Keeping a relationship going is hard work. However, maintaining a star-studded relationship under public scrutiny is nearly impossible. One day, beloved star couples seem solid as a rock, and the next, their relationship is on the rocks.
It’s not just difficult for souring sweethearts. When breakup news breaks, it can be equally heartbreaking for fans. Some of the splits from 2018 were so shocking, we’re still trying to come to terms with them. As 2018 comes to a close, we’re taking a look back at the biggest celebrity breakups of the year.
Robert DeNiro And Grace Hightower
After more than two decades of marriage and two children together, this longtime couple decided to split. They dated for several years before they wed in 1997. They did break up briefly once before, in 1999, before reconciling.
Rebecca Gayheart And Eric Dane
The actors took their family into consideration when they filed for divorce in February. They were married for 14 years and have two daughters together. They shared a joint statement:
“We will continue our friendship and work as a team to co-parent our two beautiful girls as they are the most important thing in the world to us.”
Jennifer Aniston And Justin Theroux
Though their marriage began in a secret ceremony in 2015, its end came with a public statement:
“We are two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship… we are determined to maintain the deep respect and love that we have for one another.”
Theroux described the breakup as amicable and gentle in an interview with The New York Times.
Natalie Dormer And Anthony Byrne
The actress and director met on the set for “The Tudors,” started dating in 2007 and got engaged in 2011. The “Game of Thrones” actress has talked about how difficult working with significant others can be in interviews. I suppose it’s not too shocking, then, to learn the duo called it quits after working closely together on “In Darkness.”
Paris Hilton And Chris Zylka
Even though Hilton had already picked out a wedding dress, it wasn’t enough to get this couple down the aisle. This fall, multiple sources reported that Hilton and Zylka called off their engagement. Their whirlwind romance spanned two years, and Zylka proposed during a holiday trip to Aspen with a stunning $2 million engagement ring last year.
Nastia Liukin And Matthew Lombardi
After three years, the athletic pair called off their engagement and decided to go their separate ways. The Olympic gymnast and NHL player first announced their engagement in the summer of 2015. Together, they cofounded Grander Sports, a global community that empowers young female athletes.
Shawn Booth And Kaitlyn Bristowe
It’s not all that surprising to hear about a “Bachelor” franchise couple breaking up. This particular couple, who met and got engaged on the show in 2015, was one of the longest-lasting engagements from the series and a fan favorite, however. Though their romance has ended, they plan to stay friends.
Olivia Culpo And Danny Amendola
This isn’t the first time the former Miss Universe and the Miami Dolphins wide receiver have broken up, but it seems to be the last. Amendola’s indiscretions in Miami seem to have caused the latest split. Culpo was in Australia at the time, so it seems distance doesn’t make the heart grow fonder.
Ariana Grande And Mac Miller
The couple had been dating for two years when they decided to part ways in May 2018. The singer and rapper collaborated and performed together often. Ultimately, their busy work schedules and dating in the public eye contributed to their breakup. Sadly, Miller died of an overdose in September.
Ariana Grande And Pete Davidson
After only five months together, Grandison’s whirlwind summer romance came to an end. Grande shocked fans with a speedy engagement, so her second major breakup in 2018 wasn’t all that surprising. The “Saturday Night Live” cast member included several jokes about their very public breakup on the show, and the singer marked their split with a black heart tattoo.
Kourtney Kardashian And Younes Bendjima
The reality star and model dated for two years before realizing the relationship wasn’t working. The couple’s large age gap — Kardashian is 39 and Bendjima is 25 — is one of the factors that led to their split. According to sources, the breakup was Kardashian’s idea and both spilled their true feelings online in dramatic fashion.
Hayden Panettiere And Wladimir Klitschko
Though they’ve been together nearly a decade, the actress and former professional boxer decided to call off their engagement. They have one daughter together and plan to co-parent her. They reportedly remain on good terms following the split.
Lauren Bushnell And Devin Antin
Bushnell swiped right on Antin not long after her split with former “Bachelor” Ben Higgins. Bushnell also worked with Antin on her Dear Rosé wine. The couple dated for about a year before the split.
“I’m very content on my own right now,” Bushnell told Us Weekly.
John Cena And Nikki Bella
The wrestling and reality TV stars called off their wedding just a few weeks before the big day. Their social media statement read:
“While this decision was a difficult one, we continue to have a great deal of love and respect for one another. We ask that you respect our privacy during this time in our lives.”
