Breaking up is hard to do. Especially when a relationship plays out in the public eye. Celebrity couples often flaunt their seemingly perfect unions on social media. Fans watch on as famous couples declare their love and frolic the globe, hand in hand. So, it must be really hard to suffer through a breakup while the whole world watches on.
Thanks to social media, celebrities can reach out to their fans directly and check in with them after a split. These stars take to Instagram to announce exactly how they’re doing after a nasty breakup. These well thought out posts are often strategic and designed to let their ex know that they’re doing better without them, thank you very much. Other heartbroken celebrities let someone else do the talking and simply post an inspirational quote.
Some of them jet off on vacation and share photos of themselves acting carefree on the beach. The more devastated stars post a forlorn pic of them fighting back tears. That first post is so important and can be very telling. They have a reputation to uphold. We’ve scoured these celebrity’s Instagram accounts to bring you 18 celeb’s first social media pics after a big breakup.
18 Gigi Hadid Doesn't Care
Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik recently ended their high profile romance. The power couple claimed that conflicting schedules got in the way and fans were sad to learn the news on social media. Gigi posted her first break up Instagram and it wasn’t dedicated to her ex-boyfriend. It seems like the only person on her mind was sister, Bella Hadid.
Gigi posted a pic of her and Bella sitting in the backseat of a car with the caption, “Miss u sister.” Both models looked amazing in the snap. The younger sibling was in Shanghai at the time promoting Dior Makeup, so big sis took a moment to give a shout out to her little sis. It seems like Zayn was the last thing on Gigi’s mind and she wanted the world to know that she was just fine since the breakup.
17 Zayn Malik Looks Heartbroken
Poor Zayn posted his first pic on social media after things ended with Gigi and by the looks of it, he wasn't holding up that well. The photo was of him gazing down and looking like he was about to burst into tears at any moment. There was no caption, just a blank space where his heart used to be. He actually posted a series of broody pics as he licked his wounds on social media.
The couple had been very public about their relationship and had taken to Instagram often to flaunt their seemingly perfect relationship. So, it seems fitting that the two of them would quietly return to the platform post-breakup. Gigi came out on top in this case and Zayn should probably log off and try to recover in private.
16 Lady Gaga Opens Up
Lady Gaga and Taylor Kenny seemed like the ultimate couple. They were totally supportive of each other but her crazy work schedule became a problem. The two broke up in July of 2016. Gaga used Instagram as a platform to reach out to her fans after the split and posted a pic of her and Taylor walking arm in arm.
She totally opened up and wrote a painfully honest caption, “Taylor and I have always believed we are soul mates. Just like all couples, we have ups and downs, and we have been taking a break. We are both ambitious artists, hoping to work through long-distance and complicated schedules to continue the simple love we always shared. Please root us on. We’re just like everybody else and we really love each other.”
15 Chris Pratt Posts Father/Son Bonding
Chris Pratt and Anna Faris seemed like they were totally in love so it shocked the world when they announced that they were getting a divorce in 2017. Everyone began speculating what could have gone wrong. Reports surfaced that Anna wanted more kids while Chris wanted to focus on his career. Others speculated that Anna was jealous of his success and felt totally insecure.
Chris took a long break from social media after the announcement and finally returned after a 3-month hiatus. He posted an adorable pic of him flexing his muscles with son Jack and a friend. The trio posed in front of a Thor Ragnarok promotional poster. Chris commented on how amazing the movie was and that he was proud to be a part of the Marvel universe. It’s so sweet that his post-breakup post was with his little guy.
14 Amber Heard Asks For Privacy
Poor Amber Heard doesn’t have the best luck when it comes to relationships. First, she endured a high profile divorce from Johnny Depp and then suffered a breakup from business magnate, Elon Musk. The very private actress took to Instagram to announce the split and ask her fans for a little bit of space. She posted a photo of a swimming pool with the word “GIVE” spelled on the ground with flower petals.
Amber wrote, “Being in the public eye means having to explain yourself to so many people, so much of the time. In this case, I’d like to remain more quiet. Although we have broken up, Elon and I care deeply for one another and remain close. Thank you for the continued support, respect, and privacy during these difficult, and very human times.”
