Stars Who Were Caught Cheating on Their Spouses With Co-Stars Mid-Production

Hollywood movie sets are well-known for sparking romances and affairs. The long working hours, time away from home, and close physical proximity during filming can make it easy for actors to develop feelings for each other. This intense environment has often led to actors having affairs with their co-stars, even while still married. Here’s a look at some famous men who had relationships with co-stars during filming, despite being married to someone else.

Brad Pitt

The making of the movie ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ is famous for a major Hollywood scandal. Brad Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston when he began working with Angelina Jolie on the film. They had strong on-screen chemistry, which quickly led to speculation about a real-life romance. Soon after filming finished, Pitt and Aniston announced they were separating. Pitt and Jolie later confirmed their relationship and spent over ten years together.

Richard Burton

Richard Burton was married to Sybil Williams when he began filming ‘Cleopatra’, where he met Elizabeth Taylor. They immediately felt a strong and passionate connection, and their affair quickly became public. The media heavily covered the scandal, and the Vatican publicly disapproved. Both Burton and Taylor ended their marriages to be with each other, beginning a famously rocky relationship that included two marriages and two divorces.

Eddie Cibrian

While married to Brandi Glanville, Eddie Cibrian had an affair with his ‘Northern Lights’ co-star, LeAnn Rimes. The affair became public when photos of them together were published, leading to Cibrian and Glanville’s divorce. Soon after, Cibrian married Rimes.

Kenneth Branagh

While married to Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh directed and acted in ‘Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein’. During filming, he began a relationship with his co-star, Helena Bonham Carter. This affair ultimately led to the end of his marriage to Thompson, who was popular with the British media. Thompson later used her personal pain to inform her role in ‘Love Actually’. Branagh and Bonham Carter were together for several years before eventually separating.

Ewan McGregor

Ewan McGregor and Eve Mavrakis were married for more than twenty years when he began working on the TV series ‘Fargo’. While filming, he met actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and they developed a romantic relationship. Pictures surfaced of them kissing in London while McGregor was still married. Soon after the photos became public, McGregor filed for divorce. He later married Winstead, and they had a child together.

Rupert Sanders

While directing ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’, Rupert Sanders had an affair with the film’s star, Kristen Stewart. Paparazzi photos of them together were published, causing a major public scandal. Sanders publicly apologized to his wife, Liberty Ross, and their children. Ross then filed for divorce, and the couple separated.

Harrison Ford

While filming the first ‘Star Wars’ movie, Harrison Ford was married to Mary Marquardt but had a secret romantic relationship with his co-star, Carrie Fisher, while they were filming in London. They managed to keep the affair hidden for many years. Fisher later shared details of their three-month relationship in her autobiography. Ford and Marquardt divorced in 1979, but the affair wasn’t the only reason for the split.

Ryan Phillippe

Ryan Phillippe was married to Reese Witherspoon while working on the movie ‘Stop-Loss’. During filming, rumors began about a relationship between him and his co-star, Abbie Cornish. These rumors grew stronger as Phillippe and Witherspoon’s marriage fell apart soon after the movie finished. Phillippe and Cornish then dated openly for several years following his divorce. Witherspoon later suggested that the challenges of working in the film industry contributed to their separation.

Chad Michael Murray

Chad Michael Murray and Sophia Bush, his co-star on ‘One Tree Hill,’ had a grand wedding. However, just five months later, while filming ‘House of Wax’ with Paris Hilton, rumors surfaced about Murray being unfaithful. Bush quickly filed for an annulment, claiming she’d been misled, and the marriage ended quickly. Soon after, Murray was publicly seen dating a much younger background actor from the movie set.

Humphrey Bogart

Let me tell you, the story behind Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall is almost as captivating as their films. When Bogart took the role in ‘To Have and Have Not,’ he was already in a troubled marriage. Then, nineteen-year-old Lauren Bacall walked onto the set, and sparks flew – instantly. They began a secret romance right there during filming. Eventually, Bogart ended his first marriage and married Bacall, and they became one of the most legendary couples in Hollywood, staying together until his passing. It’s a classic Hollywood romance, honestly.

Spencer Tracy

Spencer Tracy was a deeply religious Catholic who was married to Louise Treadwell. He met Katharine Hepburn while filming ‘Woman of the Year,’ and they formed a lasting connection. Because of his faith and feelings of responsibility towards his son, who was deaf, Tracy remained married to Louise. Despite living separate lives, Spencer and Katharine had a relationship that lasted twenty-six years, appearing in many films together while mostly keeping their romance a secret.

