Chris Martin reportedly views Kate Hudson as a combination of his ex-wife and former girlfriend.
The Coldplay rocker split from his spouse Gwyneth Paltrow last year and moved on with The Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence. Their relationship has been on/off though, with Chris' close friendship with Gwyneth said to be one of the problems - they've remained on good terms for their son and daughter.
It now seems that Chris is in the early stages of a romance with Kate, who is also mom to two kids.
"The children are already mates. Kate has a lot of the qualities Chris liked about Gwyneth - she's a great cook and family is very important to her - but she is very different in a way he likes, too. She's very laid-back and funny, basically a combination of Jen and Gwyn," an insider told British magazine Heat.
Kate is also single at the moment, following the end of her engagement to Muse rocker Matt Bellamy last year.
The actress and Chris have been pictured together on a beach, with Kate showing off her lithe figure in a skimpy bikini.
"Kate's fancied Chris for ages. They've been friends for years, but she was with Matt Bellamy. In October, Chris went to Kate's Halloween party and everyone was talking about their chemistry. Then, she broke up with Matt just before Christmas, but Chris was with Jennifer. Now the timing is finally perfect," the insider said.
However, it seems there could be some problems on the horizon. While Gwyneth wants her ex to be happy, she's apparently a little put out that he seems to be moving on with one of her pals.
"It's a total shock that he's spending time with Kate. It's not like Gwyn wants him back, but she doesn't want him dating one of their good friends," the source said.