The most iconic power couple the year you were born

Tylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce embrace on the field after the Super Bowl.Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
  • We picked the most iconic power couple from every year, starting with 1952.

  • Each couple was matched with the year they were at their peak.

  • We already know 2024 is the year of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

1952: Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner

frank sinatra ava gardner
Sinatra and Gardner.Keystone/Getty Images

After getting married in 1951, as reported by Entertainment Weekly, singer Sinatra and actress Gardner enjoyed a huge amount of media attention. By '52, Gardner had begun getting bigger roles in movies, such as Kitty Collins in "The Killers" and Pandora Reynolds in "Pandora and the Flying Dutchman."

And her husband? He was well on his way to cementing his legacy as the greatest singer of the 20th century — though he was going through a bit of a rough patch when they married.

After 12 years of marriage, the couple divorced, but according to "Frank & Ava: In Love and War," they never got over each other completely. According to the book, Sinatra called Gardner "the only woman I've ever been in love with in my whole life."

1953: Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio
Monroe and DiMaggio.AP

The baseball star and the starlet went on their first date in 1952 — and the media was hooked. After a whirlwind courtship lasting all of 1953, DiMaggio and Monroe were married in January 1954 at San Francisco City Hall.

Their marriage was fraught with drama — Monroe accused him of mental cruelty when she filed for divorce in October 1954 — but they remained friends after their break-up. After Monroe's death, DiMaggio sent flowers to her grave several times a week for two decades, The New York Times reported.

DiMaggio's last words, according to his lawyer Morris Engelberg, were "I'll finally get to see Marilyn," reported ABC.

1954: Mel Ferrer and Audrey Hepburn

audrey hepburn laughing at you
Hepburn and Ferrer.Ed Feingersh/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

In 1954, Hepburn was riding high off the critical acclaim from her performance in "Roman Holiday," and won a Tony for her performance in "Ondine," which also starred Ferrer. The two actors were married in September of that year after eight months of dating. They also starred in two movies together, "Mayerling" and "War and Peace."

Their son Sean was born in 1960, but their marriage was over by 1968, reported Vanity Fair.

1955: Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds

Eddie Fisher Debbie Reynolds Carrie Fisher
Fisher and Reynolds with their daughter Carrie Fisher.AP Photo

Fisher and Reynolds were married in 1955. Fisher was a bona-fide teen idol and hosting his own variety show called "Coke Time with Eddie Fisher," while Reynolds had become a movie star after her role in "Singin' in the Rain." Their daughter, Carrie, would go on to become a star in her own right — and one-half of a power couple herself.

Their romance was short-lived due to Fisher's infidelity with his best friend Mike Todd's widow: Elizabeth Taylor.

1956: Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly

monaco prince rainier III and grace kelly wedding
Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly.Associated Press

Kelly, an Academy Award-winning actress ("The Country Girl," 1954) left Hollywood behind to become the Princess of Monaco in 1956, after a year-long courtship with Prince Rainier III that ended in "the wedding of the century," according to Town and Country.

Kelly is just one of a few Americans who have married into royalty — she paved the way for a certain Duchess of Sussex.

She remained married to Prince Rainier III until her untimely death in 1982. The couple shared three children.

1957: Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood

robert wagner natalie wood
Wagner and Wood.AP Photo/Steve Wood

Wood had received three Oscar nominations before the age of 25, and Wagner had become a leading man in his own right in 1953.

Wood had been nursing a crush on Wagner since she was 10 and he was 18 — she apparently saw him walking down a hall at 20th Century Fox and told her mother, "I'm going to marry him," according to People.

The two married a year after their first date in December 1957 (she was 19), and were continually hounded by the media. Wood told People that when they road-tripped across the country, radio stations would announce their arrival in small towns throughout the US.

They got divorced in 1962, but reunited 10 years later, eventually marrying each other once more in 1972.

However, their story has a tragic end: Wood drowned in 1981 under suspicious circumstances.

1958: James Hill and Rita Hayworth

Rita Hayworth And James Hill
Hayworth and Hill.Terry Disney/Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Hayworth, an American actress and dancer, was known as "The Love Goddess," so it comes as no surprise that her personal relationships were always under scrutiny. Her fifth marriage was in 1958 to Hill, a prominent film producer, as reported by his obituary in The Guardian.

They went on to get divorced in 1961, but stayed on good terms throughout their lives. Hill wrote "Rita Hayworth: A Memoir" in 1983. He told the Los Angeles Times, "She had always been ... nifty with me, but I hadn't always been nifty with her. So I wrote this book for her."

1959: Eddie Fisher and Elizabeth Taylor

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Fisher and Taylor.AP Images

After Taylor's husband Mike Todd died, she sought comfort in the arms of his best friend: Eddie Fisher. Unfortunately, he was still married to Debbie Reynolds. The two carried on an affair until Reynolds found out and the couple divorced.

Fisher and Taylor married that same year, in 1959, and while public opinion was not in their favor, they were a hugely popular fixture in the tabloids, as The Daily Mail noted.

Their marriage was over by 1964, when Taylor left Fisher to marry her third husband, Welsh actor Richard Burton.

1960: Warren Beatty and Joan Collins

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Beatty and Collins.AP Images

The two actors met in 1959, and dated throughout the early '60s, at one point even getting engaged.

