Top 15 Lesbian Celebrity Couples

Lesbian and queer women in the public eye have helped change how same-sex relationships are seen, simply by living their lives openly with the partners they love. From long-term marriages that began decades before equality laws caught up, to newer couples who met on sets, red carpets, and political rallies, these relationships span entertainment, sport, and activism. Many of these pairs balance high-profile careers with parenting, philanthropy, and creative collaborations. Here are 15 well-known celebrity couples made up of women loving women, and how their relationships took shape behind the headlines.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi

Comedian and former daytime host Ellen DeGeneres and actor Portia de Rossi began dating in the early 2000s after moving in the same Hollywood circles. They married in August 2008 at their home in California, shortly after the state briefly legalized same-sex marriage. DeGeneres and de Rossi have since celebrated more than 17 years of marriage and over two decades together, often marking anniversaries with public tributes. The pair have used their platform to support LGBTQ+ causes, animal welfare, and various charities, frequently hosting fundraisers and highlighting organizations on DeGeneres’ former talk show ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’. Their relationship has unfolded largely in Los Angeles, where they also share an interest in architecture and house restoration.

Kristen Stewart and Dylan Meyer

Actor Kristen Stewart and screenwriter Dylan Meyer first crossed paths years ago on a film set, then reconnected at a party in Los Angeles in 2019 and quickly began dating. Stewart later revealed that Meyer was the one who proposed, and the couple became engaged in 2021. They married in an intimate ceremony at their Los Angeles home on April 20, 2025, with a small group of close friends in attendance. Meyer, the daughter of screenwriter Nicholas Meyer, has worked on projects including the film ‘Moxie’ and co-writes with Stewart on developing new screenplays. The couple occasionally share glimpses of their life together on social media, balancing their private home life with red-carpet appearances and industry events.

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor

Actors Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor first met at a dinner party in the early 2000s, but they did not start dating until reconnecting on social media years later. They publicly confirmed their relationship in 2015 and have been together ever since. Paulson has spoken in interviews about their decision to maintain separate homes while spending much of their time together, describing this as a practical arrangement that supports their work schedules. The couple’s relationship has drawn attention for its 32-year age difference, which both have addressed matter-of-factly while emphasizing their shared values and creative interests. Taylor, a veteran of stage and screen, and Paulson, known for series like ‘American Horror Story’, regularly support one another’s projects at premieres and award shows.

Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli

Actor Samira Wiley and writer-producer Lauren Morelli met on the set of the Netflix series ‘Orange Is the New Black’, where Wiley played Poussey Washington and Morelli was part of the writing staff. Morelli has written publicly about realizing she was gay while working on the show, a process that led to major changes in her personal life. Wiley and Morelli began dating after her divorce, announced their engagement in 2016, and married in March 2017 in Palm Springs in a confetti-themed ceremony. In April 2021 they welcomed their daughter, George Elizabeth, and have occasionally shared family updates with fans. Both women continue to work in television, with Wiley appearing in projects such as ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and Morelli creating and show-running new series.

Niecy Nash-Betts and Jessica Betts

Actor Niecy Nash-Betts and musician Jessica Betts first connected on social media around 2015, forming a friendship long before romance developed. After Nash-Betts’ divorce from her previous husband, their relationship became romantic, and they quietly married in August 2020 in a California ceremony that they later revealed on Instagram. The couple went on to become the first same-sex couple to appear on the cover of ‘Essence’ magazine in 2022, highlighting Black queer love and visibility. Nash-Betts has since spoken about embracing her identity as a queer woman and how the marriage affected conversations around her career and representation in Hollywood. Betts continues to release music and perform, and the two often appear together at award shows and industry events.

Jodie Foster and Alexandra Hedison

Academy Award-winning actor and filmmaker Jodie Foster has been with photographer and director Alexandra Hedison for more than a decade. The couple reportedly began dating around 2013 and married in a private ceremony in 2014. Hedison, who previously acted and later shifted her focus to fine-art photography and directing, exhibits her work internationally. The pair are known for keeping their relationship largely out of the spotlight, appearing together occasionally at film festivals, award shows, and art events. Foster has thanked Hedison in acceptance speeches, acknowledging her support during later-career projects like ‘The Mauritanian’ and the HBO series ‘True Detective’.

Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne

Stand-up comedian Tig Notaro met actor and writer Stephanie Allynne on the set of the indie film ‘In a World…’, where they played minor roles and later reconnected at the Sundance Film Festival. Their friendship evolved into a relationship during a period when Notaro was recovering from serious health issues, including breast cancer, and Allynne has spoken about realizing she was gay through falling in love with Notaro. The couple married on October 24, 2015, in Notaro’s hometown in Mississippi, only months after nationwide marriage equality was legalized in the United States. They welcomed twin sons, Max and Finn, via surrogate in 2016 and have discussed parenting in interviews and in Notaro’s comedy. Together they co-directed the film ‘Am I OK?’, a coming-of-age story about a woman exploring her sexuality, further extending their creative partnership.

