Top 20 Celeb Couples We Thought Would Make It
#20: Britney Spears & Justin Timberlake
Top 10 Britney Spears Interviews We Look at Differently Since Reading Her Memoir
Even in the world of inescapable celebrity power couples, few come close to matching Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake's status as pop culture royalty. Along with being at the top of their games, the musicians were fashionable, young, and had an air of innocence that was yet to be tainted by the Hollywood machine. Three years of bliss followed, and many began to envision what could possibly have been the wedding to end all weddings. Then, seemingly in the blink of an eye, things turned south, the iconic couple broke up, and Timberlake released "Cry Me a River."
#19: Zac Efron & Vanessa Hudgens
Top 20 Celebrity Couples That Make Us Believe in Love
With the media bearing down on a celebrity's every move, a high profile breakup will suffer the additional burden of having any drama be heavily publicized. For the most part, Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron's relationship was about as drama-free as a Hollywood romance is likely to get. Meeting on the set of "High School Musical," the Disney starlets were America's darlings and made for a charming couple when they got together. Hudgens and Efron appeared to be quintessential high school sweethearts, but the couple eventually broke up in 2010. The two seem to have remained on good terms, but realized it was time to leave the past behind them.
#18: Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon
Top 10 Most Diva Mariah Carey Moments
These days, folks often talk about Nick Cannon’s many kids. But from 2008 until 2014, he was known for being part of a dynamic celebrity duo with none other than Mariah Carey. The comedian and singer were reportedly acquainted on the set of one of her music videos in 2008. They really hit it off, getting married that same year. Despite how quickly everything moved, it really seemed like they both had figured things out together. They had twins in 2011, and the pair kept going strong for a while. But their whirlwind romance ended when they split in 2014.
#17: Fergie & Josh Duhamel
[REMOVE] Not everything that happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Black Eyed Peas superstar Fergie met Josh Duhamel while filming a cameo for the actor's "Las Vegas" show in 2004, with the pair eventually getting married almost five years later. The couple largely stayed out of the limelight, usually only sharing sweet family bonding moments with their son. So, when news broke out about the pair's split in 2017, the widespread response was one of shock. Fergie and Duhamel have remained private about the reasoning behind their filing for divorce, opting to focus on their family and futures instead. [remove] Fair enough.
#16: Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes
Top 10 Times Celeb Couples' Age Gaps Caused Backlash
The rumors about a romance between Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise started back in 2005. The couple then got married and went on to have a baby in 2006. Naturally, at this point, many thought they were going to go the distance. But in 2012, news of their divorce broke, with her having filed. Cruise was reportedly taken aback by her decision to break things off. What could have caused this couple who seemed so happy to end things? We’re not sure, but many have claimed that Scientology played a significant part in Holmes’ decision.
#15: Nia Vardalos & Ian Gomez
Top 10 Celeb Couples We Thought Would Make It
There’s no denying that “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” is one of the great romantic comedies of the 2000s. But the relationship that Nia Vardalos based her wonderful film on has since come to an end. Vardalos, who starred in and wrote “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” divorced from husband Ian Gomez in 2018 following more than two decades together. According to a joint statement from the couple, over the years their relationship became less of a romance and more of a “friendship.” Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like anything bad happened. Sometimes, people just grow apart romantically, and that’s okay!
#14: Reese Witherspoon & Ryan Phillippe
Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth revealed they’d be going their separate ways in 2023, making headlines. But long before that marriage, the actress was with Ryan Phillippe, in a union many hoped would last. The pair hit it off in 1997 at a birthday celebration being held for her. They also notably starred in “Cruel Intentions” together, and proceeded to tie the knot in 1999. Two kids and eight years later, they divorced in a move not many saw coming. Since then, the pair have seemingly managed to get the hang of this whole co-parenting thing. We don’t know what exactly happened, but their respect for each other is certainly admirable.
#13: Shakira & Gerard Piqué
Shakira and soccer player Gerard Piqué got together in 2011, and were one of the most beautiful, seemingly perfect celebrity couples we had ever seen. But unfortunately, things started unraveling in 2022 when rumors about Piqué’s infidelity started to run rampant. After the pair split, Shakira proceeded to release multiple songs that seemed to be about their break-up. And let’s just say none of them paint the former soccer star in a very good light. Needless to say, the turn of events caught everyone who thought they were a forever couple by surprise.
#12: Idina Menzel & Taye Diggs
These two were one of our favorite Broadway couples, and we couldn’t believe it when they called it quits. Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs met in the 1990s as part of the original Broadway cast of “Rent.” They wed in 2003, starred in the movie version of “Rent,” had a kid, and all in all just seemed to be doing well in the years following their nuptials. That’s why when the couple announced their split in 2013, countless people were shocked. By all accounts though, the pair still get along well and work hard to co-parent their son together.
#11: John Mulaney & Annamarie Tendler
Top 20 Hilarious John Mulaney Moments
John Mulaney had widely been branded a “wife guy,” so when he got divorced from said wife, the news made waves. While there’s no denying some took the focus on his split from Annamarie Tendler too far, it is a pretty intense story. Mulaney, who used to joke about his marriage quite a bit, filed for divorce from Tendler in 2021, shortly after he attended rehab for substance use issues. Later that year, news broke that he would be having a kid with a different woman, actress Olivia Munn. This would’ve been shocking news in any context, but Mulaney’s public persona made it even more so.
