15 Celebrity Couples Who Translated Their On-Screen Romance to a Real-Life Love Story
Including our very own favorite pairing of Spider-Man and Gwen Stacy.
Everyone who is obsessed with movies knows how satisfying it is to have the perfect cast for every role, like how Robert Downey Jr. truly seems like Tony Stark in real life. Not only that, but it is also quite satisfying to see actor pairings that have so much chemistry on screen that you actually ship them in real life and hope they end up together.
Fortunately, some of them did become a couple in real life, and the world has gone crazy for it. We've seen it happen far too many times—such as the ever-classic romance of Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr., who played Daphne and Fred in our favorite Scooby-Doo films, or the budding connection between Tom Holland and Zendaya, our current Spider-Man and MJ tandem in the Marvel films.
Some people may say that actors getting together off-screen are merely part of their marketing stints in movies, especially since there seems to be a pattern with it (*cough* Spider-Men *cough*). However, some of them became a couple long after their projects were completed, and others have spent years with their co-actor as their partner. Unfortunately, most celebrity romances are so short-lived that many fans have become disappointed when they didn't end up together.
When we see them interact in real life again, there is always this longing—not between them, but from the fans who really wanted them to be together. This just goes to show that even though most of them end up calling it quits or going through a divorce, their impact has truly left a permanent mark on the fans.
Check out some of the most popular celebrity couples who had an off-screen romance!
1. Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan, Married Since 1988 With 4 Children
This couple met on the set of Family Ties in 1985, where they played boyfriend and girlfriend. Years later, they reunited for the movie Bright Lights, Big City, and the spark reignited from there.
© Family Ties / CBS Television Distribution2. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, Divorced After 13 Years of Marriage With 3 Children
Ben and Jennifer met on the set of Pearl Harbor (2001) and later collaborated on Daredevil, where they played characters who were into each other. When Jennifer finalized her divorce from her then-husband, things took a turn, and Ben became her husband by 2005.
However, they divorced in 2018 but remain on good terms.
© 20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection, © Elevation Photos/Sipa USA/East News3. Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons, Engaged Since 2017
Kirsten and Jesse first met on the show Fargo, and Jesse basically healed Kirsten's heart after she divorced her husband in 2016. The couple then got engaged in 2017 and welcomed their first son in 2018.
There is no news about their wedding yet, but we're hoping everything falls into place for this couple!
© Fargo / MGM Television, © Invision/Invision/East News
4. Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas, Married Since 2014 With 2 Children
Ginnifer and Josh met on the set of Once Upon a Time (2011), where they seemed to experience 'love at first sight.' Fortunately, they were a pairing on the show, so her pregnancy was seamlessly integrated into the storyline.
© Once Upon a Time / Disney–ABC Domestic Television, © joshdallas / Instagram
5. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, Divorced After 11 Years of Marriage
Tom and Nicole were one of the most prominent couples in the '90s. They met on the set of Days of Thunder in 1989 and were married in 1990.
They adopted two kids: a daughter born in 1992 and a son in 1995. They collaborated on two more movies together: Eyes Wide Shut and Far and Away.
Unfortunately, they announced their divorce in 2001, and currently, Nicole is happily married to Keith Urban. Tom, on the other hand, is still single after divorcing Katie Holmes.
© Eyes Wide Shut / Warner Bros., © AF Archive/Graham Whitby Boot/Mary Evans Picture Library/East News
6. Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, Married Since 2010
Anna and Stephen became a couple after filming the first episode of True Blood in 2007. They married three years later and are raising two children from Stephen's first marriage together.
© True Blood / Warner Bros. Domestic Television, © _annapaquin / Instagram
7. Jennifer Connelly & Paul Bettany, Married Since 2003
Bettany and Connelly met on the set of A Beautiful Mind in 2001. They married two years later and had two kids together.
Bettany became a stepfather to Jennifer’s son from her first marriage. The couple later worked together on several movies, with Paul even directing his wife in Shelter in 2014.
© Creation / Icon Productions, © EAST NEWS
8. Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum, Divorced After 10 Years of Marriage
Channing fell head over heels for Jenna while they were filming their famous dance movie Step Up in 2006. They got married after three years of dating and had a daughter in 2013.
Unfortunately, the couple separated in 2018 and divorced in 2019. Currently, Jenna is engaged to actor Steve Kazee and gave birth to her second child in 2020.
Meanwhile, Channing is in a relationship with singer Jessie J.
© Step Up / Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, © imago/PicturePerfect/EAST NEWS
9. Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied, Married Since 2012
The two fell in love while filming Black Swan back in 2009. The movie not only earned her an Academy Award but also a partner for life.
As of today, the couple is still very much in love and happily raising two kids together.
© Black Swan / Searchlight Pictures, © Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/East News
10. John Travolta and Kelly Preston, Were Married for 19 Years
The two met on the set of The Experts in 1987 and dated for four years before saying yes to each other. They had three kids, and their love grew strong over the years.
However, their love story had a bittersweet end when Preston died in 2020.
© The Experts / Paramount Pictures, © East News
11. Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield, Dated for 5 Years
Our ever-favorite on-and-off-screen couple broke the Internet when they ended their relationship, but when they were together, it was truly the highlight of the early 2010s. Emma and Andrew started dating after working on The Amazing Spider-Man, and their chemistry was palpable both on and off the screen.
Fans were devastated when they broke up in 2015. Currently, Emma is married to Dave McCary, while Andrew is still single.
Fortunately, they remained friends!
© The Amazing Spider-Man / Sony Pictures Releasing, © Kiera Fyles, PacificCoastNews/EAST NEWS
12. Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth, Divorced After a Year of Marriage
This relationship has been a rollercoaster—they got together while working on The Last Song in 2009 and maintained an on-and-off relationship. In 2012, they reunited and got engaged, but broke it off again a year later.
They married in December 2018 but separated in August 2019. Talk about a messy relationship!
Fans were definitely devastated. Their divorce was finalized in early 2019, and now both of them are single.
© The Last Song / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, © NO CREDIT/East News
13. Jared Padalecki and Genevieve Padalecki, Married Since 2010
The couple met when Genevieve joined the fourth season of Supernatural in 2009. Jared fell in love almost instantly and proposed a year later.
They have since welcomed three kids and are now residing in Texas as a very happy family.
© nowandgen / Instagram, © nowandgen / Instagram
14. Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, Divorced After 8 Years of Marriage
Reese and Ryan got married the same year their movie Cruel Intentions was released, and they welcomed their daughter shortly thereafter. They then had their second child in 2003.
Unfortunately, they called it quits in 2006 and divorced in 2007. Reese has since married Jim Toth, with whom she had her third child.
Ryan, on the other hand, hasn't remarried but has had another child with one of his past girlfriends.
© Cruel Intentions / Columbia Pictures, © EVERETT COLLECTION/EAST NEWS
15. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Married Since 1988
This power couple met while filming the show Bosom Buddies in the early '80s but ignited their spark in 1985 while working on the film Volunteers. Three years later, the couple got married.
They have two children together, and they also co-parent Hanks’ son and daughter from his first marriage.
© Volunteers / TriStar Pictures, © Avalon.red/REPORTER/East News
While some of our favorite couples' relationships may have been short-lived, it's wonderful to remember the impact they had on fans when they were together, and there is always that lingering question of "What if they ended up happily together?" Nevertheless, let's just be happy with the way they are living right now because, at the end of the day, their happiness matters!
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