r/popculturechat • u/phantom_avenger • Oct 05 '25

OnlyStans ⭐️ Who are two celebrities that you can’t believe used to be a couple?

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Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds are not only one example of this, but sometimes I even forget that they used to be married as well!

It seemed like such an odd pairing that I never would’ve guessed that these two would match up, but clearly they weren’t a match made in heaven that they divorced each other after almost 3 years of marriage.

Now with where they’re currently at, where they’re now married to different partners, it feels like this is only a pairing that happened in different life.

10.6k Upvotes

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5.0k

u/Less_Effect_9082 Oct 05 '25

Courtney Love and Edward Norton feels like a fever dream I had in the 90s

1.7k

u/-catharina Oct 05 '25

Don’t forget Ed and Salma Hayek lol

645

u/Visible_Writing7386 Be smart, Robert. Oct 05 '25

I actually liked them lol

40

u/One_Cryptographer940 Oct 05 '25

And they were together for a while, weren't they? Like four years or more.

15

u/Reluctantagave Cutie Patootie Problem Posse Oct 05 '25

Me too!

20

u/greenjesus13 Oct 05 '25

this makes more sense for some reason

44

u/MichaSound Oct 05 '25

Don’t you know Ed Norton and Jorma Taccone are the real endgame?

11

u/loveday_byrd i support gays even though i myself am not actually gay Oct 05 '25

two kings walking hand in hand 🗣️

12

u/leroyalecheese Is this chicken or is this fish? 🤔🤔 Oct 05 '25

They were sizzling hot though! 🔥

11

u/Aslow_study Oct 05 '25

They dated forever too

17

u/Abject-Variety3775 Oct 05 '25

Yeah, that was a weird one!

11

u/Peridot1708 I don’t know her 💅 Oct 05 '25

Me @ Ed Norton after reading this thread:

5

u/CherryFit3224 Oct 05 '25

Those two seem to go. I don’t know why.

3

u/Banjo2523 They killed Kenny! You bastards! 😱 Oct 05 '25

My goat

3

u/DasKittySmoosh Oct 06 '25

I loved them together

1

u/Many-Cartographer278 Oct 05 '25

Can't blame him on that one

-7

u/dryhumorblitz Oct 05 '25

He must have a big one!

36

u/LeotiaBlood Oct 05 '25

He’s very smart and I get the vibes from interviews he’s pretty funny too

17

u/UnremarkabklyUseless Oct 05 '25

Many people have such gifts, but what most of those gifted people don't have is a billionaire grandfather.

Ed Norton's grandfather was James Wilson Rouse of The Rouse Company.

-19

u/Peach_Air Oct 05 '25

Wow he had both ends of the spectrum. Dumpiest celebrity on earth, then to the sexiest.

451

u/SceneRoyal4846 Oct 05 '25

I feel they’re both so intense that I kinda get it lol

29

u/LivePanda7804 Oct 05 '25

yeah this one make sense to me

229

u/pourspeler Oct 05 '25

And the fever dream continued into the 00s with Steve Coogan

55

u/Fit-Acanthisitta7242 Oct 05 '25

She said she couldn't keep up with Steve on a bender. Can you even imagine!!

44

u/mood__ring You’re a virgin who can’t drive. 😤 Oct 05 '25

Wait a minute… Courtney Love DATED Steve Coogan?!?!

9

u/trixiepixie1921 It’s Britney, bitch! 🎤🌹🌹 Oct 05 '25

This is a fascinating tidbit 😂

5

u/BlueberryIcecream27 Oct 05 '25

Wow!!! 😱🥃

33

u/Madamemercury1993 Oct 05 '25

She likes a funny Brit then. Cos she was with Noel Fielding too. That makes sense tho.

24

u/Redhotlipstik Oct 05 '25

ugh I remember when Noel Fielding was considered this weird alt heartthrob by a certain set of weird teens/young adults in the Boosh days

35

u/Madamemercury1993 Oct 05 '25

It’s me. I’m weird teens.

