We all relish a juicy romance, and we hope one day we will have our own tales. But love stories between the biggest names in show business are fascinating on another level. When famous folks get together, the stakes are high and the public is watching. These surprising facts allow a peek behind the curtain of their courtships, ranging from the adorable to the downright bizarre. Read on for the spiciest tales in the biz!
Joe DiMaggio Sent Roses To Marilyn's Grave For 20 Years Until He Died
The tragedy of Marilyn Monroe is one that touches our hearts to this very day. A young, sad beauty taken too soon simply feels unjust. We didn't even know Marilyn, and we feel the loss! Imagine being the man who shared a life with her, during mutual ups and downs. That's the situation baseball legend Joe DiMaggio found himself in when he heard the news that his ex-wife had been found dead. Joe was an alcoholic who was just getting his life back together, and he was even winning back Marilyn's heart.
Joe was devastated and immediately claimed her body. He banned Hollywood executives and the Kennedys from attending the funeral, as he blamed them for her downfall. Then, twice a week for twenty years, he had a bouquet of roses delivered to her grave until he died in 1999. He never remarried, all this time. On his deathbed, he said: "I'll finally get to see Marilyn."
Goldie Hawn And Kurt Russell's First Date Was Stopped By The Cops
After four decades, movie legends Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have still not made things official on paper. But maybe they've had such a wild ride that a wedding would be mundane. For example, on their very first date, they broke into a house to practice dance moves together. Why? Well, both were set to be filming a swing dancing flick together. And it was actually Goldie's house. But she didn't have the keys with her!
Kurt recalled: "We eventually found our way upstairs, looking around at imaginary furniture and we were in the imaginary bedroom, now, and we are realistically having sex when the police walked in...So next thing I [see] is the flashlight...and Goldie and I are both like "What, what?"... We were being told I guess to go get a hotel room, which we did. That was our first date."
Kate Winslet Met Her Hubby While Fleeing From a Housefire
Kate Winslet has been around her fair share of Hollywood hunks. Maybe none of them ever felt quite right. While living her best life and staying with Sir Richard Branson in his luxury villa, the home was struck by lightning. If that's not freaky enough, a fire erupted. Kate fled with her kids, as most of us would. Then, she ran smack dab into her next husband, who was right there helping everyone to safety with a torch. His name? Ned Rocknroll.
Really, that was his legal name. Kate recalled: "I met my husband in a house fire. I took a bra and passports and my children...So I married him! I was like, 'I'll go for the guy with a head torch!'"
Queen Victoria Actually Proposed to Prince Albert and Broke Tradition
Not all royal marriages happen the same way. Some families decide on alliances and their youngsters pair up for the national good. Others allow a bit more leeway when it comes to love. The story of England's Queen Victoria is an interesting case where all tradition was thrown to the wind. When Queen Victoria met Prince Albert, they actually fell for each other instantly. Very soon after, the current king died. That made her the queen! But she was still single. No one is allowed to propose to a monarch, by the way.
Queen Victoria proposed to Albert on his second visit to the Castle. He agreed, obviously. Unlike many cold royal marriages, this was a real one. When Albert died, the queen wore black until the day she died!
John Krasinski Watched Emily Blunt’s Film More Than 75 Times Before Meeting Her
This story is a little concerning if you don't know the ending is a happy one. When John Krasinski saw The Devil Wears Prada, he was a fan of Emily Blunt, just like the rest of us. But then, he watched the movie more than 70 times. We are surprised she didn't run away from her stalker. But Emily says she fell for him when she saw him in the restaurant. Within 10 months, they were engaged!
John is still crazy about Emily. He shares: "I was never the coolest kid on the block, so I never had the ‘good ol’ days’ of a playboy type of lifestyle...So for me, the best days of my life started when I met my wife. She's so talented, she's beautiful and she's out of my league. And so all of a sudden all of the things I loved, I got to find someone who loved that about me."
Prince Harry's Ancestor Actually Beheaded Meghan Markle's Ancestor
Meghan Markle's background is American, but America is a relatively young country. The truth is, most North Americans came from somewhere else at some point. When historians looked up Meghan's family tree, they were shocked to find that she already had a connection to her husband, Prince Harry. We all know he's related to all those old kings. That includes King Henry VIII, who famously cut off his wife's head instead of divorce. Well, many other people made him mad.
Evidently, Meghan's relative was named Lord Hussey. His performance putting down a local rebellion was disappointing to the palace. Guess what happened? The king beheaded him. Then, he took all his land and money!