They eventually broke up due to Beatty's rumored infidelities, but they also spoke highly of each other. According to Parade, in her 2013 autobiography "Passion for Life," Collins wrote that they "were actually very compatible," but called him a "rebound."

She also wrote that they later ran into each other at a premiere, where Beatty told Collins' husband that he still loved her.

1961: John and Jackie Kennedy

jackie kennedy jfk wedding
Jackie and John F. Kennedy.AP

President Kennedy was inaugurated in January 1961, beginning an era called Camelot.

The marriage between the president and his stylish first lady is still revered four decades later, and they're commonly called one of the greatest political couples of all time — even though their relationship wasn't without scandals thanks to rumored infidelities.

Camelot, and their marriage, came to a tragic end when the president was assassinated in 1963.

1962: Jason Robards and Lauren Bacall

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Bacall and Robards and their son Sam.William Lovelace/Express/Getty Images

Their 1961 marriage was actress Bacall's second — her first husband, Humphrey Bogart, had died in 1957 — and actor Robards' third. They welcomed a son, Sam, in 1962.

Eventually, they got divorced in 1969, with Bacall explaining to Parade in 1997, "It didn't work. We were a mismatch. That's all. Simple."

1963: Elliot Gould and Barbra Streisand

barbra streisand Elliott Gould 1968
Streisand and Gould.AP Images

The musical legend and actor were married in 1963, a month after her debut album was released, and a year after her first Tony nomination for her role in "I Can Get It for You Wholesale," which Gould also starred in.

They met during the audition process — Gould called her "beyond brilliant — so amazing," according to Closer Weekly.

Their son Jason was born in 1966, and they got divorced in 1971.

1964: Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor

elizabeth taylor richard burton wedding
Taylor and Burton.William Lovelace/Getty Images

After Taylor divorced Eddie Fisher, she immediately married Burton in 1964. They had starred in "Cleopatra" together the year before, with Taylor in the titular role, and Burton as Marc Antony — another legendary couple.

They went on to star in 11 movies together. They divorced in 1974, remarried in 1975, and divorced again in 1976.

1965: Sonny and Cher

sonny and cher 1965
Cher and Sonny.S O'Meara/Getty Images

Sonny and Cher's first and most well-known hit was released in 1965: "I Got You Babe." They went on to become one of the most famous musical duos of all time, recording five albums together. The pair had one child.

But the couple couldn't make it work. They separated in 1974 while filming their hit variety show, "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour."

The show was canceled amid the drama, but it was revived in 1976, with the two as friends. It was canceled again in 1977 — but Sonny and Cher live on forever.

1966: Cary Grant and Dyan Cannon

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Grant and Cannon.AP Images

By 1966, Grant was already a legend, having starred in "The Philadelphia Story," "His Girl Friday," and "Arsenic and Old Lace." He married Cannon, his fourth wife, in 1965. She gave birth to their daughter Jennifer (Grant's only child) the next year.

Cannon was a successful actress in her own right. She appeared on many TV shows throughout the '60s, including "Hawaiian Eye" and "Bat Masterson."

Cannon and Grant were divorced by 1968, but Grant called his daughter "his best production," according to his obituary in The Montreal Gazette.

According to ABC, Cannon wrote in her autobiography that Grant was "one of the most special people I've known in my life."

1967: Elvis and Priscilla Presley

Elvis presley being fed wedding cake by bride Priscilla Beaulieu
Priscilla and Elvis.Keystone/Getty Images)

Anyone who married Elvis would have immediately been catapulted to fame. He was a sex symbol, and the most eligible bachelor of the time.

Naturally, the media was obsessed with his and Priscilla's relationship: The two even had a press conference directly after their 1967 wedding. Priscilla was 22 at the time, though she had known the singer since she was 14.

Their daughter, Lisa Marie, was born in February 1968, nine months after their wedding. The marriage was filled with infidelities on both sides, and they divorced in 1972. The divorce was amicable — they left the courthouse after signing the papers holding hands.

1968: Johnny Cash and June Carter

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Cash and Carter.Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The world fell in love with these two country icons when Cash proposed to Carter on stage in 1968. The two were married soon after, and stayed together for 35 years, until Carter's death in May 2003. Cash died four months later.

The couple collaborated throughout their relationship on songs like "Jackson" and "It Ain't Me Babe." And through it all, their marriage was strong.

A love letter he wrote for her was voted the most romantic love letter of all time by a British poll in 2015, according to The Daily Mail, and contained swoon-worthy lines like, "You still fascinate and inspire me. You influence me for the better. You're the object of my desire, the No. 1 Earthly reason for my existence."

Their love story was depicted on the big screen in "Walk the Line," with Reese Witherspoon playing Carter and Joaquin Phoenix playing Cash. Witherspoon won her first Academy Award for her performance.

 

1969: John Lennon and Yoko Ono

John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Ono and Lennon.AP

If your relationship is credited with being strong enough to break up the most successful band of all time, you're a power couple. Lennon and Ono were married in 1969, and The Beatles were officially done the next year.

But 1969 was the year of Lennon and Ono. They staged their famous "Bed-In for Peace" on March 25, 1969, just a few days after their wedding. The incident led to The Beatles song, "The Ballad of John and Yoko."

