Hollywood is known for its whirlwind romances, high-profile marriages, and dramatic breakups. Often, the line between on-screen chemistry and real-life romance blurs, leading to co-stars falling for each other despite already being in committed relationships. Here are some of the most well-known instances where actors left their spouses for their co-stars.
1. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
One of the most infamous Hollywood love triangles involved Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, and Angelina Jolie. Pitt and Aniston were considered Hollywood’s golden couple when they married in 2000. However, in 2004, while filming Mr. & Mrs. Smith, rumors swirled about Pitt’s on-set chemistry with co-star Angelina Jolie. In 2005, Pitt and Aniston announced their separation, and soon after, Pitt and Jolie went public with their relationship, earning the nickname “Brangelina.” The scandal dominated headlines for years, and although the couple went on to marry in 2014 and have six children together, they ultimately divorced in 2016.
2. LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian
LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian’s romance began in scandalous fashion. Both were married to other people when they met on the set of the 2009 TV movie Northern Lights. Rimes was married to dancer Dean Sheremet, while Cibrian was married to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Brandi Glanville. Despite the public scrutiny, Rimes and Cibrian divorced their respective spouses and married each other in 2011. The scandalous affair fueled tabloid headlines and left lasting tension, especially between Rimes and Glanville.
3. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton
One of Hollywood’s most legendary romances started in scandal. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton met while filming Cleopatra in 1963, when both were married to other people. Taylor was married to her fourth husband, Eddie Fisher, and Burton was married to Sybil Williams. Their intense on-screen chemistry spilled into real life, sparking a torrid affair that captured the attention of the global media. Both eventually left their spouses, and Taylor and Burton married in 1964. Their passionate but tumultuous relationship resulted in two marriages and two divorces, making them one of the most famous (and volatile) Hollywood couples.
4. Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott
Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott’s love story began with a scandal. The pair met in 2005 while filming Mind Over Murder, despite both being married at the time—Spelling to actor Charlie Shanian and McDermott to Mary Jo Eustace. After a brief affair, both left their respective spouses to be together, marrying in 2006. The scandal left a lasting impact, particularly on McDermott’s ex-wife, who later wrote a book about the experience. Despite their controversial start, Spelling and McDermott have remained together, though their marriage has faced its own challenges, including infidelity rumors.
5. Billy Crudup and Claire Danes
In 2003, Billy Crudup left his long-term partner, actress Mary-Louise Parker, who was seven months pregnant with their child, for his Stage Beauty co-star, Claire Danes. The affair shocked fans and the media alike, as Crudup and Parker had been a couple for nearly eight years. The public backlash was intense, especially because of the timing of the split. Crudup and Danes remained together for a few years before eventually parting ways in 2006. Despite the scandal, both actors have since moved on and enjoyed successful careers.
6. Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe
Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid seemed to have a picture-perfect marriage in the 1990s, but that image shattered when Ryan met Russell Crowe on the set of Proof of Life in 2000. The chemistry between Ryan and Crowe sparked an affair, leading to the breakdown of Ryan’s marriage to Quaid. While Ryan was largely blamed for the split, she later revealed that Quaid had been unfaithful during their marriage. Ryan and Crowe’s relationship, however, was short-lived, and the scandal contributed to the decline of Ryan’s America’s Sweetheart status in Hollywood.
7. Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Ewan McGregor made headlines in 2017 when he left his wife of 22 years, Eve Mavrakis, after being photographed kissing his Fargo co-star Mary Elizabeth Winstead. McGregor and Mavrakis shared four children, making the split particularly difficult. The scandal rocked fans, especially given the length of McGregor’s marriage and his image as a devoted family man. McGregor and Winstead continued their relationship after the affair and eventually welcomed a son together in 2021. The controversy surrounding their romance, however, remains a topic of conversation in Hollywood circles.
In the world of acting, the boundary between fiction and reality can sometimes blur, leading to real-life consequences for both the actors involved and their spouses. While love can blossom under the intense pressure of working together, it can also create fractures in existing relationships, resulting in publicized breakups and long-lasting scandals. These high-profile instances serve as a reminder that even in the glamorous world of Hollywood, love triangles and relationship drama can have very real, personal consequences.