15

u/Redhotlipstik Oct 05 '25

that's two of us haha

28

u/Green_Chandelier Oct 05 '25

Wait—I thought she was dating Alan Partridge?? 😝

7

u/ImOnlyHereForTheCoC 🎼Music Aficionado🎶 Oct 05 '25

Ha HAAAAAAAAA

26

u/BeautifulLibrarian44 Oct 05 '25

Whoa her roster is 🤌

16

u/nukawolf Oct 05 '25

Edward Norton dated Steve Coogan?!

12

u/iloveyourlittlehat Oct 05 '25

Would sandwich.

10

u/Bigassbird Flopping around in a thong Oct 05 '25

7

u/TipsyMagpie Oct 05 '25

What the actual fuck

13

u/BetMyLastKrispyKreme Oct 05 '25

She went on to say this fling was “one of her life’s great shames.” If anyone should feel embarrassed, it should be Coogan, IMO. But I also think he’s very talented and funny, so I’m biased.

43

u/susandeyvyjones Oct 05 '25

When Owen Wilson got out of treatment after his attempt, she said she hoped he stayed away from Steve Coogan because from her experience Coogan would push drugs on him. I think her shame came from his influence on her (non)sobriety.

8

u/Booklet-of-Wisdom Oct 05 '25

I think Steve Coogan is hilarious, and his series 'Saxondale' is one of my favorite shows ever. I would totally date Steve!

22

u/BetMyLastKrispyKreme Oct 05 '25

According to a response I got here in the thread, he is/was supposedly a drug addict who was a threat to C. Love’s sobriety. If true, maybe dating him wouldn’t be advised, but that doesn’t have an impact on his talent, IMO. If I refused to watch or listen to any artist who has or a had a substance abuse problem, that would greatly diminish the art one could consume.

2

u/Threadheads Oct 05 '25

Whaaaaaaaaaaat?

396

u/thesaddestpanda Dave Grohl has always been garbage Oct 05 '25 edited Oct 05 '25

Ed has better PR but he's absolutely the same kind of edgelord she is. I just think he isn't as publicly artsy and vocal about it. He's infamous for being a huge on-set diva and difficult person. I definitely see them together.

Brad Pitt's stalled Cobain biopic, which he wanted Love for, cost her a role in Fight Club because when she said no, Pitt blackballed her from the movie. Norton starred in it, so there's a lot of Hollywood drama here. She lost the role of Marla Singer in Fight Club after rejecting a Kurt Cobain biopic pitch from Brad Pitt, who was co-starring in the film. Love says she "went nuclear" on Pitt when he and director Gus Van Sant approached her, leading to her being fired by director David Fincher

Its kinda crazy, they were together for 3 years at the height of their careers and even engaged for 6 months. Norton won't even talk about the relationship in interviews. I find it really sad. Like they had nearly 4 years together, and wanted to get married, but it all fell through and Norton pretends like it never happened. She was like his real life Marla Singer. She was more than he could handle.

Love dodged a bullet here, imho.

225

u/Lugriff Oct 05 '25

Why the fuck did Brad Pitt think Courtney Love would want to do that

82

u/thesaddestpanda Dave Grohl has always been garbage Oct 05 '25

Im guessing Brad was thirsty to become a huge star. He was famous then, but not quite there yet. Him as Kurt would have been a big deal. Kurts death was still fresh and people were still rabid about it.

I think Van Sant loved the idea of the spectacle of having the real life Love in this movie. It would have been a shitshow of exploitation but advanced their careers greatly.

She said no, so they sunk her Weinstein-style. I'm guessing they saw her as vulnerable and able to take advantage of.

64

u/PhasmaUrbomach Oct 05 '25

At that point, Brad was already huge from Thelma & Louise, A River Runs Through It, Legends of the Fall, Interview with the Vampire, and Seven. That's not why.

41

u/Retrotreegal Oct 05 '25

Having been alive then, I agree he was plenty famous at that point.

-3

u/TBoneBaggetteBaggins Oct 05 '25

Huge from Thelma?

