It’s difficult to keep a marriage together, even under the best of circumstances. Adding cameras, the court of public opinion, and media speculation to that tenuous dynamic certainly doesn’t help things.
It's why celebrities like Zendaya insist on a firm divide between their professional and personal lives. It's why so many celebrities have hostile interactions with the paparazzi. They’re understandably protective of what little personal space they can carve out for themselves amidst the madness.
The public is nosy about the highs and lows of celebrity idols. And just as there are few higher “highs” than finding love, there are few lower “lows” than losing it. Whose fault was it? How will they divide their possessions? How will they split child custody? Is there hope for reconciliation? And if not, is there any hope for a public meltdown?
Here’s every major celebrity breakup, divorce, and separation in 2023. We'll update this list—hopefully not too often—over the next several months.
Bam Margera and Nicole Boyd
Relationship: February 2013–February 2023
The former Jackass star is currently estranged from his wife, whom he alleged would not let him see his son amid multiple instances of drug and alcohol abuse. Although Boyd married Margera in February 2013, it’s under dispute whether or not they were legally married or if it was purely ceremonial. Boyd filed for legal separation and full custody of their son in February 2023. In May 2023, Margera threatened to overdose on crack unless he could see his son, which led him to be placed under involuntary psychiatric hold. In August 2023, a judge granted Boyd's full custody request temporarily, while limiting Margera's parental access to FaceTime calls.
Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth
Relationship: March 2011–March 2023
This is Witherspoon's second divorce. Her first marriage, to actor Ryan Phillippe, ended in October 2006. Witherspoon and Toth—the co-head of the Creative Artists Agency—were married for 12 years. They announced their divorce in March 2023, and they finalized it in August 2023. They will share joint custody of their 10-year-old son, whom they are committed to raising together. The two are seemingly moving on with Toth recently going on a vacation in Costa Rica with another woman. Witherspoon has also recently commented on the breakup, saying that this time she feels more in control of her narrative.
Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn
Relationship: May 2017–April 2023
It seemed, for six years there, that Taylor Swift had finally met her perfect match in Joe Alwyn. The British actor was musically inclined, even co-writing and co-producing several songs on Swift’s most recent albums, Folklore, Evermore, and Midnights. But according to multiple sources, Alwyn was uncomfortable with the high-profile nature of their relationship (especially post-pandemic), with the two calling it quits sometime in April 2023. Despite fizzling out, the pair reportedly remain on good terms.
Jeremy Allen White and Addison Timlin
Relationship: October 2019 –May 2023
White and Timlin first met as freshmen at the Professional Performing Arts School in New York City. The high school sweethearts eventually married in October 2019, and currently have two young daughters together, born in 2018 and 2020 respectively. But in May 2023, Timlin filed for a divorce with a source alluding to "trust issues" as the primary cause.
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner
Relationship: September 2004–May 2023
The acclaimed Hollywood actor/director is currently going through messy divorce proceedings that have included inferences to adultery, and inappropriate use and concealment of finances. His estranged wife, who filed for divorce in May 2023, claims to have met Costner on a golf course when she was 18 and began dating him in 1999. The couple have three children together, and Costner currently pays Baumgartner $129,755 per month in temporary child support.
Billy Porter and Adam Smith
Relationship: January 2017–July 2023
The Pose actor met Smith, the creative director for a men's swimwear line, at a dinner party in 2009. They dated briefly before going their separate ways. In 2015, they reunited and then got married mere months after their engagement in January 2017, so they could be joined before Donald Trump became president. The couple released a statement confirming their split in July 2023, stating that the divorce was amicable.
Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez
Relationship: May 2021–July 2023
Grande started dating Gomez, a luxury real-estate agent, in early 2020. They tied the knot a year later, and they separated at the beginning of 2023. After an attempt at reconciliation, they filed for divorce this summer. Grande is currently rumored to be dating actor Ethan Slater. The two reportedly met on the set of Wicked, a two-part film adaptation of the Broadway musical. This past July, Slater also filed for divorce from his wife, Lilly Jay; the two share a 1-year-old son.
Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef
Relationship: Late 2017–July 2023
The Puerto Rican pop star met the Syrian-Swedish painter on Instagram, and they later married in a private ceremony in late 2017. Their marriage, which lasted almost six years, ended on good terms, and they will be raising their two children together. "We have decided to end our marriage with love, respect and dignity for our children and honoring what we have experienced as a couple all these wonderful years," the couple posted on Instagram.
Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello
Relationship: November 2015–July 2023
The two actors announced their divorce in an exclusive statement to Page Six, where they also asked for privacy during this difficult time. The marriage, which lasted for seven years, was Vergara's second and Manganiello's first. It is rumored that Manganiello wanted kids, while Vergara, who already has a 31-year-old son, did not.
Bella Hadid and Marc Kalman
Relationship: July 2021–July 2023
Following her on-and-off relationship with The Weeknd, supermodel Bella Hadid began dating art director Marc Kalman in 2021. The couple eventually broke up in July 2023, amid rumors that she had entered rehab again for drug or alcohol abuse. Hadid denied these rumors (she celebrated being five months sober in March 2023), but discussed her ongoing treatment for Lyme disease, which she was diagnosed with in 2013. Sources indicate the breakup was amicable, and that the relationship simply "ran its course."
Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro
Relationship: September 2021–July 2023
The musical power couple first met in a Las Vegas hotel lounge in 2019, when they were both in town for the Latin Grammys. They started dating shortly afterward, even though they didn't make their relationship public until September 2021. They announced their engagement in March 2023, with the release of their music video for "Beso." In July 2023, People reported that the couple had canceled their engagement and ended their relationship. Alejandro confirmed the breakup, and made it clear that any rumors surrounding infidelity were false.
Tina Knowles and Richard Lawson
Relationship: October 2013–July 2023
Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, filed for divorce from her second husband, Richard Lawson, this summer. TMZ reported that Ms. Knowles’ reasoning was due to “irreconcilable differences” and wants to remove the ability of Lawson and herself to receive spousal support. The two wed back in April 2015.
Corey Feldman and Courtney Anne Mitchell
Relationship: November 2016–August 2023
Fashion model Courtney Anne Mitchell has dealt with multiple health problems over the past couple of years, including multiple COVID complications and chronic fatigue syndrome. This led to her separation from her husband, actor and former child star Corey Feldman, who also ended their music tour together so Mitchell could focus on her health.
Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson
Relationship: August 2021–August 2023
The Nope star met her ex-boyfriend, and the father to her 6-month-old son, Leo, at a Memorial Day party hosted by Diddy and Issa Rae in 2021. Their relationship seemed relatively solid until this past July, when Palmer attended an Usher concert in a see-through bodysuit and posted photos on Instagram. Jackson commented negatively on the photos—reminding Palmer that she was a mom—and the Internet subsequently dragged him for policing women's bodies. This reportedly led to their breakup, and Palmer later appeared in Usher's "Boyfriend" music video, which many fans interpreted as an underhanded diss. The two are co-parenting their son and remain on good terms; Palmer celebrated her birthday with Jackson in August.
Pete Davidson and Chase Sui Wonders
Relationship: January 2023–August 2023
Davidson and Wonders met on the set of thriller comedy Bodies Bodies Bodies, and started dating in January 2023. Prior to that, Davidson was in a relationship with model and actress Emily Ratajkowski. During his relationship with Wonders, Davidson underwent a series of personal challenges including a car crash in March (where he was later charged with reckless driving). And this past July, he voluntarily checked himself into rehab for borderline personality disorder and PTSD. The tabloids reported the breakup a month later.
Britney Spears and Sam Asghari
Relationship: June 2022–August 2023
The recently emancipated pop star got engaged to the Iranian-American model in September 2021, just a month after her father, Jamie Spears, agreed to step down as the head of her conservatorship. The couple married in June 2022, a month after Spears announced a miscarriage. Asghari eventually filed for divorce 14 months later. Their prenuptial agreement protects Spears' vast fortune from any divorce proceedings, but she’s reportedly paying for Asghari's $10,000 per month apartment while the lawyers work out the details.
Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner
Relationship: November 2016–September 2023
Toward the end of September, Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner’s divorce sent shockwaves throughout social media. As the news surfaced, the pair confirmed their pending divorce through a joint statement on Instagram. “After four wonderful years of marriage, we have mutually decided to amicably end our marriage. There are many speculative narratives as to why, but, truly, this is a united decision, and we sincerely hope that everyone can respect our wishes for privacy for us and our children,” read the IG post.
The announcement also came with legal drama regarding their two daughters, Willa and Delphine. The Game of Thrones alum reportedly filed a lawsuit against her estranged husband concerning a custody dispute. The document demanded “the immediate return of children wrongfully removed or wrongfully retained.”
After doing so, the pair found common ground with a temporary custody agreement. According to People, the document reads, “The parties have agreed to the entry of the attached proposed Interim Consent Order, without prejudice to either party’s claims and defenses, prohibiting the removal of the parties’ children from the jurisdictions of the United States District Courts for the Southern & Eastern Districts of New York pending further order of this Court.”
