In the real world, dating continues to be a complex mystery. In the old days, people used to meet organically and begin a courtship. While these days it’s easier to connect to people thanks to social media and websites like Tinder or Bumble, it seems to be more difficult to maintain a relationship rather than to start up a new one in this day and age. And while us normal folk find it difficult, imagine what it’s like for celebrities.
We are so fascinated with Hollywood relationships because most celeb couples invite us to take a peek into their couple worlds for brief periods at a time. Who among us isn’t fascinated by Ryan Reynolds and wife Blake Lively’s hilarious Twitter and Instagram banter? Or Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez’s glamorous Instagram posts?
The downside to being so enchanted by famous celeb couples is that when they decide to go their own separate ways, we find ourselves being devastated even though we never knew the couple in real life.
And the downside for the celebrities OTHER than ending a love? The fact that the paparazzi are everywhere, waiting to track their every move post-breakup. Here are 16 celebs who did their best to ignore the cameras and step out for the first time after announcing a major life change in their lives.
16 The Soon-To-Be Former Mrs. Tatum - Jenna Dewan
The split of Channing Tatum and wife of nine years Jenna Dewan has as to be the split shocker of the year (at least, so far that is). Both seemed like the perfect couple in every way, so when they announced their split via Instagram (in a very loving post), we were all taken aback. Cut to a few days later when Jenna Dewan was photograph leaving Soul Cycle in Los Angeles. Insiders have been actively trying to explain to different media outlets that the “marriage had been over for months,” but we refuse to believe it. The beautiful duo met on the set of the movie Step Up back in 2006 and married three years later. They have a daughter together, Everly, who was born in 2013.
15 Looking Chipper - Chris Pratt
Another devastating blow to the celebrity world was when comedian/actress Anna Faris and actor Chris Pratt announced that they were splitting up. Their marriage had been a model relationship for everyone all over the world since they seemed to be both best friends and happily in love. I suppose not everything was smooth sailing behind the scenes. Both met on the set of Take Me Home Tonight and were engaged a year later. Their marriage reflected their whirlwind courtship when they eloped on a whim following a mutual friend’s wedding in 2009. In August of 2017, both announced that they were separating and four months after, Pratt filed for divorce. Here Pratt can be seen heading to church (minus a wedding ring) with son Jack a couple days after announcing the split.
14 Down But Not Out - Jennifer Aniston
We can all agree that Jennifer Aniston had to enough heartache for one lifetime. Years ago, she and husband Brad Pitt were considered the “golden couple” in Hollywood, but we all know how that fairytale ended – with Pitt leaving Aniston for fellow actress Angelina Jolie, whom he met on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Aniston found love again years later when she met and fell in love with actor/writer/producer Justin Theroux. The couple was together for seven years and married in a surprise ceremony in 2015. They announced their separation in 2017 and Aniston was seen in public for the first time since the split in February of 2018 as she headed into the offices of Sony Studios. Aniston has been known to bounce back stronger after a split, so we don’t doubt she will again.
13 All Smiles - Brooklyn Beckham
In the Hollywood world (and in the real world) the best way to get over an ex is to just get a new love. That seems to be the case of Brooklyn Beckham. Beckham appeared to be in a serious relationship with actress Chloe Moretz for a couple of years and instead of actually announcing their split, Beckham was seen kissing and hanging out with 20-year-old model Lexi Wood in the window of a West Hollywood tattoo parlor. Fans were surprised by this since neither Beckham or Moretz publically announced a split and still follow each other on social media (and their pictures together are still posted and have yet to be purged). Moretz even posted a picture of Beckham along with the caption “Never stop smiling, I love you” on Instagram. So color us all confused.
