This article was originally published on Kueez
Movies and TV shows transport us into other worlds where we genuinely believe the characters exist in reality. There is nothing better than watching your two favorite characters fall in love, and what's better than life imitating art? Sometimes, when two actors have enough chemistry, the feelings become real, and they take their romance off-screen. Some stay together, and some realize their romance was better when it was scripted, but they give fans something to talk about--especially when the romance starts off behind their spouses' backs. Read on for all the juiciest details on your favorite on-screen couples that got together in real life.
Kit Harington And Rose Leslie - Game Of Thrones
You might know these two as Jon Snow and Ygritte on Game of Thrones because they were a couple on the show. To viewers' delight, the actors Kit Harington and Rose Leslie got married in 2018 after being linked on and off-screen for a few years.
Leslie's character was killed off the show, Harrington said her death was one of his favorite scenes. He said, "I know it sounds bizarre. She nailed that. And it's the first time in Thrones that slow motion was used, and I think it's a beautiful, cradling moment as this battle rages on in the background."
Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds - The Green Lantern
Blake Lively has had a few romances with her co-stars, but none of them compare to the love she has for Ryan Reynolds. Before they were married with three kids, Lively and Reynolds met on the set of The Green Lantern. They went on a double date with other people, and then they realized they wanted to be together.
Reynolds said, "About a year after Green Lantern had come and gone and we were both single, we went on a double date. She was on a date with another guy, and I was on a date with another girl. That was the most awkward date because we were just like fireworks coming across."
Ashton Kutcher And Mila Kunis - That '70s Show
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis are one of the cutest couples on and off-screen. They first met on the set of That '70s Show, where they played one of the funniest couples, Jackie and Kelso. These two were truly iconic, and everyone was disappointed when Kutcher ended up marrying Demi Moore in real life.
However, after Kutcher and Moore divorced, fans were hopeful that Jackie and Kelso would be together again. The couple reconnected at the Golden Globes and have been together ever since. They married in 2015 and have been one of Hollywood's hottest couples.
Nina Dobrev And Ian Somerhalder - The Vampire Diaries
In The Vampire Diaries, Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) is caught in a love triangle between two vampire brothers Stefan and Damon (Ian Somerhalder). Although her character had trouble choosing, Dobrev's love choice was simple.
Somerhalder and Dobrev dated for a few years before breaking up in 2013 mutually. They remained friends even after he started dating his now-wife Nikki Reed. It's nice that they can still see each other without being awkward since they both moved on.
Leighton Meester And Sebastian Stan - Gossip Girl
While working together on Gossip Girl in 2007, Leighton Meester and Sebastian Stan formed a real-life relationship after sort of dating on the show. In an interview, Stan said he was the luckiest guy to date her, and it didn't bother him to see her with another man on the show.
However, Meester and Stan ended their relationship amicably. After their relationship, Stan was linked to many famous women, and as his career started to take off, he decided to keep things more private.
Kaley Cuoco And Johnny Galecki - The Big Bang Theory
While Penny and Leonard were dealing with their relationship on The Big Bang Theory, the actors who played them had a secret romance behind the scenes. Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki met on the set of the show and dated for two years.
Although fans were always rooting for Penny and Leonard, Cuoco and Galecki couldn't make things work. It must have been awkward to continue playing a married couple on the show, but at least they were able to remain friends and work well together.
Blake Lively And Penn Badgley - Gossip Girl
You might remember this iconic duo as Dan and Serena from Gossip Girl, but Blake Lively and Penn Badgley's romance mirrored their on-screen characters in real life. The couple dated for the first three seasons of the show, and they kept denying that they were a real couple.
A year after the pair started dating, Lively flat-out denied that they were together. However, they were outed when they were spotted kissing on vacation. The pair was nervous the bosses at Gossip Girl would be upset. After the two broke up, they were still played an on-and-off couple on the show and remained good friends.
Alexis Bledel And Milo Ventimiglia - Gilmore Girls
Alexis Bledel and Milo Ventimiglia met on the set of Gilmore Girls when he played her love interest, Jess Mariano. Although the on-screen couple's dating history was cut short, they continued to date in real life for four years.
Bledel and Ventimiglia decided to go their separate ways in 2006, but they remained friends. Ventimiglia respects Bledel and congratulated her after she won an Emmy in 2017 for Handmaid's Tale.
Adam Brody And Rachel Bilson - The O.C.
Shortly after they started filming The O.C. in 2003, Rachel Bilson and Adam Brody took their on-screen romance into the real world. The duo played Summer and Seth, and the characters were high school sweethearts who got married before the show went off the air.
