These Films Ruined Real-Life Relationships For The Stars
Acting can be a tricky profession, especially when you're in a relationship. Actors and actresses do whatever they can to convince the audience of their performance. If that means kissing their co-star, then let it be, even if they have a relationship in real life.
Sometimes, these on-screen romances can leak outside of work, and that's where the problems occur.
These are the stories of Hollywood movies that ruined real-life romances for some celebrities.
Gigli – Jennifer Lopez and Cris Judd
Critics ripped apart Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's film Gigli. It's often called the worst movie ever made, but it paved the way for one of the best celebrity couple names ever; Bennifer.
The only issue was that Lopez was married to choreographer Cris Judd at the time. The two divorced after a year of being together, which was unfortunate. Five months after they ended it, Lopez and Affleck got engaged. They eventually broke off their engagement but in 2022 after reuniting, tied the knot with a surprise wedding.
Proof of Life – Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan
Many might not remember Proof of Life, the 2000 thriller, but the scandal attached to it is hard to forget. Stars Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan experienced some off-screen drama together.
Ryan was in a high-profile marriage with Dennis Quaid during this period, but it didn't stop her from hooking up with Crowe during filming! Viewers believed that this messed with their on-screen chemistry, which is up for debate. It messed with Ryan's relationship the most, as she and Quaid divorced soon after.
Snow White and the Huntsman – Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart
Fans of the Twilight series might have some concealed anger towards director Rupert Sanders over this topic. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson set the world on fire with their romance on and off the screen, but it wouldn't last.
Sanders put together a star-studded cast for Show White and the Huntsman, but it wasn't the actors that ended up tangled in a web with Stewart. Sanders and Stewart got together during the production of the film. As a result, Pattinson and Stewart ended things amidst the scandal.
Dream House – Darren Aronofsky and Rachel Weisz
Rachel Weisz and director Darren Aronofsky were together for nine years. They eventually became engaged, had a child, and even made a movie together - The Fountain. What could have happened to this dream relationship?
The mostly forgotten box office flop Dream House happened. Daniel Craig starred alongside Weisz in the movie, and not long after Craig became 007. The two were pals long before this movie, but after filming, they realized they wanted more than that.
Daredevil – Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez; Jennifer Garner and Scott Foley
Marvel and all of their diehard fanbase likely erased the Ben Affleck, and Jennifer Garner led Daredevil film from their memory. The movie ended up doing more to Affleck's and Garner's romantic relationships they had at home then it did for audiences.
At the time, Affleck was with Jennifer Lopez, and Garner was married to star Scott Foley. Affleck and Garner became more than just friends on set, which ended up dissolving both of their real off-set romances.
Green Lantern – Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds
Another superhero movie flop, Green Lantern, wasn't anything Ryan Reynolds was proud of doing. Scarlett Johansson had just begun playing Black Widow for the MCU, and her husband Reynolds wanted a piece of that superhero action.
While the movie wasn't a success at all, it successfully managed to bring someone new into Reynolds' life. Blake Lively played his love interest, and the two had such a chemistry on-screen, that Reynolds decided to test the waters off it. Things "surprisingly" ended with Johansson not long after the production of the film.
By the Sea (2015) – Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt already had a history of strange happenings occurring on movie sets, but that didn't stop them from doing it again. After getting together on a different movie (more on that later), they decided to take it up a notch.
Jolie wrote and directed By the Sea, a film where she and Pitt were married and had intense arguments. Jolie knew it would test their marriage, but it did more than that. The couple ended up getting a divorce.
The Last Face – Sean Penn and Charlize Theron
For some reason, critics didn't like the Sean Penn directed film The Last Face. The movie starred Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem, but it just didn't click. By the end of filming neither did Theron and Penn's relationship.
The two got engaged in 2014, the same year they began filming The Last Face. Thanks to the film's production being so rough, it caused a ton of friction between the couple, and they wound up breaking up a year after shooting.
Gone Girl – Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner
Some stars can't seem to get things right. While married to Jennifer Garner, Affleck grabbed the lead role in Gone Girl, a tale of infidelity and revenge. Affleck reportedly became too close to one co-star, and that caused all sorts of problems.
Reports say that Affleck personally asked to have Emily Ratajkowski play an important part in Gone Girl. Apparently, Affleck and Ratajkowski had some private moments during production, which caused Garner to file for divorce in 2017.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) – Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt
Once upon a time, Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt were Hollywood's it couple. They even did a meta episode of Friends where Pitt guest-starred as an old friend that hated Rachel. One movie changed everything.
In Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Angelina Jolie and Pitt were undercover spies and a married couple. They both denied infidelity on set, but Jolie doesn't dispute that they fell in love while filming. Pitt divorced Aniston and ended up with Jolie.
Rosemary's Baby – Mia Farrow and Frank Sinatra
We suppose that when you're an actor or actress, you must ask yourself if making a movie is worth a divorce. For Mia Farrow, who was in the middle of filming the horror flick Rosemary's Baby, her answer was yes.
At the time, she was with music legend Frank Sinatra, so imagine ending things with an icon. Farrow wrote in her autobiography that filming Rosemary's Baby was getting rough, and Sinatra wanted her to leave the film. The prolonged shooting schedule interfered with their relationship, but Farrow didn't quit. Sinatra handed Farrow divorce papers on set.
Silence – Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone
Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone met on the set of the Amazing Spider-Man films, which led to a perfect romance. It looked like a match made in heaven through the public scope, but that's because they would tamper with the images paparazzi took. The movie Silence would be the one to end their romance.
Silence was Martin Scorses's dream project, and Garfield wanted to give it his all. He did everything he could to get into character, including losing a scary amount of weight. Fed up with the madness, Stone broke up with him.
House of Wax (2005) – Nick Carter and Paris Hilton; Sophia Bush and Chad Michael Murray
House of Wax might be a film you didn't want to receive reminders of, but here we are. Paris Hilton and Nick Carter had a "so hot" relationship according to Hilton, and the two appeared in 2005's House of Wax together.
Hilton said she didn't feel the same about Carter and ended up getting together with Chad Michael Murray on set! Murray also ended his marriage with Sophia Bush, but the fling with Hilton didn't last long at all. Carter later said it was all a bad idea.
Titanic – James Cameron and Linda Hamilton
One of the most beloved films ever to release also had some controversy behind it, in case you didn't know. James Cameron fell in love with his muse Linda Hamilton while filming Terminator 2: Judgement Day. They ended up getting married in 1997, but Cameron found another inspiration soon after.
Suzy Amis got a part in Titanic while Cameron was still married to Hamilton. That didn't prevent him from going on dates with Amis while filming the epic movie. Eight days after Titanic won all of its Oscars, Hamilton announced her divorce to Cameron.
Pushing Tin – Laura Dern and Billy Bob Thornton
Laura Dern and Billy Bob Thornton had a fruitful relationship between 1997 and 1999. They ended up getting engaged before Thornton got cast in the film Pushing Tin with Angelina Jolie. That name sounds familiar.
Thornton took no time calling off his engagement with Dern to have Jolie all to himself. The sad thing is that Dern found out that Jolie and Thornton were eloping without giving her a warning. Jolie and Thorton went on to have one of the wildest relationships ever.
Eyes Wide Shut – Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman
One of the biggest Hollywood love triangles consisted of Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and Stanley Kubrick. Kubrick decided to go with Hollywood's it couple for Eyes Wide Shut, which isn't a bad idea.
Kidman and Cruise played a boring couple who would argue and eventually turned to "experimenting." The tabloids attacked this movie thanks to the explicit content and the analysis of a relationship people thought they knew. Add in Kubrick's untimely death, and it all became too much for the couple, which led to them divorcing two years later.
mother! – Darren Aronofsky And Jennifer Lawrence
mother! is one of the stranger films on this list, and that in part led to what happened. Jennifer Lawrence starred in this crazy film directed by her boyfriend, Darren Aronofsky. The premise was that Lawrence ended up in a big house filled with a group of murderous strangers.
The process of making the movie was such an ordeal that it became a problem for the couple. Aronofsky became so obsessed with how people would perceive the film that Lawrence ended their romance.
The Rum Diary – Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis
Star actor Johnny Depp was with the French singer Vanessa Paradis for 14 years. During that time, they had two kids, including Lily-Rose Depp. When Johnny met Amber Heard on the set of The Rum Diary, all bets were off.
Their on-screen romance began translating into the real thing, which affected Johnny's relationship with Paradis. Johnny and Heard eventually tied the knot, but things wouldn't be smooth sailing. Heard would accuse Johnny of physical abuse and substance addiction before getting a divorce in 2017.
The Break-Up – Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn
Not long after Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt split, Aniston starred in what might've been a therapeutic role in The Break-Up. In this dramedy about a couple that breaks up, Vince Vaughn co-starred after recently appearing in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the movie that tore apart Aniston's marriage.
That's a load of irony. Vaughn and Aniston began dating, but it wound up being nothing more than a brief rebound. Vaughn admitted that there was too much public attention on the pair, but Aniston had no hard feelings.
