Who doesn’t love a goodromance? Audiences love to see sparks fly and happily ever afters on the big screen. We can often feel the characters' passion in our seats. And that’s because sometimes, the on-screen chemistry that we see is real. Many actors fall in love while filming a movie – and is it really a surprise? Two beautiful people spending months together, often sharing intimate moments while shooting. These co-stars left the set together hand in hand, their characters' happy endings carrying over into the real world. Well, sometimes.
These Hollywood romances have enamored us and swept us off our feet. Some of them are scandalous, while others have become their own classic love stories. Let’s take a look at ten real-life couples who fell in love on movie sets.
10Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. - I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
I Know What You Did Last Summer
She was a badass who slayed vampires and dominated film and television. He was the star of several popular high school movies. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. were major 90s heartthrobs, so it surprised absolutely no one when they hit it off while filming theclassic summer slasherI Know What You Did Last Summer.Although they met in 1997, Gellar and Prinze didn’t officially begin dating until 2000. They were wed just two years later and are still married today, making them a rare but refreshing example of a successful Hollywood marriage.
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9Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield - The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Manrebooted the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man franchise and brought in new actors and actresses to play our favorite characters. Andrew Garfield was cast as the new Spidey, and Emma Stone was cast as his new love interest, Gwen Stacy. Their scenes together feel passionate and intense, probably because they were falling for each other in real life. Stone and Garfield became a favorite celebrity couple. But as their careers took off, their relationship seemed to flounder. They separated after four years, though they still seem to be on good terms.
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8Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck - Gigli (2003)
Gigliis widely perceived as one of the worst movies ever made. But it did give us “Bennifer”, the media’s nickname for the union ofGigli’sco-stars Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. Their relationship was highly publicized and became the talk of Hollywood, fortunately overshadowinghow horriblyGiglibombed at the box office. The two became engaged but called things off soon after. Affleck would go on to marry Jennifer Garner, who he also met on the set of their movieDaredevil.Surprisingly, after twenty years of other marriages and relationships, Lopez and Affleck got back together and finally tied the knot in 2022.
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7Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes - The Place Beyond the Pines (2013)
The Place Beyond the Pines
Long before he appeared inBarbie, Ryan Gosling starred in a little movie calledThe Place Beyond the Pines. In it, he plays a bank robber who’s trying to support his wife (Eva Mendes) and their infant son. Even back then, Gosling had enough Kenergy to snag co-star Eva Mendes. “And there were moments onThe Place Beyond the Pineswhere we were pretending to be a family, and I didn’t really want it to be pretend anymore,” Gosling shared in aGQinterview. “I realized that this would be a life I would be really lucky to have.” Doesn’t that just make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?
Gosling and Mendes lived out their dream from the movie (though with a lot less violence): they got hitched and started a family. Despite their famous names, the pair live a fairly private life away from the spotlight.
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6Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively - Green Lantern (2011)
Green Lantern
Sworn to preserve intergalactic order, the Green Lantern Corps has existed for centuries. Its newest recruit, Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds), is the first human to join the ranks. The Green Lanterns have little regard for humans, who have thus far been unable to harness the powers of the ring each member wears. But Jordan, a gifted and cocky test pilot, may be the corps' only hope when a new enemy called Parallax threatens the universal balance of power.
2011’sGreen Lanternwasa box office bombthat ranks as one of the worst superhero movies ever made. That green CGI suit is arguably worse than Joel Schumacher’s Batnipples. The best thing to come out ofGreen Lanternis the swoon-worthy romance between co-stars Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively. Despite their magnetic chemistry, the duo didn’t get together until afterGreen Lanternhad wrapped up production. A year later, they were on, what Ryan Reynolds describes toPeople, as the most awkward double date ever – not with each other, but with separate partners. “It was like the most awkward date for the respective parties because we were just like fireworks coming across,” Reynolds explained.