However, in real life, Bilson and Brody split a year before the final season. Although it was a little awkward to play a couple even after they split, they are still friends to this day, and Brody is happily married.
Will Arnett And Amy Poehler - Arrested Development
Will Arnett and Amy Poehler were introduced by friends and started dating in 2000. They dated for a few years before tying the knot in 2003, and Poehler played Arnett's wife on Arrested Development for a year.
Although people loved their on-screen romance and the cameos they did on each other's projects, Poehler and Arnett ended up getting divorced in 2012. While they never said the real reason behind their split, many people think their romance just fizzled out.
Cory Monteith And Lea Michele - Glee
Shortly after meeting on the set of Glee, Lea Michele and Cory Monteith struck up a relationship in 2012. Their on and off-screen romance made all of our teenage hearts swoon, and it was so cute to hear that they were planning a future together in real life like their characters on the show.
Unfortunately, their future plans were cut short when Monteith overdosed in 2013. It was one of the hardest things for Michele to get through because she lost the love of her life. However, she has healed and is now married with a newborn baby.
Keri Russell And Scott Speedman - Felicity
Keri Russell and Scott Speedman fell in love while filming the cult classic Felicity. The couple started dating in 2001, but their romance only lasted for a year. Despite the ongoing love triangle in the show, Speedman admitted that he was a disaster of a boyfriend.
They were both in their early twenties, and it was a cute romance, but not something that was meant to last. Russell and Speedman remain close friends to this day and even met up for a reunion.
Sophia Bush And Chad Michael Murray - One Tree Hill
Sophia Bush and Chad Michael Murray met on the set of One Tree Hill in 2003 and revealed they were dating in real life shortly after the successful premiere. After dating shortly, they got engaged and married in 2005.
However, after just five months of marriage, Murray and Bush broke up because of cheating rumors. Bush filed for an annulment, but they still had to play an on-screen couple for many more years.
Linda Cardellini And Jason Segel - Freaks And Geeks
Between 1999 and 2000, Linda Cardellini and Jason Segal were on and off-screen lovers who starred together on Freaks and Geeks. Although the pair had a short-lived romance on the show, they continued to date after the show abruptly ended.
During their relationship, they made many public appearances, and it seemed like they were the perfect couple. However, after five long years, Cardellini and Segal broke up. It is rumored that their breakup was the inspiration for Segal's naked meltdown scene in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
Jennifer Garner And Michael Vartan - Alias
After meeting on the set of Alias, the on and off-screen chemistry was strong between Jennifer Garner and Micahel Vartan. After two years of working together, they confirmed their real-life romance. However, a year later, they decided to break up.
Vartan explained that they were best friends before and after they dated, and that wouldn't change. In March 2018, Garner and Vartan sparked some new romance rumors, but they said if it didn't work the first time, it wasn't going to work now.
Jerry Ferrara And Jaimie-Lynn Sigler - Entourage
While playing his on-screen love interest, Jerry Ferrara and Jamie-Lynn Sigler sparked a real relationship. The Entourage couple didn't last long as Sigler's career started to take off, and they didn't have time to spend together.
After just a year, the couple broke up, and the ironic part was that their on-screen story mirrored their real-life breakup. On the show, Sigler's character has to go to New Zealand to film a movie, and it causes problems in the relationship.
Jennifer Morrison And Jesse Spencer - House
Jennifer Morrison and Jesse Spencer met on the set of House in 2004, and it didn't take long for them to start dating behind the scenes. Their relationship lasted for three years, and they were even engaged before deciding to split. Their on-screen characters also got divorced before Morrison left the show in 2010.
Morrison and Spencer released a statement saying, "After much consideration, we have decided not to get married. We are still very close, and we look forward to continuing to work together on House." They never said why they broke up, but Spencer said he wouldn't date an actress again.
Anna Paquin And Steven Moyer - True Blood
While their on-screen romance was hot and heavy, Anna Paquin and Steven Moyer couldn't deny their real feelings. They met in 2008 while filming the show and started dating pretty soon after. Fans were obsessed with their real-life romance, and it made the show that much more real.
The couple wed in 2010, and they have two children together. Even after 11 years of marriage, they still say they are best friends. While True Blood ended in 2014, Paquin said, "We are incredibly lucky we found each other."
Vincent Kartheiser And Alexis Bledel - Mad Men
While their on-screen characters might have been having an affair with each other, Alexis Bledel and Vincent Kartheiser are happily married in real life. The Mad Men stars have a child together, and they keep their relationship extremely private and sacred.
