Iconic TV Couples That Were Actually Dating Behind The Scenes Too

Got together: 2003

Still going strong: No

Jen and Michael played sexy spies, Sydney and Michael, for a top-secret CIA branch in ABC's Alias. Who, despite all of the highly stressful spy business, still found time to fall head-over-heels in love. Off-screen, the pair dated for about six months after Jen's divorce from Scott Foley back in 2003.

Got together: 2000

Still going strong: No

The fresh-faced stars met on the set of Judd Apatow’s cult-favorite comedy Freaks and Geeks in 1999. The grungy freaks had a "thing" in the acclaimed series that spilled over into real life. They started dating when the show was canceled just over a year after its first airing. Luckily, their romantic run was a lot more successful than the show that brought them together. There's speculation that the famous break-up scene in Forgetting Sarah Marshall was inspired by his split from Cardellini in 2007, but Segel has kept his answers on the topic suitably cryptic: “I can’t control what people think," he once said.

Got together: 2011

Still going strong: Yes

Game of Thrones' Ygritte and Jon Snow fell for each other in season three, only to later break up when Ygritte shoots Jon with a cluster of arrows. Thankfully, their love story wasn't so tumultuous in real-life. The actors got married in 2018. And according to Kit, there's one place that holds a special place in his heart when it comes to his bond with Rose, "The three weeks in Iceland when we were shooting the second season. Because the country is beautiful, because the Northern Lights are magical, and because it was there that I fell in love."

Got together: 2014

Still going strong: No

Lieutenant Beth Davis and Detective Jack Larsen fell for each other while solving crime on CBS's short-lived Stalker, which inevitably led to a real-life romance between Dylan and Maggie. The pair got engaged after just seven weeks of dating, but sadly, things didn't last. Dylan and Maggie never settled on a wedding date and split in 2019.

Got together: 2003

Still going strong: No

Ah, Gilmore Girls. That WB family dramedy captivated millennials in the early 2000s, particularly because of the on-again-off-again romantic drama that unfolded between the clean-cut Rory and brooding Jess in the little town of Stars Hollow. Said romantic drama continued in reality from 2002 to 2006. Ventimiglia's representatives confirmed that the split was amicable, though.

Got together: 2011

Still going strong: No

CBS's 2 Broke Girls saw a complicated relationship between snarky diner waitress Max and handsome artist Johnny. The attraction was fiery on set, and that remained after filming hours were over. Kat and Nick kept that flame going until 2014. And Dennings wasn't shy about declaring her love. "Yes! I have nothing to hide! It's the truth! He's the best!" she declared on social media.

Got together: 1995

Still going strong: Yes

"I thought she was adorable, hot and sexy and all that stuff," Mark said of Kelly when he first met back in 1995 during a screen test for All My Children. We're guessing he never expected to be married to her for over 20 years and counting, but it seems that Kelly had other ideas. Before they'd even met, she knew, "when I saw him, the photograph of him, I saw my entire future with him flash before [my eyes] — like I saw it." Now that's true love!

Got together: 2003

Still going strong: No

One Tree Hill was huge in the early 2000s, as audiences were entranced by high school couple Lucas and Brooke. The acting duo tied the knot in 2005, and the day was perfect according to Michael Murray. “All I’ll say is that it was the best day of my life. It was absolutely phenomenal. She was gorgeous. It was perfect,” he gushed to Us Weekly about their California wedding. “She’s it. She makes me a better man.” Unfortunately, things didn't work out and they divorced in 2006.

Got together: 2012

Still going strong: Yes

The hilariously dense on-again-off-again That '70s Show couple Jackie Burkhart and Michael Kelso seemed to resonate with audiences, which is why people were so darn happy when Mila and Ashton wed almost ten years after the groovy comedy series ended! The show was particularly momentous for Kunis, as she not only shared her first-ever kiss with Kutcher as cameras were rolling, but as it happens, it was her first kiss ever. "I was like, 'Oh, he's so cute, it's the Calvin Klein model!' Then I was like, 'I have to kiss him?' I was so nervous and uncomfortable. I had the biggest crush on him," she confessed to PEOPLE.

Got together: 2007

Still going strong: No

People went crazy for Gossip Girl and all the wealthy NYC shenanigans that ensued, specifically related to the show's on-again-off-again couple Serena van der Woodsen and Dan Humphrey. Off screen the young love birds were afraid they'd get in trouble for their real-life romance, "I remember there was one point where we were just afraid of how our personal lives overlapping our work life could be perceived by our bosses," Lively shared with Vanity Fair. Despite initial worries, they dated until 2010.

Got together: 2008

Still going strong: No

The nerd-themed sitcom The Big Bang Theory boasted a quirky love connection between dorky physicist Leonard Hofstadter and his gorgeous waitress/aspiring actor neighbor, Penny. Cuoco claims their off-screen relationship was what made their characters' fictional passion shine, "I think a lot of what made Leonard and Penny work so well was my relationship with Johnny off camera, which turned into such sarcastic banter that bled into Penny and Leonard. Johnny and I’s relationship, in a way, was mimicking Penny and Leonard." They called it quits in 2009, but still say they'll always have each other's backs.