David Beckham Announced He Would Marry Victoria Before He Even Met Her
We all had a favorite Spice Girl. But soccer star David Beckham took fandom to another level, back then. After seeing the video for "Say You'll Be There," he made a bold declaration. He pointed to the singer and told a mate: "That girl there? That's the girl I'm going to marry." It's important to point out that he had never met her. How did he know she would like him back?
Well, maybe he knew he was David Beckham. There is hardly a girl that would have said no, in his day! When the pair finally met in the Manchester United player's lounge, he asked for Victoria's phone number. The plan seems to have worked out well. They're still in love today!
Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner Illegally Fired All Over Town
Frank Sinatra had his pick of the ladies, sure. It seemed like he settled down for a time with first wife Nancy. But no! He started cheating with a divorcee named Ava Gardner. She had already left two husbands, and she had her sights set on old blue eyes. The pair were well-matched, in terms of mischief. Observers noticed them leave a party in 1949 and run around town with guns. Frank blasted streetlights and Ava shot through a hardware store window. So Did they get away with it?
Kind of, yes. Although the two were rightfully arrested by the police, no charges came of it. Turns out a movie studio convinced authorities to stop the proceedings. All is fair in love and Hollywood!
Bill and Melinda Gates Agreed He Got to Vacation With His Ex Once a Year
Computer nerd Bill Gates made headlines in recent years for surprising reasons. Like, his strange marriage. Many assumed that the Microsoft founder had a dull, predictable home life. They were wrong! A formal agreement came out during Bill and Melinda's divorce proceedings that no one had known about, all this time. Once a year, Bill was always allowed to go on vacation with his ex. Melinda was cool about it. But you know, just once a year.
Bill explained it this way: "We can play putt-putt while discussing biotechnology." The exes would spend time at her cottage in North Carolina, all alone. This alleged putt-putting went on for more than a decade.
Rupaul Married a Rugged Rancher Named Georges Lebar
RuPaul has been sashaying and dancing his little heels across stages for decades. We love his sass and his class. But we always wondered, just who does Ru come home to, after hours? The answer to that query turns out to be the tall, dark, and Australian Georges LeBar. The pair met at a club in the 90's, and they quickly hit it off. But Georges was not really a city slicker, it turns out.
Today, they are married. Rupaul takes care of business in the entertainment world. And Georges spends his time managing a massive, 60,000-acre ranch that spans across Wyoming and South Dakota. Yes, all of it!
Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford Really Met as Pen Pals
Carey Mulligan has been involved in quite a few films, resulting in two Oscar nominations so far. Now-husband Marcus Mumford is a singer-songwriter from Mumford & Sons. Both seem to have the arts in common, in a big way. But that's not all they share together. Would you believe that these two met by being old-fashioned pen pals? We are not making that up. In real life, these things occasionally happen.
Carey and Marcus were involved in a program through their churches as teenagers. They got matched up as pen-pals and exchanged letters in their youth. As adults, they met again when they were both famous. Sparks flew between the old writers!
Matt Damon Became Instantly Intoxicated With Bartender Luciana Barroso
Matt Damon has been a Hollywood heartthrob ever since Good Will Hunting. But despite dating for years in the scene, he didn't find lasting love. It would only appear when he least expected it! Now-wife Luciana recalls: “I was working as a bartender in South Beach (Miami) and he was shooting a movie there and the crew ended up in the bar one Saturday night...Matt’s story is that he saw me across the room and there was a light on me."
That's right, actor Matt fell hard for his bartender. He kept coming over to talk to her, and he liked her vibe. We don't blame him. We've all been there!
Bono and His Wife Ali Were Literally Childhood Sweethearts
If you're a rockstar like Bono, you could probably get away with bachelorhood. But that's just not what this fellow wanted in his heart. Back in middle school, he met Ali Hewson at Mount Temple Comprehensive School. Although they were just 12 and 13, they had a special connection. Ali denied it though. She pretended she didn’t like him! That was a lie. And when they got a little bit older, they started to formally date.
Bono is just as crazy about Ali, 40 years later. What's their secret? He explains: "Marriage is this grand madness, and I think if people knew that, they would perhaps take it more seriously."
Mila Kunis Married Her First Kiss When She Said Yes to Ashton Kutcher
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis both made us laugh on That 70's Show, not long ago. But actually, it kind of was long ago. Both went on to have very public relationships with Demi Moore and Macaulay Culkin
and ended up in a whole lot of movies along the way. Many may not realize that Mila was just 14 when she started her role on TV, and those kisses she shared with Kelso were a big deal. They were her very first, ever!
and ended up in a whole lot of movies along the way. Many may not realize that Mila was just 14 when she started her role on TV, and those kisses she shared with Kelso were a big deal. They were her very first, ever!
