Hollywood romances tend to fizzle out faster than we can dream up creative couple names, so it's no surprise that the memory of some A-list relationships has been lost to the passage of time. Remember when Jennifer Garner married Scott Foley? Or when Cameron Diaz and Jared Leto were an item? Exactly.
From whirlwind marriages to fiercely private pairings, many of our favourite celebrities have unexpected exes that we seem to have collectively forgotten about. While some ended on good terms (Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner are still friends to this day), others parted ways less amicably (looking at you, Elisabeth Moss and Fred Armisen).
Join HELLO! as we rediscover all of the Hollywood couples that we forgot about – and explore why their love stories came to an end.
Madonna and Tupac Shakur
One of the most unlikely pairings on this list is Madonna and Tupac Shakur, who dated for two years in the '90s despite their 13-year age gap. He was just 21 at the time, while she was 34, and more than a decade into her award-winning career. Meanwhile, Tupac was well on his way to becoming one of the greatest rappers of all time.
Although they never confirmed their romance, the lovebirds were spotted together on multiple occasions. Madonna then spilled in 2015 that they had, in fact, been an item. Two years after her confession, a candid letter Tupac wrote her while in prison in 1995 was uncovered by TMZ (who else?!).
"First and foremost, I must apologise to you because, like you said, I haven't been the kind of friend I know I am capable of being," he explained in the letter. "But for me, at least in my previous perception, I felt due to my 'image' I would be letting down half of the people who made me what I thought I was. I never meant to hurt you."
He asked her to visit him in prison, proving that there was still a spark of affection there. Tupac was tragically killed a year later, ending any hope of a reunion.
Cher and Tom Cruise
If you thought Madonna and Tupac were a random couple, wait until you hear about Cher and Tom Cruise's brief yet passionate romance, which began in the mid-'80s. The pair met at Madonna and Sean Penn's wedding in 1985 (well before she crossed paths with Tupac), and they hit it off despite their 16-year age gap. They reunited at a White House event that same year, and entered into a romance that Cher could never quite forget.
She went on to describe him as "one of the top five lovers in my life" on Watch What Happens Live!, in her typical bold fashion. "The person that I knew was a great and lovable guy," she added.
"It was a long, long time ago, and neither one of us ever talked about it, and I don't know why," Cher later shared with Entertainment Tonight. "When we were together, he was such a private person. He always has been until lately. He didn't mention it, and I didn't mention it. I loved him, though; he was amazing." What I would do to hear Tom's side of the story!
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Ryan Reynolds and Alanis Morissette
Long before Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds was head-over-heels for Alanis Morissette. The Canadian duo found love in 2002 after meeting at Drew Barrymore's birthday party – the dating apps really don't compare to early '00s meet-cutes. Ryan and Alanis packed on the PDA at every turn, and the 'You Oughta Know' singer couldn't stop waxing lyrical about her man in the press.
"We have the perfect combination of compatibility and incompatibility that makes the relationship very passionate," Alanis told People. "It's perfect. I think it's about stretching each other." She wasn’t joking; they got engaged in 2004, called it quits in 2006, reunited a short time later, and ended things again in 2008. I'm exhausted just thinking about it!
In classic A-list fashion, the duo released a statement via their representatives announcing their split after six years together. "They remain close friends and continue to have the utmost love and admiration for each other," their reps told People. "They ask that their privacy be respected surrounding this personal matter."
While they generally kept quiet about the split, Alanis opened up about taking a break from dating after she and Ryan landed in Splitsville. "I think it's the straw that breaks the camel's back...I was a full-blown love addict, so it was like, 'I can't keep doing this, my body can't take it.' For someone who is a love addict, [breakups are] debilitating," she told the LA Times. At least we got some stellar music out of it!
Cameron Diaz and Jared Leto
Despite being one of the most genetically blessed couples of the early '00s (the combined power of their cheekbones could’ve brought world peace), Cameron and Jared were incredibly private about their romance and were rarely snapped together. They reportedly met through mutual friends at a Hollywood party in 1999, and sparked the tabloid media’s fascination with their refusal to speak about each other publicly.
The Mask actress made a slight exception during one candid interview – who of us wouldn't if we were dating Jared Leto circa 2001? ''I don’t really want to talk about him. Just know that I love him more than anything," she revealed, as per Us Weekly. ''The relationship grounds me, makes me feel like I have a home.'' They went their separate ways in 2003, breaking the hearts of many who had held out hope for a lasting union.
Elisabeth Moss and Fred Armisen
Another couple that came as a shock to me while writing this piece was Elisabeth Moss and Fred Armisen, whose whirlwind romance came crashing down in 2010 after less than a year of marriage. Buckle up folks, because this one is messy.
They first met on the set of Saturday Night Live in 2008, when Fred was a cast member and Elisabeth had a cameo on her Mad Men co-star Jon Hamm's episode. Thus began their fast-paced relationship, which culminated in an engagement in January 2009 and a wedding nine months later. Just a year short of their first wedding anniversary, she filed for divorce seemingly out of nowhere, citing irreconcilable differences.
