The pandemic has been hard on all of us. You really learn who you are when you're locked inside—and, maybe more importantly, you really learn who your partner is. Some couples have made it through lockdown stronger than ever...and some others not so much. Let's take a look at the celebrity couples who have broken up since March 2020. I'm not saying I know exactly why these celebs broke up, but they've all got one BIG thing in common...
John Mulaney And Anna Marie Tendler
The first year of the pandemic was rough for most of us, but man, John Mulaney really went through it, eh? First, there was his shocker rehab stint in December 2020. Then, just a few months later, he dropped another bombshell: He was leaving his wife, Anna Marie Tendler. For a guy who had done that much standup about being sober and how much he loved his wife, needless to say, we were all stunned.
That's a crazy year, if you ask me, but I'm pretty sure Mulaney hasn't been up to much since then (oh wait...).
Ana De Armas And Ben Affleck
March 2020 was a weird time to start a relationship, but that didn't stop Ana de Armas and Ben Affleck from having a go at it. Well, maybe it was the giant phoenix tattoo, or maybe she wasn't a Good Will Hunting fan, but de Armas decided to call it quits less than a year into their relationship. Oh well, I'd say ol' Ben has done alright for himself since then...
Jennifer Lopez And Alex Rodriguez
On a completely unrelated note, here's another couple who didn't survive lockdown: Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez. Though they got engaged in 2019, they had to postpone their wedding twice due to COVID-19. Well, maybe that was a good thing, because in April 2021, they decided that they were "better as friends."
Bill And Melinda Gates
On the list of priciest breakups of the last two years, Bill and Melinda Gates have to take the top spot, right? The billionaire philanthropist power couple tied the knot in 1994, but the pandemic was the final nail in the coffin. But wait? Despite the billions up for grabs, Melinda wrote in her divorce petition that “spousal support is not needed." She simply thought their marriage was "irretrievably broken" and she wanted out, but she wasn't worried about the money.
If you ask me, I'm sure she'll be just fine.
Camila Cabello And Shawn Mendes
This one we definitely didn't see coming. Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes seemed like a match made in heaven—but just because you WANT something to work out, doesn't mean it will. Of course, these two even managed to make breaking up look glamourous: “We’ve decided to end our romantic relationship but our love for one another as humans is stronger than ever. We started our relationship as best friends and will continue to be best friends." Crying emoji.
Jay Cutler And Kristin Cavallari
Sometimes, the pandemic works fast. Celebs like Jay Cutler and Kristin Cavallari had the luxury of going tropical for the first phase of lockdown. The couple spent three weeks in the Bahamas in March 2020...and Cavallari filed for divorce pretty much the second she got home. The two of them had been married for 10 years, and they share joint custody of their three sons.
Khloe Kardashian And Tristan Thompson
Ok, this one is hard to track the timeline, but Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson both reconciled and split in the last two years. Apparently, some time locked down made them want to give their relationship another chance. They rekindled their romance in August 2020 and stayed together the rest of the year—but by June 2021, it just wasn't working out.
Kardashian cited her ongoing trust issues with Thompson, and she finally just decided he wasn't worth the effort.
Julianne Hough And Brooks Laich
If you were a celeb on social media, it was pretty hard to hide a breakup in the early days of lockdown. Fans were quick to notice that Julianne Hough and husband Brooks Laich were definitely not quarantining together. They claimed it was no big deal, but...come on. Finally, on May 29, they came clean: They had separated after three years of marriage.
Thomas Middleditch And Mollie Gates
File this one under "probably not the pandemic's fault," but I doubt it helped. In May 2020, Thomas Middleditch and costume designer Mollie Gates separated. Notably, this came mere months after Middleditch raved about how much swinging had helped their marriage. Hmm...we'll just leave that right where it is...
Sign up to our newsletter.
History’s most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. Making distraction rewarding since 2017.
Armie Hammer And Elizabeth Chambers
Speaking of splits that were probably coming, pando or no pando, there's Armie Hammer and Elizabeth Chambers. After quarantining together in the Cayman Islands with their two kids, Hammer and Chambers returned home and quickly announced their separation. They released the usual public statement, saying they'd grown apart and were ready to turn the page...but anyone reading the news at that time might be able to deduce another reason their marriage fell apart...
Cole Sprouse And Lili Reinhart
Riverdale fans rejoiced when they saw that two of their favorite stars, Cole Sprouse and KJ Apa, were quarantining together. But wait, hadn't Sprouse and Lili Reinhart just gotten back together? Well, apparently, the prospect of locking down together was too much. The pair made the latest—and thus far final—split official in May 2020.