 

1970: Paul and Linda McCartney

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Paul and Linda McCartney.Jones/Daily Express/Getty Images

Paul got married the same year as Lennon, but no one focused on his relationship with Linda, an American musician, until the next year, once The Beatles had broken up.

Paul released his first solo album in 1970, titled "McCartney," after which he and Linda founded rock band Paul McCartney and Wings in 1971, with Linda on the keyboard.

The pair had three children, and Paul adopted Linda's daughter, Heather, from a previous marriage. They were married for 29 years and collaborated throughout their relationship, until Linda died in 1998 due to breast cancer.

1971: Donald Sutherland and Jane Fonda

donald sutherland jane fonda
Sutherland and Fonda.AP Images

Sutherland and Fonda starred together in the 1971 movie "Klute," though they began dating after they'd been cast but "a little bit before" they started filming, Sutherland told Rolling Stone — while Fonda was still married to Roger Vadim.

The duo joined forces to take a political vaudeville show on the road across the west coast, called "FTA" or "Free the Army." It was a protest against the Vietnam War. The show was eventually turned into a documentary called "FTA," released in 1972.

Sutherland married his third wife, Francine Racette, in 1972, and Fonda remained married to Vadim until 1973, though Sutherland told Rolling Stone they were "dear friends, and also lovers for a few years."

1972: James Taylor and Carly Simon

carly simon james taylor
Taylor and Simon.Carlos Rene Perez/AP Images

Taylor and Simon were two of the biggest pop stars in the world in 1972, which happened to be the year they got married. Simon also appeared on Taylor's 1972 album, "One Man Dog," as a background vocalist.

Their marriage lasted 11 years, and they had two children. Many people speculated that Simon's hit song "You're So Vain" was about Taylor, but she's denied it.

1973: Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw

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MacGraw and McQueen.National General Pictures

MacGraw was still riding high off the acclaim of her performance in 1970's "Love Story" when she starred in 1972's "The Getaway." Along the way, she fell in love with her co-star, fellow movie star McQueen. The couple were married in August 1973.

MacGraw told People, "He was incredibly attractive most of the time, but there was also danger, there was bad boy there."

But their love didn't last forever — the couple divorced in 1977.

1974: Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston

jack nicholson anjelica huston
Nicholson and Huston.Mario Suriani/AP Images

Nicholson and Huston met in 1973, and by 1974 the two were fully engaged in their decades-long on-and-off relationship.

Actress Huston wasn't hugely popular yet, but Nicholson had already appeared in a couple dozen movies. They were together until 1990, when he told Huston he was expecting a child with another actress, Rebecca Broussard, which is when Huston called it quits for good.

The two have nothing but nice things to say about each other now. Nicholson called their relationship "as good as it gets" to Parade, as reported by the Huffington Post in 2007, and Huston wrote they had a "hopeless, enduring love" in her 2014 memoir, "Watch Me."

1975: Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton

quincy jones peggy lipton
Jones and Lipton.Barfield/AP Images

The 1974 marriage of Jones, a prolific record producer, and Lipton, one of the members of "The Mod Squad," was a big deal — they had been together for three years, and already had a daughter, Kidada, at the time of their wedding.

In 1975, Lipton was done with "The Mod Squad" and pregnant with their second daughter, Rashida, and the two were very happy together.

Their marriage was over by 1990, but the two were still on good terms all the way until Lipton's death in 2019, as evidenced by Jones' loving obituary he posted on X. He called her his "beloved" and said their love was "eternal."

1976: Gregg Allman and Cher

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Allman and Cher.AP Photo

Allman was one-third of The Allman Brothers Band. The group had already released their first No. 1 album, "Brothers and Sisters," when Allman married Cher in 1975.

Cher was in the middle of a comeback — in 1975, she hosted her own show called "Cher," and then reunited with her ex-husband for a reboot of their successful show, "The Sonny and Cher Show," in '76.

They had their first and only child together, Elijah Blue, in July 1976. The couple would divorce three years later. When Allman died in 2017, Cher attended his funeral and shared her grief on Twitter, now known as X.

1977: Burt Reynolds and Sally Field

burt reynolds sally field
Reynolds and Field.Perez/AP Images

Reynolds and Field co-starred in "Smokey and the Bandit" in 1977, and started dating while filming. They starred in three more movies together, through 1980.

Both were famous before their relationship began. Field had starred in "Gidget" and "The Flying Nun," and Reynolds starred in "Gunsmoke."

They dated for five years before breaking up. In 2018 though, shortly before his death, Reynolds said Field was the love of his life on "Today," and called their relationship "a wonderful time."

1978: Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall

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Jagger and Hall.Paul Benoit/AP Images

The Rolling Stones front-man is a notorious ladies' man, but his longest relationship was with model Jerry Hall. It lasted from 1977 to 1999, with an unofficial wedding ceremony in 1990. During their relationship, they were frequently spotted at New York City hotspots like Studio 54, as seen in these photos obtained by Rolling Stone.

They have four children. They broke up in 1999, when model Luciana Gimenez came forward to say that she was pregnant with Jagger's baby, according to The Guardian.