The Emmy winner burned the bridge for good in 2012 when she shared a searing quote about their time together. ''One of the greatest things I heard someone say about him is, 'He's so great at doing impersonations. But the greatest impersonation he does is that of a normal person.' To me, that sums it up," she told Page Six. Damn!
She later revealed that their romance was "extremely traumatic and awful and horrible" in an interview with Vulture. If that isn't a damning indictment of their marriage, I don't know what is.
Fred admitted that he wasn't necessarily husband material in a candid interview with Howard Stern in 2013. "I think I was a terrible husband; I think I'm a terrible boyfriend," he said.
"I want it all...fast. I want to be married, I want to live together...and then somewhere around a year or two years, I get freaked out. I freak out emotionally, and then I actually feel like, 'Oh my God, who's this stranger in my house?'" Ooft. I might be siding with Elisabeth on this one.
Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner
While some may have forgotten about this iconic couple, Swifties certainly haven't. Just listen to 'Back to December', the devastating track that she wrote about their breakup. They're also one of the few couples on their list that remain friends to this day – which is basically a miracle in the world of showbusiness.
Taylor and Taylor (lovingly nicknamed Taylor Squared by fans) met on the set of Valentine's Day in 2009 and were subsequently spotted all over town on sweet dinner dates. Ah, young love.
Their romance quickly fizzled, though, with Taylor later hinting in the aforementioned song that she regretted ending things with him, and that he was incredibly gracious about the breakup. "He's one of my best friends. He's wonderful, and we'll always be close. I'm so thankful for that," she told Glamour months later.
The duo have only had kind words to say about each other over the years, and the Twilight actor even starred in the Grammy winner's music video for 'I Can See You' in 2023.
He took to the stage on the Kansas City stop of her Eras Tour to see the video's debut, and couldn't help but sing her praises in the process. ''I respect you so much. Not just for the singer you are, the songwriter, the performer – but truly for the human you are. You are gracious, humble, kind and I'm honored to know you," he sweetly declared. If an ex can say this about you, you know you've won in life.
Not only are they besties all these years later, but the blonde beauty is also close with his wife, who coincidentally is also named Taylor (yes, really). I wonder, is their group chat named Taylor Cubed?
Ryan Gosling and Sandra Bullock
File this under 'couples I had to Google twice.' Ryan Gosling and Sandra Bullock met on the set of Murder by Numbers in 2001, and began a sweet romance despite their 16-year age gap.
While they never officially confirmed their relationship, Sandra did drop some not-so-subtle hints that they were more than just friends. "I live my life at a manic pace, and he's taught me to disregard all that isn't important," she told Cosmopolitan in 2003. "He's like a little Buddha."
They broke things off in 2003 with Ryan later blaming Hollywood itself: "Show business is the bad guy," he told The Times in 2011. "When both people are in show business, it's too much show business. It takes all of the light, so nothing else can grow."
Despite their breakup, The Notebook star shared that Sandra was one of the "greatest girlfriends of all time", alongside Rachel McAdams, whom he dated from 2005 to 2007. "I haven't met anybody who could top them." That is, until his wife Eva Mendes came along, of course!
Mila Kunis and Macaulay Culkin
Mila and Macaulay were a match made in child star heaven who dated for more than eight years. The pair kept quiet about their romance, aside from the occasional comment about how blissfully cosy their life was.
"We're incredibly private, and I think we relish the privacy we do actually have and are able to sustain it," the Black Swan actress told Parade. "We enjoy each other's company. We like to read books, play video games, watch TV, or go to the movies. And he's an amazing cook. He makes dinner every night." Sounds like a green flag to me! She added that he was "probably the most brilliant person" she had met. Awww!
Mila and Macaulay broke up in 2011, with Mila later admitting his extreme fame had been difficult. “You couldn’t walk down the street with him,” she said in an interview with Howard Stern, adding that fans “just screamed when they saw him”.
"They didn't know how to react. It wasn't like a normal response to a celebrity. Fans responded in a very abnormal way to him," Mila said. I don’t blame her for being uncomfortable – that would make any girlfriend’s hackles rise. Despite the challenges, Mila didn't regret her time with the Home Alone star.
"Being settled so young really helped," she told Elle in 2012. "You know, I wouldn't take back anything in my life, not one thing. I think it all shaped me to be who I am today. There are things that people know about, and there are things that the press doesn't know about, and everything that did occur 100 per cent shaped who I am. My ex-boyfriend, my family, my friends, everybody." We love the emotional maturity!
Mark Ronson and Rashida Jones
Before Mark Ronson conquered the charts and Rashida Jones became a household name, they were a hardworking pair trying to make it in entertainment. The couple started dating in 2002 and got engaged a year later, but they suddenly went their separate ways in 2004. More than a decade after their relationship ended, the DJ shared that ambition overshadowed their romance.
Despite that, they remained on good terms – Rashida even interviewed Mark in 2019 for Interview magazine – iconic ex behaviour in my humble opinion. "When you and I were together, we were really struggling and busting our asses. You were auditioning, getting some parts, but not maybe the way some of your peers were. I was completely not where my peers were," he recalled.