Got together: 2000

Still going strong: No

Arrested Development may be one of the quirkiest comedies to ever bless our screens, and the bizarre marriage between Gob and the unnamed "certified seal salesperson" is no exception. And off-screen, Arnett claimed to have been crushing on his co-star as early as 1996! Early crushes fizzled out, however, and the couple divorced in 2016. They seem to be on good terms, though.

Got together: 2008

Still going strong: No

Though Entourage's Turtle didn't exactly charm the ladies, he finally got the girl when Jamie-Lynn Sigler guest-starred as herself in 2008. A source close to the couple spilled how their on-screen and off-screen lives were surprisingly similar. "It's ironic, because in the recent season finale of 'Entourage,' Jamie tells Turtle that she has to go to New Zealand to shoot a movie, and it causes problems, so it's ironic but that's what their lives are like." Maybe that's what caused them to split in 2009.

Got together: 2014

Still going strong: Yes

FX's The Americans saw a complex marriage between KGB agents Elizabeth and Phillip Jennings, who posed as Americans soon after Ronald Reagan became President. But Keri and Matthew enjoy a calmer romance. They've been dating since 2014 and now have three children together — Willa, Sam, and River.

Got together: 2011

Still going strong: Yes

Just like their fantastical fictional characters, Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas' love story is like something straight from the pages of a book. Snow White and Prince Charming are just meant to be together! Ginnifer and Josh played the fabled couple for years on the series Once Upon a Time. The actors made the decision to live happily ever after when they got married in 2014, and they're still loved-up today.

Got together:  2010

Still going strong: No

In a drama series chock-full of tragically beautiful vampires, cast members are bound to date each other. Having a relationship with a co-star was simply not on Nina's radar, though. "My goal on the show was to be professional. But sometimes you can't help who you have a connection with, and you can only fight it for so long — which I did for a really, really long time." Even with her doubts, Nina and Ian took the heat from their fictional Vampire Diaries relationship to their real lives, dating for three years.

Got together: 2007

Still going strong: Yes

HBO's raunchy vampire drama True Blood saw a multitude of flings, such as the steamy vampire/human affair between the show's leads Bill and Sookie Stackhouse and Bill Compton. The relationship didn't end well on the show, but Anna and Stephen have been married with kids for years now! And if the images they post online are anything to go by, they're both still very much in love.

Got together: 2016

Still going strong: Yes

Stranger Things fans rejoiced when popular girl Nancy Wheeler began dating quiet emo boy Jonathan Byers in season two of the nostalgic sci-fi series, as well as when they hooked up in real life! In fact, according to the co-creator of the show Matt Duffer, their chemistry was off the charts even before they'd been cast for their roles. "That first audition, we did a chemistry read with [Heaton and] Natalia, and sparks were flying," Duffer fessed to GQ.

Got together: 2017

Still going strong: No

In the CW's Riverdale series, based on the iconic Archie comic book universe, Jughead and Betty develop a passionate romantic relationship. And actors Cole and Lili sparked real-life romance rumors pretty much from the get-go after the show first aired. Things might have turned out very differently, though, if Lili's first impressions hadn't changed. "I thought his voice was annoying," she shared with Glamour. "I was like, 'That guy's got an annoying voice.' And now it's grown on me, I guess." They split in 2020, so maybe she changed her mind...

Got together: 2012

Still going strong: Yes

On ABC's vengeance-filled drama Revenge, the show's protagonist, Emily Thorne, and Daniel Grayson fall into a messy, deceptive liaison, but their relationship offscreen seems to be much healthier. Emily and Josh have been happily married since 2018. As for the proposal, apparently Josh nailed it. “It was in a forest. We were in nature on a hike kind of doing what we do, it was very, sort of, us. So yeah, it was great, beautiful.”

Got together: 2003

Still going strong: No

The O.C.'s Summer and Seth pairing stole the hearts of teens everywhere in the early 2000s, especially when a flash forward episode revealed that the two eventually marry. And when asked whether she thought Seth and Summer would still be going strong, she had high hopes! “Yeah, sure. Why not? You always want a happy ending,” she told Us Weekly. But as for Adam and Rachel, their love story only lasted three years.

Got together: 1997

Still going strong: No

The WB's late '90s teen drama Dawson's Creek had audiences enthralled with the Joey-Pacey-Dawson love triangle; two of said triangle's sides (Joey and Pacey) dated offscreen. The two actors briefly dated while filming the show, but their time together left a lasting impression on one of the stars. Katie shared the extent of her feelings with Rolling Stone in 1998, "I met somebody last year. I fell in love, and it was something so incredible and indescribable that I will treasure it always … and that I feel so fortunate because he's now one of my best friends."

Though many celeb couples clearly don't make it, every so often, a high-profile pair come along who buck the trend. Some couples — like Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson — all seem to have found the secret ingredient to everlasting love. Hanks and Wilson got hitched in 1988 after working together on the film Volunteers, and their marriage has lasted for more than 30 years now. What’s their secret? “I think the end result is that we got married for all the right reasons,” Hanks revealed on Entertainment Tonight.

