Some of the most iconic celeb couples of all time — think Zendaya and Tom Holland or Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton — were costars before they fell in love. However, there are plenty of under-the-radar celeb couples who also met on set.
Here are 15 costars you had no idea dated:
1.
Jackée Harry was romantically involved with Ray J, her costar from the 2012 movie Switchin’ the Script. Jackée played the main character’s mother, and Ray J played David, the main love interest.
On The Real, she said, “I’ve already had Ray J… He loves older women, though. Y’all know that. And he’s a nice young man. We did a movie together… And we had a ball. He’s very sophisticated — very, very.”
2.
Between Us costars David Harbour and Julia Stiles reportedly dated for four years. They starred as Joel and Grace in the movie, which followed a pair of couples who get together multiple times over the years.
They were together from 2011–2015. While they made several red carpet appearances together, neither has ever publicly spoken about the relationship or breakup.
3.
Sandra Bullock reportedly dated her Murder by Numbers costar Ryan Gosling. He played Richard Haywood, a high school student who commits murder, and she played Det. Cassie Mayweather, who investigates the case.
They met on set in 2001, then they made their red carpet debut at the movie’s premiere during the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.
The relationship ended in 2003. Several years later, Ryan told the Times, “I had two of the greatest girlfriends of all time [Sandra Bullock and Rachel McAdams]. I haven’t met anybody who could top them… Show business is the bad guy. When both people are in show business, it’s too much show business. It takes all of the light, so nothing else can grow.”
4.
Gifted costars and onscreen love interests Chris Evans and Jenny Slate dated from mid-2016 to February 2017. Then, they reconciled in November, but four months later, it was over for good. In the movie, he played Frank Adler, a man raising his mathematical prodigy niece, and she played Bonnie Stevenson, the girl’s teacher.
They met during a chemistry read for the film. In 2017, Jenny told Vulture, “I remember him saying to me, ‘You’re going to be one of my closest friends.’ I was just like, ‘Man, I fucking hope this isn’t a lie, because I’m going to be devastated if this guy isn’t my friend.’ … I first really liked Chris as a person because he is so unpretentious. He is a straight-up 35-year-old man who wants to play games. That’s it. I was like, ‘I’d better not discount this, because this is purity.'”
“What’s the same about us is not just that we’re from Massachusetts, which was such a delight, but Chris is truly one of the kindest people I’ve ever met, to the point where sometimes I would look at him and it would kind of break my heart. He’s really vulnerable, and he’s really straightforward. He’s like primary colors. He has beautiful, big, strong emotions, and he’s really sure of them. It’s just wonderful to be around. His heart is probably golden-colored, if you could paint it,” she said.
Their relationship didn’t begin on set. She said, “To be quite honest, I didn’t think I was his type. Eventually, when it was like, Oh, you have these feelings for me?, I was looking around like, Is this a prank? I mean, I understand why I think I’m beautiful, but if you’ve had a certain lifestyle and I’m a very, very different type of person — I don’t want to be an experiment… If you are a woman who really cares about her freedom, her rights, her sense of being an individual, it is confusing to go out with one of the most objectified people in the entire world.”
Chris’s intense level of fame caused Jenny, who was used to being able to lead a semi-normal life, a lot of anxiety. She also hadn’t processed her separation from her husband at the time, Dean Fleischer Camp, as much as she needed to. She said, “I just didn’t have the tools. And I didn’t think very hard about that, to be honest. I wanted to step into the light. Chris is a sunny, loving, really fun person, and I didn’t really understand why I should be prudent.”
She also said that, after the breakup, “We’re not on bad terms, but we haven’t really seen each other, spoken a lot. I think it’s probably best. I’d love to be his friend one day, but we threw down pretty hard. No regrets, though. Ever.”
5.
Alexis Bledel had a brief relationship with her Gilmore Girls costar, Jared Padalecki. She, of course, starred as Rory Gilmore, and he played Rory’s love interest, Dean Forester.
In 2021, Jared told Glamour, “I had never met Alexis before the show. We did date, but they cast me as a human being, and then I became a boyfriend. When Alexis and I met, we were both 17 years old and were both Texans and kind of in this new, strange city, and I was like, ‘Hey, want to go out to dinner?’ I know she dated Milo [Ventimiglia] for a while, and yes, she and I did date.”
He continued, “I think we dated during Season 1… I don’t know if we tried to keep it a secret. I wish it was scandalous or something! I think it was more kind of silly. We were two 17-year-old kids who were like, ‘Hey, you want to go bowling?’ It wasn’t anything super juicy.”
6.
Made in America costars Ted Danson and Whoopi Goldberg dated for under a year and a half. She played Sarah Mathews, who tells her daughter she was donor-conceived, and he played Hal Jackson, the sperm donor.
They first crossed paths when they both appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show in 1988. However, it wasn’t until they played love interests in the 1993 comedy that sparks flew. Initially, they kept their relationship hidden because Ted was still married, but his wife, Casey Coates, discovered the truth and filed for divorce.
