Romance can ignite on the set of any television show or movie, but high-profile relationships are hard to maintain. Things can become even more awkward when former celebrity couples have to share the screen together after breaking up in real life.
Drew Barrymore and Justin Long
In 2008, Drew Barrymore produced the film He’s Just Not That Into You, and it would turn into a rewarding professional and personal experience. She met Justin Long on the set, and sparks flew. Barrymore and Long enjoyed a two-year relationship. Then, after breaking up, they worked on the romantic drama Going the Distance.
While making Going the Distance in 2010, Drew Barrymore and Justin Long went into the project as just friends after breaking up. However, during the making of the film, they rekindled their romance, with Justin even being Drew’s date to the Golden Globes that year. However, the two broke up long after making the film. The two remain close friends.
Laura Dern and Kyle MacLachlan
Laura Dern and Kyle MacLachlan met on the set of the neo-noir mystery movie Blue Velvet in 1985. They fell in love while making the film and were a beautiful couple for about four years. Not long after that relationship ended, Kyle struck up a romance with his Twin Peaks co-star Laura Flynn Boyle.
It was David Lynch who would bring Laura and Kyle back together, at least professionally. Lynch cast Laura Dern for his reboot of Twin Peaks, and Kyle MacLachlan and Laura Dern had an on-screen romance in Twin Peaks: The Return. The two reportedly worked well together and were happy to see each other again, with Kyle singing the praises of Laura to the press.
Jennifer Morrison and Jesse Spencer
When it comes to on-set romances, Jennifer Morrison and Jesse Spencer became a couple that seemed destined to last. The actors starred on House, and they fell hard and fast for each other. The attractive, passionate couple even got engaged before calling off their engagement in 2007 when both were 28.
The on-screen relationship between the characters that Jesse Spencer and Jennifer Morrison continued to flourish even after their real-life one ended. Those characters had started as friends with benefits before becoming a full-fledged romantic couple. The two made the continuing on-screen romance work by making adjustments such as only kissing on-screen instead of in rehearsals and continuing to show mutual respect for each other.
Rachel Bilson & Adam Brody
It would be hard to find a cuter match than Rachel Bilson and Adam Brody. The two got together while filming The O.C. back in 2003. Adam and Rachel’s respective characters, Seth Cohen and Summer Roberts, simultaneously enjoyed an on-screen romance. After three years of dating, Bilson and Brody split up in 2006.
When Adam Brody and Rachel Bilson broke up, they were only three years into filming their hit television show The O.C. However, they were able to continue to work together as co-stars, and the drama remained only on-screen. In recent years, she referred to the high-profile romance while filming a hit show as invasive, but the two have only had positive things to say about one another.
John Galecki and Sara Gilbert
Sparks flew for cynical tomboy Darlene when she met David in the iconic 1990’s sitcom Roseanne. Sara Gilbert, who portrayed Darlene, and John Galecki, who portrayed David, also sparked to each other in real life. The down-to-earth actors even started dating, and they became quite close.
On an episode of her show The Talk, Sara Gilbert reviewed it was John Galecki who she first came out to when she was still a teenager. John continued to be supportive of Sara after she revealed that she was a lesbian, and the two were able to maintain a friendship while their characters continued to have a romance and eventually get married on screen.
John Galecki and Kaley Cuoco
John Galecki and Kaley Cuoco both came to star on The Big Bang Theory after successful turns on hit shows. Galecki was known for Roseanne, and Cuoco was known for playing John Ritter’s daughter on 8 Simple Rules. They began dating while making The Big Bang Theory, keeping their relationship a secret until they broke up about two years later.
Kaley Cuoco and John Galecki stayed an on-screen couple on The Big Bang Theory, but they split in real life. Cuoco and Galecki continue to be friends as the show heads towards its series finale this spring. In early 2019, Cuoco posted an Instagram photo of the former couple goofing around together on the set of the show.
Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia
Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia were young and in love while they were filming Heroes for a couple of years. They began dating in late 2007 after meeting on the set of the show, and the beautiful young couple attracted a lot of media attention. Milo was twelve years older than Hayden, but the two were very devoted to each other and protective of one another.
In 2009, while still filming Heroes, Milo Ventimiglia and Hayden Panettiere broke up. Ventimiglia is now one of the stars of This Is Us, and he has admitted that he would never date a co-star again after the experience with Panettiere. While the two were able to remain, amicable co-stars, the high-profile aspects of the relationship were challenging for both actors.
