18 Celeb Couples Who Split, Started Dating Again, And Ultimately Ended Up Apart
Warning: This post contains brief mentions of violence.
Love can be a roller coaster ride, and you never quite know who you'll end up with — someone new, or possibly an ex-partner.
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And trying to give it another go with an ex may go great, or you could discover that they're an ex for a reason.
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These 18 celeb couples decided to get back together after a period of separation, but they have since split for good.
1.Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth
The couple started dating after they met while filming the 2010 film The Last Song, in which they played romantic leads opposite each other. Miley and Liam were engaged by 2012, but in September 2013 the pair broke up. They reunited in late 2015, however, before becoming engaged yet again in 2016. After tying the knot in late 2018, the two separated the next year. Miley later commented on the breakup through a Twitter thread.
"Liam and I have been together for a decade. I’ve said it before and it remains true, I love Liam and always will," Miley said.
"I had to make a healthy decision for myself to leave a previous life behind. I am the healthiest and happiest I have been in a long time," she added.
Liam, meanwhile, wrote a short message addressing his split with Miley via Instagram in 2019.
"Just a quick note to say that Miley and I have recently separated, and I wish her nothing but health and happiness going forward," Liam stated. "This is a private matter, and I have not made, nor will I be making, any comments to any journalists or media outlets."
2.Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor
Although they'd briefly encountered each other a decade prior, the iconic Hollywood couple didn't begin their relationship until 1962 while they were costarring in Cleopatra. Their romance sparked an outpour of tabloid attention, as they were both married to other people at the time. Richard and Elizabeth wed in 1964 and divorced 10 years later. They soon started their relationship back up again and got hitched for the second time in 1975, but this marriage ended less than a year later. The pair remained close friends until Richard's passing in 1984. Elizabeth spoke about their intense connection in a 20/20 interview with journalist Barbara Walters in 2002.
"I think we loved almost too hard," Elizabeth said. "I think you become so much in the other person's pocket, in their mind, in their soul, that you begin to lose your own identity."
3.Brooklyn Beckham and Chlo? Grace Moretz
The couple confirmed they were together in 2016, but just months later their union ended. They got back together in 2017, but their love sadly didn't last, as they were officially over by 2018. In August of that year, the 5th Wave star discussed the difficulties that go along with breaking up in the public eye.
"Breakups are hard across the board," Chlo? told the Sunday Times. "But when every verified account on Twitter posts something about me, I get tagged. And every major publication is verified. So anytime they post something about a certain relationship, it pops up on my phone, which is how I find out about 90% of things."
4.Rihanna and Drake
The superstar musicians were seen together for a 2009 public outing, during which they were reportedly showing PDA. Years later, in 2013, Drake shared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that he and Rihanna "had [their] moment" and said he would "always support and have love for her." At the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, it appeared their romance had resumed when Drake presented Rihanna with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and affectionately referred to her as "someone [he's] been in love with since [he] was 22 years old."
The two ended up going their separate ways just months after this, and Rihanna told Vogue in 2018 that she and Drake are no longer companions, saying, "We don’t have a friendship now, but we’re not enemies either. It is what it is."
5.The Weeknd and Bella Hadid
The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, and Bella started dating in 2015, but the couple broke things off in late 2016. It was reported that they were an item once again in 2018. A source revealed to E! News in 2019 that they'd chosen to separate for a second time.
"They are in different places right now, physically and mentally," the source said. "Bella is prepping for her fashion week commitments, and Abel is working on his music and his upcoming acting debut."
Us Weekly was told by a source that the exes had "been in touch recently" in June 2020, saying, “There’s always a possibility that they will get back together down the line.” Despite these claims, Abel and Bella never announced that they were dating again following their second split.
6.Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez
Justin and Selena first publicly displayed they were together when they appeared at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party back in 2011. They broke up in late 2012 and were on and off through 2015.
Following years of being apart, the two were seen out and about in late 2017. They were reportedly spending time together through early 2018, but their love story didn't last; the romance was over by June of that year, when Justin reunited with his former flame and now-wife, Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin).
In June 2022, Selena opened up about her relationship history for the Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast. The Only Murders in the Building star discussed her personal journey as she navigated the breakup with Justin, as well as the health issues she was facing at the time.