Megan Fox And Brian Austin Green
Doubt you forgot about this one! Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green threw in the towel after almost a decade of marriage in May 2020, officially filing for divorce a few months later. BUT, we should note: Fox had already filed for divorce once...then they got back together and had their third child. All I'm saying is, you never know. Watch your back, MGK.
Kacey Musgraves And Ruston Kelly
Anyone who has heard Kacey Musgraves' new album probably already guessed she'd be showing up. The country singer and her husband Ruston Kelly announced their divorce in July 2020, after just a few months of lockdown. Their announcement made the split seem quite amicable—but Musgraves' music tells another story...
Joe Exotic And Dillon Passage
Nothing says "quarantine" like Tiger King. Well, I've got some bad news for you: Joe Exotic and Dillon Passage announced they were getting a divorce after three years of marriage in March 2021. That's it, totally normal. Nothing weird here. Except...in July 2021, Exotic announced a contest called "The Bachelor King" where men over 18 can apply to be his new husband. Just that.
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, Netflix
Rebel Wilson And Jacob Busch
Rebel Wilson's pandemic glow-up was hard to miss, and that came with a hot new billionaire beau, Jacob Busch, heir to the Anheuser-Busch fortune. But relationships in the middle of big life changes don't always work out, and by 2021, the bloom was off the rose. Wilson allegedly grew distant around New Years 2021, before finally breaking up with Busch...via text.
Dang, even billionaires get dumped by text.
Chrishell Stause And Jason Oppenheim
Selling Sunset was lockdown comfort food for a lot of us on Netflix. Well, behind the scenes, two of the show's stars, Chrishell Stause and Jason Oppenheim, started knocking boots. They shacked up together after Stause's divorce was finalized—but I guess mixing business with pleasure didn't work out quite as they'd planned. After getting together in July 2021, the pair called it off by December.
Dua Lipa And Anwar Hadid
Was there a hotter couple than Dua Lipa and Anwar Hadid? One of the biggest singers in the world and a Hadid?! It seemed like a fairy tale—but fairy tales aren't real, and the pair went "on a break" in December 2021, after two years together. Soon after that, a source close to the pair confirmed they are "no longer dating." Sorry to burst your bubble...
Anthony Ramos And Jasmine Cephas Jones
There's no love like Broadway love—but that doesn't mean it lasts forever. Anthony Ramos and Jasmine Cephas Jones starred in Hamilton together. They met for the first time during the initial rehearsals for the play, then Ramos finally popped the question three years later. Except, maybe they weren't quite ready for "forever." In November 2021, the two performers announced they'd ended their engagement.
But you know what King George says: "You'll be back, soon you'll see..."
Evelyn Cormier And David Vazquez Zermeno
Around the same time, Evelyn Cormier and David Vazquez Zermeno announced that they had split after four years. But, seeing as the couple starred in season 5 of 90 Day Fiancé, we can't exactly say we're that surprised...
Kelly Clarkson And Brandon Blackstock
When lockdown started, Kelly Clarkson quarantined with her husband, Brandon Blackstock, and their two children. I doubt that was a fun couple months, because by June 2020, Clarkson filed for divorce after almost seven years of marriage. Clarkson kept full custody of their kids.
Jason Sudeikis And Olivia Wilde
Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde were one of those cool celeb couples that all us normies all fawned over—but it clearly wasn't meant to be. In November 2020, after a seven-year engagement and two kids, the Booksmart director and SNL alum went their separate ways. I can't imagine seeing Wilde cavorting with Harry Styles was easy for our guy Ted Lasso, especially because he's almost half Sudeikis's age. Oh well—hopefully being the most beloved man on TV is an OK consolation prize.
Tiffany Haddish And Common
The pandemic didn't ONLY destroy love. It created it sometimes too! Tiffany Haddish and Common got together around mid-2020—bet you didn't know that! Well, there's probably a reason...after a little over a year together, the pair split in November 2021. Easy come, easy go I guess...
Tayshia Adams And Zac Clark
The pandemic Bachelorette couple didn't make it either. Tayshia Adams chose Zac Clark to give her rose in Season 16 after a contest locked down at a single resort. Apparently, that wasn't the ideal place for love to blossom, because about one year after their engagement, they announced that they are "no longer a couple."
Kaia Gerber And Jacob Elordi
Zoomer power couple Kaia Gerber and Jacob Elordi first started seeing each other in September 2020, but apparently, lockdown cramped their style. After a year of giving paparazzi gold and posting racy images online, Elordi and Gerber ended their relationship in November 2021.