1979: Ryan O'Neal and Farrah Fawcett

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Fawcett and O'Neal.AP Images

Fawcett and O'Neal started dating in 1979, which was the beginning of their movie-esque love story. Fawcett, of "Charlie's Angels" fame, and O'Neal, from "Peyton Place" and "Love Story," were together until 1997 and had one son together.

The two reunited in 2001, and stayed together until Fawcett's death from cancer in 2009. O'Neal was devastated, telling People, "It's a love story. I just don't know how to play this one. I won't know this world without her."

1980: Ronald and Nancy Reagan

ronald reagan nancy reagan election day 1980
Ronald and Nancy Reagan.AP Images

In 1980, Ronald Reagan became president of the United States, ushering in a new era of American politics — and his other half, former actress Nancy Reagan, became just as influential. In fact, she founded the "Just Say No" drug awareness campaign.

They were married in 1952, so by the time they became POTUS and FLOTUS they were already a strong and well-known team.

Throughout the two presidential terms served, both captured the hearts of the American people. They had two children together, and remained together until his death in 2004.

1981: Prince Charles and Princess Diana

princess diana prince charles
Diana and Charles.Ron Bell/AP

Princess Diana is still a beloved global icon over 20 years after her death in 1997. She's remembered as a style iconloving motherunconventional royal, and champion of charitable causes.

Prince Charles and Diana were married in 1981, after having met in 1977. Their wedding was watched by 750 million people all over the world, according to the BBC.

Every move they made was dissected, including the dissolution of their marriage in 1996.

1982: Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne

ozzy sharon osbourne 1980s
Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne.Douglas Pizac/AP Images

Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath married Sharon on July 4, 1982.

The Osbournes are still married to this day, throughout their ups and downs, reality TV, and drug abuse.

Sharon posted on Instagram to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary, writing that they've been "friends, lovers, husband & wife, grandparents, and soulmates" for over 52 years.

1983: Paul Simon and Carrie Fisher

Paul Simon / Carrie Fisher
Fisher and Simon.AP

Fisher and Simon married in 1983, the same year that "Return of the Jedi," the final installment of the first "Star Wars" trilogy, was released. The world was excited for the wedding of Princess Leia to Simon, who released his album "Hearts and Bones" that year as well.

They divorced a year later, but had an on-and-off relationship that went on for decades.

When Fisher died in 2016, Simon shared the statement, "Yesterday was a horrible day. Carrie was a special, wonderful girl. It's too soon," according to Variety.

1984: Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley

christie brinkley billy joel
Joel and Brinkley.Ron Frehm/AP Images

By 1984, Brinkley was already one of the biggest supermodels in the world, and Joel had just released his ninth studio album the year before, "An Innocent Man," which was inspired by her. Brinkley also starred in the music video for "Uptown Girl."

The public was fascinated by their relationship because, on the outside, it didn't make a lot of sense. Joel was seen as dark and brooding, and Brinkley was your typical American sweetheart.

Opposites attract, though, as the two got married in 1985, welcoming their daughter Alexa Ray that same year. They split up in 1994.

1985: Sean Penn and Madonna

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Madonna and Penn.Brenda Chase/Stinger/Getty Images

The "Material Girl" married movie star Penn in August 1985, only six months after meeting him. They went on to star in the critically panned "Shanghai Surprise" together in 1986.

Their relationship was filled with drama: Madonna filed for divorce in December 1987, withdrew the papers, and then re-filed in January 1989 — this time for good, according to The New York Times.

The couple seems to be on good terms now — when Penn appeared on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" in 2018, he told the host, "I love my first wife very much."

1986: Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn

kurt russell goldie hawn
Hawn and Russell.Albert Ortega/Stringer/Getty Images

Actors Russell and Hawn have been together since 1984, but they really reached peak fame in the mid-'80s. They starred in "Swing Shift" together in '84, and appeared in cult classic "Overboard" in '87.

They've become one of Hollywood's longest-lasting couples. They've never married, and have one son together, Wyatt. Russell considers Hawn's kids, Oliver and Kate Hudson, to be his own as well. They even call him "Pa," as seen on Instagram.

More recently, they played Santa and Mrs. Claus in the Netflix holiday film "The Christmas Chronicles 2" in 2020.

1987: Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet

lisa bonet lenny kravitz
Bonet and Kravitz in 2015.Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Images

The relationship between former "Cosby Show" star Bonet and rock star Kravitz caused a stir. Bonet, age 20 when they married in 1987, was starring on "A Different World" as her "Cosby" character, Denise.

Cosby himself wasn't thrilled with their relationship — Bonet left "A Different World" at the end of season one due to her pregnancy in 1988, according to the Los Angeles Times. The couple stayed together until 1993, when they divorced amid rumors of infidelity.

They're close friends now though. They walked the Met Gala red carpet together in 2015, and Kravitz said of his ex-wife in an episode of "Oprah's Master Class," "Zoë's mom and I now are best friends. That's how the relationship started. It makes you feel really good when you can do that."

1988: Bruce Willis and Demi Moore

bruce washington demi moore 1997
Willis and Moore.Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Moore and Willis were still enjoying their honeymoon phase in 1988 after their wedding in November of the previous year. Their first daughter, Rumer, was born in August 1988.

