Chelsea Handler and Ralph Fiennes Hanging Out, Not Officially Dating

Chelsea Handler and Ralph Fiennes are spending time together and having some fun ... giving things a trial run before possibly making their relationship official.

The comedian and the "Conclave" star sparked romance rumors this weekend after being photographed leaving the Vanity Fair Oscar Party together ... and now we know a little something about their status.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Chelsea and Ralph are testing the waters and keeping things casual for now, they're not exclusive or officially dating just having fun.

Our sources tell us the pair started talking after Chelsea gave Ralph a shout out while hosting the Critics Choice Awards, when she joked about wanting to bang him.

Chelsea said Ralph "played a ruthless Nazi, an evil lord and a celibate cardinal, and somehow you’ve made me want to have sex with you in all roles." She then begged him not to play Vladimir Putin, because "I can't do that again."

They also flirted during Chelsea's bit about "Baby Girl."

As for the Oscars after-party hangout ... our sources say Chelsea and Ralph left the Vanity Fair bash together, hopped in a car and went to Madonna's Oscar's bash, where they partied until very late into the morning. However, not too late because Chelsea posted on her Instagram on Monday thanking Seattle fans for coming to the signing of her new book, 'I’ll Have What She’s Having.'

Chelsea and Ralph are both single and have some famous exes ... as we first reported, Chelsea and Jo Koy called off their relationship in 2022 after nearly a year of dating. Fiennes was married to actress Alex Kingston in the 1990s and has since been linked to actress Francesca Annis.