These 15 Celebrity Couples Once Ruled the Red Carpet

Written by Rachel Schneider on October 13, 2025 updated October 14, 2025

Two photos side by side: On the left, a woman in a decorative jacket and a man in a tuxedo pose together at an event, holding drinks. On the right, a woman hugs a man in a patterned shirt and cap at an outdoor gathering.

Relationships don’t have the best promise of longevity when it comes to celebrities (unless you’re Dolly and Carl, that is). Some celebrities have been so iconic with a specific partner that we’ve forgotten all about their previous relationships. These are the celebrity couples that were once red-hot — until, that is, they fizzled out.

1. Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder

A young couple dressed in vintage, formal clothing passionately kiss outdoors, surrounded by leafy plants. The man wears a suit and cravat; the woman wears a dark dress and pearl necklace, holding him close. — UserDeleted / Reddit.com

Their love was ignited before they starred together in “Edward Scissorhands” (which made for some seriously compelling chemistry), and for a while, we loved watching it burn.

2. Robert Downey Jr. and Sarah Jessica Parker

A man in a light blue double-breasted suit and glasses holds hands with a woman in a black blazer dress with curly blond hair; both stand indoors and look in different directions. — UserDeleted / Reddit.com

RDJ & SJP. So iconic … until they became toxic, that is.

3. Burt Reynolds and Sally Field

A man in a cowboy hat and red shirt faces a woman with long brown hair. They look at each other and smile, standing outdoors with a blurred green background. — UserDeleted / Reddit.com

Burt Reynolds and Sally Field were adorable together in “Smokey and the Bandit,” but their real-life relationship was a bit more up and down.

4. Cher and Greg Allman

Two people stand close together, looking at the camera. The woman has long dark hair and wears a dark jacket, holding a pink flower. The man has long blond hair and wears a dark suit jacket over a light shirt. — winkelschleifer / Reddit.com

The rock goddess and the Allman Brothers frontman lasted less than a year, but their brief flame burned brightly.

5. Bruce Willis and Demi Moore

A woman in a glamorous black and gold gown smiles and looks at a man in a tuxedo as they stand on a red carpet, surrounded by people dressed formally and photographers in the background. — UserDeleted / Reddit.com

Bruce and Demi were married for 13 years (which is a lot longer than most of the couples on this list), and they were once the Hollywood “it” couple. Even after the divorce, the pair continued to coparent their three daughters, and they are still friends today.

6. Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt

A man in a dark leather jacket and sunglasses stands smiling with a woman in a black sleeveless top, who is also smiling. They pose together outdoors at night, with other people and trees in the background. — WTXNews / Reddit.com

There was an uproar across the nation when Brad hopped from Jennifer to Angelina.

7. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman

A man in sunglasses and a dark suit holds hands with a woman in a sparkly silver dress. They are standing among photographers and onlookers at a formal event, with bright lights in the background. — MonsieurA / Reddit.com

Yes, this couple was hot, especially post “Days of Thunder.” Still, nothing was more iconic than when Nicole went on “Letterman” after splitting with Tom and casually remarked that she could finally wear heels again.

8. Sean Penn and Madonna

Two people pose closely together in a black and white photo. One has short, light hair and leans toward the camera, while the other, with darker hair, looks intensely forward. Their faces are side by side, showing intimate expressions. — Same_Possibility4769 / Reddit.com

They were dubbed the “toxic lovers” of the ’80s — fiery, passionate, and completely combustible.

9. Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford

A man in a black tuxedo with a red ribbon and a woman in a fitted white dress with a necklace pose together and smile at a formal event. Other people are visible in the background. — haloarh / Reddit.com

The movie star and the supermodel defined early ’90s glamour, but their age gap and careers eventually pulled them apart.

10. Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love

A woman in a white top smiles at the camera, holding a baby in yellow. Next to her, a man in a striped shirt looks ahead as she makes a peace sign gesture above his head. The sky is clear and blue in the background. — Same_Possibility4769 / Reddit.com

Music’s most tragic romance.

11. Sylvester Stallone and Brigitte Nielsen

A woman in an ornate, embellished jacket holds a glass of wine beside a man in a black tuxedo. Both face the camera at a formal event with a dimly lit background. — Zennred / Reddit.com

Ah, Hollywood’s high-voltage couple. This duo had too much brawn to last forever, apparently.

12. Barbra Streisand and Elliott Gould

A man in a light-colored coat has his arm around a woman in glasses and a dark jacket. They are standing close together and looking at the camera. The image is in black and white and appears to be taken at night. — UserDeleted / Reddit.com

Before she became an icon and he hit “M*A*S*H” fame, they were one of Hollywood’s most talented (and intense) couples.

13. Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee

A blonde woman in a shiny silver dress hugs a man wearing a plaid shirt, white T-shirt, and necklaces. They are walking outdoors at night with other people and lights in the background. — Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

Has anyone ever been more publicly all over each other than Pam and Tommy? People still talk about this hot couple today, even though they split for good 15 years ago.

14. Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton

A woman with dark hair and a grey t-shirt embraces a man wearing a patterned shirt and a black cap. They stand close together, smiling, with lights and people in the background at an event. — somegirlontheinter / Reddit.com

Okay, so Pam and Tommy might’ve walked so Angelina and Billy Bob could run. We will never forget that TMI red carpet interview …

15. Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan

A smiling woman in a strapless dress and pearl necklace stands next to a man in a suit and tie at an event, with a photographer and another person visible in the background. — eaglemaxie / Reddit.com

They were America’s sweethearts in the early ’90s until Meg’s affair with Russell Crowe made headlines everywhere.