And most importantly, Willis starred in "Die Hard" that year, which became his most notable role to date. It spawned four sequels.

The couple had two more daughters, but ultimately divorced in 2000.

They're a pair of very friendly exes — Moore even surprised her ex-husband at his Comedy Central Roast in 2018. And during the coronavirus pandemic, Willis quarantined with his ex-wife and their daughters for a few months.

Amidst the news that Willis was diagnosed with a form of dementia, Moore has been very supportive of her ex and his current wife, Emma Heming Willis.

1989: Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick

kevin bacon kyra sedgwick 90s
Sedgwick and Bacon.Fred Prouser/Reuters

Sedgwick and Bacon were married towards the end of 1988, but the next year they starred in blockbuster "Born on the Fourth of July" and critically lauded comedy "The Big Picture," respectively.

They also welcomed their first child, Travis, in June 1989. The two stars are still together in 2024, and are one of the longest-lasting celebrity marriages — even though they found out in a 2011 episode of "Finding Your Roots" that they are 10th cousins, once removed.

Talk about Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

1990: Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder

edward scissorhands johnny depp winona ryder
Depp and Ryder in "Edward Scissorhands."Twentieth Century Fox

Who hasn't thought about Depp and Ryder getting back together? These two were one of the most iconic couples of the edgy, grungy '90s.

The two met in 1989, and were engaged after only a few months of dating (she was 19, he was 27). During their engagement, Depp got a tattoo that said "Winona Forever," and they starred in "Edward Scissorhands" in 1990.

They broke up in 1993, and Depp was forced to change his tattoo from "Winona Forever" to "Wino Forever," as he explained during his 2018 defamation trial, reported The New Zealand Herald.

1991: Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan

dennis quaid meg ryan 90s
Quaid and Ryan.Albert Ortega/Online USA/Getty Images

Quaid and Ryan, both rom-com legends, were married on Valentine's Day in 1991, after falling in love on the set of their new movie, "D.O.A," according to People.

They had one son together, Jack, in 1992. They divorced in 2001 — allegedly due to Ryan's affair with co-star Russell Crowe.

Ryan claimed differently though, telling ABC in 2000, "My marriage was broken — nobody else broke it up."

1992: David Bowie and Iman

david bowie iman 90s
Iman and Bowie.Jeff Christensen/Reuters

A model and a rock star — a tale as old as time. They met on a blind date in 1990, and were married by 1992. Ziggy Stardust himself knew it was love at first sight. "I'd never gone after anything in my life with such passion in all my life. I just knew she was the one," he told Hello in 2000.

They had a daughter, Alexandria, in 2000. They were married for over 23 years, until Bowie died due to cancer in 2016.

1993: Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love

kurt cobain courtney love frances bean cobain
Cobain and Love, with their daughter Frances.Fred Prouser/Reuters

Both Cobain and Love were '90s grunge icons. The lead singers of Nirvana and Hole? Of course they got married.

As reported by The Daily Beast, they met at a club in 1990 and were married two years later. Their daughter, Frances Bean, was also born in 1992 — so when the little family would step out in 1993, the media was all over them. Nirvana also released its third and final album, "In Utero," in 1993.

They were married until Cobain's suicide in 1994.

1994: Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson

tom hanks rita wilson
Hanks and Wilson.Chris Pizzello/AP Images

Everyone has a celebrity couple that makes them believe in love, and whose break-up would devastate them. For many people, that's Hanks and Wilson. They married in 1988 after meeting seven years earlier on the set of the show "Bosom Buddies."

Despite a prolific career, 1994 Hanks is potentially peak Hanks. He had just starred in "Sleepless in Seattle" and "Philadelphia" the year before, and a little movie called "Forrest Gump" was released that summer.

When explaining his character Forrest Gump's relationship to Jenny to Oprah Winfrey, he said of his wife, "Without my connection with Rita, I don't know how I would've been able to connect with what Forrest was going through."

1995: Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen

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Danson and Steenburgen.Ho New/Reuters

Danson, fresh off 11 seasons of "Cheers," married movie star Steenburgen in 1995, after they met on the set of "Pontiac Moon" in 1993.

The two are still married and frequently make fun of themselves and their relationship on "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

"We like each other a lot, we laugh a lot. It's simple,"Danson told Us Weekly in 2018.

1996: Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa

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Ripa and Consuelos.Walter Weissman/AP Images

Talk show host and then-soap star Ripa eloped with her "All My Children" co-star Consuelos in 1996. They had only gotten engaged the day before, over a pizza dinner.

The duo have three children together — their son Michael appeared as young Hiram Lodge (played by Consuelos) in a flashback episode of "Riverdale" a few years ago.

1997: John Stamos and Rebecca Romijn

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Romijn and Stamos.Brenda Chase/Getty Images

Talk about a photogenic couple. The "Full House" star, previously the world's most eligible bachelor, started dating the supermodel in 1994, and proposed on Christmas Eve in 1997.

They were married until 2004.

"We just both woke up one day and it had run its course," Stamos told People of their split.

1998: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith

will smith jada pinkett smith 1998
Pinkett Smith and Smith.Rose Prouser/Reuters

Smith and Pinkett Smith were newlyweds in 1998 — they also welcomed their son, Jaden, that year. Smith had recently appeared in the smash hit "Men in Black," and Pinkett Smith had snagged a role in slasher film "Scream 2."

