Actresses Who Dumped Their Spouses The Second They Got Famous

Becoming a major star in Hollywood can surprisingly strain personal relationships. Many actresses find that when their careers peak – with a hit movie or a prestigious award – their marriages or long-term partnerships often end. This pattern has sparked common stories and ideas about how quick success affects home life. Throughout Hollywood history, from its classic stars to today’s leading ladies, numerous well-known women have experienced significant breakups right as their careers soared.

Sandra Bullock

In 2010, Sandra Bullock received the Best Actress Academy Award for her role in ‘The Blind Side’. Shortly after the awards ceremony, news broke about her husband, Jesse James, being unfaithful. They had been married for five years, and the resulting public scandal quickly led to their separation. Bullock filed for divorce in April 2010, and it was finalized within a few months. She continued to focus on her career and raise her adopted son as a single mother.

Reese Witherspoon

In 2006, Reese Witherspoon reached a high point in her career, winning the Best Actress Oscar for her role in ‘Walk the Line.’ She and actor Ryan Phillippe had been married since 1999 and were considered one of Hollywood’s more solid couples. Surprisingly, just months after her Oscar win, they announced their separation in October 2006. Ryan Phillippe later explained that the pressures of fame and their youth when they married played a role in their divorce, which was finalized in 2007.

Halle Berry

In 2002, Halle Berry became the first African American woman to win an Academy Award for Best Actress, receiving the honor for her role in ‘Monster’s Ball.’ Soon after, her marriage to singer Eric Benét began to fall apart publicly. Benét later sought help for sex addiction after admitting to being unfaithful. Berry announced they were separating in 2003 and finalized their divorce in 2005, following legal proceedings that began the previous year.

Hilary Swank

Hilary Swank earned her second Best Actress Oscar in 2005 for her role in ‘Million Dollar Baby’. After famously failing to thank her husband, Chad Lowe, when she won her first Oscar in 2000, she remembered to acknowledge him during her second acceptance speech. However, the couple surprisingly announced their separation less than a year later, in early 2006. Chad Lowe later explained that the imbalance of their careers – her success versus his own struggles – had put a strain on their marriage, ultimately leading to their divorce finalized in 2007.

Meghan Markle

In 2011, Meghan Markle’s career took off when she landed the role of Rachel Zane on the TV show ‘Suits.’ That same year, she married producer Trevor Engelson in Jamaica. As ‘Suits’ became very popular, Markle primarily filmed in Toronto while Engelson stayed in Los Angeles. This distance, combined with Markle’s growing fame, reportedly caused problems in their marriage. They separated in 2013 and finalized their divorce in 2014.

Jennifer Lopez

As a movie fan, I remember when Jennifer Lopez really broke out – it was with ‘Selena’ back in ’97. It’s kinda wild, but she actually met her first husband, Ojani Noa, on the set. He was a waiter then! They got married during filming, but things moved fast. By early ’98, they’d split up, right as J.Lo was launching her music career. He’s said that her sudden fame and her team were a big part of why their marriage didn’t last. And honestly, he’s been trying to share details about their time together for years, which has led to a lot of legal issues with Jennifer.

Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Garner became a household name in 2001 when she starred in the TV show ‘Alias’. She and actor Scott Foley were married at the start of the series, having met while working on ‘Felicity’. As ‘Alias’ became popular and Garner also appeared in ‘Daredevil’, their relationship faced difficulties. They separated in early 2003, and Foley later said her quick rise to fame greatly impacted their lives. Their divorce was completed in 2004.

Freida Pinto

Freida Pinto became world-famous after the huge success of the 2008 film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. Before the movie came out, she was engaged to her boyfriend and publicist, Rohan Antao. The film received a lot of praise and awards, and Pinto’s life quickly changed with constant travel and media attention. Soon after the film’s success, she ended her engagement with Antao, who later spoke publicly about how heartbroken he was and how the film had affected their relationship.

Kristen Stewart

I remember when Kristen Stewart really broke through – it was when she landed the role of Bella in ‘Twilight’ back in 2008. Before all the craziness, she and Michael Angarano were together for a while. But honestly, once ‘Twilight’ exploded, it felt like everything changed. All the attention and the huge fan reaction really seemed to put a strain on their relationship. They ended up splitting in 2009, which was around the time she and Robert Pattinson started dating. It was a big time for her, becoming one of the most well-known young actresses around, and it seemed like a lot was happening all at once.

Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson became even more famous in 2003 with the reality TV show ‘Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica’ on MTV. The show helped launch both her and her husband, Nick Lachey, into the spotlight, but it also revealed problems in their relationship. As Jessica’s career in music and fashion took off, they faced more and more public scrutiny. They announced they were separating in late 2005, around the time the show ended, and their divorce was completed in 2006.

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe, originally known as Norma Jeane, married James Dougherty. While he was serving in the Merchant Marine in the mid-1940s, she started working as a model and pursuing acting. When she signed a film contract with 20th Century Fox in 1946, she divorced Dougherty to focus on her career. Dougherty later said the studio actually wanted her to be single, believing it would help promote her image. Her career took off quickly after the divorce, and she soon became a famous icon.

Julia Roberts

Julia Roberts received the Best Actress Oscar in 2001 for her role in ‘Erin Brockovich’. She was in a well-known relationship with actor Benjamin Bratt at the time, having been together for almost four years. Surprisingly, they announced their breakup only a few months after her Oscar win, despite her publicly expressing her love for him during awards season. Reports suggest Bratt found the increased media scrutiny following her win difficult to handle. Their split is often mentioned as an example of the so-called “Oscar curse.”

Helen Hunt

1998 was a high point in Helen Hunt’s career, as she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in ‘As Good as It Gets’. She and actor Hank Azaria had been together for several years and married in 1999, shortly after her Oscar win. Unfortunately, the marriage didn’t last, and they separated after only about a year, finalizing their divorce by the end of 2000. Azaria later explained that the intense pressure on Hunt following her award created difficulties in their relationship.

Bette Davis

Bette Davis first earned an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1936 for the movie ‘Dangerous’. She married her high school sweetheart, Harmon Nelson, just as her career was taking off. However, as her success continued with a second award for ‘Jezebel’, her marriage to Nelson began to fall apart. Nelson felt eclipsed by Davis’s growing fame and the pressures of working in the studio system. They divorced in 1938, and Nelson said her career had put too much stress on their relationship.

Claudette Colbert

Claudette Colbert was a leading actress in the 1930s, famously winning the Best Actress Oscar for her role in the 1934 film ‘It Happened One Night’. She was married to actor and director Norman Foster when she won, and the couple was already known for living in separate homes. They divorced shortly after her Oscar win in 1935, with the increasing demands and directions of their Hollywood careers cited as the reason.

Kate Winslet

Kate Winslet received the Best Actress Oscar in 2009 for her role in ‘The Reader’. She was married to director Sam Mendes at the time, and they had recently worked together on the film ‘Revolutionary Road’. Just under a year after her Oscar win, in early 2010, they announced their separation. After almost seven years of marriage and one son together, the divorce was finalized later that year, ending a well-known Hollywood relationship.

Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson became famous through ‘American Idol’ and solidified her place as a major celebrity by winning an Oscar for ‘Dreamgirls’ in 2007. She had been with her high school boyfriend, James Peyton, for eight years before her success. Their relationship lasted through her journey from reality TV contestant to Academy Award winner, but ended shortly after her win as her career took off. Peyton later shared that the dramatic shift in Hudson’s fame had put a strain on their relationship.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas

I remember when Priyanka Chopra won Miss World back in 2000 – it really launched her career, and soon after, she was starring in major Bollywood films. At the time, she was dating a fellow model and actor, Aseem Merchant. But as Priyanka’s star rose, their relationship unfortunately ended. It got messy, too – Aseem later tried to make a movie loosely based on their time together, which led to Priyanka taking legal action. It was a tough time, happening right as she was becoming a huge name in Indian cinema.

Jane Fonda

As a movie fan, I always remember Jane Fonda’s big win at the Oscars in 1972 for ‘Klute’ – it was a fantastic performance! Back then, she was married to Roger Vadim, a French director who really shaped her image and helped launch her career over in Europe. But things changed quickly; just a year after winning that Oscar, she filed for divorce from him in early 1973. It felt like a turning point for her, both personally and in the roles she started taking on – she was becoming much more politically active. Not long after the divorce was finalized, she married Tom Hayden, another activist, which really solidified that shift in who she was, both on and off screen.

Joan Crawford

By 1945, Joan Crawford had successfully turned her career around, earning the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in ‘Mildred Pierce.’ This came after marrying actor Phillip Terry in 1942, a time when some believed her career was fading. The Oscar win firmly re-established her as a major Hollywood star. However, just months later, in 1946, Crawford and Terry divorced. She later confessed that the marriage hadn’t worked because it wasn’t compatible with her life as a celebrity.

Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn rose to prominence in Hollywood, winning her first Best Actress Oscar for ‘Morning Glory’ in 1934. She had married businessman Ludlow Ogden Smith in 1928, before her film career took off. As Hepburn’s fame increased, she and her husband grew apart, leading to their divorce in 1934, soon after her Oscar win. She remained unmarried for the rest of her life, and later became known for her long-lasting relationship with Spencer Tracy.

Kim Basinger

Kim Basinger’s career reached a high point in 1998 when she won an Oscar for her role in ‘L.A. Confidential’. She was married to Alec Baldwin at the time, and the couple were very well-known in Hollywood. Although they stayed together for a few years after her Oscar win, their relationship became strained due to the public attention. They separated in late 2000 and officially divorced in 2002, following a public and difficult legal process. This happened while Basinger was enjoying a lot of success in her career.

Jane Wyman

In 1948, Jane Wyman received the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in ‘Johnny Belinda’. She and Ronald Reagan were a popular Hollywood couple at the time, but while Wyman’s career was flourishing, Reagan’s acting work was slowing down. They separated in 1948 and divorced in 1949. Many believe Wyman’s Oscar win highlighted the growing problems in their relationship, both professionally and personally.

Mo’Nique

Mo’Nique is widely known for her powerful performance in the movie ‘Precious’, but her career took off earlier with her role on the sitcom ‘The Parkers’. During that time, in 2001, she also received a major award from the NAACP and finalized her divorce from Mark Jackson. Looking back, Mo’Nique has said she was focused on becoming famous and hadn’t yet learned how to balance her career and personal life. She’s openly discussed how she’s grown and learned from that experience in her later marriage.

Emma Thompson

Emma Thompson became a major acting star in the early 1990s, winning an Academy Award for her role in ‘Howards End’ in 1993. She and Kenneth Branagh, also an actor and director, were often called British cinema’s “golden couple.” They worked together on many projects, but demanding schedules and Thompson’s growing fame put a strain on their relationship. They separated in 1995, soon after Thompson found even more success with ‘Sense and Sensibility,’ and their divorce was finalized later that year.

Cher

Cher won an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1988 for her role in ‘Moonstruck’. At the time, she was dating Rob Camilletti, who the media playfully called “the bagel boy.” The couple received a lot of unwanted attention from the press because of their age gap and the fact that Rob wasn’t famous. They broke up in 1989, just a year after Cher’s Oscar win. Cher later explained that the intense media scrutiny and lack of privacy made it impossible to continue the relationship.

Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand instantly became a major star with her first film, ‘Funny Girl,’ winning the Best Actress Oscar in 1969. She was married to actor Elliott Gould at the time, before her film career took off. As Streisand’s popularity soared in music, movies, and theater, their relationship began to shift. They separated in 1969, the same year she won her Oscar, and officially divorced in 1971. Both Streisand and Gould continued to find success in their individual careers.

Kaley Cuoco

I remember when Kaley Cuoco was absolutely huge on ‘The Big Bang Theory’ – it was right around that time, late 2013, that she married tennis player Ryan Sweeting. It was a really interesting period for her, actually, because she and the rest of the cast were fighting for bigger paychecks, and she was everywhere! But sadly, things didn’t work out. They announced they were separating after just 21 months, in September 2015, and the divorce was finalized in 2016. It was tough, but she really kept things moving professionally, starting to produce and taking on even more leading roles. She’s done amazing ever since.

Brie Larson

Brie Larson became a major star after winning the Best Actress Oscar for her role in ‘Room’ in 2016. She and musician Alex Greenwald had been together since 2013 and got engaged in 2016, soon after her Oscar win. When Larson joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Captain Marvel, her career and public profile grew rapidly. The couple ended their engagement in early 2019, as Larson’s career was taking off. They had been a couple for six years.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga received her first Oscar nomination for her role in ‘A Star Is Born’ in 2019, and ultimately won an Academy Award for Best Original Song. While working on the film and attending awards shows, she was engaged to Christian Carino. They were often seen together publicly, but the engagement ended suddenly in February 2019, shortly before the Oscars. Reports suggested the stress of her career and the demands of awards season played a role in their breakup, mirroring a similar situation after she won a Golden Globe and split from Taylor Kinney.

Share your thoughts on the impact of stardom on celebrity relationships in the comments.

2026-02-25 02:48