Mary Fowler, Nathan Cleary: Matildas star gives rare insight into her long-distance relationship on Keegan and Company podcast

Mary Fowler has opened up about her relationship with Nathan Cleary like never before.

The Matildas star appeared on the Keegan and Company podcast this week, where she revealed what it’s like being in a long-distance relationship while in the public eye.

The 22-year-old began by acknowledging that long-distance relationships can “suck”, but said she could pinpoint some positive aspects of the arrangement.

Watch the video above.

READ MORE: Jennifer had just buried her son. She was handed an ‘overpayment’ notice

With Fowler playing football in Manchester City in the UK and Cleary, 27, playing NRL for the Penrith Panthers and NSW Blues in Australia, their entire relationship has blossomed from a distance.

“I think it helped that we started off as long distance, because we didn’t have to transition from having so much nice time together and then doing [long distance], which I think is quite difficult,” Fowler shared.

For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.

From swimming to soccer: The ‘power couples’ of Aussie sport

The couple, who reportedly got together around August 2023, often spend time on the phone having “deep, quality” conversations and playing games like ‘bananagrams’.

“We’ve just gotten really good at communicating,” she said, adding that their communication style has become “so much better” because of time spent apart.

READ MORE: William and Kate welcome new additions to family

They’ve also learned ”how to be supportive through your words, because we can’t be supportive in any other way.”

However, she does add: “The hardest part of being in long distance is when something bad does happen you’re not able to be there with the person – I think we both really hate that.

“The amount of times just having a hug would… at least make you feel better.”

READ MORE: The surprisingly cheap skincare an expert recommends for winter

The situation does make them more grateful for the time they do get together, and they appreciate how they can focus on building their own careers individually.

The young couple “look forward to the time when we’re going to be able to be with each other… it’s not going to be forever.”

Fowler also detailed what it was like having her relationship in the headlines for the first time.

READ MORE: ‘They needed it’: Harry and Meghan’s clever move

The couple, who are very private and rarely speak about their relationship, found it hard to adjust to this added layer of scrutiny.

“It was just a really new experience for me that like people would be that nosy about your private life. I didn’t even know there’s interest there,” Fowler shared.

She said that she “ended up having so many opinions from other people in my life” about her relationship, with many commenting on it or even sending her articles about herself.

READ MORE: Bindi Irwin gives health update following recent emergency surgery

“I’m like, ‘I don’t want to read that! I just wanted that to be a nice moment with him,'” she explained.

“It started making me second guess how easy or hard this was going to be. But in the end like we ended up both just agreeing that, ‘Look, let’s just not read this stuff, let’s just have our moments.’

READ MORE: Aussie actress says ‘horrendous bullying’ led son to take his own life

“It’s going to be annoying but like we’re both also like, ‘This is not the worst thing in the world’.

“It still gets annoying but like I don’t read into as much.”

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.