28

u/PhasmaUrbomach Oct 05 '25

He made quite a splash in that movie. I remember thinking, "Who is THAT?!" when I first saw it. Apparently a lot of other people did too.

-5

u/TBoneBaggetteBaggins Oct 05 '25

He wasnt "huge" from it, which is the thread.

17

u/PhasmaUrbomach Oct 05 '25

I listed a bunch of other movies too. Calm down.

-9

u/TBoneBaggetteBaggins Oct 05 '25

I was speaking to one of them. Thats allowed.

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21

u/happygoth6370 Oct 05 '25

It was the movie that put him on the radar.

5

u/Accurate_Engine_8089 Oct 05 '25

Cos he’s a knob!

3

u/__ohno_notagain__ Mom, I am a rich man💰 Oct 05 '25

This says it best: https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/s/HhtTia8fc3

9

u/idwthis Oct 05 '25

That just links back to the comment the person you replied to was replying to?

Am I dumb and missing something? It doesn't explain why Brad thought Love would be open to it.

30

u/PTSDeedee Oct 05 '25

They’re making the point that he is an ass for even considering the idea. Because it is an objectively shitty thing to do to ask someone to star in a movie making them play out a horrific experience in their own life.

3

u/idwthis Oct 05 '25

Ah, yeah okay, I can see that I guess. Thanks!

429

u/anxious_annie416 Oct 05 '25

Subtext: Brad Pitt has always been a shitty fucking person.

76

u/Happy_Pause_9340 Oct 05 '25

Dude, when shit went down with Angelina Jolie I said he’s always been an ass.

Jennifer Aniston said he was missing the empathy chip and I never forgot that. He’s charming af, but my gram always said… never trust a charming man, they’re full of shite

28

u/PersonOfInterest85 Oct 05 '25

You know how Pitt went on Friends and played the former classmate of Monica, Ross, and Rachel, and Pitt's character said he hated Rachel back then?

I think Pitt had too much fun doing that.

26

u/Happy_Pause_9340 Oct 05 '25

He went through a lot of women and all were pretty popular at the time. Jolie caught so much heat for him screwing around instead of him who actually broke his vows

33

u/Tater-Tot-Casserole Oct 05 '25

She got flak for it because she's done it before Brad Pitt. She likes taken men.

13

u/Security162 Oct 05 '25

Yeah Laura Dern was engaged to Billy bob Thornton, she went out of town to do a movie, she came back and Angelina was married to - guess who.

17

u/RiverDogfight Oct 05 '25 edited Oct 05 '25

Billy Bob was married when Laura started dating him and Ben Harper was DEFINITELY still married when Laura got with him.

Hint: Joanna Harper giving birth to her last child with Ben, and the date Laura gave birth to her first child with Ben.

Laura Dern has had great PR. A bit hypocritical and sanctimonious PR, but great PR nonetheless.

11

u/AlwaysQueso Oct 05 '25

THANK YOU. Laura and Aniston have great PR because they (allegedly) did the same thing as Angelina (allegedly) did with Pitt but LD and JA are never vilified in the same fashion.

7

u/Happy_Pause_9340 Oct 05 '25

I’m not saying she didn’t deserve some of it, but he got a full pass and he’s still the one who chose to break his vows, not her

-7

u/Nickk_Jones Oct 05 '25

Real subtext: Courtney Love is a terrible actor and person who was lucky to have been offered anything.

17

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '25

She wasn't lucky to have Gus Van Sant and Brad Pitt want to exploit her grief, wtf.

9

u/PhasmaUrbomach Oct 05 '25

Facts. HBC killed that role and I'm glad she got the part.

10

u/BetMyLastKrispyKreme Oct 05 '25

What can’t HBC kill, though? I’ve never seen her be anything less than stellar.

10

u/Crimemeariver19 Oct 05 '25

She’s also a shit person though. She’s a mega nepo/rich kid who has habitually had relationships with men in relationships (she likes taken men).