Cleopatra - Richard Burton And Elizabeth Taylor
In 1963, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor starred together in Cleopatra. At the time, both were married - Taylor to Eddie Fisher and Burton to Sybil Williams. During filming, the pair reportedly hated each other. Then they shared their first on-screen kiss.
The director yelled cut, and the pair wouldn't stop kissing. In 1964, after divorcing their significant others, Burton and Taylor were married. They later divorced in 1974, then remarried in 1975 only to split again in 1976.
Days Of Thunder - Tom Cruise And Mimi Rogers
Almost as quickly as he became a major movie star, Tom Cruise married Mimi Rogers. They were together from 1987 until 1990, when Cruise was busy filming Days of Thunder. The problem was that film wasn't all that he was busy doing.
While on set with Nicole Kidman, Cruise had an affair with her. That affair quickly blossomed into a relationship, and ultimately a second marriage for the silver screen icon.
The Misfits - Marilyn Monroe And Arthur Miller
From 1956 until 1961 Marilyn Monroe was married to legendary playwright Arthur Miller. They split after working together on The Misfits, a movie Miller wrote with a role specifically for the actress. Being confined to the Nevada desert while filming, along with numerous last minute re-writes, proved crushing.
Monroe also grew frustrated that the best roles in the movie all went to men. When the movie was finished, so was their marriage. Tragically, Monroe passed away one year later, making The Misfits her last role.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - Kenneth Branagh And Emma Thompson
Sometimes it doesn't matter how long the marriage is, they aren't all built to last. Kenneth Branagh married Emma Thompson in 1989, and pair lived happily together until 1994 when Branagh starred in and directed Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
While on set, Branagh had an affair with Helena Bonham Cart. When news of the affair went public, Thompson filed for divorce. Thompson said years later, "I think it's such a wonderful phrase - all blood under the bridge. You can’t hold on to anything like that. I just think… pfft... It’s pointless. I haven’t got the energy for it."
Stop-Loss - Ryan Phillipe And Reese Witherspoon
Ryan Phillipe and Reese Witherspoon seemed like Hollywood's ideal couple until rumors about his on-set affairs became headlines. While filming Stop-Loss, Phillipe supposedly had a little too much fun with Abbie Cornish, his co-star. Whether it's true or not, the rumors were enough for Witherspoon to file for divorce.
To make matters more dramatic, shortly after the divorce was finalized, Phillipe and Cornish announced they were dating. After becoming the villain, Phillipe lashed out in an interview, " I don't feel like I deserve it. Things happen! How many people have you broken up with over your life?"
Stage Beauty - Billy Crudup And Mary Louise Parker
Billy Crudup started his relationship with Mary Louise Parker in 1996 and thought he had found the love of his life. Eight years later, Parker was pregnant and Crudup was filming Stage Beauty. You can guess what happened next.
Crudup broke up with Parker so he could start a relationship with Claire Danes, his co-star. In 2015, Danes said, "I was just in love with [Crudup], and needed to explore that and I was 24... I didn't quite know what those consequences would be."
Northern Lights - LeAnn Rimes And Dean Sheremet
In 2009, LeAnn Rimes starred alongside Eddie Cibrian in the Lifetime Channel original movie Northern Lights. On-set sparks flew between the co-stars, which created plenty of drama later when filming was wrapped.
At the time, Rimes was married to Dean Sheremet and Cibrian was married to reality TV star Brandi Glanville. The on-screen romance led to a real one off-screen and a double divorce. In 2011, Rimes and Cibrian made their love official and tied the knot.
The Outlaw Josey Wales - Clint Eastwood And Maggie Johnson
In his heyday, Clint Eastwood was known as a bit of a ladies man, but that didn't stop Maggie Johnson from agreeing to marry him. Sadly, the couple never got their happily ever after because Eastwood couldn't keep his hands to himself.
While filming The Outlaw Josey Wales, Eastwood had a poorly hidden affair with Sandra Locke. The tryst ended with them living together. Johnson, rightfully, was not pleased with her then husband and filed for divorce.
To Have And Have Not - Humphrey Bogart And Mayo Methot
Not much has changed in Hollywood in the last hundred years. Just look at the divorce of Humphrey Bogart and Mayo Methot. The couple was happily married in 1944 until Bogart had a affair with co-star Lauren Bacall.
At the time Bogart was 44-years-old and Bacall was 19-years-old. Methot filed for divorce and the rest is history. As you have seen so far, this type of behavior is still prevalent in Hollywood today.
Mind Over Murder - Tori Spelling And Charlie Shanian
It takes a Lifetime movie to really create relationship ending off-screen drama. In 2006, Tori Spelling starred in the film Mind Over Murder and fell in love with co-star Dean McDermott the first day of shooting.
