There are a lot of celebrity power couples out there. From Beyonce and Jay-Z to John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, it makes sense that famous people would be drawn to a romantic partner who understands everything that being in the public eye entails.
But some stars don’t mind the idea of pairing up with someone who isn’t in the spotlight. Here’s a list of celebrities who married non-famous partners.
1. George Clooney and Amal Clooney
Leading man George Clooney met his future wife, then Amal Alamuddin, at his home in Lake Como, Italy, in 2013, thanks to a mutual friend who introduced them. Although Amal was a successful human rights attorney and was well-known in her own right for her work on some high-profile cases, marrying her superstar husband put her among the ranks of the most famous people in the world. The two wed in 2014, and in 2017, they welcomed twins Ella and Alexander.
2. Matt Damon and Luciana Barroso
Hollywood star Matt Damon met his wife, Luciana Barroso, when he was in Miami shooting “Stuck on You.” She was working as a bartender at a bar the crew dragged him out to one night.
“I saw her across a crowded room, literally,” he explained to host Ellen DeGeneres during a 2011 appearance on her show. “Eight years and four kids later, that’s my life. I don’t know how else our paths would’ve crossed if that didn’t happen. If all those things didn’t happen.”
The couple will celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary in December.
3. Jon Stewart and Tracey McShane
Comedian Jon Stewart met Tracey McShane back in 1996 when she was working as a veterinary technician. The pair were set up by a mutual friend and wed in 2000. They have two children together, Maggie and Nathan.
4. Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld
Jessica Sklar was recently married to someone else when she first met Jerry Seinfeld, but she ended up leaving her first husband (apparently the couple were having issues even before the wedding) for the comedian. While Jerry may be the more famous of the two, Jessica, who was working in public relations when she met her future husband at the gym, has made a name for herself through her cookbooks and as founder of the nonprofit Good + Foundation, which aims to break the cycle of family poverty.
5. Patrick Dempsey and Jillian Fink
Hairstylist Jillian Fink was shocked when actor Patrick Dempsey ended up at her salon in 1994. Although he was not yet “McDreamy,” Dempsey was already well-known for his roles in 1980s movie classics like “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “Lover Boy.” Fink and the heartthrob immediately hit it off. Although they were both in relationships at the time, they stayed in touch and eventually became a couple, marrying in 1999. They have three kids.
6. Alec and Hilaria Baldwin
Yoga instructor Hilaria Baldwin (nee Thomas) met superstar Alec Baldwin in 2011. Despite their 26-year age difference, the two fell in love and wed in 2012. They now have four children together.
7. Vince Vaughan and Kyla Weber
Actor Vince Vaughn met Canadian real estate agent Kyla Weber through mutual friends in 2008. They married in 2010 and have two children together, Lochlyn and Vernon. Back in 2015, the whole family made an appearance on the red carpet for the Handprint and Footprint Ceremony at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
8. Paul Rudd and Julie Yaeger
Julie Yaeger was working as a film publicist when she met up-and-coming actor Paul Rudd fresh off his big break in “Clueless.” They married in 2003 and have two children together, Jack and Darby. Although not as famous as her husband, Yaeger has dabbled in show business as a writer and even helped create some of Rudd’s scenes in “Knocked Up.”
10. Julianna Margulies and Keith Lieberthal
Actress Julianna Margulies met Harvard-educated lawyer Keith Lieberthal at a dinner party. They wed in 2007 when Margulies was 7 months pregnant with their son, Kiernan Lindsay. Margulies says she’s glad she waited until age 41 to marry the love of her life.
11. Cynthia Nixon and Christine Mariononi
“Sex and the City” star Cynthia Nixon and LGBTQ activist Christine Mariononi have been married since 2012. The pair attended the women’s marches in 2017 and 2018 together, and we’re guessing Mariononi’s professional expertise will come in handy as Nixon campaigns to become governor of New York.
12. Meryl Streep and Don Gummer
Acting legend Meryl Streep leaned on her brother’s friend, sculptor Don Gummer, for support in the wake of the death of her then-boyfriend, John Cazale, in 1978. The two fell in love and wed later that year. They have four children together: Henry, Mamie, Grace and Louisa.
