Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula were photographed together at the "In the City" premiere on Monday, and Cooke wasted little time defending the moment after fans pushed back online. In an Instagram Story upload early Tuesday morning, he said he was happy Batula showed up and made clear he believed the backlash had gone too far.
"You guys, yes, Amanda and I took a picture together," Cooke said, adding that he was "just happy that she showed up." He said Batula "almost didn’t come to a show that she participated in," then added, "Shoot me." Cooke said, "With all due respect, we’re all adults here and we all showed up to a premiere party," before explaining, "And, yes, Amanda did not want to come, and I convinced her to come and we took a photo together." He ended by telling haters to "grow the f–k up."
The photo landed with extra weight because Cooke and Batula had already publicly separated before the premiere. Page Six reported in November 2025 that the two were living separately, and two months later they confirmed their split in a joint statement, saying they had mutually and amicably decided to part ways as a couple. The pair wed in September 2021, and their appearance together on Monday was their most visible public moment since the breakup announcement.
The premiere itself was tied to a show announced in September 2025 and filmed after Summer House wrapped production last fall, which gave the photo a built-in audience already primed to read into every gesture. That reaction only sharpened because Batula had also been linked to West Wilson earlier this year. In March, she was rumored to have moved on with Wilson, and by the end of the month the two confirmed their "connection."
Cooke had already signaled that the situation with Batula had been hard for him. In April, he said he felt really worried about her and said she was not well, adding that Batula knew what she had done was wrong and was trying to come to terms with it. He later blasted Wilson for not having Batula's back during the Season 10 reunion, then responded to a Yankees game display of PDA between Batula and Wilson with a puke emoji.
Against that backdrop, the premiere photo was never likely to read as a neutral red-carpet snap. It was a public truce, a PR headache and a reminder that even after a separation, Cooke and Batula are still being watched as if every appearance carries a verdict. Cooke’s answer to the criticism was simple: they were both there, they took the picture and, in his view, that should have been enough.