Christine And Kody Brown
Was the pandemic hard on reality show couples—or is being a reality show couple just hard? Either way, Christine and Kody Brown separated after more than 25 years together in 2021. But don't worry too much about Kody: The Sister Wives star has three other wives whose shoulders he can cry on.
Lindsey Vonn And PK Subban
When Us magazine asked Lindsey Vonn when her wedding was going to be, she told them she had "no idea." Like some others on this list, she and hockey player P.K. Subban had gotten engaged in 2019, but had to postpone their nuptials due to COVID. Or...was there another reason? The wedding never ended up happening, because Vonn announced the pair had broken up in December 2020.
Rob And Tiffany Riggle
Lockdown really prompted some serious life changes for some longtime celeb couples. Rob Riggle and his wife Tiffany had been together for 21 years—but in May 2020, they announced their separation. They divorced in October of that year—but the story didn't end there. Turns out, Tiffany had hacked Rob's Apple account, stolen money from him, and planted a secret camera in his house. After all that, Rob had to get a restraining order against his wife. Yeesh.
Zayn Malik And Gigi Hadid
I am told that Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid were a very big deal. People were very excited when they got back together—but that was in January 2020. If only they'd known what was coming...They announced they were expecting their first child in April 2020, and welcomed a daughter later that year, but after quarantining together with some of Hadid's family in rural Pennsylvania, things went south.
Hadid's mother filed four harassment charges against Malik, and the couple called it quits soon after.
Sean Penn And Leila George
Early pandemic convinced Sean Penn and Leila George they were ready to settle down together. They tied the knot in July 2020—but maybe they didn't realize how long this would last. Just over a year later, George filed for divorce. Most importantly, that means that Sean Penn is NO LONGER Vincent D'Onofrio's son-in-law, so update your notes.
Tania Maduro And Syngin Colchester
Yet another reality show couple bit the dust—but at least this one wasn't too contentious! 90 Day Fiancé's Tania Maduro and Syngin Colchester split up after two years of marriage. Maduro announced her newly-single status on Instagram, but she still gave her ex a nice shoutout: "Now don’t go all at once to his DMs ladies or he’ll never be able to sort them all out."
As for Colchester? You know he's gone and signed himself up for season two of 90 Day: The Single Life.
Elon Musk And Grimes
Look: I can't say I understood the Elon Musk/Grimes pairing to begin with, so I can't necessarily say I was shocked when Musk announced the couple had "semi-separated" in September 2021, a little over a year after the birth of their son X Æ A-Xii. Maybe it was the pandemic—but I don't know, I can't really picture what went on in that house anyway.
Jason Derulo And Jena Frumes
I'm starting to notice a pattern: Couples get together in lockdown, have kids...then break up a few months later. That's what happened to Jason Derulo and Jena Frumes. They first met in March 2020. They welcomed their son in May 2021. Then, in September 2021, Derulo took to Twitter to say: "Jena and I have decided to part ways. She is an amazing mother but we feel being apart at this time will allow us to be the best versions of ourselves and the best parents we could be. Pls respect our privacy in this time."
Scott Disick And Amelia Gray Hamlin
I'll be honest: I kinda figured Scott Disick would have made this list—and I was right! He met 19-year-old model Amelia Gray Hamlin in February 2021, and against all odds, it didn't work out. The Kardashian gossip mill blew up when Kourtney Kardashian's ex Younes Bendjima shared messages that Disick allegedly sent about Kourtney. That's a suitably Kardashian way to break up, if you ask me.
But another source says Amelia was finished with Scott regardless. Either way, they're donezo.
Kaley Cuoco And Karl Cook
We've seen this fairy tale before: Then star actress and the billionaire heir. That's the story behind Kaley Cuoco and Karl Cook—but they didn't get their happily-ever-after either. A few months after their third wedding anniversary, in September 2021, the two announced that their "current paths have taken [them] in opposite directions." Now sure, relationships end all the time, but we're definitely seeing a pattern here:
Celebs get married while living their crazy busy celeb lives—then a year or so locked down with their spouse...
Jon Gosselin And Colleen Conrad
Come on: Where there's a chance to shade Jon Gosselin, you've got to take it. Gosselin had been with his girlfriend, Colleen Conrad, for seven years, but he broke up with her in February 2021...right after she announced her breast cancer diagnosis. Not a good look, Jon.