#10: Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner
Top 10 Times Jennifer Garner Was Awesome
Don’t get us wrong. We love the second coming of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck as much as the next people. But for more than a decade, it seemed like Affleck was going to make things work with a different Jen. Actress Jennifer Garner wed Affleck in 2005, but the couple’s marriage was officially dissolved in 2018. While there were rumors that Affleck cheated on Garner with the couple’s old nanny, Garner has said that the rumored affair “had nothing to do with [their] decision to divorce.” The pair seem to be on fairly good terms now. Like we said, we’re rooting for Affleck and Lopez now, but we did think these two were going to make it back in the day.
#9: Tim Burton & Helena Bonham Carter
Top 10 Celeb Couples That Started From an Affair
It’s always sad when a creative partnership comes to an end. And when it’s one as strong as this, it breaks our hearts. Director Tim Burton got together with actress Helena Bonham Carter 2001, sparking a long line of collaborations. Bonham Carter starred in many Burton movies, such as “Big Fish,” “Dark Shadows,” “Sweeney Todd,” and more. But in 2014, the pair called it quits. They aren’t thought to have ever been married, so a formal divorce was seemingly unnecessary. Of course, when you build a life with someone as they did, any split can be difficult. But in happy news, they reportedly get along well with one another, and co-parent easily.
#8: Taylor Swift & Joe Alwyn
Top 10 Best Taylor Swift Red Carpet Outfits
Taylor Swift started dating actor Joe Alwyn in 2016. And for over six long, blissful years, we thought the couple was going strong. They were intensely private, but that seemed good for them. And you know Swift, she’s always going to drop some hints in a song. Not to mention the fact that they worked on music together. And by all accounts, things seemed great! But seemingly out of nowhere, it was reported that the couple split in 2023. Plus, Swift was soon rumored to be dating a new beau, singer Matty Healy. Many thought Alwyn would be “the 1,” and fans were left reeling from the news.
#7: Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez
Top 10 Times Justin & Hailey Bieber Made Us Believe in Love
When Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez began dating in 2010, it seemed like a match made in heaven. But over the next eight years, there would be many ups and downs. Still, no matter how many times they were in an “off” portion of their relationship, the pair always seemed to find their way back to each other. It’s no wonder many held out hope that they’d somehow end up together. But it wasn’t meant to be, as Jelena called it quits for good in March of 2018. A few months later, Bieber and Hailey Baldwin (now Bieber) announced their engagement.
#6: Gwyneth Paltrow & Chris Martin
Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin met at one of his concerts in 2002. Paltrow’s father had recently passed away, and Martin ended up co-writing the 2005 song “Fix You” with her in mind. The pair said their “I do’s” in 2003, and went strong for roughly a decade. But in 2014, they separated, officially divorcing in 2016. We loved this couple, and we’ll miss the memories. But we’d be remiss not to mention the fact that their separation did give us the phrase “conscious uncoupling.” And that’s pretty special in and of itself.
#5: Jason Momoa & Lisa Bonet
Top 10 Moments That Made Us Love Jason Momoa
Lisa Bonet started dating Jason Momoa in 2005 when the pair met at a jazz club, as only really cool people do. They had kids just a couple years later, and tied the knot in 2017. So in 2022, fans were taken aback by the news that the couple were going their separate ways. But, as usual, things aren’t that simple. While the duo is still officially separated, they have not actually divorced as of May 2023. The two both still seem very friendly towards each other, and appear to be prioritizing their family’s well-being during this time. We respect their decision, whatever they may choose!
#4: Ryan Gosling & Rachel McAdams
Top 10 Moments That Made Us Love Ryan Gosling
Along with being one of the more memorable romantic films of the early 21st century, "The Notebook" is responsible for bringing together Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling - but only after the film had been out for some time. Considering these two are already irresistibly charming on their own, as a couple, McGosling burned hotter than the sun, of course. If you need proof, just check out this unforgettable "MTV Movie Award" moment. While the couple called it quits in 2007, with Gosling mainly blaming the entertainment industry for getting in the way, both celebrities have mostly spoken fondly about their time together.
#3: Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt
Sure, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston might have been the ones everyone thought would make it back in the day. But the split between Pitt and actress Angelina Jolie arguably made even bigger waves. The two made headlines after developing feelings for one another while filming 2005’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.” For a while, everything appeared to be good and well. But about two years after they tied the knot, news broke that Jolie had filed for divorce in 2016. Since then, a lot has come out in the media, including abuse allegations against Pitt and information regarding custody battles.
#2: Anna Faris & Chris Pratt
Top 10 Best Anna Kendrick Moments
There are not many celebrities who are quite as instantly likable as the approachable Chris Pratt and the hilarious Anna Faris. When these two came together and tied the knot, it felt like the romance gods blessed the world with the relationship equivalent of a warm teddy bear. At the time, Pratt's star was only beginning to rise while Faris was well-established as a comedian thanks to the "Scary Movie" franchise, and the two would work tirelessly over the next decade. Perhaps this constant separation put a strain on the relationship, as Faris and Pratt went their separate ways in 2017 while still remaining on friendly terms.
#1: Jenna Dewan & Channing Tatum
Top 10 Reasons We’re Sad Channing Tatum & Jenna Dewan Tatum Broke Up
In 2006, Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan came out of "Step Up" with an exciting new romance that had fans lining up to take dancing lessons. Not shy about hitting the red carpet, the stunning duo spent the next decade or so redefining the term photogenic, while - along the way - getting married and having a daughter. The entertainment industry is known for chewing and spitting out young couples, especially those who are extremely in-demand, but Tatum and Dewan were the IT couple for 12 years before splitting up in 2018.
