Minka Kelly says Wilmer Valderrama is a 'good friend' amid dating rumours

Rumour mills are in overdrive suggesting that Wilmer Valderrama and Minka Kelly are dating after the two were recently spotted having dinner at Palms Thai restaurant in Los Angeles. However, Kelly brushed off reports and said that they are just "close friends".

Minka Kelly opened up about Valderrama during a radio interview with Power 106's J Cruz and Krystal Bee on 8 September. She said [via Us Weekly], "He's a good friend to me. Wilmer's a really, really good person. And any woman would be lucky to have him."

Despite reports claiming that the two had dated in 2012, Kelly maintained that she was never in a relationship with the NCIS actor. "He's not my ex, and we are good friends and we always have been. It's funny, this whole 'back with my ex' thing. We're not exes!"

The 36-year-old actress noted that having her personal life out in the open gets "really frustrating" at times. "I think it comes with the territory. It's a small price to pay for the extraordinary life that I live. I think if they're paying attention that must mean there's something [I'm doing right]. Look, if it's true and it's out, then it's true and it's out ... You just have to find the comedy in all of it," she explained.

Nonetheless, an E! Online report claimed that the two seemed very close during the late night dinner in Hollywood. An eyewitness told the website, "[Minka and Wilmer] did have a late dinner at Palms Thai together last night. They sat across from each other and it was just the two of them. I didn't personally see if they were holding hands or if they were being affectionate, but it looked like a date. They looked casual and relaxed."

"Yes, Wilmer was a gentleman and picked up the tab to pay for their food," the source added. Valderrama and Kelly's dating rumours began after the Minority Report actor called it quits with Demi Lovato after dating her for six years in June 2016.