Can celebrities really manifest their dream roles through style choices?
The 'Judy' actress and the HGTV star began dating in early June 2021 after meeting on the set of his new car series, the Discovery+ show 'Celebrity IOU: Joyride.' They made their first public appearance together at a gala event for Radford Motors in August 2021.
Though they seem to be a very unlikely couple, a source told People that the pair bonded over common interests. "Sometimes two people just meet and click, and the timing is right," the source said. "Renée is creative...and often goes for guys who think out of the box. She's smart, thoughtful and always looking to expand horizons and nurture those around her."
Twitter had a field day when the 'High Fidelity' actress was spotted riding on the back of the 'Magic Mike' actor's bicycle. It was a surprise for most people that they were even on each other's radar, so when it surfaced that they were dating, fans couldn't believe it.
Many people, however, expressed that this was the relationship they didn't know they needed. Tatum and Kravitz met while working on Kravitz's upcoming film. The spark caught flame as the two were spotted reportedly going on vacation together!
Little do most people know, the pair had been friends for years, and Barker even made a few appearances on 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians.'
Did anyone think Bennifer would get together 17 years ago? Not exactly, though they met on the set of 2003's 'Gigli.' But did we think they'd reunite just months after J.Lo split from Alex Rodriguez after nearly marrying the guy? Most definitely not!
It didn't take long for Bennifer to rekindle their old romance, and the pair surprised us all by tying the knot in Las Vegas on July 16, 2022.
In a truly surprising twist, actress/director Olivia Wilde and singer Harry Styles, who share a 10-year age gap, kicked off an unlikely romance of their own. The two reportedly became close after Wilde cast Styles for her film 'Don't Worry Darling' in September 2020. Soon after, news arose of Wilde's split from partner Jason Sudeikis.
Things got pretty serious between the 'Daily Show' host and the 'Friday Night Lights' alumna over the pandemic. They were first linked back in August 2020, with a source telling People that they had been quietly seeing each other for “several months.” They even moved in together!
The on-and-off couple reportedly broke up in May 2021, however, and Kelly moved out. But soon after they went on vacation together and looked happy walking in New York City again. By May of 2022, it was reported that they had officially called it quits.
Their romance only lasted two months apparently, and multiple reports say it was never serious. Though they were a surprising match to most people, they'd actually met in 2010 when she starred in his music video for 'Power,' and she later also walked the runway for his Yeezy line.
A couple months after Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from Kanye West, the rapper was linked to Russian model Irina Shayk, who is also Bradley Cooper's ex, and they even reportedly vacationed together in France!
In May 2021, the comedian and his wife Annamarie Tendler announced their separation. Soon after, People reported that he and actress Olivia Munn had started dating after they “met at church in Los Angeles.” By November 2021, the couple had welcomed their first child together.
Since then, the pair has made quite the visual splash on red carpets, at UFC matches, and even on stage at his shows. They have publicly proclaimed their love for each other, even going so far as to say they're soulmates! Reports say they may have split in February 2023, though the pair seems to be trying to work it out.
This one was largely a surprise because for years the 'Spider-Man' co-stars worked hard to debunk rumors that they were dating, publicly ridiculing headlines that suspected a romance between them. The big reveal came in July 2021 with paparazzi photos circulating of the two kissing in Holland's car.
There seems to be absolutely zero connection between the 'Scrubs' alum and the 'Black Widow' star, but they reportedly started dating in April 2019. When they went Instagram-official, people criticized the couple's 21-year age difference, but Pugh has defended it on multiple occasions.
On the podcast, Ronson shared that they had their first kiss while listening to Tame Impala's debut album 'InnerSpeaker.' It isn't clear how or when the pair met, but they started dating in 2020, after Gummer divorced Tay Strathairn. They got married in 2021 and had their first child together in 2023.
Their relationship makes total sense since the two spent a lot of time together and they're both extremely talented and goofy (remember their lip sync battle?), and for years they've described each other as “best friends.”