That's why it's just so special that both ended up together, circling back to that comfort zone in their 30's. Mila married her first kiss. How many girls can say that, really?
Nick Jonas Got Down on One Knee When He First Met Priyanka Chopra
Nick Jonas was a pop star with crowds of girls that screamed at him wherever he went. But when he finally met his one and only, it was him that was in awe. Before they formally met, he messaged Priyanka Chopra on Twitter, saying: "I'm hearing from a few mutual friends that we should meet." That formal meeting was never arranged. Nick ran into her at an Oscar's after-party and got down on his knee. He had a question!
He wanted to know: "Where have you been all my life?" We don't know how people know so soon, but it seems to happen like this sometimes. Chopra quickly fell for him, too!
Ryan Reynolds Knew Blake Lively Was the One From a Dance
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are one of the most-watched couples in Hollywood today. Even though they are both actors, we can all tell their love is authentic. The question is, how did Ryan know that Blake was the one? Sure, she's a stunning blond. Maybe she's actually perfect. But there had to be more! According to Ryan, there was just something about the way they danced together, alone in a deserted restaurant.
He recalled: "We were hanging out at this little restaurant in Tribeca that's open really late, and this song came on, and I was just like: 'Want to dance?' No one was in there, so it was just totally empty. And it was just one of those moments where halfway through the dance, it was like: 'Oh I think I just crossed a line."'
Johnny Cash Wrote a Love Letter to June Carter That Makes People Cry Today
Country legends Johnny and June Carter Cash had a notoriously rocky relationship. But a 1994 love letter from husband to wife is still considered one of the greatest in history. Johnny penned: "We get old and get used to each other. We think alike...We know what the other wants without asking. Sometimes we irritate each other a little bit. Maybe sometimes take each other for granted. But once in a while, like today, I meditate on it and realize how lucky I am to share my life with the greatest woman I ever met. You still fascinate and inspire me. You influence me for the better. You’re the object of my desire, the number one Earthly reason for my existence. I love you very much."
Although their marriage involved themes of infidelity and addiction, it also involved sweet, sweet music. Johnny Cash and June Carter stayed together for more than 30 years, in total. She was his sunshine, his only sunshine.
Joaquin Phoenix Sort of Stalked Rooney Mara on the Internet
Joaquin Phoenix is an enigmatic figure in the biz, really. Although he has iconic performances under his belt, we don't know the real Jo quite as well as some of his characters. He can be moody in interviews, and we have no idea what his type is in dating. Maybe that question has finally been answered, in the form of Rooney Mara. The actress played his ex-wife in the movie Her, and he couldn't look away.
Today, they're mom and dad together. But it all started with emails after the shoot. According to Mister Phoenix: "She's the only girl I ever looked up on the internet. We were just friends, email friends. I'd never done that. Never looked up a girl online."
Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn Had an Affair for 27 Years
Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn were an off-the-record item in old Hollywood for 27 years. But there was something a little unorthodox about their romance. For one, they never got married. But two, Spencer was already married, the entire time! According to Kat, she never planned to marry him and was okay with the status quo. She explained: "We lived openly enough together. I certainly had no intention of breaking up his relationship with his wife."
The arrangement was an open secret in Hollywood, though the rest of America may not have been aware. But yes, there was a reason they had so much chemistry on screen!
Chrissy Teigen Made a Magical Wish To Marry John Legend
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen are two of the most Instagramable lovebirds in the galaxy. We all love that they are in love. But how did their perfect romance really fall into place? According to Chrissy, it may have something to do with A special wish she made while the couple was on a vacation in Lake Como, Italy. Their tour guide told them to do this when they arrived at a particularly beautiful spot. Take one guess what she wished for!
Yes, Chrissy asked the powers that be to make John the man she marries and has children with. Seems to have worked! Six years later, they said their vows in the very same spot.
Hugh Jackman Wanted To Marry Deborra-lee Furness After Just 2 Weeks
Hugh Jackman knows his way around Hollywood. Perhaps he met everyone there and decided he wanted a lover from his native Australia for life. That's where wife Deborra-Lee Furness comes in. After meeting her on the set of an Aussie TV drama in 1995, he knew she was the one. How soon? Well, according to Hugh: "I knew two weeks in to meeting Deb that we were going to be together for the rest of our lives." He proposed after dating for four months.