"That's why I’m so excited for your success and everything that you’ve done. I know exactly how hard you've been working since you got out of college." Can all exes be like this please?!
Keira Knightley and Jamie Dornan
These two might've been the coolest couple to walk the streets of London when they dated between 2003 and 2005 after meeting on the set of a photoshoot. They were both incredibly young and equally private about their love, with the paparazzi often straining to get a shot of them.
Like many celebrity relationships, though, things didn't work out. ''Keira and Jamie have decided to call a halt to their relationship in its current phase, but they remain completely committed to each other as friends and will continue to see each other in this capacity,'' their reps told People.
After Keira and Jamie split, he hinted at why things ended in an interview with the Mail on Sunday. ''You can feel a bit second-rate and that's what started to happen," he said of her stratospheric fame. "It's not like I was bringing the bread to the table – and that can start to affect everything.''
Jennifer Garner and Scott Foley
Before Jennifer was one half of Hollywood's most beloved (and endlessly analysed) couple with Ben Affleck (a relationship that is gone but definitely not forgotten), she was married to Felicity star Scott Foley. She made a brief guest appearance on his show in 1998, and the pair went on to marry in an intimate backyard ceremony in 2000.
The good-looking pair went their separate ways in 2003, amid Jennifer's rise to fame as the star of Alias. She went on to date her co-star, Michael Vartan, not long after they broke up, which prompted all the usual whispers.
But Scott put the record straight during an interview with TV Guide: ''Jennifer became a huge celebrity. She became a huge star, and she deserved everything she got. There was no other relationship, there was no infidelity, nothing. People get divorced, you know? Through no one’s fault and everyone’s fault.''
Jennifer added to InStyle in 2004: ''That sounds cliché, but we really were victims of Hollywood. Everything is [sped] up here – it is a fast-lane life, and if something is not working, it is considered best to end it without much thought. If we lived where I was brought up [in West Virginia], we would probably still be together." The former lovebirds kept it classy to the very end, a feat which others could stand to emulate.
Ashton Kutcher and January Jones
Ashton and January’s romance reportedly did not end so well, if speculation is to be believed. They began dating in 1998 while working as models, until they went their separate ways in 2001.
The actress told GQ eight years later that one of her exes "was not supportive of my acting...He was like, 'I don't think you're going to be good at this...He only has nice things to say now – if anything, I should thank him. Because the minute you tell me I can’t do something, that's when I’m most motivated."
This article's writer took a guess that it was Ashton, but January never confirmed the identity of the ex in question. "I never really said who it was," she declared on Watch What Happens Live! in 2016, yet still refused to set the record straight. And they said she couldn't act!
Considering that she went on to nab nominations for Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy for her role in Mad Men, it's safe to say that whoever the ex was, they were proven wrong without a doubt.
Scarlett Johansson and Josh Hartnett
This cute couple met on the set of The Black Dahlia in 2005, and their chemistry instantly sizzled. While they dated for two years, Scarlett and Josh remained tight-lipped about the relationship, bar the occasional adorable comment.
"Josh is very sweet...He's a good boy," the Lost in Translation star said at the time. "A great person. I'm very lucky, and I'm very happy." A glowing review from the queen of keeping it cool. The loved-up pair praised each other's work ethics along the way, proving just how much they respected each other.
"Josh is such a wonderful actor. I've always admired him and felt that he was a very, very talented young actor," Scarlett told the audience at a press junket for their film. "He's very intense when he works. He's very focused, very passionate about what he's doing, and I really appreciate that."
"Scarlett is intuitive, open, and present on the film set," her partner added. "She's a lot of fun to work with. She makes everything lighter than you would expect. Everybody has a little bit of a spring in their step when Scarlett's on set, but she keeps the work at the forefront of her mind, and she does terrific work."
And yet, it was work that ultimately drove them apart. Their conflicting schedules meant that it wasn't meant to be. Josh shared that their 2007 breakup was "really painful" and that "it was difficult spending so much time apart" in an interview with The Mirror. "At the end of the day, we're just ordinary people, and it didn't work."
Chris Evans and Jessica Biel
Another duo that wasn't on my bingo card was Chris and Jessica, who dated for five whole years between 2001 and 2006 – a surprisingly long run for two young Hollywood stars. She was still appearing in Seventh Heaven at the time, and he had just made Not Another Teen Movie (what a throwback!).
During their romance they starred in two films together: 2004's Cellular and the 2006 indie drama London, further cementing their connection.
Jessica spoke to Cosmopolitan in 2005 about how domestic their lives had become. ''I love to take photographs of him and his dog, East,'' she spilled. ''We call him 'our' dog now. He's this 75-pound, half-English, half-American bulldog. And I cook for Chris when he’s working hard. When he comes home, I'll have dinner ready. It's old-fashioned and fun, and I feel kind of homemakery and great doing it.''
Chris later told Boston Magazine, that working together made him a better actor. ''Any time you get to work with someone that you know, it's gonna lend itself to the on-set relationship," he explained.
"You have to find a certain level of relaxation while you're trying to perform, and any time you can lean on an existing relationship with someone, it's only going to help.'' They went their separate ways in 2006, quietly ending their relationship without much fanfare or drama.