13. Wanda and Alex Sykes
Comedian Wanda Sykes met French businesswoman Alex (nee Niedbalski) through mutual friends at a party. The pair wed in 2008. They are parents to twins Olivia and Lucas.
14. Marcia Cross and Tom Mahoney
Former “Desperate Housewives” star Marcia Cross and stockbroker Tom Mahoney wed in 2006. They welcomed twins Savannah and Eden in 2007. The couple has weathered a lot together, including Mahoney’s struggle with cancer in 2010, from which he has fully recovered.
15. Zoe Saldana and Marco Perego-Saldana
“Guardians of the Galaxy” star Zoe Saldana married artist Marco Perego in 2010. They are parents to twin boys, Cy and Bowie, and son, Zen. Although they keep their personal life fairly private, the whole family stepped out to support Saldana when she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2018.
16. Seth Meyers and Alexi Ashe
Comedian Seth Meyers married human rights attorney Alexi Ashe in 2013. They met through Ashe’s sister, who was a set designer for “Saturday Night Live,” which Meyers wrote for an appeared on from 2001 to 2014. They have two children together, Ashe and Axel.
17. Lisa Kudrow and Michael Stern
Former “Friends” star Lisa Kudrow married French advertising executive Michael Stern in 1995. Kudrow says one secret to their lasting union is that they both retain a sense of independence. The couple has one son together, Julian.
18. Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham
Although not actually married, talk show queen Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham have been together for 32 years. Most of us know Graham simply as Winfrey’s longtime partner, but he’s a successful businessman and author in his own right, having penned two New York Times bestsellers. While they decided long ago to never marry, the two are in it for the long haul, with Winfrey describing their relationship as a “spiritual union.”
19. Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins
Country singer Thomas Rhett and his wife met as kids. They attended summer camp together as young teens and even dated for a period at that time. Rhett says he always held onto feeling for Akins, something he confessed to her father one night. In a rom-com moment, Rhett’s future father-in-law told Rhett to tell Akins how he felt — or else he’d do it himself. Rhett did and clearly Akins felt the same way. The couple married in 2012 when they were both 22, and they now have three daughters.
20. Alison Sweeney and David Sanov
Former host of “The Bigger Loser” and soap star Alison Sweeney has been married to California highway patrol officer David Sanov since 2000. In 2015, she told Health magazine that they “evaluate” their marriage every year on their anniversary to ensure that their relationship is the best that it can be. They share two children together, Benjamin and Megan.
21. Jeff Bridges and Susan Geston
Susan Geston was waiting tables to put herself through college in Paradise Valley, Montana, when she met actor Jeff Bridges, who was there on location shooting his 1975 movie “Rancho Deluxe.” Although Geston turned Bridges down the first time he asked her out, they ended up running into each other a few nights later and hit it off. They married in 1977 and are still going strong today.
22. Ken Jeong and Tran Ho
Before he was in show business, funny man Ken Jeong was a doctor, and he’s married to a fellow physician, Tran Ho. Jeong credits his wife with encouraging him to pursue his dream of acting. The pair are parents to twin daughters, Zooey and Alexa.
23. Stacy Keibler and Jared Pobre
Model and actor Stacy Keibler married Future Ads CEO Jared Pobre in 2014. Although they were longtime friends, they were only involved romantically for six months prior to their wedding. They welcomed daughter, Grace, later that same year and are now expecting their second child together.
24. Zach Galifianakis and Quinn Lundberg
Comedian Zach Galifianakis married Quinn Lundberg in 2012. Lundberg is a co-founder of the nonprofit Growing Voices. They have two children.
25. George Lucas and Mellody Hobson
“Star Wars” creator George Lucas married Ariel Investments President Mellody Hobson in 2013. That same year they welcomed daughter Everest into their family. Hobson says they were drawn to each other because they are both “extraordinarily open-minded people.”
26. Eddie Redmayne and Hannah Bagshawe
Actor Eddie Redmayne married public relations executive Hannah Bagshawe in 2014 in their native England. Despite the fact that Redmayne lost his wedding ring while filming “The Danish Girl” (Bagshawe forgave him), they’re still happily married today. They have two children together, Iris and Luke.