That's right folks, just two weeks. We don't know how this happens out there, but this is one of those rare situations. Today, Hugh and Deborra-lee share two adopted children: Oscar and Ava.
Portia de Rossi Literally Fell in Love at First Sight for Ellen
When Portia De Rossi met Ellen DeGeneres at an awards show, she couldn't believe her eyes. We've seen the comedienne every day on TV, sure. But apparently, it was different in person. The actress explained: “She took my breath away. That had never happened to me in my entire life, where I saw somebody and experienced all of those things you hear about in songs and read about in poetry.” Sounds like love at first sight, if we've ever heard of it!
These days, the pair is happily married and lives in a California mansion. They have started a lifestyle home brand together, and Ellen is retired from her show. Portia plans to dance with her favorite host forever and ever, as far as we can tell.
Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef Wanted To Marry Each Other Instantly
Ricky Martin has been shaking his bonbons at the world for a few decades now. He's won awards and made millions. But what he really wanted was to meet his match. That occurred when he ran into a painter named Jwan Yosef. Little did he know that they shared the same reaction at that moment. For both, it was a case of wedding bells in their heads. And that's exactly what happened, in the end!
Ricky claims he “lost his breath” when he saw Jwan. Today, they are husband and husband and share a Beverly Hills home. Livin' la Vida Loca, in a whole new way!
Kelly Ripa Loved Mark Consuelos Before She Even Met Him
Daytime talk show host Kelly Ripa actually got her start on the soaps scene, where she played a role alongside now-husband Mark Conseulos. According to Kelly, she knew they had a future before they even met because she saw his headshot. She shared: "I saw my husband in a photograph before I saw him [in person] and I knew...When I saw him, the photograph of him, I saw my entire future with him flash before [me.] Like, I saw it. And I don't believe in any of that and now I do because of that moment."
Before that picture, she never thought about getting married, apparently. But Mark's handsome head changed it all. The pair got married just a year after he joined the show. Romance isn't just for soap operas, these two prove!
Emperor Hadrian Made His Dead Boyfriend a Statue and a God Everywhere
In Rome, Emperor Hadrian reigned over the Empire in the 100's. That's more than 2,000 years ago! Even though he was a powerful man, the most powerful in the world at the time, he fell for a poor youngster named Antinous. They had splendid times together on hunting trips around the ancient world. It was heaven, until the day that their luxury entourage took a fateful trip to the Nile. Antinous fell in and drowned. Hadrian was devastated.
How did Hadrian handle his grief? He named a star after Antinous, as well as tons of buildings and monuments. About 2,000 likenesses of his lover were put up around the empire. Then, Hadrian announced that Antinous was officially a god and started a cult! It's not easy to find love like that, these days.
Pauletta Washington Turned Down Denzel’s Proposal Twice
Denzel and Pauletta Washington have been a married couple for more than 40 years. In the real world, that rarely happens, these days. And in Hollywood, that's like winning the lottery! The backstory of their love is an interesting one. Denzel and Paulette originally met on a film set and started dating a year afterwards. But back then, Paulette wasn’t so sure about Denzel. Would he be the right man for her, for the long term?
Denzel admits that his now-wife turned down his proposal twice before finally saying yes. Women all over the world cannot believe their ears. How could any gal turn down John Q?
Jason Momoa Had a Crush on TV Star Lisa Bonet Since the 1980’s
Few of us can truly say we married our dream girl. We make compromises, and we make decisions. And we're fine with that. But actor Jason Momoa really has it all. According to the actor: "If someone says something isn't possible, I'm like, 'Listen here, I married Lisa Bonet. Anything is f-cking possible.'" Jason, what in the world are you talking about? Maybe we need a refresher on just who the wifey is.
Back in the 1980s, Lisa starred on The Cosby Show as Denise Huxtable. Back then, Jason already had a crush on her. What are the odds they would end up together, happily ever after?
George Clooney’s Agent Called To Explain Amal Would Be His Wife
George Clooney was the most notorious confirmed bachelor in Hollywood, until recently. The world had given up that George would ever find the woman he needed. But one person held out hope. That would be his agent, who knew George perhaps better than he knew himself. He gave the actor a call to tell him he heard a guest would be arriving with a mutual friend. He stated simply: "I met this woman who's coming to your house, who you are going to marry."
As we all know, he did! Amal is a human rights attorney, which is very much out of his industry. Maybe that's all George required, all this time. Someone from outside that glitzy bubble!
