The Wildest Celebrity Dating Rumors That Turned Out To Be True (And Some That Were Debunked)
We might sometimes want to believe that we're above celebrity gossip, but there's no denying that there's nothing like the thrill of learning that that celebrity couple you never thought would be together are actually dating in real life.
This article has some of the wildest times celebrity dating rumors turned out to be true – along with some of the times those rumors fizzled out after they blew up.
Seth MacFarlane And Emilia Clarke
The world was pretty shocked in 2012 when Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane was rumored to be dating Game of Thrones beauty Emilia Clarke for about a year.
While the two were photographed together a few times, they didn't officially confirm their relationship until Emilia Clarke gave an interview in 2016.
Taylor Swift And Matty Healy
When it was announced that Taylor Swift had split from her boyfriend of six years, Joe Alwyn, fans weren't expecting to hear the rumors that she had started dating the controversial frontman of The 1975, Matty Healy.
When the rumors first started, many fans wrote it off as totally fake.
But The Evidence Is Building
It looks like Taylor and Matty are in no hurry to deny the rumors, though! The two have been spotted together multiple times since the rumors broke, even once notably holding hands at a dinner together!
"I thought it was just gonna end up being a false rumor," one fan tweeted. "This is just getting insane as the weeks go by."
Debunked: Jennifer Aniston And David Schwimmer
Friends co-stars David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston had fans all a-flutter when they revealed while filming the reunion episode in 2021 that they'd both been into each other when the show was being made originally. "I had a major crush on Jen," David said.
Jennifer responded, “It was reciprocated.” Could they BE any cuter?
"Bizarre" Rumors
"We were both crushing hard on each other, but it was like two ships passing. One of us was always in a relationship, and we never crossed that boundary," David went on. This led to the rumor mill taking off because both actors were single at the time of the reunion.
Later that year, however, Jennifer denied that they were together now. "That was bizarre," she said. "I could not believe that, actually. Like, really? That's my brother."
Ben Affleck And Jennifer Lopez (Again)
The original Bennifer was one of the first IT couples of the modern era. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez got together for the first time in the early 2000s and were engaged to be married by 2002.
By 2004, the iconic couple had called off their engagement and called it quits. But that wasn't the end of Bennifer.
Two Decades Later
In 2021, after J.Lo had ended her engagement to Alex Rodriguez, rumors began swirling that she was spotted hanging out with Ben Affleck again. Lots of people wrote this off as just wishful thinking, but it was true.
The two would get married in July 2022, twenty years after their first engagement. Talk about romance!
Harry Styles And Olivia Wilde
In September 2020, director and actress Olivia Wilde cast former One Direction heartthrob Harry Styles in her movie Don't Worry Darling, and the filming would occur from October to February.
After her split from actor Jason Sudeikis became public knowledge, rumors began swirling about Olivia and Harry, although many fans brushed it off.
Then Came January
By January, this new power couple was hard to deny because the two were photographed holding hands at a friend's wedding.
While the two were tight-lipped about their relationship publicly, they were frequently spotted together, and Olivia was often seen dancing her heart out at Harry's concerts. The two would split after two years, but they definitely made a huge impact while they were together!
Debunked: Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain
While these two stars were promoting their HBO limited series Scenes From A Marriage on the red carpet, they caught a lot of attention for the way Oscar was holding Jessica's arm and appearing to be kissing and even sniffing it.
This caused a bit of drama since Jessica has been married to Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo since 2017!
Oscar Blamed It On Flatworms
"That's how Jessica and I kind of talk to each other. We're just like, little flatworms," he said of his behavior. "Maybe we should use more actual human language to talk instead of sniffing an armpit and doing things like that."
"We have all been locked in our houses for so long," Jessica explained. So there was no romance involved for these two, just flatworms!
Debunked: Selena Gomez And Chris Evans
Fans began speculating about a possible romance between this Captain America star and pop singer when Selena was filmed on TikTok wearing a sweater that looked similar to one he wore in a movie. If that didn't compel you enough, a brunette with a short bob haircut was seen in the reflection in a photo Chris posted to his own Instagram page, and fans deduced it HAD to be Selena.
However, nothing ever came of these rumors, and there's no proof these two have ever even met! They would be a gorgeous couple, though, you have to admit.
Elon Musk And Grimes
Talk about two different worlds! In 2018, rumors began to swirl that tech billionaire and future Twitter owner Elon Musk was dating independent alternative pop musician Grimes after the two attended the Met Gala together.
This seemed like such an unlikely pair that many fans of both refused to believe the rumors were true.
Then Came Baby X
In January 2020, however, Grimes left no room to wonder about their relationship status when she confirmed that she was pregnant with Musk's child!
The on-again-off-again pair are (as far as we know) currently off-again, but they now share two children together. "He's my best friend and the love of my life, and my life and art are forever dedicated to The Mission now," Grimes tweeted after their most recent breakup. So sweet!