Jeezy and Jeannie Mai
Relationship: November 2018–September 2023
In September, Jeezy filed for divorce from The Real co-host Jeannie Mai after two and half years of marriage. The filing was due to irreconcilable differences with “no hope for reconciliation.” The two have seemingly kept their divorce private, and reports say that they are still living under the same roof.
In recent news, Jeezy spoke on the matter, saying, “The decision to end this chapter in my life was not made impulsively and comes with a heavy heart.” He continued, “Despite this, my love and respect for Jeannie remains, and the time we spent together holds a cherished place in my heart. Our beautiful daughter is the best gift from our relationship, and I am committed to assuring she feels the love and stability she deserves.”
He concluded his statement by asking for privacy while his family focused on “healing.” The two share a 17-month-old daughter, Monaco Mai Jenkins. The rapper is currently seeking joint custody.
Teyana Taylor and Iman Shumpert
Relationship: 2013–September 2023
Social media was shocked after learning that power couple Teyana Taylor and Iman Shumpert had split. Amid allegations of the former NBA star’s adultery, his estranged wife came to his defense on Instagram, claiming that the two have been separated for some time.
“AHT AHT! Not too much on my bestie! In all fairness, Iman and I are separated and have been for a while,” the singer wrote underneath a photo of the two. “To be 1000% clear, ‘infidelity’ ain’t one of the reasons for our departure. We are still the best of friends, great business partners, and are one hell of a team when it comes to co-parenting our 2 beautiful children. Most importantly, we are FAMILY & in the 10yrs together, 7yrs married we ain’t ever played with or about THAT.”
She added that they decided to keep their marital status private as they navigate through their separation. “We just keep y’all asses out the group chat lol, which is the reason we’ve been able to successfully & peacefully separate without all of the outside noise. The only reason I’m even sharing THIS part of the chat is because the narratives are getting a little out of hand & it’s unfair to all parties involved,” she penned. “I hope this provided some clarity for y’all. Okay AunTey taking y’all back out the chat bye!”
Jodie Turner-Smith and Joshua Jackson
Relationship: October 2018–October 2023
In early October, news broke that Jodie Turner-Smith and Joshua Jackson were filing for divorce. According to TMZ, the Queen & Slim actor filed for separation at the Los Angeles Superior Court. Documentation noted that the couple had been separated since mid-September, and were requesting equal custody of their 3-year-old daughter, Juno.
Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied
Relationship: August 2012 - ?
Portman met Millepied, a dancer and choreographer, on the set of Black Swan in 2009, and they later married in 2012. Over the past few years, the pair have had two rumored separations with the most recent being in August 2023, where Millepied allegedly cheated on Portman with a woman two decades younger than him. Since then, they were spotted together at the FIFA Women's World Cup Final with their son, sparking rumors of a reconciliation.
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith
Relationship: 1995–
The Internet went into a frenzy regarding Will and Jada Pinkett Smith… yet again. The Set It Off star announced that she and Will have been separated for nine years despite coupling up for public appearances during that time.
The Red Table Talk host sat down with Hoda Kotb during her press run for her memoir, Worthy, and shared the details of their relationship, saying, “Why it fractured, that’s a lot of things. I think by the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted from trying. I think we were both kind of still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be,” Jada said. She insinuated that the pair live “completely separate lives” like a divorced couple.
Even though their romantic relationship remains questionable, the two believe divorce is not in the cards. “I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce. We will work through whatever. I just haven’t been able to break that promise,” she admitted.
She also unveiled that the two are working their way back to each other. “There’s no finding another great love, and I think that’s the point,” she told Kotb. “It’s like we are in a place now that we are in a deep, healing space. And we are really concentrating on healing the relationship between us.”
Cardi B and Offset
Relationship: 2017–2023
Fans speculated that Cardi B and Offset were on the outs early in December after the “Bongos” rapper posted a cryptic message on Instagram, saying, “You know when you just outgrow relationships.” She added, “I’m tired of protecting people's feelings…I gotta put myself first.” Soon after, the pair unfollowed each other on social media speculating break up rumors further.
Days later, the rapper confirmed their split on Instagram live. "I've been single for a minute now," she told her viewers. "But I have been afraid to like—not afraid I just don't know how to tell the world. But I feel like today has been a sign. The last time I got on Live I kind of wanted to tell you guys, but I didn't know how to tell you, so I changed my mind. But it has been like this for a minute now. I just took it as a sign."
The news comes after Offset denied cheating allegations pertaining to Chrisean Rock. The Georgia native responded to Blueface's claim on Twitter, penning, “I ain't never talk or touch that lady. Real Talk man, you need some help!”