Pete Davidson's next girlfriend was equally surprising, as no one quite imagined him with 'Bridgerton' actress Phoebe Dynevor. They reportedly hit it off after meeting at a gathering in NYC, and Davidson said in April 2021 that he was currently with his “celebrity crush.” They split shortly afterwards and he moved on to Kim Kardashian!
Sources: (People) (PopSugar) (E! News) (The Hollywood Reporter)
See also: You won't believe the age gap between these celebrity couples
The UK singer and the Oscar-winning director first sparked romance rumors in April 2021, after the 'Let You Love Me' singer shared a photo of the pair hugging on Instagram. They were subsequently spotted in Sydney, Australia, sharing some PDA on numerous occasions—once with Tessa Thompson, too.
Fans suspect the pair met while Waititi was in Sydney filming 'Thor: Love and Thunder,' and while Ora was appearing as a judge on the new season of 'The Voice Australia.' The couple made their first red carpet appearance hand-in-hand at premier in August of 2021. They got married in August of 2022.
They were first spotted holding hands at Styles' agent's wedding in January 2021, and several sightings followed in which they looked smitten with each other in Los Angeles, London, and even on red carpets. The pair amicably called it quits in November, however, after nearly two years together.
The pair quarantined together throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and even had a dog together. The suspected way they met was when Pugh starred in Braff's short film 'In the Time It Takes to Get There.' The pair quietly ended their relationship in 2022.
'Big Little Lies' actress Shailene Woodley and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers were one of many surprising couples that popped up during the pandemic. The pair announced their engagement in February of 2021, and exactly a year later, they announced their split. Fans suspected things were on the rocks when Woodley was spotted without her engagement ring, especially after Rodgers came under fire for his controversial comments on the covid-19 vaccine, while Woodley seemed to distance herself from the drama.
Famed DJ and record producer Mark Ronson and 'Mr. Robot' actress Grace Gummer—Meryl Streep's daughter—kept their romance far from prying eyes. That is, of course, until he proposed to her with an estimated US$100,000 ring and announced it on his podcast.
A few weeks after sharing a kiss on-screen for an 'SNL' skit in October of 2021, the two were spotted holding hands in public, and went official with their relationship in March the following year. They got pretty serious with Davidson spending time with Kardashian's kids and getting multiple tattoos dedicated to both Kardashian and her children. They called it quits in August, but the whole affair served to bolster the incomprehensible mystique of Pete Davidson.
They're perfectly matched as two hilarious and adored actors who are stars of the comedy scene, but even still, no one saw it coming. What's more, their relationship only became public when they'd already been dating for more than a year. In a world where it's almost impossible to keep secrets, it's safe to say that they blindsided us! However, shortly after going public, they announced their separation.
After New Year's Eve, Kanye "Ye" West's romance with 'Uncut Gems' actress Julia Fox dominated the headlines, what with their matching looks and unabashed PDA. But six weeks later, on Valentine's Day, and after Ye's social media rant, they called it quits. Fox wrote on her Instagram, "The media would love to paint a picture of me a sad lonely woman crying on a plane by myself but it's NOT TRUE!! Why not see me for what I am which is a #1 hustler. I came up y'all lol and not only that but Kanye and I are on good terms! I have love for him but I wasn't in love w the man Jesus Christ what do you guys think I am 12 years old?!" She added that if people want the "full tea" they'll have to buy her book.
Grimes and Elon Musk were already as unexpected a match as we thought it could get, but after the Canadian musician's breakup from the Tesla billionaire, and on the heels of the reveal that they welcomed a second child together back in December, it's officially over between them again, and Grimes reportedly started dating someone even more unexpected: Chelsea Manning. Manning is the former US soldier who made headlines in the early 2010s for leaking hundreds of thousands of documents to WikiLeaks—and was sentenced to 35 years in prison after being convicted of 20 crimes, but served just seven. Within a few months, however, word spread that the pair had split.
Chris Rock and Lake Bell were spotted on several occasions in LA during the summer of 2022, dining out together and seemingly not trying to hide their rumored romance. By the end of the summer, it was confirmed that the comedian and actress are officially a couple. However, Rock mentioned that he was single again in a comedy special in March 2023.
