their relationship, she had recently expressed interest in returning to New York for a stretch. After the split, she took a girls’ trip to the Virgin Islands to decompress and reset.
“It was the perfect escape for her,” the source said. “She’s been really heartbroken and thought Adan was The One. Her girlfriends and her family have been lifting her up in the last few weeks.”
The couple was first linked in late 2023, though they kept their romance largely private. When they did open up, it painted a picture of a grounded and deeply connected partnership. In 2024, Banuelos revealed on the 'Along For the Ride' podcast that Hadid moved into his fifth wheel trailer early in their relationship.
“She did do the fifth wheel, happily,” he said. “It was badass. That fifth wheel has always felt small and then you get, you know, somebody that you enjoy spending time with and that fifth wheel went from a fifth wheel to a f***ing mansion.”
© Click ThompsonHe spoke warmly about watching Hadid adapt to his Texas lifestyle and what it meant to him. “It was cool because I really wanted that to be a part of our relationship,” he said. “You know, you start having feelings for somebody and you start thinking things like, ‘Man, maybe this is the rest of my life here.’”
Banuelos continued by praising Hadid’s values, saying, “And knowing that she is that simple of a human being [and] that the material things aren’t important, or the most important thing.”
Hadid, for her part, was equally supportive. She publicly celebrated Banuelos’ success as an equestrian in a heartfelt Instagram post.
© Getty Images“I am so proud of you and all that you do. I see you and how hard you work everyday, and for you to be recognized in this way was so beautiful to watch,” she wrote. “I keep looking back and I’m just grateful to be a part of it. This was the most bad ass thing I could ever imagine,” she added before gushing, “I love you to the moon baby!”
In a 2025 British Vogue interview, Hadid reflected on how she met Banuelos during a vulnerable chapter in her life after moving to Texas with her mother.
“I saw him walk in, and it was like a gust of fresh air,” she said. “So he basically came in, walked into the exhibit hall, which is where we do all of the show stuff. I was getting a cowboy hat fitted. I just saw him and I was like that’s the...I always wanted the cowboy.” She laughed, adding, “And he’s pretty gorgeous, let me tell you something.”
© Bella HadidShe also praised his work ethic and family values. “He’s the youngest Mexican cowboy to ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He works for his family, he works for his customers, and he works to hopefully build a home and a family one day.”
At the time, Hadid also spoke candidly about her dream of motherhood. “I can’t wait to be a mom,” she said. “I have this vision of being a mother. But it’s got to a point where I’m like: ‘You know what? That’s something that’s for me.’ I think that would make me truly happy.”
Now, Hadid is focusing on healing, leaning on her inner circle, and embracing what comes next. While neither she nor Banuelos has publicly confirmed the split, those close to the model say she is prioritizing her health, her happiness, and the future she is building on her own terms.