Kartheiser said they keep things private because when you open your life up to the world, you take the anger and adoration from people when they might not know what they are talking about. He also said their love is magical, and they don't want to share it.
Kat Dennings And Nick Zano - 2 Broke Girls
After playing her love interest on 2 Broke Girls, Nick Zano and Kat Dennings got together at the end of 2011. It was as if life was imitating art because they fell for each other on set. However, things didn't last so long.
Dennings and Zano broke up in real life, and their on-screen characters decided a relationship wasn't in the cards either. Apparently, it worked for the best because Dennings is currently engaged and recently showed off a massive ring on Instagram.
Blake Jenner And Melissa Benoist - Glee
While Blake Jenner and Melissa Benoist's on-screen romance was a teenage dream, their lives were much different behind the scenes. After meeting on the set of Glee, in 2012, Benoist and Jenner started dating and married in 2015.
A year later, the couple split up. Benoist went on to release a Youtube video stating she was a victim of domestic violence but didn't name her abuser. Jenner ended up admitting to hurting Benoist and released a public apology.
Josh Dallas And Ginnifer Goodwin - Once Upon A Time
If anyone is living a real-life fairytale, it is Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas. The couple met on the set of Once Upon a Time, where she played Snow White, and he was Prince Charming. In 2014, the couple married and have two kids together.
If that doesn't prove there are happily ever afters, we don't know what will. The couple said it was love at first sight, and everyone who knows them says Goodwin and Dallas had pure love from the start.
Josh Bowman And Emily VanCamp - Revenge
While the timeline of their relationship isn't so clear, Josh Bowman and Emily VanCamp met when Revenge started filming in 2011. By 2012, they were already engaged and later married in 2018.
VanCamp said they kept their on and off-screen relationships separate, and she barely talks about him in interviews. Maybe that is what works for them and why their relationship has lasted all this time.
Matthew Rhys And Keri Russell - The Americans
Between 2013 and 2018, Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys starred opposite each other on the FX drama The Americans. Their chemistry went far beyond the screen, and they sparked many romance rumors for years.
The pair worked hard to deny any rumor that came their way, but they eventually went public in 2014. Two years later, they welcomed their first child and have been going strong ever since.
Mark Consuelos And Kelly Ripa - All My Children
Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa are the perfect examples of how love can last in Hollywood. The pair met in 1995 on the set of All My Children, and they ended up eloping a year later in Las Vegas. Decades and three children later, they are still going strong.
The couple continues to make TV appearances together, and Consuelos has even filled in on Kelly's show, Live with Kelly and Ryan. Ripa also made a guest appearance on Riverdale as Consuelos' mistress.
Lili Reinhart And Cole Sprouse - Riverdale
One of our favorite couples from Riverdale was Betty Cooper and Jughead, aka Bughead. Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse kept quiet about their relationship since they started dating in 2017, but they were clearly in love.
However, the couple confirmed that they broke up in January 2020. Although they are not together in real life, they still play each other’s love interest on Riverdale. We wonder what the latest season will be like now that they aren’t together in real life.
Camila Mendes And Charles Melton - Riverdale
Unlike their co-stars who recently split up, Camila Mendes and Charles Melton from Riverdale recently rekindled their relationship after breaking up in 2019. They met on the set of Riverdale and reconnected there as well.
Veronica Lodge and Reggie Mantle shared some passionate moments on the show, and that love translated past the screen. They said the break was good for their relationship, and when they got back on set, they remembered how strong their connection was and couldn’t stay apart.
Ben McKenzie And Morena Baccarin - Gotham
Although Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin began dating when they co-starred on Gotham, they actually met years earlier on the set of The OC. McKenzie apparently blew off Baccarin and regretted it because she was so beautiful.
McKenzie told James Corden, “What kind of idiot would blow off this gorgeous, beautiful, sophisticated, intelligent, successful woman?' Then I thought of what kind of boy I was at 25, and [I was] that kind of idiot." Luckily, he got a second chance with her, and they are now married.
Natalia Dyer And Charlie Heaton - Stranger Things
There are many adorable relationships on Stranger Things, and one we always root for is Jonathan Byers and Nancy Wheeler, aka Charlie Heaton and Natalia Dyer. They are a full-on couple in real life, and we can only imagine how nice it is to have each other on set.
The couple has been keen on keeping their relationship out of the public eye despite being two public figures. However, Heaton has said that they share many similar experiences working in the same industry, and going through it together was a lot easier.
Lisa Rinna And Harry Hamlin - Veronica Mars
If you are a fan of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, you know that Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin are happily married because she will never stop talking about it. Most of her sentences start with the phrase, “My husband, Harry Hamlin….” The couple met at a restaurant and worked together on Veronica Mars.