Jim Belushi And Jennifer Sloan
In 2018, Jennifer Sloan filed for divorce from Jim Belushi, her husband of 23 years. Soon after, she had a change of heart and the pair reconciled. Welp, I guess they weren't prepared for a lockdown. In August 2021, Belushi filed the paperwork again, and it looks like this time, it's going to stick.
Kate Bosworth And Michael Polish
The pandemic was a great time for "this really isn't a big deal" divorce announcements, but I think Kate Bosworth's takes the cake. In 2021, she and her husband, director Michael Polish, announced their separation. She took to Twitter to break the news: "Our hearts are full, as we have never been so enamored and deeply grateful for one another as we do in this decision to separate. Together, over the last ten years, Michael and I have chosen love, every time. We hold hands as tightly today as we entangled fingers on our wedding day."
May we all pray to be that chill on the day of our own divorces...
Sammi Sweetheart Giancola And Christian Biscardi
In a weird way, the pandemic seems to have helped prevent divorce—by making people postpone their weddings. Jersey Shore's Sammi Sweetheart Giancola and her fiancé, Christian Biscardi, got engaged in March 2019. They were supposed to be married in April 2020—but I bet you know that didn't happen. Well, maybe that was a good thing. In July 2021, Giancola announced the engagement was off. Hey, that's a lot easier than a divorce is all I'm saying.
Scooter And Yael Braun
In July 2021, Us magazine got the scoop Scooter Braun was leaving his wife of seven years, Yael. Well, days later, Braun himself confirmed it. They remained living together for a time before Braun moved out, and tried their best to keep things amicable for the sake of their children Jagger, Levi, and Hart.
Paulina Porizkova And Aaron Sorkin
The pandemic saw the rise and fall of a great Boomer power couple. Model Paulina Porizkova and Aaron Sorkin stunned us all by going public with their relationship at the 2021 Oscars. Well, maybe they were just in it for the photo op, because three months later, Porizkova announced they'd split up on social media. She ended the post saying that was "all [she'll] ever say on the subject," which leads ME to believe there's some dirt there. I can dream at least, can't I?
La La And Carmelo Anthony
La La and Carmelo Anthony seemed like a rare NBA success story, but COVID was the last straw for this couple, who'd been together for over 20 years. Don't you go worrying about them, though, because a source told Us magazine "They have been separated for a while now and will remain friends."
SO STOP. WORRYING!
Liam Payne And Maya Henry
The boys from One Direction are all over this list! Liam Payne and Maya Henry got engaged in August 2020—and broke up within a year. Not long after, Payne went on the "The Diary of a CEO" podcast and proceeded to beat himself up over the whole thing: "I feel like more than anything at this point, I'm more disappointed in myself that I keep on hurting people. That annoys me." Probably annoys them too, Liam!
Jason Segal And Alexis Mixter
The longtime relationship ending after quarantine are the ones that really bum me out. Jason Segal and his partner, Alexis Mixter, ended their eight-year relationship in April 2021. BUT, Mixter at least gave Kate Bosworth a run for her money in terms of amicable breakup announcements: “It is odd to write about the end of a relationship, especially when the friendship that still exists is so full of life,” she announced. “But change happens and we made the decision quite a while ago to let ourselves grow away from what our relationship had been and into what it was becoming.”
Saweetie And Quavo
All these amicable breakups, where are the messy ones? Don't worry, I've got you covered. Saweetie took to Twitter to announce she was leaving Quavo, her boyfriend of three years: "I’m single. I’ve endured too much betrayal and hurt behind the scenes for a false narrative to be circulating that degrades my character." Oh, and there's so much more than that, look up the rest of her tweets...
I don't know WHAT went on out of the public eye, but it don't sound good.
Luke Evans And Rafa Olarra
Some pandemic relationships went out in a ball of flame, some ended peacefully—but some were just cold and bitter. When Luke Evans was asked about the status of his relationship with soccer player Rafa Olarra, all he could do was shrug: "It is what it is." (That means they broke up).
Shia LaBeouf And Margaret Qualley
I don't really have the mental capacity to really try to grapple with Shia LaBeouf anymore, so I'm just going to present the facts: He starred in a very NSFW music video with Margaret Qualley. It was for her sister's song, but we're just going to brush past that. They started dating soon after—right around the time that LaBeouf's ex, FKA Twigs, started pursuing legal action against him for "relentless abuse." They didn't last long after that.
Margaret? I'll say it: Seems like you made the right choice.