"I was, you know, obviously going through a really tough breakup, and then I was left with the question of my career and where am I gonna go and what’s gonna happen?" Selena said. "It just was all of these different things I was feeling. And then my medical stuff kind of kicked in — I was dealing with my lupus, and I was dealing with some kidney problems. It was actually really hard. But, being on the other side of it, I have to be honest, it’s actually been really good for me. It allowed me to develop a character where I don’t tolerate any sort of nonsense or disrespect in any way, and I’m really proud of how I came out of it.”
7.Jenny Slate and Chris Evans
The A-list actors and Gifted costars started off as friends and eventually revealed they were together in July 2016. Jenny and Chris first broke up in early 2017 only to resume dating later that year. Four months after the rekindling of their romance, they sadly split for the second and final time. In the years following this breakup, it didn't appear that there was any bad blood between the two performers, however.
"Chris feels neutral towards Jenny Slate and holds no bad feelings towards her," an insider told Us Weekly in 2020. "[He] is happy for her."
8.JoJo Siwa and Kylie Prew
In February 2021, JoJo and Kylie revealed they were in a relationship. By November of that year, the two had parted ways. They remained friendly and eventually dated again beginning in April 2022. Just months later, the pair had officially split again. Kylie confirmed this in an Instagram livestream that was later posted to TikTok.
"I don’t like drama, and it makes me really, really anxious, and so I don’t really wanna talk about it for a while," Kylie said. "But someone asked me just now if I was single. I am. I've been single for almost two months, and it's okay. It's not deep, I promise."
She added, "We're both safe and happy and healthy, and that's all that matters. And it doesn't need to be drama because that just gives everyone unwanted anxiety, especially if they're like me."
9.G-Eazy and Halsey
G-Eazy and Halsey began their relationship in August 2017. Less than a year later, in July 2018, Halsey stated that they and the "I Mean It" singer were no longer together. They reconnected soon after and posed side by side on the American Music Awards red carpet in October 2018. Later that month, the couple once again decided to break things off, a source revealed to E! News. Halsey shared what she'd learned from the breakup in 2019.
"The biggest lesson I learned was to make art, not headlines," Halsey said to Glamour. "Because it can become quite easy, in the social media generation, to go from being a musician to becoming a personality."
10.Tristan Thompson and Khloé Kardashian
Tristan and Khloé started seeing each other in 2016, and by 2017 the pair revealed to their families that they were expecting their first child together. In April 2018, just before Khloé gave birth, footage was leaked of Tristan entering a hotel with another woman on one occasion. An additional video was also released that showed he'd cheated with two women when Khloé was three months pregnant. Tristan and Khloé's relationship officially ended in 2019 after he was accused of again being unfaithful and cheating on her with Jordyn Woods, who was best friends with Kylie Jenner at the time.
The two then reconciled in 2020 but halted the romance in June 2021 following more cheating accusations being made against Tristan. They patched things up and planned on moving in together before calling this off when Tristan publicly announced in January 2022 that he'd fathered a child with Maralee Nichols while in a relationship with Khloé. In August 2022, the exes welcomed a second child via surrogate who had been conceived two months prior to this news going public.
11.Crystal Renay and Ne-Yo
The pair struck up a relationship after being introduced when Crystal auditioned for a music video of Ne-Yo's in 2015. They went on to marry in 2016. Ne-Yo filed for divorce in 2020, but the two shared that they were back together less than a year later.
In July 2022, Crystal took to social media to reveal the status of the relationship. She stated on Instagram that Ne-Yo had subjected her to "8 years of lies and deception," and she "unknowingly [shared her] life and husband with numerous...women."
"To say I’m heartbroken and disgusted is a understatement," Crystal added. She explained that "to ask [her] to stay and accept it is absolutely insane" and reflects "the mentality of a narcissist."
Crystal concluded by saying, "I am not a victim. I’m choosing to stand tall with my head held high. If someone can’t love you the way you deserve then it’s up to you to love yourself. With no hate in my heart I wish [Ne-Yo] nothing but the best."
Ne-Yo tweeted in response, saying, "For the sake of our children, my family and I will work through our challenges behind closed doors."
"Personal matters are not meant to be addressed and dissected in public forums," the performer added. "I simply ask that you please respect me and my family’s privacy at this time."
Crystal filed for divorce from the singer-songwriter in August 2022, per People.