Johnny Depp's life was a disaster for several years, with two separate lawsuits that saw him trawl through the darkest moments of his dysfunctional relationship with ex-wife Amber Heard, while he was more or less exiled from Hollywood. This pushed him out of his usual circles and saw him spending a great deal of time with his legal team. Apparently, this led to a new romance under incredibly strange circumstances.
In 2018, Depp sued a British tabloid called The Sun for labeling him a "wife-beater" in relation to his marriage to Amber Heard, who had accused him of domestic abuse. One of Depp's lawyers in this trial was a woman called Joelle Rich. Depp lost that trial and moved on to the infamous defamation trial directly against Heard in the states. Rich did not represent him in the second trial and rumors started to circulate that he was dating his then-lawyer Camille Vasquez, who also happened to be an attractive younger brunette. Vasquez and Depp both dispelled the rumors, with Vasquez stating that such a relationship would be highly unethical. A few months later, Joelle Rich showed up to support Depp in court. It was confirmed that the two were dating after an incredibly unorthodox start to their romance, but it ended after a couple months.
Chris Evans was named 2022's Sexiest Man Alive by People on November 7, and within a matter of days, it was revealed that he's off the market! Evans, 41 at the time of the honor, is reportedly madly in love with the young Portuguese actress Alba Baptista, 25, whom he has been dating for over a year. One source said that the relationship is very serious and that Evans has "never been happier. His family and friends all adore Alba." Baptista is an actress who has had a successful career in TV and film in Portugal, and broke into the international market in 2020 with her starring role in the Netflix series 'Warrior Nun.'
Tish Cyrus and 'Prison Break' star Dominic Purcell made their relationship Instagram official on November 27. She shared a photo of her and the actor from the back as they embrace while sitting poolside.
"Thanks for the cute photo @vijatm," Tish wrote over the picture, tagging Purcell along with adding a red heart. The unexpected romance came about seven months after she and Billy Ray Cyrus announced their divorce back in April. Tish later posted a quote that read, "In God's perfect timing, everything will turn out right!" and added in her own words, "Sometimes that's hard to believe but it is so TRUE."
In an unexpected blast from the '90s, TLC's Chilli is reportedly dating 'Boy Meets World' star Matthew Lawrence. Chilli, whose name is Rozonda Thomas, went Instagram official near the turn of the new year with the 'Brotherly Love' actor in a video where they danced to 'Take On Me' while wearing matching onesies. According to TMZ, a rep for Chilli said she and Lawrence entered into an exclusive relationship just before Thanksgiving and have spent the holidays together.
Model Emily Ratajkowski has been getting back out there after her divorce from Sebastian Bear-McClard in 2022. She was rumored to be linked with Brad Pitt at one point, and she was of course spotted out with the notorious romantic Pete Davidson. But she got Instagram-official with comedian Eric André, known for his absurdist parody series 'The Eric André Show.' On Valentine's Day André shared photos of himself posing naked on a couch with Ratajkowski also naked visible in a mirror taking the photo. There was also an open bottle of wine and their clothes on the floor, as well as a rug and a fireplace—very romantic. It didn't last, however, as Ratajkowski was spotted making out with Harry Styles in Tokyo in late March.
Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny are one of the new couples of 2023 that we didn't see coming. Rumors started swirling in February when celebrity gossip account Deuxmoi claimed that the model and the Puerto Rican superstar were spotted kissing at Bird Streets Club in Los Angeles, and on February 18 the two were spotted out on what seemed to be a double date with Hailey and Justin Bieber. On March 8, the pair dined at a sushi restaurant in LA and shared a goodbye hug, and what appeared to be a kiss, before Jenner stepped into her SUV. Jenner went to support Bad Bunny at Coachella in April and there was no attempt to hide the PDA.
Tim Burton, the eccentric director who was with Helena Bonham Carter for many years,was linked to the beautiful Italian actress Monica Bellucci in early 2023. The 'Edward Scissorhands' director and the 'Mafia Mamma' star were seen strolling in Madrid arm-in-arm in February, and in June, they finally publically confirmed that they're in a serious relationship.