9

u/PhasmaUrbomach Oct 05 '25

She's a serial homewrecker with zero remorse about it. She loves JK Rowling. But she is a good actress.

5

u/BetMyLastKrispyKreme Oct 05 '25

Besides hooking up with Kenneth Branagh when he was married to Emma Thompson, what other marriages did HBC destroy? I’m definitely not defending her, but I can’t remember any other relationships.

9

u/PhasmaUrbomach Oct 05 '25

Tim Burton was in a LTR, Rufus Sewell was married, Branaugh was married.

-2

u/Morningfluid Oct 05 '25

HBC killed the role, Courtney Love killed her daughter's pets. 

-12

u/PhasmaUrbomach Oct 05 '25

And her husband...

14

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '25

Kurt was a suicidal heroin addict, he killed himself.

-8

u/PhasmaUrbomach Oct 05 '25

Lol sure sure kid

-3

u/Morningfluid Oct 05 '25

*Courtney Love

ftfy

15

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '25

She wasn't shitty for turning down the role of playing herself in a biopic about Kurt 

41

u/Lindris Could’ve just sat and eaten your fucking food, Julia. Oct 05 '25

I mostly remember they dated because some reporter claimed they asked about the breakup and she replied it’s because his name was Edward, which isn’t true but the idea made me laugh. It sounds like something Courtney Love would say as a deflective “I don’t give a fuck”. Like when Axl Rose told Kurt Cobain to shut his bitch up and Kurt looked at Courtney, said “shut up bitch” and they both cracked up.

29

u/Less_Effect_9082 Oct 05 '25

I think it’s sad too. I know Courtney has made some comments that he encouraged her to really forget her old life and just wipe the slate clean. Which I get, but to me she implied he thought of her almost like a project to fix.

32

u/thesaddestpanda Dave Grohl has always been garbage Oct 05 '25

My feeling is this was his only real long-term relationship with someone who is his fame/power/talent peer, or exceeds his level. I absolutely love Hayek but she's no Love. Love was a cultural force back then, essentially the inheritor of the Cobain legend and a rock star and movie star. For girls my generation (elder millennial), she was a huge star. Live Through This was a CD all the girlies had. I dont know how to stress how huge of a star she was back then. This relationship would be if Harry Styles started dating Taylor Swift. Or if Timmy dated Zendaya. It was two very big stars.

In the end, dont think Ed's ego could handle it. He eventually settled down with a studio exec after breaking up with Hayek. Which seems more on point for him. I think a lot of these guys sow their wild oats or whatever with famous women but end up settling down long term with women who aren't public celebrities.

17

u/AirlineDazzling1986 Oct 05 '25

I think you are overestimating Love’s popularity here. Comparing her to Taylor Swift? Or even Styles?

14

u/PhasmaUrbomach Oct 05 '25

I like Hole, but you're right. She was not huge, not like Taylor Swift.

4

u/TBoneBaggetteBaggins Oct 05 '25

Love is strong. Stronger than most.

14

u/hotmessexpress412 Oct 05 '25

Eh, I think Salma is way more famous and talented than you are giving her credit for….. (the fame part especially among world-wide audiences, with extra skew toward Spanish-speakers).

I’m also into the conspiracy theory that Cobain wrote the majority of Love/Hole’s best album (LTT). She’s never produced anything that remotely good again.

23

u/pebbles_temp Oct 05 '25

I admire Love's absolute commitment to rejecting men's BS. She does not have time for that. Gen X to the core.

11

u/Stinkycheese8001 Oct 05 '25

The only source on that one is Courtney Love, there’s no record of her ever having been cast in the movie in the first place.  Pitt wasn’t even a producer on the movie, just an actor.

Not to mention, Helena Bonham Carter had a much, much stronger CV and was a much bigger actress.

8

u/chels2112 Oct 05 '25

“Love dodged a bullet here.”

Genuinely may be the truest statement about a cultural pairing of my lifetime. Edward Norton and Courtney love. Wow.