Reynolds and Lively couldn’t avoid the fireworks. They’ve been married since 2012 and have four kids together. During that time, they’ve become one of Hollywood’s favorite and most endearing celebrity couples. Fans love their sense of humor and revel in their playful jabs on social media. Ever see the video of Ryan Reynolds staring at Blake Lively in awe as she reveals her Statue of Liberty-inspired dress at the MET Gala? That’s true love right there.
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5Zendaya and Tom Holland - Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
spider-man homecoming
Apparently, Spider-Man is good at sparking romance. Zendaya and Tom Holland were both rising stars when they appeared together in 2017’sSpider-Man: Homecoming. Since then, their Hollywood clout has grown considerably – and so has the public’s interest in their private lives. Rumors of an alleged romance between the two had been swirling for years. Fans have been analyzing every social media post, every photo and interview featuring Zendaya and Tom together, searching for hints of romance. Their cryptic messages and apparent flirtations only fueled speculation about their relationship, especially that one video where Tom Holland adorably swoons over Zendaya’s arrival at theSpider-Man: No Way Homepremiere.
And then finally, it came – a paparazzi photo capturing the two of them locked in a kiss. Although they’ve never truly confirmed their relationship, Zendaya and Tom appear everywhere together, positively glowing. They’re the new “Brangelina” (more on that next), the new celebrity power couple that everyone seems to love.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
This love story is one of the most scandalous and talked-about relationships in Hollywood. In 2005, Brad Pitt was the crush of every woman, the envy of every man, andthe biggest star in Hollywood. He was also married to another mega celebrity at the time: Jennifer Aniston. The two of them were everywhere, America’s sweethearts. And then, Brad Pitt met Angelina Jolie on the set ofMr. and Mrs. Smith.
Rumors about their affair spread like wildfire – and in the end, Jennifer Aniston got burned. She and Brad divorced, freeing him to pursue a relationship with Angelina. Their hot and steamy romance captivated America, overshadowing Brad’s previous relationship with Aniston. The two were even given a nickname: “Brangelina” (many couples now have a nickname like this, but these two were the first ones). Brangelina lasted a long time by Hollywood’s standards. They were together from 2005 to 2016, though they weren’t married until 2014. They share six children together, three of whom were internationally adopted.
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3Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn - Swing Shift (1984)
Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn first met on the set of Disney’s western musicalThe One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Bandin 1968. The film marked Goldie’s Hollywood debut, where she was cast as simply the Giggly Girl. When asked why the pair didn’t start dating back then, Hawn remarked that Russell was much too young at the time. Each of them would get married and divorced (Hawn twice, Russell once) before finding each other again in 1984’sSwing Shift.
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The chemistry between the two was undeniable and quickly led to a relationship off-screen. Although they’ve never married, Russell and Hawn have been together ever since and share a son. They are one of Hollywood’s most beloved and enduring couples.
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2Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz met while shooting the 1992 filmJamón, Jamón.But it would be another 16 years and another movie before the two finally got together. They reunited on the set of Woody Allen’sVicky Cristina Barcelona, and from there, the rest is history. They’ve been married since 2010 and share two children together.
1Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall - To Have and Have Not (1944)
The love story between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall is the stuff that movies are made of, a romance that’s as classic as old Hollywood. These two love birds met on the set ofTo Have and Have Not,a romantic war adventure directed by Howard Hawks. Despite this couple’s enduring popularity, their romance isn’t without scandal. At the time of filming,Bogart was a forty-four-year-old star with an impressive resumeand was already married to his third wife, Mayo Methot. Bacall, meanwhile, was a nineteen-year-old model, who had just been cast in her first movie.
Yet despite the twenty-five-year age gap, the two of them fell head over heels. And you can see it in the film; their chemistry is magnetic. But it wasn’t until after their second film together,The Big Sleep,that Bogart finally divorced his third wife. He and Bacall married soon after – and this time, the relationship lasted until the end of Bogart’s life.
