Hailee Steinfeld Had No Idea Josh Allen Was Going to Propose During Malibu Trip: 'It Was Magical'

Hailee Steinfeld had no idea Josh Allen was going to propose.

In a new cover story for Who What Wear published Wednesday, Feb. 19, the actress and singer opened up about what was going through her mind when her fiancé — the 28-year-old Buffalo Bills quarterback — popped the question during a trip to Malibu, Calif. on Nov. 22, 2024.

"Oh my God, no!" Steinfeld, 28, answered after being asked if she had any suspicions ahead of the proposal. "You talk to your girlfriends about that, right, where you're like, 'I just don't want to know.' " 

For the bride-to-be, the surprise proposal was one of the best moments of her life. "We were in Malibu, which is my happy place, and it was magical. That's the word," she said.

The Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse star added that she's grateful Allen ensured she dressed up a bit for their date that day.

"I'm so grateful that he did it the way he did so that I looked good, and we have these photos that we'll have and cherish for the rest of our lives that I'm not looking at being like, 'What was I wearing?' " said Steinfeld, who lives in Buffalo, N.Y. with the NFL star.

The couple were first linked in May 2023 and made their relationship Instagram official in July 2024. They announced they're planning on tying the knot via a joint post on Instagram on Nov. 29, 2024 — a week after the engagement — by sharing a photo from the romantic sunset proposal. Allen asked Steinfeld to marry him in front of a rose-covered arch and among dozens of candles next to a body of water.

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A source close to the couple told PEOPLE at the time that their families are excited about the engagement news. "They’ve been head over heels from the start," the source said. "Their families are thrilled."

Despite both being in the spotlight, Steinfeld and Allen have managed to keep their relationship mostly private, sharing only small snippets through the Dickinson alum's Beau Society newsletter and on social media. It wasn't until Feb. 6 that the pair made their red carpet debut at the NFL Honors.

"When you realize that so much is already out there in every other aspect of your life, you really learn to cherish the little that isn't. It just makes things extra special, and it's just for you," Steinfeld told Who What Wear of protecting their relationship.