The consistently flawless-looking Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have been in a relationship since 1983, and although they’ve never tied the knot, they’ve lasted a lot longer than some couples who did. “A lasting relationship isn’t about marriage,” Hawn told Redbook. “It’s about compatibility and communication.”

Megastar actor Samuel L. Jackson married sports channel producer LaTanya Richardson in 1980 before he properly hit the big time. The pair have a daughter together and are still very much in love.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Hall may not have quite the name recognition as Brangelina or Kimye, but they’re a true power couple nonetheless. The two Saturday Night Live alums wed in 1987, and they’ve been making the world a funnier place ever since.

Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw met on the set of 1984’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and the renowned director would later say that Capshaw was the best thing about the movie. Marriage in 1991 followed the on-set romance, and the pair still look very much in love a quarter of a century later. In fact, Spielberg told Entertainment Weekly, “My leading lady is still my leading lady.” Awww.

Multiple Oscar winner Meryl Streep married sculptor Don Gummer in 1978, just months after her boyfriend John Cazale had lost his battle with cancer. Gummer comforted the actress after the tragedy, and it bonded them for life. They’ve been married for more than 40 years now.

Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington has been married to his wife Pauletta Pearson for more than 30 years, which in Hollywood is no small feat. And the actor let us all in on his secret during a Reddit AMA, saying, “I just think that you have to work at it. Not give up on each other. It’s a commitment.”

Actress Sissy Spacek met production designer Jack Fisk on the set of 1973’s Badlands, and it was he who helped her bag the titular role in Carrie. Spacek says their mutual love for filmmaking helps keep them together — and it clearly keeps them looking much younger than they are, too.

In 1984 Jamie Lee Curtis spotted a picture of actor Christopher Guest in Rolling Stone and promptly announced to her pal that she would marry that guy. Just five months later, she did just that. While it might not sound like the foundation for a long and happy marriage, three decades on they’re still together, and they’ve since adopted two children as well.

The last few years have been a bit tumultuous for Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. There was, of course, the “entanglement,” which was followed by the infamous Oscars slap. But it looks like it’ll take a lot more than a few hurdles to pull them apart. These two seem to be in it for life. And the way things are going, they’ll probably look exactly the same when they’re in their 90s.

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen married in 1995 after meeting on the movie Pontiac Moon, and the acting duo seem happier than ever all these years later. Not only are both of them still appearing in high-profile shows, but they also have a granddaughter to spoil.

Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan had a fictional romance on the show Family Ties, and it eventually turned into a real-life relationship. They wed in 1988 and have stuck together through thick and thin. And, interestingly, Pollan told People that their secret is to “[give] each other the benefit of the doubt.”

Felicity Huffman was once afraid of walking down the aisle, but then she met William H. Macy and everything changed. The two actors dated for 15 years before finally getting hitched in 1997 — which means they’ve had one of the longest-lasting relationships in the celebrity world.

Hunky Australian actor Hugh Jackman married Deborra-Lee Furness before he became world famous as Wolverine, and they’ve now been together for more than two decades. “It gets better and better. I can honestly say that,” he told Ellen DeGeneres. “She’s the greatest thing that ever happened to me.” And it shows on his face, too.

Ali Hewson, nee Stewart, is the wife of U2 singer Bono and the inspiration for U2’s hit song “The Sweetest Thing.” Awww! Rock star marriages have a habit of self-destructing, but not this one. The Irish duo have been together for over 30 years, and they like to keep their relationship private.

No one expected the relationship between Annette Bening and Warren Beatty to last; after all, Beatty was a notorious womanizer in his youth, and he once joked that when a wife hit 40 “a man should be able to change her, like a bank note, for two 20s.” Well, Annette Bening is in her 60s now, and he hasn’t traded her in yet.

Greg Gutfield first laid eyes on his wife at work, of all places! It was 2004, and he’d just started his role as Editor-in-Chief of the magazine Maxim UK. Moussa was the photo editor for the Russian version of the publication. As Gutfield later admitted to the Daily Beast in 2015, he “foolishly hit on her for three days.” And it clearly worked, as five months later, the pair were married. They’re still going strong today.

Before marrying Family star Kristy McNichol in 2012, Martie Allen wasn't very well known. The pair actually met back in the early ’90s and decided to keep their relationship secret until their marriage. “My home life is happy and serene,” McNichol told People magazine back in 2014. And there’s nothing to suggest she feels any different now.

Actress Michelle Pfeiffer and producer David E. Kelley met on a blind date in 1993… and it’s safe to say it worked out rather well. Yes, this twosome have now been married for over two decades. And Kelley told Closer that the secret to their happy relationship is that they “love each other and respect each other and hold hands a lot.” Sweet.

Not many people know that veteran actor Michael Caine has one of the longest-lasting marriages in Hollywood, but he does. He’s been married to model and actress Shakira Baksh since 1973; and he told U.K. TV host Jonathan Ross that “the secret of a good marriage is two bathrooms.”