13 Justin Theroux Gets Comfort From Puppies
It can’t be easy to break up with Jennifer Aniston. Let’s face it, she’s pretty much perfect, so I don’t blame Justin Theroux at all for distracting himself with a litter of adorable puppies. The actor was in Austin, Texas to promote the shelter Austin Pets Alive! He posted his first post-split pic on Instagram and we have to admit, it was pretty cute. The actor showed off a snap of him canoodling with tiny pitbulls.
The caption was just as sweet. He gave a shout out to the shelter writing, “I cannot understand how they do what they do, day after day, so consistently and lovingly to save so many dogs and cats. I HIGHLY recommend going in and getting your nose bit by a toothless baby pitbull. These two aren’t ready yet to go, but when they are go get ‘em.”
12 Lena Dunham Starts Over
Lena Dunham and Jack Antonoff seemed like they had what it took to make things last. Each of them would often plastered their relationship on social media, sharing pics of them looking adorable and totally in love. Well, the couple called it quits after dating for five years and it seems like Lena might be going through an inspiration phase as she recovers from the breakup. Most girls go through this phase after a separation.
The actress posted a quote from #mindbodygram that read, “Starting over is the beautiful moment where you choose yourself.” The pic was accompanied by the caption “forever love” and two heart emojis. As far as post-breakup posts go, this one shows us that Lena is doing her best to stay strong and taking some time to work on herself.
11 Justin Bieber Gets Weird
Drama unfolded for the “on-again off-again” couple, Justin Beiber and Selena Gomez, when he was spotted hanging with a girl name Baskin Champion behind her back. Fans waited with baited breath to see what each of them would post to social media in the wake of their relationship drama. Justin did not disappoint when he posted a bizarre pic on Instagram recently.
The picture in question was a photoshopped image of what we can guess is either him or some random ugly dude, with a Pinocchio nose and his hair pulled back in a low ponytail. The pic was accompanied with the caption, “It’s time that I introduced you to my brother Tony Bieber.” Those who may have hoped that he would shed some light on his relationship status were totally let down.
10 Khloe Kardashian Waxes Poetic
Klhoe Kardashian went through a super painful public split. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star was put through the ringer by her ex-husband, Lamar Odom. He was caught in an infidelity scandal and nearly died of his struggle with substance dependency issues. Khloe sped to be by his side and helped him throughout his long recovery.
Despite her unwavering support, the couple’s divorce was finalized in December of 2016. Klhoe took to Instagram to commemorate the one year anniversary of their divorce. She posted a pic of a quote that read, ‘What was it like to lose him? Asked Sorrow. There was a long pause before I responded: It was like hearing every goodbye ever said to me - said all at once.’
9 Drake Gets Emo
Drake and Rhianna were one of those magical couples that fans rooted for. So, it was pretty devastating when the two decided to call things off. Drake posted a cryptic message on social media a few days after the split in October of 2016. The rapper shared a pic on Instagram of him, sitting in the back of a vehicle, with the window rolled down, and looks totally depressed in the black and white photo.
The caption read, “Too mix up in drama to free my mind but I'm praying for you even in your darkest times.” I don’t want to look too deeply into this one, but my guess is that he’s praying for Rhianna. I think that we all need to pray for Drake. He’s totally sad, y’all.
8 Diane Kruger Gives Her Final Thoughts
Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson broke up in October of 2016 after being together for ten years. Rumors were circulating at the time that Diane cheated on Josh with Norman Reedus, who she met on set while working on the film Sky. The actress chose to air her dirty laundry on social media and posted a strange quote on Instagram.
The photo read, “A relationship without trust is like having a phone with no service. And what do you do with a phone with no service? You play games.” Diane captioned the photo with a series of hashtags that alluded to the fact that she was totally kidding and for fans not to look too far into her post. She claims that she just saw the post and thought it was funny.
7 Alicia Silverstone Escapes To The Beach
Clueless star, Alicia Silverstone, split from her husband of 13 years. She and Jarecki announced their separation in February of this year. Alicia hopped on a plane with her son, Bear Blue. The mom and son duo engaged in some quality one-on-one time while vacationing in Hawaii.
Alicia shared pics of their adventures on the beach and didn’t seem phased that she and her husband had just broken up. She shared pics of their tropical escape on Instagram with a picture of Bear. The caption read, “This trip is amazing. Even the drive from the airport was so pretty. Walking to the health food store, Harvest market. So sweet to do. Farmer’s Market was fun, just a 3 minute walk. There was a lovely little band playing at the market, the backdrop of the mountains was so pretty.”