Zoe Kravitz And Karl Glusman
I'll be honest: I didn't know Zoe Kravitz was married. But, before taking over Hollywood and cruising around town with Channing Tatum, she actually had a husband, actor Karl Glusman. They tied the knot in May 2019—but, like so many of us, lockdown was evidently not kind to them. Kravitz filed for divorce in December 2020.
And sorry Karl, I really do hate to say it, but come on. Channing Tatum? Seems like she's doing pretty good.
Demi Lovato And Max Ehrich
Sometimes, these things move fast: Demi Lovato started dating Max Ehrich in March 2020, they got engaged in July...and broke up in September. Look, it was a trying time for all of us...I get it.
Cardi B And Offset
I know there were a lot of us out there who were pulling for Cardi B and Offset, but it just didn't work out, I suppose. In September 2020, Cardi announced that she had filed for divorce, though mentioned that both she and Offset would "continue to put [their son] Kulture first through this troubling time."
And if you were hoping she might give him a second chance, I wouldn't hold your breath. She stated that there are "no prospects for a reconciliation."
Aaron Rodgers And Danica Patrick...And Shailene Woodley...Maybe
Here's two for the price of one: Sure, you might have heard that Aaron Rodgers and his fiancée Shailene Woodley broke up during the pandemic—but did you remember that wasn't Rodgers' first pandemic split? Way back in July 2020, Rodgers broke up with NASCAR's Danica Patrick after two years together.
But now, there's maybe a chance he's getting back together with Woodley? Jury's out on that one, so keep your ears to the ground.
Dr. Dre And Nicole Young
We all heard about the rich getting richer during the pandemic. Nicole Young fits that bill: She made a cool $100 million...by divorcing her husband of over 20 years, Dr. Dre. But she had to work for that money—the divorce proceedings took over a year and a half, and they did. Not. Sound. Fun.
Mary-Kate Olsen And Olivier Sarkozy
May 2020 was a busy time for divorces, for obvious reasons. And we mean it! When Mary-Kate Olsen tried to file for divorce from her French banker husband, Olivier Sarkozy, she actually couldn't. The pandemic led to an eight-week moratorium in New York City courts, so she couldn't get a divorce even if she wanted one. Well, that gave her some time to think...and she still went through with it the second she had the chance.
Ioan Gruffudd And Alice Evans
Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans' split might just be the messiest pandemic breakup. In January 2021, Evans announced on Twitter that Gruffud told her "he is to leave his family," giving no further explanation. The tweet was soon deleted, but a total Twitter meltdown soon followed. Gruffud has remained almost entirely silent on the issue—but he did file for a restraining order again Evans on Valentine's Day, 2022, citing domestic violence. Yikes.
Aaron Carter And Melanie Martin
Messy pandemic breakups all have one thing in common: Twitter! In November 2021, Aaron Carter announced that he and his partner, Melanie Martin, had broken up...just one week after their child was born. Think that's juicy? Just wait til you read the tweet: "here has been a very big lie and my sister communicating w my ex fiancé [SIC] ruined everything considering she knew what angel tried to do to me in court thanks angel you ruined my family. God bless."
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Yikes.
Meek Mill And Milan Harris
And here we have arrived at the climax of this list: I call it the Ye Chapter. We'll start with the OTHER couple he helped break up: Meek Mill and Milan Harris. In July 2020, Ye wanted on a massive Twitter rant claiming that Kim cheated on him...with Meek Mill! Mill quickly denied the allegation—but something must have gone down behind the scenes, because just days later, he announced he and the mother of his newest child, Milan Harris, had broken up.
Ye And Kim Kardashian
It seems like this happened a million years ago, but Kanye West and Kim Kardashian actually had a pandemic breakup. Kim filed for divorce in February 2021. And that's all we heard from them for the rest of the pandemic! Wink.
Ye And Irina Shayk AND Julia Fox
I bet you think the next breakup would be Ye and Julia Fox—but you can't forget about Irina Shayk! Ye dated the Russian actress/model in the summer following his split from Kim, but, as you could probably guess, it didn't work out. Apparently, they realized that "they aren't great romantic partners." The whole Julia Fox media frenzy—which only lasted a couple months, remember—came long after the Shayk split.
Pete Davidson and Phoebe Dynevor
On a totally unrelated note, here's another pandemic breakup you probably forgot about: Pete Davidson and...Phoebe Dynevor! The pair started dating mid-lockdown, but called it off by August of 2021. Then ol' Pete stumbled into yet another relationship with yet another ridiculously famous woman. To be honest, I have no clue what the real status of Pete and Kim's relationship is, so we're just going to let the cards fall on that one and keep you posted.
.JPG){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