They have produced two of the biggest stars of the next generation of Hollywood: Jaden and Willow Smith.

Over the last few years, it's been rough for the Smiths, between the "entanglement" between Pickett smith and August Alsina, the infamous Oscars slap after host Chris Rock made a joke about Pickett Smith's shaved head, and the revelation that the two have essentially been separated for years.

1999: David and Victoria Beckham

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Victoria and David Beckham.Str Old/Reuters

After meeting in 1997, the Spice Girl and soccer superstar were married in July 1999, four months after the birth of their first son, Brooklyn.

They have weathered cheating scandals, divorce rumors, three more babies, and a trans-Atlantic move to Los Angeles, and are still a power couple in our books.

Victoria wrote a letter to her younger self in the September 2016 issue of British Vogue, where she tells young Posh Spice that "love at first sight does exist. It will happen to you in the Manchester United players' lounge — although you will get a little drunk, so exact details are hazy."

2000: Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston
Aniston and Pitt.Evan Agostini/Getty Images

These two were Hollywood's golden couple — literally. They were both so tan and blonde, they constantly looked like they were returning from a tropical vacation.

Aniston and Pitt met in 1998, and were married in July 2000. "Friends" was consistently one of the top shows on TV, and Pitt was a bona-fide movie star and sex symbol after his roles in "Fight Club," "Interview with a Vampire," and "Thelma and Louise."

As much as their marriage and wedded bliss was covered by the media, it was nothing compared to their shocking divorce in 2005, which was rumored to have been caused by an extramarital affair with Pitt's "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" co-star (and future wife/ex-wife) Angelia Jolie.

2001: Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears

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Spears and Timberlake.Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo

2001 was the year of the denim outfits. Need we say more?

That year was also the release of Timberlake's boy band *NSYNC's final album, "Celebrity," and Spears' third album, "Britney." Their relationship was a match made in pop heaven.

While the two broke up in 2002, the split resulted in two of the best break-up songs of the new millennium: "Cry Me a River" (Timberlake) and "Everytime" (Spears).

2002: Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon

Ryan Phillippe and wife Reese Witherspoon 2000
Witherspoon and Phillippe.Kevin Winter/ImageDirect/Getty Images

Witherspoon was famous before 2001's "Legally Blonde," but she was officially A-list after it came out. This meant that her marriage to "Cruel Intentions" co-star Phillippe was suddenly tabloid fodder.

In 2002, the two had one daughter, Ava. They had their son, Deacon, a year later. Witherspoon appeared in two movies that year, "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "Sweet Home Alabama," and Phillippe starred in "Igby Goes Down."

The pair announced their separation in 2006, amid rumors that Phillippe had an affair with his co-star Abbie Cornish, according to ET.

2003: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez

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Lopez and Affleck.Jeff Christensen/Reuters

Who could forget the original Bennifer? The couple met on the set of notorious flop "Gigli" in 2002, and by the next year they were a full-blown — and engaged — super-couple. Affleck even starred in the 2002 music video for "Jenny From the Block."

2003 was full of speculation about their wedding plans, if they were going to start a family, and if they would star in another movie together. But just four days before their September 2003 nuptials, they postponed the wedding due to "excessive media attention," according to ABC.

They called it quits a few months later, in January 2004, reported People — but, lo and behold, they got back together in 2021, 17 years after their first break-up. They finally got married in July 2022.

2004: Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow

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Martin and Paltrow.Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Entertainment Industry Foundation

The Coldplay front-man and the "Shakespeare in Love" actress were married in December 2003. Their daughter, Apple, was born the next year to much ado about her unusual name. Their son, Moses, was born two years later.

Even though these two were certainly a power couple — No. 1 albums and successful movies abound — their 2014 break-up might be more iconic, as it brought the phrase "conscious uncoupling" into the world's vocabulary.

2005: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie on the poster for "Mr. and Mrs. Smith."
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie on the poster for "Mr. and Mrs. Smith."20th Century Studios

Just a few months after his divorce from Jennifer Aniston, Pitt started dating his "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" co-star, Jolie (fueling rumors of infidelity). A photo shoot of the two came so soon after, Aniston told Vanity Fair that her ex-husband was missing a "sensitivity chip."

On the outside, the two couldn't be more different. Pitt was Hollywood's golden boy, while Jolie was mainly known for wearing a vial of her then-husband Billy Bob Thornton's blood around her neck. But the two connected over a mutual love of charity and giving back to the world.

Throughout their 12-year relationship (and two-year marriage), they created a blended family of six adopted and biological children, supported each other through both public and private struggles, and starred in another movie together ("By the Sea").

Brangelina announced their separation in 2016, and are still in the middle of what's turned out to be a nasty divorce.

2006: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

tom cruise katie holmes 2006
Holmes and Cruise.Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

The aughts were big on relationship portmanteaus: Bennifer, Brangelina, and ... TomKat. Cruise's antics during their relationship are the stuff of legend. Will there ever be another moment as memorable as his mid-interview couch jump on "Oprah"?

From the borderline weird admission that Holmes had a poster of Cruise in her childhood bedroom to all the speculation about their "religious" beliefs, there hasn't been a relationship quite as captivating since.