In what seems like a pop culture mad lib, Avril Lavigne confirmed her romance with rapper Tyga at Paris Fashion Week, sealing the deal with a kiss on March 6, 2023. The pair were at a party for actress Hunter Schafer's new campaign with Mugler, and they reportedly held hands and showed some unabashed PDA. The public kiss came almost two weeks after a spokesperson for Lavigne confirmed that she and musician Mod Sun called off their engagement, which began in 2022. Lavigne and Tyga were public with their relationship for a few months, but reportedly split at the end of June. However, they've been seen hanging out since then, so they're at the very least they're still friends!
Multiple sources seem to have confirmed the rumors that Kylie Jenner is dating Timothée Chalamet. The celebrity gossip account Deuxmoi first posted that the pair were dating in early April, and since then there have been several eyewitness accounts and sources that support the claim. The alleged couple were spotted getting tacos and TMZ reported that Jenner's car has been parked in his driveway. Sources say it's early days and they're keeping things casual, but are enjoying hanging out and getting to know each other.
Taylor Swift's years-long relationship with British actor Joe Alwyn seemed like a winner for a long time, particularly as it was her most private relationship to date, but news of their split broke in April 2023 after six years together. Less than a month later, Swift was reportedly "madly in love" the 1975's Matty Healy. The pair's relationship caused controversy due to offensive remarks Healy has made in the past, and by June the whirlwind romance had ended.
As the daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, Lily-Rose Depp has grown up valuing privacy, which is why she has hardly ever posted publicly about her romantic life—until now. The actress hard-launched her relationship with rapper 070 Shake, whose real name is Danielle Balbuena, on May 11, 2023, sharing a photo of the two kissing to her Instagram Story. She captioned it, "4 MONTHS WITH MY CRUSH."
Depp has been previously linked to Austin Butler, Timothée Chalamet, French rapper Yassine, and Cara Delevingne.
Megan Thee Stallion started her hot girl summer strong, spotted as Inter Milan soccer star Romelu Lukaku's plus-one at his teammate's wedding. Lautaro Martinez and model Agustina Gandolfo had their wedding in Lake Como, which was the perfect romantic setting for the rapper and the Belgian athlete to share some PDA, as they were photographed holding hands as they mingled with other guests around the waterfront. The development came three months after speculation that Megan had broken up with rapper Pardison "Pardi" Fontaine—with whom she first went public in 2021.
Harry Styles and Taylor Russell are one of the latest pair to raise eyebrows, as the One Direction alum and the 'Bones and All' actress have now stoked romance rumors in two countries. In photos obtained by TMZ, Russell was spotted hanging out in a special VIP section during Styles’ 'Love on Tour' concert in Vienna on July 8, 2023. After the show, fans went wild for videos showing the rumored couple walking hand-in-hand through the streets of the Austrian capital. Earlier in June, the pair were spotted enjoying a day at an art museum in London together, leading many to believe they were dating.
The most unexpected couple of them all was certainly Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker. Things turned romantic around the beginning of 2021, they had a summer of steamy love including tattoos, PDA, and vacations, and now they're engaged! The Blink-182 drummer popped the question on October 17, and they were married in a lavish ceremony in Italy in July 2022.
Shakira split from longterm partner Gerard Piqué rather dramatically in 2022 following rumors of cheating on his side. Piqué almost immediately went public with his new girlfriend, 24-year-old Clara Chia Marti. A year later, Shakira has been seen stepping out on dates with some famous faces. The Queen of Latin Pop was spotted having dinner with Miami Heat player Jimmy Butler in London on July 12. An eyewitness told E! News that the pair looked cozy together at the restaurant. Shakira was previously spotted having dinner with Formula One champ Lewis Hamilton in May.