Their split reportedly boiled down to the intense personal scrutiny they faced as well as their personal differences. Whoopi told Closer, “It was really painful, and it was very public. And the loss of his friendship hurts a great deal. We can never go and have a soda, anywhere. I’m friends with almost every man I’ve gone out with, except this man.”
7.
Elizabeth Olsen was with her Very Good Girls costar Boyd Holbrook for three years, and they were even engaged in 2014. In the movie, she played Gerri, who falls for the same man as her best friend. Boyd played David, the man at the center of their love triangle.
In 2014, Elizabeth told Marie Claire UK, “I’m relaxed about [the wedding], but I am excited and planning ideas because it’s fun. It’s just like throwing a party to celebrate life. I love being in a relationship a lot.”
However, they called things off in the fall of 2014. A year later, Boyd told Man of the World that the split felt like “divorce.” He said, “On the same day that my best friend died, I got a call from my girl to tell me it was over. It was depression. David [Armstrong, the photographer who was his best friend] was the first person in my life to encourage me.”
8.
Emma Stone and Kieran Culkin have shared the screen several times. Their relationship began after 2009’s Paper Man, where she played Abby, a high school student who befriends the protagonist, and he played Christopher, Abby’s imaginary friend.
They dated from 2010–2011.
After their relationship ended, Emma and Kieran remained good friends. In 2024, he told Rolling Stone, “It’s funny to even say ‘ex.’ To me, she’s just a really good friend of mine and my wife’s. She’s lovely and great.”
He continued, “I met her when the rocket took off. I was right at the beginning of the huge launch; I got to watch all that firsthand. And I remember at the time that I was a little more aware of the direction she was going than she was. She would be like, ‘Oh my god! I just got this opportunity…’ And I’d be like, ‘Yeah, but of course you did! Everyone loves you, and you’re great.’ I remember her letting out a blood-curdling scream on the phone, and I came running over thinking somebody had died, and she’s weeping, and I’m rubbing her back thinking I have to get a Scotch ready for her or something, and she was like, ‘I’ve just been asked to host SNL!’ And I gave her the biggest fuckin’ hug. It was so great to be a part of that moment because that was her life goal, to host SNL, and she achieved it at 21. She didn’t think she was in that field, and I was like, ‘Of course you are!'”
9.
Margaret Qualley reportedly dated her Palo Alto costar Nat Wolff for about four years. He played high school stoner Fred, one of the friends at the center of the film, and she played the minor role of teen soccer player Raquel.
Margaret and Nat ended things in 2017, the same year they costarred in Death Note. Director Adam Wingard told British Vogue that the former couple’s onscreen chemistry was “the best [he’s] ever seen.”
10.
Rendition costars Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon reportedly dated from 2007–2009. She played Isabella Fields El-Ibrahimi, a pregnant woman searching for her missing chemical engineer husband, who’s been detained and tortured by US officials. Jake played CIA analyst Douglas Freeman, who observes the interrogation.
A source told People, “Jake went and introduced himself to Reese. Things slowly progressed, but it was never something she thought would happen from the start. She just kind of developed this little crush over time.”
In 2008, Reese told Vogue, “He’s very supportive. Suffice it to say, I’m very happy in life, and I’m very lucky to have a lot of really supportive people around me who care very much for me, and, you know, that’s all you can hope for in life. I am very blessed in that way.”
Different views on marriage reportedly contributed to the demise of their relationship. A source told People that Jake “would marry her tomorrow,” but Reese, who’d recently gone through a divorce, didn’t “want to go there yet.”
11.
Leighton Meester dated her Gossip Girl love interest, Sebastian Stan, from 2008 to 2010. They played onscreen couple Blair Waldorf and Carter Baizen.
In 2024, Sebastian told Variety, “It was the first time I was in serious love with somebody. Walking around the city, seeing these same buildings and streets — life seemed simpler.”
In 2011, a few months after their breakup, Leighton told Seventeen, “I’ve only had one experience where it was really hard, and I was really sad when it ended. I’ve never really liked anybody before. Even when I would date guys, it would sort of be on the surface, and it was always a relief when we broke up.”
12.
The Black Dahlia costars Scarlett Johansson and Josh Hartnett were a thing for almost two years. He played Detective Bucky Bleichert, and she played his partner’s girlfriend, Kay, who later becomes Bucky’s romantic interest.
They started dating after meeting on set in 2005, but it seemingly made sex scenes awkward. In 2006, Josh told TMZ, “It was very difficult for me. Those scenes are eternally awkward because you got a bunch of sweaty dudes sitting and watching you, and you’re just hoping to make it intimate, make it real.”
However, they really enjoyed working together. During the movie’s press run, Scarlett said, “Josh is such a wonderful actor. I’ve always admired him and felt that he was a very, very talented young actor. He’s very intense when he works. He’s very focused, very passionate about what he’s doing, and I really appreciate that.”
