Bo Chapli and Conner Kownack met a year ago at a casting and have been inseparable since. There’s a striking resemblance between the two; they share a sense of humor, a similar sense of style. But Bo and Conner also share the same haircut, face shape and mannerisms, as if pooling their similarities equates to strengthening their bond. And for them, it does. The multi-talented couple, photographer and musician respectively, count modeling as just another one of their creative pursuits. We sat down with the pair to pick their brains on what it’s like to date someone that reminds you so much of yourself.
What did you think of each other the first time you met?
Bo: “The first time I saw Conner he was shirtless, which is really funny to us now, but I felt extremely attracted to him right away. He had a very inviting sparkle to his eyes.”
Conner: “The first time I met Bo I thought that she was very well dressed, and I remember talking to her about Tropicalia, which made her even more attractive than she already was. She knew musicians I really liked, like Caetano Veloso, Jorge Ben Jor, and Os Mutantes. I’m also a relatively shy person when I first meet someone, but I never had that problem with Bo.”
Describe your first kiss.
Bo: “It was after a few beers at Metrograph. It was our first date and we went to see Blue Velvet, which I have a problem finishing every time I try to watch it. This time it didn’t work either.”
Conner: “I have to say that we didn’t really start by pecking at each other, we kind of skipped right to making out.”
What smell makes you think of your significant other?
Bo: “His cologne. I can always smell it on my clothes and my sheets. I have an extreme sense of smell, so it always travels with me. I like to use it too so that it reminds me of him when we’re not together.”
Conner: “Bo’s incenses. She used to always light those in her room during the summer.”
What three words would you use to describe your love/relationship?
Conner: “Sex, ice cream, and people-watching.”
Bo: “Sex, narcissism, and Larry David.”
What’s your favorite thing about the other person?
Conner: “It’s hard for me to choose one favorite thing about Bo, but I guess it has to be the fact that we are almost the same person. I catch us both thinking the same thing a lot more often than what seems normal. It’s a very strange feeling to find someone so similar to yourself.”
Bo: “If I had to choose one thing, it would be Conner’s ability to empathize and connect with others; he has a very pure heart. That’s something rare and very precious to me. As he said, we are very alike, so it’s hard to pinpoint one quality of his that attracts me the most.”
What’s something your significant other does that annoys the hell out of you, but you love them anyways?
Bo: “When Conner picks up his guitar he doesn’t listen to what I’m saying. He was sitting and playing guitar as I was writing this sentence.”
Conner: “She’s always poking and pinching me.”
What piece of clothing/outfit do you love that your SO wears?
Conner: “I think Bo is very stylish. She has a lot of really nice clothes, so I can’t even think of anything of hers that I dislike aside from her Demonia platforms that she always accidentally steps on my feet with. My favorite outfit of hers has to be her leather trench coat and Tripp pants. She looks like Blade in that outfit…pretty, pretty, pretty hot!
Bo: “Corduroy shorts. He has them in faded orange and primary blue. He looks adorable in shorts…and everything else he owns.”
Do you influence each other’s style?
Bo: “We definitely started picking up on each other’s taste a lot in recent months. Once in while an item will pop up in one of our closets that the other owns already and we will only notice that later on.”
Conner: “If only I was smaller and Bo was bigger…”
Do you share a love of any beauty, skincare or wellness products?
Bo: “Korean face masks!”
Conner: “BB cream.”
What is the hardest situation your relationship has had to overcome, and how did you beat it?
Bo: “Sometimes we bicker like old people and it takes a minute to notice and stop arguing about trivial matters. We try to communicate to each other when it starts happening, I would say being respectful and paying attention to your own words first is extremely important in order to avoid big arguments.”
Conner: “We get along very well and don’t really fight that much, but like any couple we have gotten into fights before. We can both be very dramatic and stubborn when we’re arguing and neither of us moves much from our side until we are both exhausted and want to make up.”
Weirdest habit your SO has?
Conner: “75% of Bo’s diet consists of cheese.”
Bo: “Conner gets really irritated when something isn’t zipped all the way or the straps are too long and dangly.”
How has your relationship changed? Talk about the evolution and stages, if you can break it down.
Bo: “It all happened so quickly. A year ago I was single and now he is a part of everything I do. I’m not sure what happened in between, but I’ve never been happier.”
Conner: “I don’t think I could’ve said that any better.”
We all assume ‘roles’ in relationships—whether we want to or not. They shift over time and can be fluid based on circumstances, but describe what that looks like right now for you two.
Bo: “As far as relationship roles go, I think we are very fluid and are both very respectful to each other’s interests and priorities.”
Conner: “As our relationship has progressed and I’ve gotten more and more comfortable with Bo, she’s taken over the ‘macho man’ role in our relationship and I don’t really mind it. I don’t think either of us really care much about gender roles though. Both of us are very open-minded people and I think we just try to be what the other person needs at the time.”