News of Ariana Grande's separation from husband Dalton Gomez broke in July 2023, after two years of marriage. The 30-year-old largely flew under the radar while she was married, but to be fair, she was also preparing for the role of a lifetime! Grande was cast to play Glenda in the film adaptation of 'Wicked,' one of Broadway's most successful musicals of all time. She may have been throwing herself into her work to take her mind off her relationship troubles, but instead, she fell in love again. Sources say Grande has been dating her co-star Ethan Slater for several months. Although Grande and Gomez haven't filed for divorce yet, their relationship reportedly ended in January. Slater is a 31-year-old Broadway star who got his big break in 2017 by playing the titular character in 'SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical.' Slater is also a writer, producer, and composer. He is currently married, and welcomed a child with his wife Lilly Jay in 2022, but is reportedly also in the process of divorcing.
There's been a change in the wind in Hollywood, and celebrities we thought we had figured out are now crossing aesthetics, genres, interests, and generations to surprise us with A-list combinations that sound like they were randomly plucked out of a hat.
Some of these unlikely celebrity romances might be a reflection of the completely unpredictable times we're living in, where life and death situations have become fearfully closer, and thus where people are no longer wasting time with preconceived notions and anything other than what makes them feel good.
Most recently, British actress Talulah Riley got engaged to British actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster. A natural couple they might be, but their former associations make it hard to get your head around this pairing. 'Westworld' actress Talulah Riley was formerly married to Elon Musk—twice! They were together from 2010 to 2012, and then 2013 to 2016. When they first got married, Riley was just 25 years old while Musk was 39. Now, Riley is 37, and she's engaged to a younger man! Brodie-Sangster is often remembered for his numerous roles as a child actor, in movies like 'Love Actually' (2003) and 'Nanny McPhee' (2005). Despite his baby face, the 33-year-old star is now all grown up. More recently, he played the role of renegade chess genius Benny Watts in 'The Queen's Gambit.'
Riley and Brodie-Sangster first began dating while working together on the 2022 miniseries 'Pistol,' in which they play punk rock couple Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood. "Very happy to share that after two years of dating, Thomas Brodie Sangster and I are engaged!" Riley tweeted on July 27, 2023. "Congratulations!" responded Elon Musk with a heart emoji. He and Riley are reportedly still good friends.
These celebrities are embracing love where they find it, whether that means taking a romantic chance on an old best friend or going on a date with someone completely out of their normal sphere. Click through to see more of the most unexpected relationships of the past couple years.
The most unexpected celebrity couples of recent times
Elon Musk's ex-wife just got engaged to the kid from 'Love Actually'
CELEBRITY Relationships
There's been a change in the wind in Hollywood, and celebrities we thought we had figured out are now crossing aesthetics, genres, interests, and generations to surprise us with A-list combinations that sound like they were randomly plucked out of a hat.
Some of these unlikely celebrity romances might be a reflection of the completely unpredictable times we're living in, where life and death situations have become fearfully closer, and thus where people are no longer wasting time with preconceived notions and anything other than what makes them feel good.
Most recently, British actress Talulah Riley got engaged to British actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster. A natural couple they may be, but their former associations make it difficult to wrap your head around this pairing. 'Westworld' actress Talulah Riley was formerly married to Elon Musk—twice! They were together from 2010 to 2012, and then 2013 to 2016. When they first got married, Riley was just 25 years old while Musk was 39. Now, Riley is 37 and she's engaged to a (slightly) younger man. Brodie-Sangster is often remembered for his numerous roles as a child actor, in movies like 'Love Actually' (2003) and 'Nanny McPhee' (2005). Despite his baby face, the 33-year-old star is now all grown up. More recently, he played the role of renegade chess genius Benny Watts in 'The Queen's Gambit.'
Riley and Brodie-Sangster first began dating while working together on the 2022 miniseries 'Pistol,' in which they play punk rock couple Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood. "Very happy to share that after two years of dating, Thomas Brodie Sangster and I are engaged!" Riley tweeted on July 27, 2023. "Congratulations!" responded Elon Musk with a heart emoji. He and Riley are reportedly still good friends.
These celebrities are embracing love where they find it, whether that means taking a romantic chance on an old best friend or going on a date with someone completely out of their normal sphere. Click through to see more of the most unexpected relationships of the past couple years.