In 2006, their daughter Suri was born, and they got married in a lavish ceremony at a 15th-century Italian castle.

But, since nothing gold can stay, the "Dawson's Creek" star filed for divorce from the "Mission Impossible" actor in 2012.

2007: David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris

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Burtka and Harris.Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

In 2007, "How I Met Your Mother" was truly beginning to hit its stride, and Harris was on the verge of becoming its break-out star. He had also just come out as gay to People in 2006.

Harris and his fiancé (and soon-to-be husband) Burtka, an actor and chef, made their red-carpet debut at the 2007 Emmys, even though they had been together since 2004.

They welcomed twins via surrogate in 2010, and were married in Italy in 2014.

2008: Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi

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DeGeneres and de Rossi.Getty/Christopher Polk

Comedian and talk-show host DeGeneres had been out of the closet since her iconic Time cover story in 1997, and involved in a high-profile relationship with Ann Heche before marrying "Arrested Development" actress de Rossi in 2008. Around 16 years and a few scandals later, the two are still together.

2009: Barack and Michelle Obama

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Michelle and Barack Obama.Mark Wilson/Getty Images

After many heartwarming displays of public affection throughout the presidential campaign in 2008, Americans knew they were in for four years of sweet gestures when Barack became president in 2009.

"It has to be a true partnership, and you have to really, really like and respect the person you're married to," said Michelle of their relationship during a 2015 interview with Oprah Winfrey.

And Barack? "Obviously I couldn't have done anything that I've done without Michelle ... not only has she been a great first lady, she is just my rock," he said. "I count on her in so many ways every single day."

2010: Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman

nicole kidman keith urban 2010
Kidman and Urban.Danny Moloshok/Reuters

The actress and the country star have been married since 2006, and  had their first daughter in 2008. By 2010, both were positioned comfortably on Hollywood's A-list, and had their second daughter via surrogate.

They both posted on Instagram in June 2021 for their 15th anniversary. Urban posted a photo of the two hugging, captioned, "Happy anniversary babygirl !!!!!!! my life started when you said 'I do' 5475 days ago today."

2011: Jay-Z and Beyonce

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Jay-Z and Beyonce.Tom Ford/Getty Images

Technically, these two are a power couple every single year, but 2011 was the year that the singer announced her pregnancy during her performance of "Love on Top" during the VMAs. Instantly legendary.

The Carters have been together since 2001 and married since 2008. Their relationship has been full of iconic musical collaborations ("Crazy in Love," "Drunk in Love," the entire album "Everything is Love"), controversies (the elevator, "Lemonade," "4:44"), three kids, and two hugely successful combined tours. Need we say more?

2012: Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez

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Gomez and Bieber.Craig Barritt/Getty Images

It took Bieber getting married to someone else to finally convince us that these two are done for good. While they did break up at the end of 2012 (the first time), they still dominated headlines, whether it be about a reconciliation, cheating rumors, paternity accusations, and musical references.

These two are truly the Britney and Justin of this generation.

2013: Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel

jessica biel justin timberlake 2013
Timberlake and Biel.Regis Duvignau/Reuters

After years of back and forth, the "Seventh Heaven" actress and the "Can't Stop the Feeling" crooner finally tied the knot in 2012. The next year, he was pivoting into more serious acting roles, with a part in "Inside Llewyn Davis," while Biel starred in the remake of 1990 film "Total Recall."

"Every once in a while I can catch a glimpse of her when she doesn't see me looking, and I have this moment where I'm like, 'If you never make a good decision... if you only make bad decisions for the rest of your life, you made one really good decision,'" Timberlake told Ellen DeGeneres in 2013.

The two welcomed their son, Silas, in 2015. They welcomed their second son, Phineas, in July 2020, after a secret pregnancy.

2014: Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis

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Kunis and Kutcher.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

All of our "That '70s Show" dreams came true when it was confirmed that the two former co-stars were engaged in early 2014 — and when they shared an adorable kiss-cam moment at an LA Clippers game.

The two were married in 2015, and have two kids together.

During the press tour for Kunis' movie "The Spy Who Dumped Me," she revealed some long-wondered about facts regarding the beginning of their relationship, including that they started out as friends with benefits, and that they originally hooked up when Kutcher tried to set her up on a blind date — but the date never showed.

2015: Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston

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Theroux and Aniston.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

People around the world had been waiting for America's sweetheart to finally get her happy ending after the acrimonious end to her marriage to Brad Pitt — and with Theroux, it seemed to finally be happening. They started dating in 2011, and were engaged by 2012.

Three years later they surprised the world — and their guests — by getting married in August 2015. Their friends and family thought they were attending Theroux's birthday party.

He explained to ET that their marriage worked because "We appreciate each other's sense of humor, we respect one another, and we get along."

However, the pair announced their separation in February 2018.

2016: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian

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West and Kardashian.Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

It's hard to decide when the official year of Kimye was, but by 2016, they were married, had two children, and were rock solid as a pair. Until a little song called "Famous" was released.

West immediately received backlash for the controversial lyrics that insinuated that Taylor Swift had him to thank for her success, which reignited a feud between the two (remember the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards?).