Jennifer Carpenter and Michael C. Hall
Dexter is a controversial television show, but the romance of Jennifer Carpenter and Michael C. Hall didn’t seem very controversial itself. Sure, they played brother and sister on Dexter, but the two were madly attracted to one another in real life. In fact, their romance deepened and blossomed, resulting in the two tying the knot on New Year’s Eve in 2009.
Unfortunately, the romance between Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter didn’t last. The couple divorced in December 2011. Although there were challenges along the way, with Carpenter tearing up when asked about the relationship during an event, the two were able to continue an amicable relationship as friends and co-stars on Dexter.
Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber
Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber were a gorgeous couple who seemed like Hollywood royalty when they came together. The pair met at the 2005 Met Gala, and Liev immediately sparked to Naomi, who he later referred to as a ray of light. The two started dating in New York City, and they were together for over a decade and had children together.
After 11 years together, Watts and Schreiber surprised their loved ones and fans alike when they broke up. However, they went on to make Chuck together after their split. They continue to co-parent and share their lives. In fact, the two publicly embraced at the screening of Chuck at the Tribeca Film Festival. Their friendship and mutual professional respect appear to be going strong long after their romance came to an end.
Matthew Morrison and Lea Michele
Glee became a pop culture phenomenon early in its first season, and the musical television show inspired the devotion of many fans. It was also the hotbed of many romances among its young cast. One such romance had occurred before the show began between Matthew Morrison and Lea Michele. The two had known each other previously when they worked on a play together.
While filming Glee, Matthew Morrison and Lea Michele were able to enjoy an amicable relationship as co-stars although they had previously dated. They kept their romance a secret for years, yet Michele opened up about it in her memoir Brunette Ambition. The innocent romance would have surely made big news in the show’s heyday and is a fun bit of trivia for fans today.
Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes
Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes met each other after both were cast on Dawson’s Creek in the late 1990’s. The two traveled to North Carolina to film the TV show, and they shared a sweet and sincere romance that both would look back on fondly during the first season of Dawson’s Creek.
Katie Holmes called Joshua Jackson her “first love” in later interviews. Their characters Joey and Pacey may have had a tumultuous relationship, but the same was not true for the actors in real life. Holmes and Jackson have only expressed a fondness and respect for each other, and their romance early in the show did not affect their caring working relationship.
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton
The celebrity power couple idea may well have started with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Elizabeth Taylor is one of the most beautiful, iconic film stars of all time, yet she had been subjected to many controversies because of her romantic choices over the years. With Richard Burton, she had met her match, and the two had a stormy relationship for many years.
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton still loomed large as a couple in the public consciousness for years after their break-up. They decided to star in a play called Private Lives after they were broken up for quite some time. The past romance did not affect their performances, and both were much lauded for their work on the play.
Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak
The Office was probably more intended to be a spoof of the modern-day workplace than it was a romantic show. However, the romance did take over much of the beloved comedy. Pam and Jim were the Sam and Diane of the show. Off-screen, however, some other interesting romances sparked. Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak became a real-life couple while the show soared to success.
Sadly, the romance between Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak wasn’t to last. They got together around the time their character did on screen, yet they broke up while continuing to work on the show. They were able to remain friendly co-stars and co-writers on The Office. And their relationship became even more complex. To this day, the two remain close, and they received a book deal to write about their fascinating relationship in 2015.
Diane Keaton and Al Pacino
Diane Keaton is a beautiful, powerful actress, and she has enjoyed on-screen and off-screen romances that are beyond the wildest dreams of most people. Diane Keaton and Al Pacino dated after meeting on the set of The Godfather. Their romance turned into quite a serious relationship, and they starred as a couple in all three films in the much-lauded trilogy.
By the time filming commenced on The Godfather Part III, Keaton and Pacino had broken up. However, they still had to act as the in-love couple, and they were able to maintain a pleasant working relationship throughout the filming. Keaton has said that Pacino was the love of her late thirties and early forties, wistfully observing that she no longer sees him.
Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult
Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult had a high-profile romance that started after they met during a screen test for X-Men First Class. They were instantly drawn to each other, and they were officially seen as a couple in public when the two went to the Screen Actors Guild Awards with each other in January 2011. They dated on and off for a few years.
Unfortunately, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult broke up while still being committed to working with each other on the X-Men series of films. After their break-up, they happily worked together on X-Men: Apocalypse. They even had fun together off-screen, smiling for photos behind the scenes and enjoying one another’s company.