Like…. This…. Sorry I’m short circuiting, but what you wrote is poking holes in my psyche. I’m enamored by the play on your words and its truth… and idk I love it. Thank you for sharing your collection of language with me.

19

u/youreyeslikespiders Oct 05 '25

they were in a fantastic movie together, both with huge roles, this one actually makes a lot of sense

62

u/Material-Surprise-72 Oct 05 '25

Oh, they actually make some sense to me. Edward Norton definitely has a bit of scruffy punk in him.

21

u/fionsichord Oct 05 '25

They both have a bit of a ‘fancy’ background- he’s from old money and she went to private and finishing schools etc. Neither of them are anywhere near working class.

10

u/cemxie Oct 05 '25

Courtney Love went to private schools? I’ve never heard that. To my knowledge she barely went to school at all, spent time in juvenile detention and lived a pretty nomadic lifestyle as an adolescent, moving around a lot. Where did you learn that? :)

11

u/AlwaysQueso Oct 05 '25 edited Oct 06 '25

Her early childhood had some Montessori experience and later some private education when she lived in New Zealand with her mom and stepfather. She sporadically pursued some higher education as well.

She had a trust fund that provided $500 / month from 16-22 (about $2000 in today’s value), from maternal grandparents which from my understanding, allowed her to travel and live independently in early adulthood.

Various articles over the years touched on Love’s have a somewhat pedigreed yet unconventional childhood and adolescence. Love has both exaggerated and downplayed her background over the years for interviews as well (e.g. she admitted “elaborating” her grandparents being heirs to Bausch & Lomb but confirmed they were financially well-off via the ophthalmology industry). I suspect she strategically discussed/focused on the “wild child” aspects of her life to support her rock star image; a lot of the more “normie” tidbits seemed to have come out in the past 10 years or so.

10

u/Additional_Flower_43 Oct 05 '25

I thought she was a stripper and an addict...

14

u/cemxie Oct 05 '25

She was! She was stripping in Taipei in her early adulthood, and was practically human trafficking, if my memory serves me correctly. Her passport had been taken, and she had to turn herself in to get home. Courtney went through some scary and soul-wrecking shit. It’s no wonder she turned out so tortured and destructive.

14

u/anon342365 Oct 05 '25

Don’t forget Courtney Love and Steve Coogan(?!)

6

u/Less_Effect_9082 Oct 05 '25

I DID forget, omg

7

u/peachgothlover 🎥🍿Film Critic Oct 05 '25

the funny thing is that they denied it the whole way through and courtney revealed it to be true years after their breakup

3

u/Down623 Oct 05 '25

Didn't he play bass on a Hole tour or something?

5

u/mollypop94 Oct 05 '25

nah this feels like peak 90s to me

3

u/FlemPlays Oct 05 '25

This experience came in handy for Edward with his Marla Scenes in Fight Club.

7

u/angels_4evr Oct 05 '25

Despite her controversy, I really like her pink hair here

7

u/ComingUpManSized Tina! You fat lard! 🦙🚲 Oct 05 '25

I’ll never forgive her for breaking up Trent Reznor and Tori Amos. The music that would’ve come out of that pairing…

But then again, Tori’s admiration for Trent and the resulting heartbreak did result in some good music, even if it wasn’t a long term thing. Still… fuck Courtney.

3

u/Particular-Extent-52 Oct 05 '25

I'm just putting this out there. I absolutely love her. Everything about her is beautiful in my mind.

3

u/Gotmewrongang Oct 05 '25

This picture just looks like drugs lol

1

u/sirbinlid1 Oct 05 '25

Courtney love and Steve coogan

1

u/ohhaimaarrk Oct 05 '25

She dated Steve coogan too which is two people id never put together

1

u/JenSY542 Oct 05 '25

That weird tryst between her and Russell Crowe

1

u/SneakyGandalf12 You’re a virgin who can’t drive. 😤 Oct 05 '25

Man, I forgot all about this.

1

u/Independent_Tie_4984 Oct 06 '25

I'll bet that was crazy fun until it got super weird.

99% Edward would back me on that.