Michelle Pfeiffer Met Hubby David E. Kelly on a Blind Date
Actress Michelle Pfeiffer seems to have it all. She's got a lasting career in an industry where women are often kicked out after 40. She's got fortune and fans, and she's even got a loving marriage. Some may wonder if she has any advice for us, here at home! According to Michelle: "Ultimately, I believe the only secret to a happy marriage is choosing the right person. Life is a series of choices, right?"
Well, yes. But how did she make hers? Apparently, the technique is simply showing up. The actress actually met hubby David on a blind date in 1993. Just 10 months later,they were married!
Judd Apatow Declared He Wanted To Marry Leslie Mann After Her Audition
Judd Apatow is a funny guy, and he was definitely looking for a funny girl. Hollywood is full of talent, no doubt. But it was only during a script reading with actress Leslie Mann that he knew he found the right jokestress for him. In 1996, Judd was a producer for the film The Cable Guy. Someone had to read Jim Carrey's lines for the audition, and he decided to do it. Leslie read her lines. That's when the magic happened.
Judd recalled the scene: "Afterwards, I turned to Ben Stiller and said, 'I can't believe Mrs. Apatow just walked into the room.'" Judd was right. Today, the couple has two daughters!
Jim Toth Blocked His Own Drunk Friend and Stole Reese Witherspoon
We all wish we could be America's sweetheart, but that is clearly Reese Witherspoon. Or maybe, we wish we could be with her. Whatever your situation, it's just not going to happen. Reese is already taken, and she's perfectly happy. After a divorce from 90's love Ryan Phillippe, she took a break from marriage. But now, she's happily living with hubby and talent agent Jim Toth. How did they get together?
Reese recalls how it all went down: "This really drunk guy was hitting on me, making such an idiot of himself, yelling at me. He was like, [slurring, scowling, pointing finger in her face] 'You don't know me.' And I was like, 'Yeah, I know. I don't know you!' Jim came over and said, 'Please excuse my friend. He's just broken up with someone.' Jim was a really good friend, pulling him out of that situation. That's just kind of who he is, a really good person."
Nick Lachey Met Vanessa When She Starred in His Jessica Simpson Breakup Video
Nick Lachey was one of the hunkiest boy band faces of the 90's. It was only fitting that he paired off with Jessica Simpson. In many ways, she just seemed like his counterpart. But after a cringy reality show and some private ups and downs, the marriage didn't end well. Nick decided to write a breakup song when he returned to the music scene solo. And that meant one thing: He needed a gorgeous video girl to tell the tale, visually.
In "What's Left of Me," Nick starred alongside a gal named Vanessa Minnillo. We suppose he didn't need to search much after that shoot. Today, they're married and have been together since 2006. If Vanessa was any sort of rebound, it has certainly lasted!
Sharon Was Orignally Just Ozzy Osbourne’s Manager
Back in the day, Ozzy Osbourne was a totally insane rockstar living on the edge. He once bit the head off a bat, for some reason. And we have no idea how many girlfriends he had along the way. But everyone knows that his true love turned out to be Sharon, with whom he shares two children today. We watched them on reality TV as an older rock family. How did mom and dad meet, before they were married?
Apparently, it all went down in 1970 when Sharon worked for her own dad, the manager for Black Sabbath. When Ozzy got kicked out of his band for sobriety issues, Sharon became his personal manager. From there, sparks flew. And the rest, at this point, is just rock and roll history.
Marie Curie And Pierre Curie's Family Earned Five Nobel Prizes
Some say that you're just born with brains. In the case of the Curie clan, that just might be true. Marie often gets talked about as a woman who won the Nobel prize. We're totally impressed that she discovered polonium and radium. But did you know that her husband won a prize, too? Then, their daughter Irène earned one in Chemistry. There's no way this is all just a coincidence. And it's not a conspiracy, either!
Brilliance just seems to attract brilliance, and smart people make smart kids. Not all the time, we Must admit. But this family has five Nobels on their roster, so far. You can't fake those brains!
Adam Brody and Leighton Meester Made Teen TV World Come to Life
Adam Brody and Leighton Meester were perhaps the king and queen of early 2000's teen drama. Adam was a rich Orange County kid on The OC. At the same time, Leighton was a young New York socialite on Gossip Girl. They may have played privileged youth on opposite coasts. But maybe they were meant to meet in the middle. We were absolutely tickled to see that they met in real life, as real people.
In 2013, they started dating. Quickly, they got married in 2014 in a secret ceremony. The secret is out now, that's for sure! But for the most part, the couple lives a pretty private life, very unlike the characters that made them famous.