Celebs Who Used Marriages for Career Boosts Then Bailed

It’s common in the entertainment world to see celebrities in highly publicized relationships, especially around the time they’re promoting a new project or changing their public image. Sometimes these relationships seem real when they begin, but often end soon after the publicity helps their careers. This raises questions about whether these relationships are based on genuine affection or are strategically planned to generate media buzz and boost a celebrity’s career. People often look closely at these short-lived marriages to try and figure out the real motivations behind them.

Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries had a very public, extravagant wedding that was featured on ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ and brought in a lot of money for the network. However, the marriage ended quickly – Kardashian filed for divorce just seventy-two days later. This short time together led many people to believe the wedding was simply a way to get attention. Surprisingly, the divorce process took much longer to finalize than the marriage itself had lasted.

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey and Tommy Mottola, then the head of Sony Music, married in a wedding reminiscent of a royal event. Mottola was instrumental in launching Carey’s career and helping her become a hugely successful artist. However, Carey eventually felt that his control stifled her personal and creative development. After their divorce, she pursued a more independent path, resulting in the critically acclaimed album ‘Butterfly’ and a fresh public persona.

Sophia Bush

Sophia Bush and her ‘One Tree Hill’ costar, Chad Michael Murray, married while working on the show. Their relationship was used in the show’s marketing to appeal to younger viewers. However, they separated after just five months, fueled by rumors of cheating. Bush later explained she felt pressured into the marriage for professional reasons, and they continued to film scenes together for several more years after the breakup.

Kaley Cuoco

Kaley Cuoco and tennis player Ryan Sweeting married quickly, just three months after they started dating. The wedding happened while Cuoco’s show, ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ was extremely popular. Their relationship was highly publicized, often appearing in the media and on social media. After twenty-one months, Cuoco filed for divorce, stating they had irreconcilable differences. She later shared that the marriage hadn’t gone as planned.

Renée Zellweger

Renée Zellweger and country singer Kenny Chesney unexpectedly married in a beachside ceremony, creating a lot of media buzz. However, just four months later, Zellweger filed for an annulment, claiming fraud. This caused a lot of speculation, but both Zellweger and Chesney later clarified that the use of the term ‘fraud’ was a legal matter and didn’t reflect any personal issues between them.

Bradley Cooper

Before Bradley Cooper became famous, he was married to Jennifer Esposito, but the marriage only lasted four months. She filed for divorce shortly after. This happened before his big break in the movie ‘The Hangover,’ which really launched his career. Esposito later shared details about their relationship in her memoir, describing it as challenging. Cooper himself hasn’t often discussed the brief marriage publicly.

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez quickly married her dancer, Cris Judd, after ending her relationship with Sean Combs. This happened while she was busy promoting her second album and the movie ‘The Wedding Planner’. Judd gained more recognition after appearing with Lopez in the ‘Love Don’t Cost a Thing’ music video. However, the marriage didn’t last long – they separated in less than a year, before Lopez started dating Ben Affleck. She has later thought about how the timing of her marriages played out during her career.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had a very public romance that culminated in a grand wedding in Italy. They first connected while Cruise was promoting his film ‘War of the Worlds,’ and the media quickly nicknamed them “TomKat,” closely following their relationship. Years later, Holmes filed for divorce, which reportedly came as a shock to Cruise and his lawyers. Following the divorce, Holmes refocused on her acting career and began to reshape her public image.

Russell Brand

Russell Brand and Katy Perry had a traditional wedding in India. The marriage boosted Brand’s career in the United States, and the couple often appeared together at events and in interviews. However, after just fourteen months, Brand ended the marriage with a text message. Perry later drew on this experience for her documentary film, ‘Katy Perry Part of Me’.

Carmen Electra

Carmen Electra and basketball star Dennis Rodman had a whirlwind romance that culminated in a Las Vegas wedding. The marriage, happening when both were famous, quickly became a tabloid sensation. Rodman filed for an annulment just nine days later, though they briefly got back together. Ultimately, they divorced less than a year after tying the knot. Electra later explained the relationship was an impulsive decision made during a challenging period in her life.

