Actresses Who Dumped Their Spouses The Second They Got Famous

The rise to stardom in Hollywood often brings unexpected challenges to personal relationships. For many actresses, the moment they reach the pinnacle of their careers—whether through a breakout role or a major award win—coincides with the end of their marriages or long-term partnerships. This phenomenon has led to various industry tropes and theories about the impact of sudden success on domestic life. From Golden Age icons to modern-day A-listers, several high-profile women have navigated major personal splits just as their public profiles reached new heights.

Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2010 for her performance in ‘The Blind Side’. Just days after the ceremony, reports surfaced regarding the infidelity of her husband, Jesse James. The couple had been married for five years before the public scandal led to their immediate separation. Bullock filed for divorce in April 2010, which was finalized just a few months later. She moved forward with her career and the adoption of her son as a single parent.

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon achieved a career milestone when she won the Best Actress Oscar for ‘Walk the Line’ in 2006. She had been married to actor Ryan Phillippe since 1999, and they were often seen as a stable Hollywood pair. However, only months after her victory, the couple announced their separation in October 2006. Phillippe later suggested that the pressure of the industry and their young ages at the time of marriage contributed to the split. Their divorce was finalized in 2007.

Halle Berry

Halle Berry made history as the first African American woman to win the Best Actress Oscar for ‘Monster’s Ball’ in 2002. Shortly after this historic win, her marriage to R&B singer Eric Benét began to fracture publicly. Benét eventually sought treatment for sex addiction following revelations of multiple infidelities. Berry announced their separation in 2003 and officially filed for divorce the following year. The legal proceedings were completed in 2005.

Hilary Swank

Hilary Swank won her second Academy Award for Best Actress in 2005 for ‘Million Dollar Baby’. Despite famously forgetting to thank her husband, Chad Lowe, during her first Oscar speech in 2000, she made sure to include him during her second win. Nevertheless, the couple announced their separation in early 2006, less than a year after her second major career triumph. Lowe later stated that Swank’s success and his own career struggles created a difficult dynamic in the relationship. They finalized their divorce in 2007.

Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle experienced a significant career breakthrough when she was cast as Rachel Zane in the legal drama ‘Suits’ in 2011. She married her longtime partner, producer Trevor Engelson, in Jamaica that same year. As the show became a major success, Markle spent most of her time filming in Toronto while Engelson remained in Los Angeles. The long-distance relationship and her rising profile reportedly placed a strain on the marriage. They separated in 2013 and were divorced by 2014.

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez saw her stardom explode after portraying the titular singer in the 1997 biopic ‘Selena’. During the filming of the movie, she met and married Ojani Noa, who was working as a waiter at the time. Their marriage lasted less than a year, ending in early 1998 as her career transitioned from acting into a massive music career. Noa later claimed that the demands of her newfound fame and management team played a role in the dissolution of their union. He has since faced several legal battles with Lopez regarding his attempts to publish details of their marriage.

Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Garner rose to international fame in 2001 with her lead role on the television series ‘Alias’. At the beginning of the show, she was married to actor Scott Foley, whom she had met on the set of ‘Felicity’. As Garner’s profile grew with the success of the series and a role in ‘Daredevil’, the couple’s relationship began to suffer. They announced their separation in early 2003, and Foley later remarked that her sudden superstardom changed their lives significantly. The divorce was finalized in 2004.

Freida Pinto

Freida Pinto became a global sensation following the massive success of the 2008 film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. Before the movie’s release, she was engaged to her publicist and longtime boyfriend, Rohan Antao. As the film garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards, Pinto’s life changed overnight with constant international travel and press. She ended her engagement with Antao shortly after the film’s success was solidified. Antao later spoke to the press about his heartbreak and the impact the film had on their relationship.

Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart attained massive fame in 2008 when she was cast as Bella Swan in the ‘Twilight’ film franchise. Prior to the franchise’s release, she was in a long-term relationship with fellow actor Michael Angarano. The intense media scrutiny and “Twilight-mania” that followed the first film’s release reportedly made maintaining their relationship difficult. Stewart and Angarano split in 2009, around the time she began her high-profile relationship with co-star Robert Pattinson. The breakup coincided with her transition into one of the most famous young actresses in the world.

Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson reached a new level of celebrity with the premiere of the MTV reality show ‘Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica’ in 2003. While the show initially boosted the careers of both Simpson and her husband, Nick Lachey, it also highlighted the imbalances in their relationship. As Simpson’s music and fashion ventures became highly lucrative, the couple faced increasing public pressure. They announced their separation in late 2005, just as the reality series concluded its run. Their divorce was finalized in 2006.