But Kardashian proved that she was truly ride-or-die by leaking a phone conversation between her husband and Swift that allegedly proved that Swift knew that West was going to be referencing her in the song — though, in 2020, that fact was called into question.

These receipts truly jump started a wave of negativity thrown towards Swift, and caused her to essentially drop off the face of the Earth for a year — if that's not power, what is?

But their marriage wasn't meant to last. Kardashian filed for divorce in February 2021 after almost seven years of marriage and four kids.

2017: John Legend and Chrissy Teigen

chrissy teigen john legend
Teigen and Legend.Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Despite meeting on the set of Legend's 2007 music video for "Stereo," and getting married in 2013, Teigen and Legend really came into their own in 2017.

They had their daughter, Luna, in April 2017. Their son Miles was born in May 2018. In 2020, they lost their third child, Jack.

"We just enjoy each other's company," Legend told People.

Teigen gave birth to their fourth child, a daughter named Esti, in January 2023. Five months later, Teigen and Legend surprised fans when they announced the birth of their son Wren via surrogate.

2018: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

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Meghan and Harry on their wedding day.Paul Ellis/WPA Pool/Getty Images

Was this even a question? All of 2018 was dominated with headlines of America's very own princess, as "Suits" actress Markle married Prince Harry, England's most eligible bachelor, in the wedding of the year in May 2018. They welcomed their son, Archie, in 2019.

These two have always been a bit unconventional by royal standards and, in January 2020, they announced they were leaving England behind and renouncing their royal titles.

The former royals also could've taken the title of most iconic power couple in 2021 — their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey was the main topic of conversation for months — or in the following two years, after the December 2022 release of their Netflix docuseries, "Harry & Meghan," and Harry's January 2023 memoir, "Spare."

2019: Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez

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Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez.Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images/Getty Images

The defining characteristic of this couple was easily "power," and in 2019, they took it to another level. They got engaged in March 2019 after two years of dating — Rodriguez proposed with a million-dollar ring. After they got engaged, Rodriguez appeared on an episode of "The Tonight Show," during which Jimmy Fallon pulled up a clip from twp decades ago, showing A-Rod calling Lopez his "dream date." Apparently, manifesting your destiny can work.

Also in 2019? Lopez starred in "Hustlers" to critical acclaim, with many people, including her then-ex Ben Affleck, calling for an Oscar nomination (which she didn't receive) in The New York Times and she turned 50 while still looking like she could pass for 29.

But they never made it down the aisle. In March 2021, the two broke up.

2020: Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox

Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly at the AMAs
Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly.Emma McIntyre /AMA2020/Getty Images

Kelly and Fox met in March 2020 while filming a movie called "Midnight in the Switchgrass," and they reportedly began dating shortly after. That May, the two co-starred in Kelly's music video for "Bloody Valentine." They were finally spotted together exhibiting some PDA in June.

And ever since, people have been fascinated by them and their outlandish red-carpet appearances, like when Kelly painted his tongue black.

"We're actually two halves of the same soul," Fox said on an episode of "Give Them Lala" in 2020. "I said that to him almost immediately, because I felt it right away."

These "twin flames" got engaged in January 2022.

 

2021: Tom Holland and Zendaya

Tom Holland and Zendaya next to each other
Holland and Zendaya.Amy Sussman/Getty

2021 was the year of "Tomdaya." After years of speculation about their relationship status, the two were snapped kissing in a car by paparazzi, essentially confirming their relationship in July 2021.

After that followed a whirlwind few months of promoting their film "Spider-Man: No Way Home," in which they play Peter Parker and MJ, one of the most iconic couples in comics history. It ended up being the highest-grossing film of the year.

"My Spider-Man, I'm so proud of you," she wrote on Instagram.

2022: Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst

Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons at the 2024 Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards.
Dunst and Plemons.Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

While they might of one of the more low-key couples in Hollywood, 2022 was a banner year for the Dunst-Plemons household.

They each were nominated for their first Academy Awards in 2022 for their roles as an on-screen married couple in "The Power of the Dog."

A few months after their nominations, they wed after six years of dating, alongside their two sons Ennis and James, reported People.

2023: Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini

Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini at the 2023 CMT Music Awards.
Stokes and Ballerini.Renee Dominguez/Stringer/Getty Images

After Ballerini announced her divorce from fellow country star Morgan Evans in August 2022, her fans only wanted her to be happy.

That's why, when it became public in February 2023 that the "Penthouse" singer was dating "Outer Banks" star Stokes, it was huge news.

Since then, the two have engaged in lots of PDA, whether it's Stokes gassing Ballerini up at her concerts or commenting on each other's Instagrams.

Ballerini also made lemonade out of lemons with her divorce — her 2023 divorce EP, "Rolling Up the Welcome Mat," was nominated for a Grammy.

2024: Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift Super Bowl
Kelce and Swift.Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Kelce and Swift began dating in July 2023 — and while we're only a month into 2024, it's impossible to imagine a couple having a better year than these two.

Swift became the first musician to ever win album of the year four times at the Grammys in January, and Kelce took home his third Super Bowl ring in February.

They dominate the internet and TV every time Swift attends a game or when Kelce sees a concert.

Now that his season is over, it only remains to be seen how many Eras Tour shows he'll be able to fit into his schedule.

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