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage and Lisa Marie Presley, both from famous families – Cage a Hollywood star and Presley the daughter of Elvis – briefly married. The wedding happened when Cage was enjoying a high point in his career, having recently won an Academy Award. However, the marriage only lasted about 108 days before Cage filed for divorce. Many people thought Cage’s known fascination with Elvis Presley played a role in their quick relationship. Both Cage and Presley have since pursued other relationships and careers.

Britney Spears

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline married and starred in the reality show ‘Britney and Kevin: Chaotic’, which followed their lives together. Their relationship heavily influenced how the public saw Spears during a difficult time in her career. Federline briefly tried to become a rapper using the show as a launching pad. Shortly after their second child was born, Spears filed for divorce, and the ensuing legal battle dominated entertainment news for years.

Ashton Kutcher

Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore’s marriage brought together different eras of Hollywood fame. Their relationship kept Kutcher in the public eye as he moved from TV to movies. Together, they started a charity and were among the first to use social media to build their public image. After six years, the marriage ended due to reports of Kutcher being unfaithful. Moore later shared details about their relationship in her autobiography, ‘Inside Out’.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton fell in love while filming ‘Pushing Tin’ and quickly married. They were known for their unusual and sometimes shocking public affection, famously even wearing vials containing each other’s blood. This relationship solidified Jolie’s reputation as a nonconformist and a captivating, edgy actress. After three years, they divorced around the time Jolie began her significant work as a global humanitarian, shortly after she adopted her first child from Cambodia.

Pamela Anderson

Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee famously married just four days after meeting. Their relationship became a major focus for the tabloids during the 1990s, and their lives were thrust into the public eye when a private video was stolen and widely circulated. Anderson filed for divorce on multiple occasions before they ultimately separated. The story of their whirlwind romance and its consequences is depicted in the miniseries ‘Pam & Tommy’.

Julia Roberts

Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett shocked many when they got married, as they seemed like an unlikely pair. Roberts was a huge movie star at the time, fresh off the success of ‘Pretty Woman’. The media often nicknamed them ‘beauty and the beast’. After just twenty-one months, they separated, explaining that their busy careers were the reason. Despite the split, they remained friendly and continued to support each other’s work.

Madonna

Madonna and Sean Penn’s marriage was a whirlwind of attention, with paparazzi constantly following them, even by helicopter. They also worked together on the movie ‘Shanghai Surprise,’ which wasn’t well-received by critics. Their relationship was often under intense public scrutiny and included reports of difficulties. After four years, Madonna filed for divorce and then released her successful album ‘Like a Prayer.’ Despite their split, they’ve remained friends over the years.

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson were married early in their careers, as both were becoming famous through roles in superhero films like those from Marvel and DC. They were a very private couple and didn’t often attend public events together. After two years, they announced their separation. Soon after the divorce, Reynolds’ career took off with the success of the ‘Deadpool’ movies. Both actors have since gone on to have successful relationships and marriages.

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe married playwright Arthur Miller hoping to be taken more seriously as an actress. The relationship was seen as a combination of glamour and intelligence, and it introduced her to a new group of friends and colleagues. Miller even wrote the movie ‘The Misfits’ as a way to highlight her acting skills. However, the marriage became difficult while filming ‘The Misfits,’ and they divorced soon after the movie finished. Sadly, this would be Monroe’s last completed film before her death.

Heather Locklear

Heather Locklear found romance with musicians at the peak of her career, first marrying Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee while starring on ‘Dynasty’. This pairing helped her develop a more rebellious public image, distinct from her polished TV character. They were a prominent couple in Los Angeles for seven years before divorcing. Locklear then married Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, and her relationships with rock stars continued to attract significant media attention for years to come.

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2026-01-26 03:46