Emily VanCamp and Dave Annable
While starring as siblings on Brothers and Sisters, Emily VanCamp and Dave Annable struck up a passionate romance. The sparks between the two were allegedly so undeniable that a plot was changed to reveal that the two weren’t actually related on the show. However, the chemistry and attraction were not enough to keep the two together.
Although the two remained devoted co-stars, the romance between Emily VanCamp and Dave Annable fizzled off-screen. The producers had arranged it so that the two could date on the show after changed a storyline due to the undeniable chemistry between the actors, but that couldn’t keep them together. Nevertheless, the short-lived, real-life romance evolved into a happy working relationship.
Blake Lively and Penn Badgley
It was more than gossip when sparks flew between Penn Badgley and Blake Lively on Gossip Girl. Their respective characters, Serena van der Woodsen and Dan Humphrey, fell in love on-screen while the two actors were falling in love off-screen. They enjoyed sweet young love, although they denied it at first for fear of getting in trouble on the set.
The on-set romance wasn’t mean to last, though. Penn Badgley and Blake Lively broke up after three years of dating. Both actors were only 22 at the time of their break-up, having begun their romance while they were still in their teens. They went on to work very well together as co-stars despite their status as exes.
Jessica Szohr and Ed Westwick
The set of Gossip Girl was a haven for other romances, too. Jessica Szohr and Ed Westwick fell hard for each other after meeting during the making of the show. Jessica would later explain that the romance started slow, with the two initially starting out as friends. Their feelings couldn’t be denied, though, and the two became a real-life couple.
Ed Westwick and Jessica Szohr broke up while filming the television show. Rumors flew that it was Westwick who broke up with Szohr, but one thing is clear. They were able to maintain caring professionalism on the set after the two split. Westwick was accused of sexually assaulting three actresses, prompting Szohr to speak up in 2017 and say she prayed that the accusations were untrue.
Alexis Bledel and Milo Ventimiglia
Gilmore Girls fans were thrilled to learn that Alexis Bledel and Milo Ventimiglia had secretly had a long romance in real life during the filming of the much-adored television show. Rory Gilmore and Jess Mariano, their characters on the show, enjoyed a sweet romance, and the two were doing the same behind the scenes.
Things got so serious during the four-year relationship between Alexis Bledel and Milo Ventimiglia that the duo even discussed getting married. However, the two ultimately broke up while still filming the show, but they remained friendly co-stars and stayed in each other’s lives. The two reprised their roles of the sequel to Gilmore Girls in 2016.
Dominic Cooper and Amanda Seyfried
Mamma Mia 2 is an exuberant sequel although it kills off a central character from the original movie. Fans of the original movie may also have known that Dominic Cooper and Amanda Seyfried embarked on a red-hot romance after they met on the set of Mamma Mia. They played an engaged couple on-screen while they were falling in love behind the scenes.
Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper broke up years ago, well before they signed on to reprise their roles in Mamma Mia 2. Amanda had gone on to marry and have a child. However, Amanda and Dominic were able to affectionately resume working together and had a fun time as friendly co-stars while making the sequel film.
Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz
Justin Timberlake rose to fame while he was romantically linked to Britney Spears, so he was no stranger to high-profile romances when he started dating Cameron Diaz. Diaz, the gorgeous actress who had starred in many films, and Timberlake tried to keep things low-key, but they were together for nearly four years before calling it quits in 2007.
After their break-up, Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz starred together in Bad Teacher, an outrageous comedy that centers on a teacher who hates her job. They signed on to the film knowing that it would mean spending significant time together, and both were effusive in their praise for their ex. The two were happy co-stars after the break-up.
Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder
The Vampire Diaries rose to success after the Twilight series had audiences more interested in tales of the undead beings. Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder became an item after meeting on the set of The Vampire Diaries. While they seemed to deny their romance at first, it soon became apparent that love was in the air.
Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder enjoyed a dedicated romance for years before they shocked fans by announcing their break-up in 2013. They continued to work together on the supernatural show, and it was rumored that a 10-year age gap may have been a challenge for the co-stars. Although the two talented actors grew apart, they remained friends.
Barry Williams and Maureen McCormick
Barry Williams and Maureen McCormick will forever be beloved in pop culture history as Greg Brady and Marcia Brady. The on-screen step-siblings met each other when they were still children when they joined the cast of The Brady Bunch. As they grew up close to one another with their hormones raging, both experienced an intense attraction to each other.