12 Still Wearing His Wedding Ring - Channing Tatum
Since the couple announced their split, the world has been in mourning as both Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan have attempted to stay out of the public eye. However, Channing was spotted taking his daughter on a Target run. If you look close enough, you can see that Tatum is STILL wearing his wedding ring. Cosmopolitan pointed out that while it’s only been a few days since the announcement of the split, neither party has started divorce proceedings so there might be a little hope for the pretty pair? Close members of their inner circle say otherwise. “He left for weeks at a time for trips with friends,” one insider told Us Weekly. “Jenna wanted him to go out and do things he wanted to do and was always supportive. But it became clear that he enjoyed being away.” Yikes.
11 Possibly Feeling Glum - Anna Faris
Sigh, this one hurt. Everyone had always deemed Anna Faris and Chris Pratt one of the most adorable couples on the face of existence, so when they announced their split last year (and ultimately, their divorce proceedings), we were crushed. That was eight years of laughing with a cute couple all down the drain. Many “insiders” have stepped forward in order to give different takes of why the marriage fell apart, but many are saying the same thing – that Chris’ skyrocket to fame via The Guardians of the Galaxy had a lot to do with it. Anna was caught by the paparazzi, driving through Los Angeles shortly following the split. While Anna spent her time following the announcement dodging the press, Chris went front and center by taking his son to church along with appearing at the 2017 Teen Choice Awards.
10 Caught Reminiscing On Snapchat - Bella Hadid
These pictures are particularly daunting since it revolves around a seemingly loving couple who parted ways a while ago. Everyone has been buzzing about The Weeknd’s newest album, which a great deal of the songs reflects on his past exes. One such ex is Bella Hadid. The model and the singer had parted ways back in 2016 and shortly afterward, Hadid was caught reminiscing as she was looking at a picture on her phone of the two of them kissing. The moment was caught by fellow model Kelly Gale as she, Bella, and a bunch of other Victoria Secret models were on a plane headed to Paris. Gale posted the video onto her Snapchat and eagle-eyed fans were quick to notice and identify the picture Bella was feasting her eyes upon.
9 Hiking In LA - Josh Duhamel
Actor Josh Duhamel is one of Hollywood’s biggest studs, and when he and singer Fergie announced that their eight-year marriage to each other was over, we were a tad depressed. “With absolute love and respect, we decided to separate as a couple earlier this year. To give our family the best opportunity to adjust, we wanted to keep this a private matter before sharing it with the public. We are and will always be united in our support of each other and our family,” the couple said in a joint statement to People. While we assumed that Duhamel would be all gloom-and-doom following the split, he seemed perfectly happy when he was photographed hiking happily in Los Angeles. When he took his hand out of his pocket, it was clear to see that he wasn’t wearing his wedding ring.
8 Partying It Up In Brazil - Fergie
While one half of the pair goes hiking in the Hollywood hills, the other half decides to party it up after the split. Singer Fergie headed to Brazil to headline for the Rock for Rio Music Festival and looked about as happy as ever in photographs. The separation of the couple came as a shock to most people since they were seen as a loving couple. “When you go through difficult times, it really makes you stronger as a unit, as a partnership,” Fergie once told Oprah Winfrey of her marriage to Duhamel back in 2009 when rumors started swirling. “Our love today is deeper love, definitely. We’re stronger today definitely because of anything difficult that’s happened with us. We deal with it, we communicate; communicating’s the most important thing.”
7 Hitting The Red Carpet Post Breakup - Evan Rachel Wood
One way to get over a relationship in Hollywood is to stay out of sight in order to deal with the heartache in privacy. Another way? Well, heading straight back to work and immerse yourself in the red carpet lifestyle. This happened to be the case for Evan Rachel Wood, who attended the Toronto Film Festival shortly after her split with bandmate Zach Villa after being engaged for seven months. Looking extremely glamorous on the red carpet was actually the first time the Westworld actress had been seen in the public eye following the split. The two are both in a band called Rebel And A Basketcase and met back in 2015 when they both performed in a John Hughs Cabaret. Well, looking fabulous is one sure-fire way to get over a breakup.