They had been together for six years and were engaged for one when they parted ways in April 2018.
Jillian Michaels And Heidi Rhoades
The fitness star and her longtime partner announced their split on Instagram.
Michaels shared, “You’ve all been with me through it all so I’m sharing some news with you … Heidi and I have been split for a while now.”
The couple got engaged in 2016 and shared two children.
Christian Siriano and Brad Walsh
After two years of marriage, Walsh shared an Instagram story update announcing their split. The couple started dating in 2007 before Siriano shot to stardom with his Project Runway win.
Dan Reynolds And Aja Volkman
Reynolds shared the news of his breakup with his wife on Twitter.
“After 7 beautiful years together, Aja and I’s marriage has come to an end,” the Imagine Dragons singer wrote. “Our children continue to be the most important thing in our lives, & we will continue to co-parent them with all our love.”
They have three girls.
Miranda Lambert And Anderson East
In their two years of dating, the singers had collaborated on several tracks on Lambert’s album, “The Weight of These Wings.” They sang duets and also co-wrote songs. Still, that wasn’t enough to keep their relationship going.
Brooke Burke And David Charvet
In April 2018, the TV host filed for divorce from her husband of six years. In 2011, they got married in an intimate sunset ceremony off the coast of St. Bart’s. They have two children together, and Burke has two daughters from her previous marriage.
Christiane Amanpour And Jamie Rubin
The international couple has been married for 20 years and decided to divorce in July. They met in Bosnia in 1997 and got married in Italy in 1998. These days, Amanpour lives in London and Rubin is based in Washington, D.C.
Channing Tatum And Jenna Dewan Tatum
The dancing duo announced their separation in April with a coordinated Instagram post.
They wrote, “There are no secrets nor salacious events at the root of our decision — just two best-friends realizing it’s time to take some space and help each other live the most joyous, fulfilled lives as possible.”
After meeting on the set of “Step Up,” the couple dated for about two years and married in 2009.
Anderson Cooper And Benjamin Maisani
The journalist and news anchor parted ways with his longtime boyfriend in March. The couple had gone public with their relationship in 2015.
“Benjamin and I separated as boyfriends some time ago,” Anderson shared in a statement back in March. “We are still family to each other, and love each other very much.”
Zayn Malik And Gigi Hadid
After dating for two years, Malik and Hadid announced their breakup on Twitter in March.
“Gigi and I had an incredibly meaningful, loving and fun relationship, and I have a huge amount of respect and adoration for Gigi as a woman and friend,” Malik shared on Twitter.
Hadid added her own perspective for followers: “I’m forever grateful for the love, time and life lessons that Z and I shared. I want nothing but the best for him and will continue to support him as a friend that I have immense respect and love for.”
Alicia Silverstone And Christopher Jarecki
The “Clueless” star and her husband called it quits in February after 13 years of marriage. They’ve been together for more than two decades and they have one son together. According to Silverstone’s representative, they plan to remain friends and co-parent.
Selena Gomez And Justin Bieber
After announcing their split in March, the pop stars’ on-again-off-again relationship seems off for good despite having attended couples’ counseling. After calling it quits, they gave each other some space. Bieber made use of the space to date a model and rekindle a romance with now-wife Hailey Baldwin.
Lena Dunham And Jack Antonoff
The duo started dating after a blind date in 2012. They announced their split in January. Their decision to part ways was mutual, and sources said the actress and musician were growing apart.
Kendra Wilkinson And Hank Baskett
The former “Girls Next Door” star announced her finalized divorce via Instagram in April. She and Baskett separated amicably in January. They were married for nine years and have two children together.
Claire Foy And Stephen Campbell
“The Crown” actress and her husband announced back in February that they were splitting up after seven years as a couple.
Foy said in a statement: “We have separated and have been for some time. We do however continue as great friends with the utmost respect for one another.”
Cardi B And Offset
After a year of marriage and a daughter together, Cardi B took to Instagram on Dec. 5 to confirm their split.
She shared, “I guess we just grew out of love, but we are not together anymore.”
However, rumors of Offset’s infidelity lead us to believe there’s more to the story than the rapper is sharing.
Larsa And Scottie Pippen
After more than 20 years of marriage, the reality star filed for divorce from her NBA All-Star husband. She cited irreconcilable differences and is seeking joint custody of their four children. Previously, they filed for divorce in 2016 and temporarily patched things up.