For obvious reasons, such as the public’s perception of them as on-screen siblings, Barry and Maureen were discouraged from pursuing their interest in each other off-screen. They did, however, date and even made out, according to their memoirs. The romance was short-lived, and the two ultimately decided to remain friends. Barry and Maureen continued to work together, and the two can even be seen in the upcoming HGTV show A Very Brady Renovation.
Chad Michael Murray and Sophia Bush
Chad Michael Murray enjoyed time as a teen heartthrob. He was the romantic interest in Freaky Friday, and his star continued to rise on One Tree Hill where he enjoyed a romance with Sophia Bush who has also enjoyed a prolific career. Sophia and Chad met on the set of One Tree Hill, and they got married while filming the TV show.
Unfortunately, their on-screen and off-screen romances weren’t meant to last. Sophia and Chad got divorced during the making of One Tree Hill after only months of marriage. To this day, Sophia is disappointed in how the break-up was handled by the producers of the show, recently revealing that she thinks the break-up was exploited by the show.
Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan
Jennifer Garner’s most well-known romance may be her much-reported-on marriage to Ben Affleck, but she was also once involved with co-star Michael Vartan on the set of Alias. Jennifer and Michael played characters Sydney and Michael on the show, while their romance was heating up behind the scenes. They dated for about half a year after Garner divorced her first husband Scott Foley.
Although Garner and Vartan broke up while filming Alias, they remained friends and happy co-stars on the award-winning series. Jennifer Gardner and Michael Vartan have remained friends through the years. In fact, when Vartan turned 50 in November 2018, Gardner posted an affectionate post on Instagram to celebrate his milestone birthday.
Brian Austin Green and Tori Spelling
Brian Austin Green and Tori Spelling were the few actual teenagers among the cast of the 1990’s mega-successful TV show Beverly Hills, 90210. They would ultimately become one of the most iconic on-screen couples on the beloved show, yet many people didn’t know that sparks flew between the two young actors in real life.
When Tori Spelling appeared on Lifetime’s Celebrity Lie Detector, she fondly recalled their young romance. Although Tori and Brian didn’t have a lasting romance in real-life, their characters David and Donna were together for years on the show. The last episode revolved around the marriage of David and Donna, with Tori and Brian even writing some of the wedding vows that wound up in the show.
Tiffani Thiessen and Brian Austin Green
Brian Austin Green and Tiffani Thiessen were a real-life couple long before they became co-stars on Beverly Hills, 90210. Tiffani had been catapulted to stardom in another iconic TV show of the time, Saved by the Bell. When Shannen Doherty left Beverly Hills, 90210, the show needed another charismatic leading lady, and in came Brian’s then-girlfriend Tiffani Thiessen.
Although Brian Austin Green and Tiffani Thiessen had a strong romance and even shared a home for a while, the two young stars broke up while filming Beverly Hills, 90210. They were able to remain friendly co-stars, and Green and Thiessen shared many scenes together on the popular, long-running show after the break-up.
Crystal Reed and Daniel Sharman
Teen Wolf has been adapted several times since the original movie starring Michael Landon graced theaters. During the making of the recent teen show Teen Wolf that premiered in 2011, stars Crystal Reed and Daniel Sharman started a romance. Within a year of the show’s premiere, the actors were seen out and about together, going so far as to show public displays of affection.
Unfortunately, the young romance ran its course. Within two years of the stars of their romance, Crystal Reed and Daniel Sharman split up. Reed shared that she went to Paris after the break-up to start the new phase of her life as a single person, and the two were able to maintain a happy, healthy professional relationship on the set of Teen Wolf.
Dominic Cooper and Ruth Negga
Ruth Negga and Dominic Cooper had a long romance before they became co-stars on Preacher. They originally met in London when the two were appearing in a play together, and they were excited to work together as a couple on Preacher. They had previously worked together on such projects as Warcraft.
Although Ruth Negga and Dominic Cooper started filming Preacher while they were a devoted couple, the two broke up during the making of the show. They were able to continue to work well together, and they put on a united front for the premiere of the third season of Preacher only two months after their split.
Rose Leslie and Kit Harington
Rose Leslie and Kit Harington met on the set of Game of Thrones, a show is such a smash success that it became a household name in its first season. Leslie and Harington played the on-screen couple Ygritte and Jon Snow, but their real-life fairy tale story seems to be far romantic than anything that appeared on the show.
Although Kit and Rose had an enduring off-screen romance, the two split up during the making of the show. They continued to work together, and before long, they had reconciled. The two couldn’t stay apart. In fact, Rose Leslie and Kit Harington are enjoying their real-life happy ending; they got married on June 23, 2018.