The affair ended two marriages, and resulted in the pair starting their own lives together. Since then, the couple has had several children, and McDermott has had several affairs. Spelling has stood by him, though, and the couple is still together today.
Stromboli - Ingrid Bergman And Petter Lindstrom
Ingrid Bergman was married to Petter Lindstrom for many years before becoming involved with director Roberto Rossellini while filming Stromboli. The affair wasn't Bergman's first, she had also fooled around with Spencer Tracy and Gregory Peck, but it was the straw the broke the camel's back.
Bergman and Lindstrom split, and she married Rossellini. It was considered a huge scandal at the time, causing Bergman to lose work. She would act in one film over the next six years of her career.
Dangerous Liaisons - John Malkovich And Glenne Headley
In 1988, John Malkovich was married to actress Glenne Headley when he had an affair with his Dangerous Liaisons co-star Michelle Pfeiffer. The two started a secret relationship that ultimately resulted in the divorce of Malkovich and Headley.
As fate would have it, Malkovich and Pfeiffer weren't destined to be together, and split shortly after. The relationship just didn't blossom once it was public, and both actors were seeing other people fairly quickly.
You, Me And Dupree - Kate Hudson And Chris Robinson
Kate Hudson was married to rock star Chris Robinson for six years when she sparked a new flame with Owen Wilson. The actors were filming You, Me and Dupree when their attraction to each other became too hot to handle.
Hudson's marriage ended, and her romance with Wilson began. It didn't last very long, however, and turned into an on-again-off-again affair.
The Visions Of Lewis Carroll - Marilyn Manson And Dita Von Teese
Filmed but never released, Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll is most notable for ending the relationship between shock-rock singer Marilyn Manson and Dita Von Teese. Manson was directing the horror film when he became involved with one of his actresses - Evan Rachel Wood.
Manson and Von Teese got divorced, with the rock star placing most of the blame on her. In an interview, he remarked she was "expecting too much from him."
Made In America - Ted Danson And Cassandra Coates
Cassandra Coates was Ted Danson's high school sweetheart and the pair had been together for 15 years when he fell in love with Whoopi Goldberg. The actor and actress were filming Made in America when a steamy off-screen affair began.
Danson and Goldebrg were romantically involved for a year and were the talk of the town in Hollywood. Their pictures were splashed on tabloids everywhere. Was anyone really surprised when they broke up, though?
The Rum Diary - Johnny Depp And Vanessa Paradis
For 14 years Johnny Depp was married to Vanessa Paradis before leaving her for Amber Heard. The actor was co-starring with Heard in The Rum Diary when broke it off with Paradis to start over.
The relationship with Heard turned rocky, though, and today the former couple are stuck in an ugly court battle. Both claim the other was violent towards them and are seeking millions of dollars in damages.
Star Wars - Harrison Ford And Mary Marquardt
Harrison Ford was married with two children to Mary Marquardt when he was cast in Star Wars. It was while filming he met Carrie Fisher. In her memoir The Princess Diarist, Fisher confirmed rumors that she had an affair with Ford.
In 1977, Ford was divorced, but he did not start a relationship with his co-star. He married Melssa Mathison in 1983, although they divorced in 2004. Today he is happily married to Calista Flockhart.
The Getaway - Ali McGraw And Robert Evans
Ali McGraw was married to producer Robert Evans for three years before she fell in love with Steve McQueen on the set of The Getaway. She divorced Evans and began a tumultuous relationship with the famed womanizer.
McGraw and McQueen got married in 1973 and divorced in 1978. In her autobiography, she admitted that she had just as many problems as McQueen and eventually checked herself into the Betty Ford Clinic to treat her various addictions.
The Last Picture Show - Peter Bogdanovich And Polly Platt
Director Peter Bogdanovich was married to Polly Platt for nine years when he cast 21-year-old Cybill Shepherd in his movie The Last Picture Show. Sparks predictably flew between the two and Bogdanovich divorced Platt to be with his new love.
The new couple were together for six years before parting ways. They never got married, however or had kids, making the break-up about as clean as they come. They are still friends today.
Woman Of The Year - Spencer Tracy And Louise Tracy
In what has to be the strangest occurrence on this list, Spencer Tracy was married to Louise Tracy until his death, but thanks to Katharine Hepburn rarely spent time with her. Tracy began seeing Hepburn while filming Woman of the Year, and the two had an affair that lasted for 26 years.
During the entirety of the affair, Tracy stayed married to his wife. Louise Tracy was even still his wife when he died. Why she put up with his antics for so long, no one knows.