Steve McQueen

While filming the action movie ‘The Getaway’, Steve McQueen, who was married to Neile Adams, began a love affair with his co-star, Ali MacGraw. At the time, MacGraw was married to film producer Robert Evans. Both McQueen and MacGraw eventually left their respective spouses and married each other, but their relationship was difficult and they divorced after five years.

John Malkovich

John Malkovich was married to Glenne Headly when he started filming ‘Dangerous Liaisons’. During filming, he had a short but passionate affair with his co-star, Michelle Pfeiffer. This romance is said to have led to the end of his marriage to Headly. Although their connection was intense, Pfeiffer and Malkovich didn’t remain together after the movie finished. Headly later described this period as a challenging time in her life.

Ted Danson

Ted Danson was married to Casey Coates when he started working on the movie ‘Made in America’. While filming, he had a very public affair with his co-star, Whoopi Goldberg. This caused a scandal in the tabloids and ultimately led to a difficult and expensive divorce for Danson. He and Goldberg briefly dated after the divorce was finalized. Later, Danson married actress Mary Steenburgen.

James Cameron

While directing the blockbuster ‘Titanic’, James Cameron was married to Kathryn Bigelow. During filming, he started a relationship with actress Suzy Amis, who had a small part in the movie. After ‘Titanic’ wrapped up, Cameron ended his marriage to Bigelow and began a relationship with Amis, whom he later married in 2000. They are still married today. Bigelow later made history by becoming the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director.

Robert Rodriguez

Robert Rodriguez and Elizabeth Avellán were married for sixteen years, but separated shortly after rumors surfaced of a relationship between Rodriguez and actress Rose McGowan, who was starring in his film ‘Planet Terror’. Rodriguez and McGowan later had a public relationship that ultimately ended.

Dean McDermott

Dean McDermott was married to Mary Jo Eustace when he met Tori Spelling while filming a movie. They had an affair right away, even though they were both married to other people. Eventually, Dean and Tori both left their spouses to be with each other. They quickly got married and later became the subjects of several reality TV shows documenting their lives.

Laurence Olivier

Laurence Olivier was married to Jill Esmond when he began filming ‘Fire Over England.’ It was during this time he met Vivien Leigh, and they quickly fell in love, despite both being married to other people. Unable to resist their connection, they eventually divorced their spouses and married each other in a private ceremony. Their romance became one of the most celebrated and heartbreaking stories in theater history.

Clark Gable

While filming ‘The Call of the Wild’, Clark Gable was married to Ria Langham but began a relationship with his co-star, Loretta Young. Young became pregnant with their daughter, and to protect their reputations, the birth was kept secret. Gable stayed married to Langham for several more years, and it wasn’t until after his death that the truth about his daughter’s parentage became widely known.

Gary Cooper

While married to Veronica Balfe, Gary Cooper had a passionate affair with his co-star, Patricia Neal, during the filming of ‘The Fountainhead’. Their relationship became well-known in Hollywood and created difficulties in his marriage. Ultimately, Cooper reconciled with his wife after the affair with Neal ended, which she later described as deeply heartbreaking.

Paul Newman

Paul Newman was married to Jackie Witte when he began working on ‘The Long, Hot Summer’. During filming, he met Joanne Woodward, and they developed a strong connection that blossomed into a romantic relationship. Although he felt guilty, Newman eventually divorced Witte and soon after married Woodward. They enjoyed a remarkable fifty-year marriage that lasted until Newman’s death.

Antonio Banderas

Antonio Banderas was married to Ana Leza when he met Melanie Griffith while filming the movie ‘Two Much’. They quickly fell in love, leading to the end of his first marriage. Banderas and Griffith then married and became one of Hollywood’s most famous couples, staying together for almost twenty years before eventually divorcing.

Tom Cruise

When Tom Cruise started filming ‘Days of Thunder’, he was married to Mimi Rogers. He specifically chose Nicole Kidman to be his co-star and love interest in the movie, and their connection on screen quickly turned into a real relationship. Cruise and Rogers divorced, and he married Kidman later that year. The couple became incredibly famous and were constantly photographed, becoming a defining couple of the 1990s.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

While married to Maria Shriver, Arnold Schwarzenegger had an affair with his ‘Red Sonja’ co-star, Brigitte Nielsen. Nielsen detailed the relationship in her autobiography, and Schwarzenegger later confessed to it in his own memoir. Despite this, the couple remained married for many years before ultimately divorcing due to a separate issue.

Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood and Maggie Johnson were married when he started working with Sondra Locke on the film ‘The Outlaw Josey Wales.’ They then began a long-term relationship that lasted over ten years. Throughout much of this time, Eastwood was still legally married to Johnson. Eastwood and Locke collaborated on several movies while they were together. However, their relationship eventually ended badly, leading to a lengthy and public legal battle over financial support.

Peter Bogdanovich

Director Peter Bogdanovich was married to Polly Platt, who also designed the sets for his films. While working on ‘The Last Picture Show,’ Bogdanovich began an affair with his leading actress, Cybill Shepherd, openly and while Platt was still on set. Despite the painful situation, Platt continued working on the film. After filming finished, Bogdanovich left Platt for Shepherd.

Roberto Rossellini

Okay, so let me tell you about this fascinating, and frankly scandalous, story behind the making of Roberto Rossellini’s ‘Stromboli.’ I recently learned that Rossellini, who was married at the time, received a letter from Ingrid Bergman – a huge star, mind you – saying she really wanted to collaborate with him. Well, they did, and sparks flew! An affair began on set, and Bergman ended up pregnant while still married to another man. It caused a huge scandal back in the States – seriously, it almost ended her career. It’s a dramatic tale of love, ambition, and the price of defying societal norms, and it definitely adds another layer to watching that film.

William Holden

While married to Ardis Ankerson, William Holden developed a strong connection with his ‘Sabrina’ co-star, Audrey Hepburn, and they began an affair. However, the relationship ended when Hepburn discovered Holden had had a vasectomy, and she desired to have children. Despite his affair, Holden stayed married to Ankerson for a long time.

Tony Curtis

While filming ‘Taras Bulba’ in Argentina, Tony Curtis met seventeen-year-old actress Christine Kaufmann. At the time, he was married to Janet Leigh, but he began a relationship with Kaufmann and eventually divorced Leigh to marry her. The divorce was very public and surprised many fans who loved the couple. Curtis and Kaufmann’s marriage lasted five years before they divorced.

Frank Langella

Frank Langella and Ruth Weil were married for almost twenty years. While filming the comedy ‘Eddie’ with Whoopi Goldberg, they began a romantic relationship. Langella soon divorced his wife and spent several years living with Goldberg before they eventually split up.

John Wayne

John Wayne was married to Josephine Saenz while filming ‘Seven Sinners’, where he met Marlene Dietrich. They began a three-year romantic relationship. Dietrich, known for her independent spirit, fascinated Wayne, and the affair ultimately led to the end of his marriage. Despite the end of their relationship, they remained friends and went on to star in two more movies together.

Yves Montand

While filming ‘Let’s Make Love’, Yves Montand, who was married to Simone Signoret, had a short affair with his co-star, Marilyn Monroe, who was married to Arthur Miller. Despite the public embarrassment, Signoret remained with Montand. The relationship ended when the movie finished and Montand went back to France.

Dominic West

Okay, so this whole thing with Dominic West during the filming of ‘The Pursuit of Love’ was pretty wild. He was actually married to Catherine FitzGerald at the time, but photos surfaced of him and his co-star, Lily James, sharing a kiss in Rome. It blew up in the UK tabloids, honestly. Dominic and Catherine tried to downplay it, putting on a show of unity and insisting their marriage was solid. Lily, though, stayed completely silent about it all, which I always found interesting.

Sam Shepard

Sam Shepard, a playwright and actor, was married to O-Lan Jones when he began working on the film ‘Frances’. It was on this set that he met Jessica Lange, and they quickly felt a strong connection. Shepard ended his marriage and left his family to be with Lange. Despite their nearly thirty-year relationship, they chose not to marry, but they did appear together in films like ‘Country’ and ‘Crimes of the Heart’.

Charles Dance

Charles Dance and Joanna Haythorn were married for more than three decades. While working with Sophia Myles on ‘The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby’, Dance began a relationship with her. This affair ultimately led to the end of his marriage. Though they dated briefly, Dance and Myles eventually separated.

Marilyn Manson

Marilyn Manson and burlesque performer Dita Von Teese were married, but their relationship ended in divorce. Around the same time, Manson was working on a personal film project called ‘Phantasmagoria’ and began a relationship with actress Evan Rachel Wood. Their romance was turbulent and lasted several years, with periods of being together and apart.

Tell us which of these on-set scandals surprised you the most in the comments.

2026-01-29 23:18