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was married to her first husband, James Dougherty, when she was still known as Norma Jeane. She began her transition into modeling and acting in the mid-1940s while Dougherty was serving in the Merchant Marine. As she signed her first major film contract with 20th Century Fox in 1946, she filed for divorce to pursue her career unfettered. Dougherty later claimed that the studio encouraged her to be single to better market her image. Her rise to icon status began almost immediately after the legal split.

Julia Roberts

Julia Roberts won the Best Actress Academy Award in 2001 for her performance in ‘Erin Brockovich’. At the time of her win, she had been in a high-profile relationship with actor Benjamin Bratt for nearly four years. Despite her public profession of love during the awards season, the couple announced their breakup just months after she took home the Oscar. Bratt reportedly struggled with the intense media attention that followed her victory. The split remains one of the most cited examples of the “Oscar curse.”

Helen Hunt

Helen Hunt enjoyed a peak career year in 1998, winning the Best Actress Oscar for ‘As Good as It Gets’. She had been dating actor Hank Azaria for several years, and the two married in 1999 following her award success. However, the marriage was extremely short-lived, lasting only about a year before they separated in 2000. Azaria later described the period after her win as a time of immense professional pressure that affected their personal life. They finalized their divorce in late 2000.

Bette Davis

Bette Davis won her first Academy Award for Best Actress in 1936 for her work in the film ‘Dangerous’. She was married to her high school sweetheart, Harmon Nelson, at the height of her initial success. As her career continued to soar with a second win for ‘Jezebel’, her marriage to Nelson began to deteriorate. Nelson reportedly felt overshadowed by her massive fame and the demands of the studio system. They were divorced in 1938, with Nelson citing the strain of her career as a primary factor.

Claudette Colbert

Claudette Colbert was a major star of the 1930s who won the Best Actress Oscar for the 1934 film ‘It Happened One Night’. At the time of her victory, she was married to actor and director Norman Foster. The two had maintained a unique arrangement of living in separate houses, which was already a source of public curiosity. Shortly after she received her Academy Award in 1935, the couple officially divorced. Their split was attributed to the diverging paths of their respective careers in Hollywood.

Kate Winslet

Kate Winslet won the Best Actress Oscar in 2009 for her performance in the film ‘The Reader’. She was married to director Sam Mendes at the time, and the two had collaborated professionally on ‘Revolutionary Road’ shortly before. In early 2010, less than a year after her major award win, the couple announced their separation. They had been married for nearly seven years and had a son together. The split was finalized later that year, marking the end of one of Hollywood’s most respected power couples.

Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson rose to fame on ‘American Idol’ and secured her status as an A-lister by winning an Oscar for ‘Dreamgirls’ in 2007. Before her rapid rise to stardom, she had been in a long-term relationship with her high school sweetheart, James Peyton. The couple had been together for eight years as Hudson transitioned from a reality contestant to an Academy Award winner. Shortly after her win and the subsequent explosion of her career, the couple ended their relationship in 2007. Peyton later expressed that the sudden change in her status was difficult for their bond to withstand.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Priyanka Chopra was in the early stages of her career when she was crowned Miss World in 2000, which paved the way for her Bollywood debut. During this transitional period, she was in a relationship with Aseem Merchant, who was also a model and aspiring actor. As Chopra’s acting career took off with several high-profile roles in India, she and Merchant split. Merchant later attempted to produce a film based on her early life, leading to legal action from the actress. Their breakup occurred just as she was becoming one of India’s biggest stars.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda won her first Academy Award for Best Actress in 1972 for the film ‘Klute’. She was married to French director Roger Vadim, who had been a major influence on her early image and career in Europe. Within a year of winning the Oscar, Fonda filed for divorce from Vadim in early 1973. Her victory and her growing political activism signaled a significant shift in her personal identity and public persona. She moved on to marry activist Tom Hayden shortly after the divorce was finalized.

Joan Crawford

Joan Crawford revitalized her career and won the Best Actress Oscar for ‘Mildred Pierce’ in 1945. She had married actor Phillip Terry in 1942 during a period where her career was considered by some to be in decline. Her Academy Award win propelled her back into the Hollywood elite and restored her status as a top-tier leading lady. Only months after her historic win, Crawford and Terry announced their divorce in 1946. She later admitted that the marriage was a mistake and did not fit her lifestyle as a superstar.

Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn became a major Hollywood force when she won her first Best Actress Oscar for ‘Morning Glory’ in 1934. She had been married to businessman Ludlow Ogden Smith since 1928, before her professional life in film truly began. As her fame grew and she became a sensation in the industry, the couple’s lifestyles diverged. They divorced in 1934, shortly after her major award success was confirmed. Hepburn never remarried, famously maintaining a long-term relationship with Spencer Tracy later in her life.

Kim Basinger

Kim Basinger experienced a career resurgence that culminated in a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for ‘L.A. Confidential’ in 1998. She was married to actor Alec Baldwin at the time, and the two were one of the most prominent couples in the industry. While they remained together for a few years after her win, the relationship became increasingly volatile under the spotlight. They separated in late 2000, and their divorce was finalized in 2002 after a highly publicized legal battle. The split occurred during a peak period of professional recognition for Basinger.

Jane Wyman

Jane Wyman won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1948 for her performance in the film ‘Johnny Belinda’. At the time, she was married to fellow actor Ronald Reagan, and they were considered one of Hollywood’s ideal couples. Wyman’s career was reaching its zenith just as Reagan’s acting career was beginning to stall. The couple announced their separation in 1948 and were divorced by 1949. Wyman’s Oscar win is often cited as a turning point that exposed the professional and personal rifts in their marriage.

Mo’Nique

Mo’Nique earned widespread acclaim for her performance in ‘Precious’, but her rise in television began much earlier. She was married to Mark Jackson when she achieved significant success with her role on the sitcom ‘The Parkers’. In 2001, the same year she received a major NAACP Image Award for her acting, the couple finalized their divorce. Mo’Nique later reflected on this period, stating that she was “chasing fame” and did not yet fully understand how to balance her career with her role as a wife. She has since been vocal about her personal growth in her subsequent marriage.

Emma Thompson

Emma Thompson reached the peak of her acting career in the early 1990s, winning the Best Actress Oscar for ‘Howards End’ in 1993. She was married to actor and director Kenneth Branagh, and the two were frequently referred to as the “golden couple” of British cinema. Their professional collaborations were numerous, but the intense schedules and Thompson’s rising international status took a toll. They announced their separation in 1995, shortly after she achieved further success with ‘Sense and Sensibility’. The divorce was finalized in late 1995.

Cher

Cher won the Best Actress Academy Award in 1988 for her performance in ‘Moonstruck’. During this high-profile era of her career, she was in a relationship with Rob Camilletti, whom the press famously dubbed “the bagel boy.” The couple faced significant harassment from the media due to their age difference and Camilletti’s non-celebrity status. Within a year of her Oscar win, the couple split in 1989. Cher later noted that the intense pressure and invasion of privacy following her victory made the relationship unsustainable.

Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand became an immediate superstar with her film debut in ‘Funny Girl’, for which she won the Best Actress Oscar in 1969. She was married to actor Elliott Gould at the time, having wed him before her film career began. As Streisand’s fame reached unprecedented heights across music, film, and theater, the couple’s dynamic changed. They separated in 1969, the same year she received her Academy Award. Their divorce was finalized in 1971, with both stars going on to achieve individual success.

Kaley Cuoco

Kaley Cuoco was at the height of her television fame on ‘The Big Bang Theory’ when she married tennis player Ryan Sweeting in late 2013. The marriage occurred just as Cuoco and her co-stars were negotiating historic salary increases and her public profile was peaking. However, the relationship struggled almost immediately, and they announced their separation in September 2015 after 21 months of marriage. Cuoco filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, and the split was finalized in 2016. Her professional success continued to grow as she transitioned into producing and further lead roles.

Brie Larson

Brie Larson transitioned from a character actress to an A-list star after winning the Best Actress Oscar for ‘Room’ in 2016. She had been in a long-term relationship with musician Alex Greenwald since 2013, and the two became engaged in 2016 shortly after her win. As Larson entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Captain Marvel, the demands on her time and public image increased significantly. The couple called off their engagement in early 2019, just as her blockbuster career was reaching new heights. They had been together for six years before the split.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga earned her first acting Academy Award nomination for ‘A Star Is Born’ in 2019, eventually winning for Best Original Song. During the film’s production and the subsequent awards season, she was engaged to talent agent Christian Carino. Their relationship was highly visible on red carpets, but the engagement was abruptly called off in February 2019, just days before the Oscars. Sources indicated that the intense focus on her film career and the pressure of the awards circuit contributed to the breakup. This followed a similar pattern after her previous Golden Globe win and subsequent split from Taylor Kinney.

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