Their on-air romance might not have been successful, but their real relationship has been going strong for years, and they share two gorgeous daughters. It’s a match made in heaven, and they couldn’t adore each other more if they tried.
Tea Leoni And Tim Daly - Madam Secretary
After meeting on the set of Madam Secretary, Tea Leon and Tim Daly are still going strong as a couple in real life. They started dating in 2014, and many people believe they secretly go married after all these years.
People from the show were surprised to find out that Leoni and Daly were dating because the cast had heard rumors, but they didn't believe them. Everyone who knows them says they make the perfect couple, and people are so happy that they both found love.
Jared And Genevieve Padalecki - Supernatural
Supernatural gave Jared Padalecki a lot more than 15 years of work; he also met the love of his life. Jared and Genevieve met on the set of the CW show in 2008 and hit it off instantly. They are now married with three beautiful children.
Jared said, "I thought she was cute and smart and would always read books ... I thought she was awesome." Genevieve joined the Supernatural cast in the fourth season, and it was like the universe brought them together because their chemistry was instant.
Alyson Hannigan And Alexis Denisof - Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Alyson Hannigan and Alexis Denisof first met years ago on Buffy the Vampire Slayer when Denisof joined the cast in the third season. Hannigan said she was immediately smitten with him, but didn't want to date someone she was working with, so they developed a close friendship.
It took two years after her previous relationship before she and Denisof began dating. They have no been married since 2003, and they have two children together. Hannigan said, "he is the most romantic husband, and he did more than I could ever ask for."
Tom Hardy And Charlotte Riley - Wuthering Heights
You might not remember the show, but Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley met when they started filming the show Wuthering Heights. The pair felt a mutual attraction, and a year after filming ended, they couldn't resist each other, so they started dating.
In 2014, Hardy and Riley married in a secret ceremony to keep the paparazzi away, and they welcomed their first child a year later. They never thought they would meet their soulmates, and it just happened by chance.
Melissa And David Fumero - Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Melissa and David Fumero actually met on the set of the soap opera One Life To Live, and at first, it was hard for David to watch Melissa have romantic scenes with other actors because he was jealous. Mellisa knew David from a Mariah Carey music video, and she had an instant crush on him.
The couple loved working together so much that when Melissa was working on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, they brought David in to be the puzzle master that makes her on-screen boyfriend jealous.
Ryan Gosling And Eva Mendes - The Place Beyond The Pines
The famously private couple Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling met on the set of the film The Place Beyond the Pines in 2011. Shortly after filming, they were spotted together at Disneyland and around LA.
Although the couple has never married, at least as far as the public knows, Gosling and Mendes are still together and have two daughters. They don't talk about their relationship, but we know they care deeply for each other.
Leighton Meester And Adam Brody - The Oranges
Leighton Meester and Adam Brody have to be the most underrated couple of all time. While they are known respectively for starring in different teen dramas, they didn't meet until they worked together on the movie The Oranges.
While they have always kept their relationship very private, we know they started dating in 2012 and got engaged in 2013. They got married the following year, and they share a daughter together. Their love is just as cute as other Hollywood couples, and we love them.
LeAnn Rimes And Eddie Cibrian - Northern Lights
LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian's relationship started pretty controversially because they were both married to other people when they first started seeing eachother. They fell in love while filming the movie Northern Lights in 2009, and when the news broke about their cheating scandal, they stood strong together.
Cibrian said they are only human and couldn't fight what they felt because it was so strong. Cibrian's ex-wife told the other side of the story on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and she was not afraid to let people know how awful the situation was.
Nick Offerman And Megan Mullally - Parks And Recreation
Although they were already married long before Parks and Recreation, Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally met while they were doing a play in Los Angeles in 2000. They tried to avoid a relationship while working together, but they couldn't resist their feelings.
They got married in a small ceremony, and they loved working together so much that when Offerman got the role on Parks and Rec, Mullally wanted to play the character of Tammy 2 because no one else should be able to play his crazy ex-wife.
Steve Carell And Nancy Carell - The Office
Steve Carell and his wife Nancy met when he was her improv teacher in Los Angeles, and they had a quick connection. Carell said, "I was immediately attracted to my wife. She’s beautiful, intelligent and really funny. She kind of checked all the boxes in my head, but I thought she hated me because she was very quiet around me."
Well, it turned out that he was wrong, and they got married. Nancy and Steve loved working together so much that she played one of his girlfriends on The Office and made cameos in many of his other projects like The 40-Year-Old Virgin.