6 Music Heals - Mariah Carey
Singer Mariah Carey has always had her highs and her lows when in relationships and when they end, she usually takes it out in her art and when she does – we all win. This happened to be the case after it was revealed the singer and James Packer broke off their engagement over two years ago. Carey literally shut down a block in the city of Toronto in order to sing at the annual Hudson’s Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday window unveiling. She brought down the house (or, rather, the streets). Previously, insiders had told media outlets that the singer was crushed following the breakup, but her performance told a different story and showed a jubilant Mariah. Nothing soothes the soul quite like Mariah Carey music around the holidays, even if it’s used to soothe Mariah’s own soul.
5 Not A Care In The World - Janet Jackson
Song goddess Janet Jackson is out there proving to us that 50 is the new 30. At 50, Jackson seemed to have her life all in order as she gave birth for the first time and had a bouncing baby boy with then-husband and billionaire Wissan Al Mana. After five years of marriage, the couple announced their split in spring of last year. She was seen for the first time following the split shopping in London. Even though she attempted to keep a low profile by dressing in head-to-toe black at one point in the outing, she was spotted quickly by the press. She seemed chipper as she and makeup artist Pat McGrath went shopping spree following the announcement of her parting ways with Al Mana. The singer had converted to Islam in order to marry Al Mana a couple years back.
4 Aaron Who? - Olivia Munn
She is the brilliant comedian who got her start as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart before moving on to star in movies like Magic Mike and TV shows like The Newsroom. He is one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time. For three years, it seemed like the pairing of Olivia Munn and Aaron Rodgers seemed like a match-made-in-Hollywood-heaven, but then the two suddenly decided to part ways in spring of 2017. Following the breakup, insiders close to the two said that Munn “is doing her best” while Rodgers is simply “trying to put the pieces back together.” That obviously didn’t take too long since he started dating former NASCAR driver Danica Patrick while Munn is living it up by taking long vacations to exotic beaches with her friends.
3 Hitting the Late Night Beat - John Mayer
Singer John Mayer has had his share of high-profile relationships. He’s been in relationships with everyone from Jennifer Love Hewitt to Jessica Simpson to Taylor Swift and like the latter, he tends to base his songs on his relationships with those particular women. One girlfriend stood out more so over the past couple of years and that girlfriend happened to be fellow singer Katy Perry. Both he and Perry dated for years before their sudden 2014 split and some insiders claimed that the parting was because Perry was “putting her work ahead of the relationship.” Mayer was seen for the first time following the split stepping out to appear on Late Night in New York City. He was able to keep a nonchalant expression as photographers snapped photos of him stepping out to head to the studio.
2 Hiding In Plain Sight - Scarlett Johansson
Much like a lot of people featured on this list, actress Scarlett Johansson has been in some very high profiled relationships (which sometimes leads to some very high profiled breakups). She was married to actor Ryan Reynolds for three years before divorcing and jumping into a relationship with Nate Naylor for nine months. But, like a majority of her relationships, she ended up splitting from him as well and attempted to go into hiding. However, she was caught going to the gym shortly after the split (wearing exercise gear and a New York Yankees cap) before grabbing some Chinese takeout on her way back home (now that’s how you get over a breakup, in my opinion). Johansson soon licked her wounds by marrying Romain Dauriac a couple years later, but that also faltered and the two divorced in 2017.
1 Who Needs Men Anyway? - Rihanna
She is the queen of romance and the ultimate warrior when it comes to picking herself up after a failed relationship. Singer Rihanna has always shown that following a particularly bad breakup, she never fails to stand up and walk proudly in public. In this case, this was the singer after she split with fellow rapper Drake back in 2016. The two had been on-and-off for years and shortly after reports started to emerge that the two had split yet again, Rihanna stepped out in New York City in "a thigh-skimming fringed skirt and red heels," looking as fierce as ever. At this time, there were also reports that Drake had moved on more quickly and it appears that those specific reports didn’t phase the singer at all and she still walked tall and looked extremely happy.
References: dailymail.co.uk, cosmopolitan.com, mtv.co.uk, usmagazine.com, okmagazine.com, eonline.com
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