6 Kourtney Kardashian Gets A Little Help From Her Sisters
Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick may have three kids together but the couple broke up in 2015 and have never gotten back together. They may co-parent together and jet off on family vacations, but they have yet to reunite. During those first few weeks after Kourtney kicked Scott out for his partying ways, she took to Instagram to let her fans know that she was leaning on her sisters for support.
She posted selfies with her sisters, Kim and Khloe. The three of them look like a unified front as they all wore white when they went out to dinner. “My aces. Can you have two aces?! Well lucky me, I do," Kourtney captioned the photo. Scott posted his own pic while he was at a night club appearance in Las Vegas the same weekend.
5 Gwen Stefani Puts On War Paint After Infidelity Scandal
Remember when Gavin Rossdale cheated on Gwen Stefani with the nanny? Fans were totally shocked to learn that the rockstar couple was headed for spiltsville. After having three sons together, I’m sure that Gwen was pretty devastated. Well, you wouldn’t have known it from the first Instagram she posted after the scandal broke.
She posted a photo of herself in full makeup while wearing a sassy red kimono. Her entire beauty squad posed behind her as if they were totally backing her up. “Getting ready for the @nbcthevoice” and listed all the people who helped make her look glam. It appeared to be a promotional post for The Voice but we all know that she wanted Gavin to see how flawless and unfazed she looked.
4 Audrina Patridge Posts Video Of Her Daughter
Audrina Patridge went through a nasty separation from her husband, Corey Bohan. The former Hills star filed a temporary restraining order against Bohan, and filed for divorce a mere two days later. They had been married for 10 months when Bohan became possessive and angry. It seems like things got out of hand between them.
Audrina posted a video of her baby girl on Instagram and thanked fans for their support."Light of my life. This little beauty lights up the room wherever she is," Patridge wrote, adding, "I appreciate all your thoughts & messages, this is a difficult time but we are doing ok xoxo (Kirra loves this little dress my grandma made it for my aunt 50+ years ago and it's still in perfect condition & cute as ever).”
3 Selena Gomez Attacks Beauty Myths
Selena Gomez and Justin Beiber keep the world guessing and fans scratched their heads when Justin was spotted out with another girl behind Selena’s back. While we know that Justin posted a cryptic pic to social media, Selena went another direction. Her first Instagram post after all the drama was a video of her playing on a boat while on vacation in Australia. Her message totally attacked the beauty myth.
"The beauty myth- an obsession with physical perfection that traps modern woman in an endless cycle of hopelessness, self consciousness, and self-hatred as she tries to fulfill society's impossible definition of flawless beauty. I chose to take care of myself because I want to, not to prove anything to anyone. Wind in her sails." Selena captioned the video.
2 Ewan McGregor's Estranged Wife Goes On An Adventure
Actor Ewan McGregor totally cheated on his wife Eve Mavrakis. The couple had been married for 22 years when he started a romance with Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Single life seems to suit Eva as she posted an Instagram picture of her family on vacation for the first time without Ewan. The trip took place last New Years Eve and the photograph was of her daughters posing in the crystal clear ocean water.
The photo was accompanied by the caption, 'This will be our Christmas/New Year card. Happy 2018! I am so thankful for my loving, caring girls. Happy, peaceful and adventurous New 2018 to all my friends and family. With love.…' Nothing seems to be holding this woman down. Not even her philandering husband could ruin their tropical getaway.
1 Heidi Klum Bares It All
Model Heidi Klum publicly split from boyfriend, Vito Schnabel. She had been in a relationship with the art dealer for three years when they decided to call it quits. The couple lived on opposite coasts and the distance just became too much to handle. Although Schnabel was spotted kissing another woman in London, he claimed he was innocent of cheating on Heidi.
Two weeks after announcing the breakup, Heidi took to Instagram to publicly deal with her grief over the separation. She posted a nude photo of herself from the back and exposed her spine. The image looked tender and fragile all at once. The caption read.“My backbone made of steel and my heart made of gold.” She added the hashtag “I was not built to break.”
Sources: harpersbazaar.com, cosmopolitan.com, popculture.com, nydailynews.com, dailymail.co.uk