Martina Navratilova and Julia Lemigova

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova and former model Julia Lemigova have been together for nearly two decades. Lemigova, who was crowned Miss USSR, began dating Navratilova in the mid-2000s, and the pair married in New York in 2014 after the expansion of marriage equality in the United States. Lemigova later joined the reality series ‘The Real Housewives of Miami’, where Navratilova has made appearances that offer viewers a glimpse into their life together. The couple celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in 2025 and have spoken publicly about working through challenges and maintaining a strong partnership despite public scrutiny. They also focus on family life, having welcomed two adopted sons in 2024.

Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner

Actor and comedian Lily Tomlin met writer and director Jane Wagner in 1971 after Tomlin asked Wagner to collaborate on material for one of her characters. The creative partnership quickly grew into a romantic relationship, and the two have been together ever since. Over the decades, Wagner has written many of Tomlin’s most famous projects, including stage shows and television specials, while Tomlin has brought Wagner’s words to life on screen and on stage. For many years they stayed relatively private about their personal relationship, even as they lived together and worked as a team. The pair married on New Year’s Eve 2013 in Los Angeles, more than 40 years after they first fell in love, and continue to collaborate on projects and advocacy work.

Rachel Maddow and Susan Mikula

Journalist and television host Rachel Maddow met artist and photographer Susan Mikula in 1999 when Mikula hired her to do yard work at her home in western Massachusetts. The meeting led to a relationship that has spanned more than two decades, during which Maddow’s career grew from local radio to hosting a primetime news show on cable television. Mikula’s photography, known for its use of vintage and experimental techniques, has been exhibited at galleries in the United States and abroad. The couple split their time between a home in western Massachusetts and another in New York, where Maddow’s work is based. They have spoken occasionally about managing public and private life, including staying offline and maintaining boundaries around their relationship.

Wanda Sykes and Alex Niedbalski

Comedian Wanda Sykes met French businesswoman Alex Niedbalski on a ferry to Fire Island in 2006, and the two began dating soon afterward. Sykes came out publicly as a lesbian in 2008 at a rally opposing California’s Proposition 8, revealing that she had married Niedbalski a month earlier. The couple welcomed fraternal twins, a son and a daughter, in 2009, and Sykes has joked in interviews about raising them bilingual in English and French. Niedbalski, who has worked in the kitchen and countertop industry, generally maintains a private life away from the entertainment spotlight. Sykes continues to reference her family life in stand-up specials and appearances, using humor to address topics like parenting, politics, and LGBTQ+ rights.

Cynthia Nixon and Christine Marinoni

Actor and activist Cynthia Nixon met education organizer Christine Marinoni in 2001 while working on a campaign to reduce class sizes in New York public schools. They became a couple a few years later, after Nixon’s separation from her former partner, and announced their engagement at a rally supporting same-sex marriage in 2009. Marinoni gave birth to their son in 2011, and the couple married in New York City on May 27, 2012, after marriage equality was legalized in the state. Nixon has described herself as queer and bisexual, and the pair have been active in political campaigns, education advocacy, and LGBTQ+ rights. They celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary in 2025 with a trip to Paris, sharing photos from the celebration on social media.

Jane Lynch and Jennifer Cheyne

Actor Jane Lynch and screenwriter Jennifer Cheyne first dated in the early 2000s, later separated, and then reunited years afterward. Lynch revealed in 2021 that they had quietly married, sharing that the ceremony reflected their long history together. Cheyne has worked as a writer and script consultant, while Lynch has continued her career in television, film, and voice acting, including roles on shows like ‘Glee’ and ‘Only Murders in the Building’. The couple have spoken about blending their households and caring for their pets as part of their family life. They appear together at events ranging from charity galas to awards ceremonies, where Lynch often credits Cheyne’s support in interviews.

Hannah Gadsby and Jenney Shamash

Comedian and writer Hannah Gadsby met producer Jenney Shamash in 2018, when Shamash worked on Gadsby’s Netflix special ‘Douglas’. Gadsby, who is lesbian and genderqueer and uses they/them pronouns, has said their working relationship gradually became a romantic one. They married in January 2021, later sharing the news on Instagram with a photo and a short message about feeling “very chuffed” to be married. Shamash continues to produce Gadsby’s live shows and specials, helping shape the distinctive style that blends art history, trauma, and stand-up. The couple divide their time between work on international tours and quieter periods at home in Australia, where Gadsby often writes new material.

Melissa Etheridge and Linda Wallem

Rock musician Melissa Etheridge and writer-producer Linda Wallem were close friends for many years before their relationship turned romantic. They began dating around 2010 and announced their engagement in 2013 after a landmark Supreme Court ruling that advanced marriage equality in the United States. Etheridge and Wallem married on May 31, 2014, at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California, in a ceremony attended by family, friends, and fellow entertainers. Both were born on the same day and year, May 29, 1961, a detail Etheridge has mentioned when talking about their compatibility. Wallem, co-creator and showrunner of the medical dramedy ‘Nurse Jackie’, continues to work behind the scenes in television while Etheridge tours, records music, and participates in activism for LGBTQ+ rights and health issues.

If you have another favorite lesbian or queer women celebrity couple, share your picks and why they matter to you in the comments.