Over the decades, we’ve gotten used to seeing couples in Hollywood fall in love, get married, and ultimately, divorce. While their relationships are often intense and passionate, they tend to fizzle out, with only a few surviving without infidelity. Here are the top celebrity affairs that dominated headlines and ruined some of the most high-profile marriages in Hollywood.
1. Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt
Ah, one of Hollywood’s most famous affairs. Brad Pitt had sparks fly with Angelina Jolie, whom he met on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith while he was still very much with his wife, Jennifer Aniston. Aniston filed for divorce in 2005, and Jolie made headlines three years later when she stated in an interview that she was excited for her kids to see the movie since it was the film “where their parents fell in love.” Or had an affair, more accurately!
2. Olivia Wilde & Harry Styles
The age gap in this relationship wasn’t the only scandalous thing about these Don’t Worry Darling actors getting together. The timeline of when their relationship started was murky, and rumors swirled that Wilde hooked up with Styles while she was still married to her now ex-husband, Jason Sudeikis, with whom she was still living for the sake of their kids. Despite her denying an affair, much of the public seems to think otherwise.
3. Dominic West & Lily James
Ironically, the star of The Affair was caught in an affair himself. In 2020, these actors were linked after being photographed together — but the twist? West was married at the time. He quickly released a statement saying his marriage was “still strong,” but a month later, insiders claimed the couple was on the brink of divorce. They’re still together today, but let’s be real — something definitely went down.
4. Hugh Jackman & Sutton Foster
These two were friends long before sparks started to fly. Both were married to their longtime spouses when they co-starred in The Music Man on Broadway in 2021. Then, in September 2023, Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness announced their split after 27 years of marriage, and just a month later, Foster filed for divorce from her husband. According to insiders, Furness was blindsided by the affair — and found out while the show was still running.
5. Sandra Bullock & Jesse James
Bullock fell hard for motorcycle customizer Jesse James but faced public humiliation when multiple women came forward claiming they had affairs with him. Dancer Michelle McGee even stated that she slept with James on the couch in his office while he was still with Bullock. The couple split, and James eventually issued a public apology — but the marriage couldn’t be salvaged.
6. LeAnn Rimes & Eddie Cibrian
We all watched this one explode back in 2009. Rimes was married to a chef, and Cibrian was with Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Brandy Glanville. Once news of the affair broke, they both divorced their partners and married each other two years later. In an emotional op-ed, Glanville shared how mortifying it was to live through such a public betrayal, saying that Rimes had “taken over her life” and “taken her voice away.”
7. Ariana Grande & Ethan Slater
The pop star and actor met while working on Wicked — both married at the time. Grande filed for divorce from husband Dalton Gomez in January 2023, and Slater (who shares a son with his now ex-wife) filed in July that same year. Insiders told The Daily Mail they were spotted making out in pubs and showing PDA at red carpet events long before their divorces were finalized. Slater’s ex-wife later called Grande “not a girl’s girl,” saying her family had become “collateral damage.”
8. Jude Law & Sienna Miller
They weren’t married yet, but they were engaged — until Jude Law admitted to cheating on his fiancée with their nanny. In his public apology, he said he was “deeply ashamed and upset” for hurting Sienna. The nanny, however, told the press that Law was “a great lover.” Years later, in a twist of irony, Miller was photographed kissing married actor Balthazar Getty.
9. Tori Spelling & Dean McDermott
In 2024, Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott filed for divorce after many years of marriage and five kids. However, the beginning of their love story might not make you feel sympathy. In her memoir, Spelling expressed that they fell in love immediately. I fell so hard … Then I noticed he had a wedding ring. And—oh, yeah—I had a husband too. The following day, when I woke up next to Dean, I had no regrets. Something was really wrong with my marriage. Not only because I slept with this guy—though that certainly wasn’t a positive sign—but because I didn’t regret it.”
