Now Katy Perry Is Joking About Those Ryan Phillippe Dating Rumors

Update, April 11 at 6 a.m.: Here's a Hollywood meet-cute suggestion: Two celebrities join forces to fend off rumors that they're dating and, in the process, find true love. No?

We may have to settle for just a bit of Twitter banter. Yesterday Ryan Phillippe posted a dramatic all-caps tweet informing everyone that, contrary to tabloid reports, he is not dating Katy Perry, whom he is said to have met at Elton John's birthday party. That might have been the end of it had Phillippe not added that Perry was "not here" in his house.

"That's what someone who has Katy Perry in his basement would say," a fan replied, prompting Phillippe to write, "shhh."

Perry's mentions must have been blowing up, because she soon responded with a joke of her own.

"Can u let me out of this basement pls?" the singer tweeted.

"Never," shot back Phillippe.

Perry then sent a more formal tweet apologizing for her supposed suitor being pestered by the paparazzi.

"Hi, nice to meet you, sorry bout that @RyanPhillippe carry on, lol," she tweeted, which he then retweeted.

At the risk of firing up those rumors again, are we detecting a little flirtation? Nothing like laughing about some hilarious Silence of the Lambs-style (or is it Beauty and the Beast?) female imprisonment to bring two people closer together.

You can stop daydreaming about a Big Little Lies-style plot twist in which Reese Witherspoon's ex-husband marries a young and hip singer who annoys the hell out of her. It's not happening.

Ryan Phillippe, who is the father of Witherspoon's two oldest children, Ava and Deacon, took to Twitter late last night to blast tabloid reports that he has been dating Katy Perry. According to E! News, the pair were rumored to have been "spotted getting cozy" at Elton John's 70th birthday party. Does that mean things got handsy, or did they simply change into sweats while grooving to "Candle in the Wind"?

The media speculation has clearly annoyed Phillippe. The Cruel Intentions star, who was married to Witherspoon from 1999 to 2007, tried to set the record straight about his connection to the "Chained to the Rhythm" singer.

"I am not dating Katy Perry," the 42-year-old actor, who also has a 5-year-old daughter from his former relationship with model-actress Alexis Knapp, tweeted. "Barely know her. Please stop flying helicopters over my house. She is not here."

That's no offense to Perry, incidentally. Phillippe clarified his comment when a fan replied, "Wish people thought I was dating Katy Perry."

"Don't mind 'people' thinking that [they're dating]," he responded over Twitter. "Don't want low-flying pervs hovering periodically."

Take note, paparazzi. As it happens, Phillippe and Perry are both newly single. He and longtime girlfriend Paulina Slagter split up last fall after nearly five years of dating, while the pop star and Orlando Bloom called time on their year-long relationship earlier this year.

"Before rumors or falsifications get out of hand, we can confirm that Orlando and Katy are taking respectful, loving space at this time," the former couple announced in a joint statement from their representatives on February 28.

Alas, those helicopters might be a dealbreaker for Phillippe...