Debunked: Noah Cyrus and Demi Lovato
While pop star and former Disney star Demi Lovato may be more closely associated with fellow Disney-alum Miley Cyrus, there were actually rumors that Demi was romantically involved with a different Cyrus – Noah, Miley's younger sister!
The two left tons of comments on each others' social media posts following Demi's called-off engagement to Max Ehrich, and the rumor mill started turning.
The Two Made Music Together
However, despite releasing a duet together and being spotted holding hands on a couple of occasions, nothing else came from their friendship, and the two no longer follow each other on social media!
Maybe it was for the best. In our experience, dating a friend's sibling can get really messy really fast.
Tom Cruise And Cher
How can two of the biggest stars of the world keep a relationship a secret? It turns out, not without rumors popping up. In the '80s, many wondered if these two had something going on, and Cher confirmed in 2008 that the rumors had been true.
"I was crazy about him," she told Oprah.
It Could Have Been "A Great Big Romance"
"It could have been a great big romance because I was crazy for him," Cher went on to say. The two split shortly after getting together when Tom met Mimi Rogers, who would later become his first wife.
Can you imagine a relationship with more star power than these two?
Simon Cowell And Carmen Electra
This unlikely pair got a lot of attention when Carmen was a guest judge on Britain's Got Talent in 2012 alongside Simon, and they eventually confirmed their relationship a few months later.
"We're people who date," Simon revealed coyly, and Carmen also stated, "He's so cute. He is adorable. He's actually a sweetheart."
The Two Are Still On Good Terms
The pair only dated for a few months, but Carmen's had nothing but nice things to say about Simon in the years following. "I just thought Simon was so much fun and was so smart, and he's really interesting," she said in 2014.
"I think he's awesome and very charming. He has such a great sense of humor."
Debunked: Bill Nighy And Anna Wintour
Legendary actor Bill Nighy and fashion mogul Anna Wintour sparked a ton of dating rumors after the 2023 Met Gala, where the 73-year-olds arrived together and walked the red carpet with their arms linked.
They certainly looked the part! Of course, nobody should be surprised that Anna Wintour and her guest would both look fantastic on fashion's biggest night.
But They're Just Friends
A representative for Bill Nighy went to People magazine to deny the fact that the two of them were an item shortly after the Met Gala, stating that the two "have simply been great friends for two decades."
"They are not in a relationship," the rep added. Well, they looked great, regardless!
Brad Pitt And Angelina Jolie
In 2004, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie met while filming their spy thriller Mr. and Mrs. Smith while Brad was still married to Jennifer Aniston. Their chemistry was undeniable, which lead to a ton of rumors that the two had had an affair.
They both denied the rumors at the time.
Domestic Bliss
It only took a year for the two to admit they were a couple after all, doing a photoshoot titled "Domestic Bliss" in March of 2005!
Angelina also admitted in 2008 that the two "fell in love" during the filming of the movie, despite their denials at the time. They would remain together until their split in 2016!
Debunked: Taylor Swift And Dianna Agron
Taylor Swift and Glee star Dianna Agron were close friends in 2011 and were often photographed together and making social media posts about each other. Some fans of the two began to speculate that their friendship might have been romantic in nature.
Fans even began to wonder if a few of Taylor's songs were written about Dianna!
Dianna Spoke Out
"Me? Oh, if only!" Dianna responded when asked if she was the inspiration behind some of Taylor's music.
"I mean, there have been many stories about my dating life that are so wildly untrue," she went on to say. "That's funny," she added, noting that she found the relationship rumors "so interesting."
Shailene Woodley and Aaron Rodgers
The worlds of Divergent actress Shailene Woodley and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers were two the world didn't expect to collide, especially when their relationship developed so quickly!
The fact the two were dating hit the rumor mill only days before Rodgers accepted the 2021 NFL MVP award, and in his speech, he referred to her as his fiancee.
The Two Have Split, But Remain On Good Terms
After the unlikely couple split, Rodgers shared a sweet message for Shailene on his Instagram. "Thanks for letting me chase after you the first couple months after we met and finally letting me catch up to you and be a part of your life."
"Thanks for always having my back, for the incredible kindness you show me and everyone you meet, and for showing me what unconditional love looks like, I love you and am grateful for you."
Debunked: Ariana Grande and Niall Horan
When you're a famous pop star like Ariana Grande, it's expected that people are going to care about who you're dating, especially if you're linked to One Direction heartthrob Niall Horan! But Ariana got fed up with people only caring about her relationship status and slammed those rumors.
"I'm tired of needing to be linked to a guy, I'm not Big Sean's ex, I'm not Niall's new possible girl. I'm Ariana Grande," she said.
"I Do Not Belong To Anyone But Myself"
Ariana clarified her remarks later on her Instagram.
"What I meant when I said what I said about not being Sean's ex is that I am tired of living in a world where women are mostly referred to as a man's past, present, or future PROPERTY / POSSESSION," she wrote.