In the same interview, Josh said, “Scarlett is intuitive, open, and present on the film set. She’s a lot of fun to work with. She makes everything lighter than you would expect. Everybody has a little bit of a spring in their step when Scarlett’s on set, but she keeps the work at the forefront of her mind, and she does terrific work.”
However, in 2007, they reportedly had a “really painful” breakup as a result of their busy schedules keeping them apart.
13.
Melissa Joan Hart “kind of had a little thing with” her Sabrina the Teenage Witch costar Ryan Reynolds. In the 1996 movie that predated the TV series, she, of course, played the titular witch, and he played her high school crush, Seth.
Appearing on Hey Dude… The 90s Called! in 2023, Melissa said, “We were smitten and cute. He was adorable. He was a really nice guy… I had a boyfriend at the time. [He] probably would have been a great boyfriend. And I didn’t end up with the other guy, so maybe I should have taken a chance!”
She said that, on the day filming wrapped, he gifted her a Bulova watch. She said, “I chased him down, got in front of his car and just kissed him and then made out with him all night. Then I had to call my boyfriend the next day and explain it… [Ryan] came to New York to visit me. But I think he wanted something more, but I decided I was going to stick with my boyfriend.”
14.
Friends star Matthew Perry and guest star Julia Roberts dated for a few months between 1995 and 1996. He, of course, played Chandler Bing, and she appeared on “The One After the Superbowl” as Susie, Chandler’s old friend who seeks revenge on him for embarrassing her in elementary school.
In his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Matthew wrote, “Marta Kauffman, the Friends co-creator, approached me and said I should probably send flowers to Julia Roberts. You mean the biggest-star-in-the-universe Julia Roberts? ‘Sure, great, why?’ I said. Turned out Julia had been offered the post-Super Bowl episode in Season 2, and she would only do the show if she could be in my storyline… But first, I had to woo her. I thought long and hard about what to say on the card. I wanted it to sound professional, star to star. (Well, star to much bigger star.) But I wanted something a tad flirty in there too, to match what she had said. I’m still proud of what I settled on. I sent her three dozen red roses, and the card read: ‘The only thing more exciting than the prospect of you doing the show is that I finally have an excuse to send you flowers.'”
He continued, “Her reply was that if I adequately explained quantum physics to her, she’d agree to be on the show. Wow. First of all, I’m in an exchange with the woman for whom lipstick was invented, and now I have to hit the books. The following day, I sent her a paper all about wave-particle duality and the uncertainty principle and entanglement, and only some of it was metaphorical. Not only did Julia agree to do the show, but she also sent me a gift: bagels – lots and lots of bagels… Thus began a three-month-long courtship by daily faxes.”
He was filming Friends, and Julia was shooting a movie in France, so they’d fax each other three to four times a day. He said, “Then early one morning, something changed. Julia’s fax veered romantic. I called a friend and said, ‘I’m in over my head. You have to come over right away. Tell me if I’m wrong.’ When he arrived, I showed him the fax, and he said, ‘Yup, you are not wrong. You are most certainly in over your head.’ ‘What am I supposed to send back?’ ‘Well, how do you feel?’ ‘Oh, f*** off,’ I said. ‘Just tell me what to say.’ So, ‘Cyrano’ and I compiled and sent a fax that veered romantic too… After about ten minutes, the jarring sound of the fax machine – all bongs and whirrs and hissing messages from outer space – filled my apartment. ‘Call me,’ it said, and her phone number was at the bottom.”
He called her, and they talked for five and a half hours. A few days later, she called again and told him, “I’ll be at your house at 2 pm Saturday.” They became a couple before her guest appearance on his show. However, a few months later, Matthew ended things. He wrote, “Dating Julia Roberts had been too much for me. I had been constantly certain that she was going to break up with me. Why would she not? I was not enough; I could never be enough; I was broken, bent, unloveable. So instead of facing the inevitable agony of losing her, I broke up with the beautiful and brilliant Julia Roberts. She might have considered herself slumming it with a TV guy, and TV guy was now breaking up with her. I can’t begin to describe the look of confusion on her face.”
15.
And finally, Unhappily Ever After costars Kevin Connolly and Nikki Cox dated around 1998. They played siblings Ryan and Tiffany Malloy.
On a 2023 episode of Hey Dude… The 90s Called!, Kevin said, “Nikki Cox, who played my sister, and I started dating between Seasons 4 and 5. A couple of days before the table read for Season 5… Jeremy London called me and said, ‘Kevin, get in your car…’ He said, ‘Get in your car, drive down to 7-Eleven, and open the National Enquirer.’ I get in the car and drive up the street. I’ve got a knot in my stomach and start flipping through into the Enquirer. And there’s a picture of Bobcat [Goldthwait, who voiced the puppet Mr. Floppy] and Nikki dating. And then the next day, or like two days later, I had to go into that table reading, and we had to just gut out 24 weeks of misery… It was pretty terrible. Yeah, I was gutted. I couldn’t sleep. It was one of those jobs.”
Who’s your favorite underrated costar couple? Let us know in the comments!
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