You might think that being famous grants you a fairytale romance, but that’s not always the case. Just like in real life, even the sweetest celebrities can end up marrying the worst partners. The saying “love is blind” rings true for many of us, and these stars stayed married to people who had issues with infidelity, control, abuse, and more. Here are some famous couples where the public isn’t shy about playing the blame game.
1. Sandra Bullock
A beloved Hollywood icon, Sandra Bullock once thanked her ex-husband Jesse James at the 2010 Oscars. However, her heartfelt speech lost its charm when news broke that James had been cheating on her with multiple women. To make matters worse, one of his mistresses had a serious Nazi regalia collection, and James himself was linked to Nazi-related art. Yikes!
2. Kim Kardashian
Long before Kanye, Reggie, and Kris, Kim Kardashian was married to Damon Thomas. At just 19, Kim eloped with Damon, who was 10 years older. Four years later, they divorced. According to court documents, Kim claimed that Thomas isolated her from friends and family, tried to convince her to drop out of college, and was physically violent. She recounted episodes where he punched her, slammed her against walls, and pulled her hair, as well as encouraging her to undergo plastic surgery.
3. Paul McCartney
When Heather Mills and former Beatle Paul McCartney divorced in March 2008, Mills tried to claim $250 million. The judge called her demands “ridiculous and exorbitant,” including requests for $400,000 a year for private flights, $80,000 for wine, and $250,000 for clothes. Although she was awarded $48.6 million, she went on to insult McCartney on TV, calling him irrelevant and claiming he had to collaborate with Kanye West and Rihanna to stay in the spotlight.
4. Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey’s diva reputation in the music industry is well-known, but it doesn’t excuse the way her ex-husband, record executive Tommy Mottola, treated her. Mottola, who was married with children when they met, was so controlling that he wouldn’t let her leave their mansion alone and had her followed by security guards 24/7 — even to the bathroom. From dictating her life to sabotaging her career, Mottola did Mimi wrong and still talks about her to the media!
5. Jennifer Lopez
Back in the day, Jennifer Lopez was married to Ojani Noa. After their divorce and her rise to fame, Noa spoke about their relationship on “Million Dollar Matchmaker,” claiming she chose her career over him. In 2006, Lopez sued him to stop him from writing a tell-all book defaming her, and in 2015, he tried to release an intimate video of her filmed during their marriage.
6. Dita von Teese
Dita Von Teese married Marilyn Manson in 2005 after five years of dating, but they divorced just a year later. While she hasn’t been very open about the details, she did tell “Harper’s Bazaar” that it must have been something “pretty bad” for her to leave after six years and pack up on Christmas. Many speculate it was due to his relationship with Evan Rachel Wood, whom he groomed and abused horrifically for years.
7. Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj married Kenneth “Zoo” Petty in 2019. Petty was convicted of attempted rape in 1995, and his victim was cyber-bullied and threatened by Minaj’s fans. Petty also pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2006 for shooting a man dead four years earlier. He served seven years in prison and was released in 2013.
8. Amy Winehouse
A talent lost too soon, Amy Winehouse’s downfall began when she married Blake Fielder-Civil, who introduced her to drugs. Her former manager told The Guardian that it was heartbreaking to see her go from “tender and brilliant” to “derelict and lost.” Blake, described as a troubled individual himself, still denies responsibility, claiming Amy had her addictions before they met and that her problems weren’t his fault.
9. John Legend
Once seen as the ultimate #relationshipgoals, Chrissy Teigen was revealed to be a bully on social media. She targeted model Courtney Stodden, who was groomed to marry the much older Doug Hutchinson when they were underage. Teigen made comments like wishing Stodden would take a “dirt nap” and even DMed them, telling them to kill themselves. She also posted cruel tweets about Lindsay Lohan and Farrah Abraham.
