Everyone loves to ship their favorite movie or TV couple, and what makes it even sweeter is when their romance translates to off-screen, however, there's a reason why they say don't mix business with pleasure. There are many actor couples whose relationships didn’t work out, yet thanks to work, they still had to spend heaps of time with their ex.
While many famous couples have stood the test of time, others haven't been so lucky. Dating co-stars comes with a lot of drama, however, these couples had no choice but to move past their breakups for the sake of their careers.
Chad Michael Murray And Sofia Bush
Few could argue against the fact that Chad Michael Murray and Sofia Bush had undeniable chemistry as fan-favorite couple Lucas Scott and Brooke Davis. So, when the couple announced that they were dating in real life, it all made sense. After meeting on the set of One Tree Hill, the young actors got married in 2005 after two years of dating.
Their relationship was short-lived as the pair broke up after five months of marriage. While they were no longer romantically involved off-screen, Lucas and Brooke embarked on an on-again-off-again relationship that lasted for years. After their on-screen love fizzled, the pair continued working together until Chad departed the show in 2009.
Jennifer Lawrence And Nicholas Hoult
After filming X-Men: First Class in 2010, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult went on to date for several years. Like many high-profile couples, they tried to keep their relationship private, however, fans began speculating and they made their red-carpet debut at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2011.
Their relationship came to a brief end in 2013, however, they picked things back up in 2014 after reuniting on X-Men: Days of Future Past. By late 2014, the couple officially broke up but had to work together once again in 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse.
Ian Somerhalder And Nina Dobrev
The instant spark between Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert on The Vampire Diaries was hard to ignore, meaning it wasn’t exactly a surprise when Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev became Hollywood’s hottest new item in 2010. The two began dating after their characters did, but unfortunately, their off-screen romance failed to outlive the one that fans adored on-screen.
After they split in 2013, their characters continued their relationship for most of the series until its end in 2017. While fans were rooting for the two to work out in real life, it was some consolation that Damon and Elena ended up together.
Courteney Cox And David Arquette
After meeting at a party before they began filming Scream, Courteney Cox and David Arquette started dating and tied the knot in 1999. They featured in four Scream movies during their relationship but announced their separation in 2010, shortly after production on Scream 4 ended.
Their retrospective characters Gale and Dewey also embarked on a romance, however, by the time Scream 4 came around, their characters shared a striking resemblance to their off-screen lives as they were also going through marital issues. The two most recently reunited for Scream 5 and while they didn’t have many scenes together, fans got a glimpse of the former couple before Dewey's shocking death.
Amanda Seyfried And Dominic Cooper
In 2008, Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper met on the set of Mamma Mia! Their portrayal of Sophie and Sky in the sun-kissed classic gave them worldwide recognition and it wasn’t long before they fell in love off-screen. The two dated for around three years before splitting in 2011.
Seven years after their breakup, the two reprised their roles as Sky and Sophie in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Although their off-screen romance had faded away some time ago, their characters were back and more in love than ever as this time around, they were married.
Blake Lively And Penn Badgley
While playing one of the best couples on Gossip Girl, Blake Lively and Penn Badgley's electric chemistry sparked an off-screen romance that lasted around three years. The young actors fell in love in 2007, however, they tried their best to keep their relationship under wraps.
While the couple eventually called in quits in 2010, Dan and Serena's on-again-off-again relationship remained for the rest of the series. The pair continued working together until Gossip Girl ended in 2012, with their characters getting married in the final episode.
Joey King And Jacob Elordi
Joey King and Jacob Elordi won fans over as Elle and Noah in the 2018 Netflix movie, The Kissing Booth, so fans were ecstatic when they discovered their relationship had translated to real life. They made several public appearances together as a couple, however, in early 2019, it was confirmed that the two had broken up.
After their breakup, the pair had to return for not one, but two sequels. They reprised their roles as Elle and Noah in The Kissing Booth 2 released in 2020 and the Kissing Booth 3 released in 2021.
Lili Reinhart And Cole Sprouse
While Betty and Jughead were busy falling in love on Riverdale, Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse were having a real-life romance of their own. It wasn’t long before relationship rumors began swirling the duo and they eventually made their red-carpet debut as a couple in 2018.
Similar to their characters, Lili and Cole's relationship was on-again-off-again until they officially split in 2020, but the two have continued working together. Riverdale was recently renewed for a sixth season, meaning their working relationship won’t be coming to an end any time soon.
Johnny Galecki And Kaley Cuoco
Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco gained worldwide recognition for their roles as Penny and Leonard in The Big Bang Theory which premiered in 2007. Across 12 seasons, their characters went from roommates to love interests and eventually became husband and wife.
While filming the earlier seasons of the show, the two fell in love in real life and began dating in secret. Although their relationship ran its course in 2009, the two continued working together until the final episode in 2019. Despite their dating history, the actors have always maintained a strong friendship.
Adam Brody And Rachel Bilson
Seth and Summer were a core couple of The O.C and that was largely down to the authentic chemistry between Adam Brody and Rachel Bilson. After meeting on set, the two hit it off in real life and began a relationship.
Their off-screen romance lasted for the majority of The O.C's run, however, by 2006, before they finished filming the fourth and final season, their relationship reverted to on-screen only. After their breakup, fans were rooting for Seth and Summer even more, and luckily, they got their wish, because the season finale ended with the two characters getting married.