12.Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen
The two actors met during the filming of Jumper and got engaged in late 2008. They paused the romance in 2010, then reunited toward the end of that year. Rachel and Hayden welcomed a child in 2014, but their union ended three years later. The O.C. star talked to People about co-parenting with Hayden in 2021.
"Communication is key and just being on the same page, so everything's about the kid," Rachel said. "As long as you put the kid first, everything will be okay."
13.Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid
Zayn and Gigi started their romance in 2015 and were together for over two years prior to splitting in 2018. Just months after this, they began dating once again and welcomed a daughter, Khai, in 2020. Their most recent breakup was announced in October 2021 after an altercation allegedly took place between Zayn and Yolanda Hadid, Gigi's mother. Zayn later "adamantly" denied "striking Yolanda" in a TMZ interview. The singer also shared a statement on Twitter expressing his desire to "create a safe and private place for [his] daughter to grow up in," which led him to pleading no contest to four counts of harassment.
"In an effort to protect that space for [Khai], I agreed to not contest claims arising from an argument I had with a family member of my partner's who entered our home while my partner was away several weeks ago," Zayn wrote.
A representative of Gigi's then told People, "Gigi is solely focused on the best for Khai. She asks for privacy during this time."
14.Billy Ray Cyrus and Tish Cyrus
The ex-sweethearts, who share six children, wed in 1993 and have had a few breakups over the years. Billy Ray filed for divorce in 2010 but ended up changing his mind and not following through with the separation. Tish then filed for divorce in 2013, but the pair rekindled their romance for the second time.
In April 2022, after almost three decades of marriage, Tish filed for divorce again. The couple then released a joint statement to People in which they addressed the split.
"It is after 30 years, five amazing children and a lifetime of memories, we have decided to go our separate ways — not with sadness, but with love in our hearts," they stated. "We have grown up together, raised a family we can be so proud of, and it is now time to create our own paths."
The two added that they "will always be family and look forward to a continued and loving shared experience as friends and parents."
15.Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick
Kourtney and Scott's relationship dates back to 2006, the year before Keeping Up With the Kardashians first aired. The reality stars were on and off through 2016 and have had three children together over the years. In a 2017 KUWTK episode, per E! News, Kourtney said that she and Scott were "never getting back together." Scott has since spoken about getting used to life after Kourtney's relationship with her now-husband, Travis Barker.
"It was a huge adjustment losing Kourtney romantically, but now it’s becoming a huge adjustment losing her as kind of a best friend," Scott said on KUWTK in April 2022, per Elle. "Now we’re really just more of co-parenters. I would say it’s probably one of the more difficult things in my life."
16.Emma Roberts and Evan Peters
After meeting through a film they costarred in, Adult World, Emma and Evan started their relationship one decade ago. Emma was then arrested in 2013 for domestic violence in relation to a fight she had with Evan. The pair stayed together, and the news broke in early 2014 that they'd become engaged. They split a couple times in the following years but were back on by 2016. Their final separation was confirmed in 2019. Emma spoke to Cosmopolitan that same year about the aftermath of the breakup.
"I think that no matter who you are or what you do or wherever in the world you are, anything ending is hard," Emma said. "Losing something is hard. And the only thing I can say for that is… What can I say for that? I’m realizing that life is highs and lows. I’m trying to ride them out and live somewhere in the middle. When you’re low, you think it’s never going to end. When you’re high, you’re so scared of it ending. And I’ve lived in both of those places for too long."
17.Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler
Giuliana Rancic introduced Kristin and Jay over a decade ago, which kicked off their romance. They got engaged in 2011, broke up three months later, and then started to see each other again in the fall of that year. The couple wed in 2013 and were married for seven years before announcing their divorce in 2020. The Hills star later revealed that she and Jay initially tried to reunite after the filing, but the relationship still didn't work out. Kristin has since talked about getting back together with Jay after their initial separation in 2011, stating that "you can't ignore red flags."
"I called off the engagement the same reason I got a divorce — same reasons, I should say," Kristin said on the Call Her Daddy podcast in August 2022. "I guess if there's any takeaway from that, it's that you can't ignore red flags, people don't change, and you gotta trust your gut."
Soon after, Jay responded to Kristin's comments on the Sofia With an F podcast.
"If [Kristin] wants to say stuff, she can say stuff. I’m not going to go down that road about her," Jay said. "I mean, she’s still the mother of my kids."
He added, "Also...it’s been two and a half years. Why are we having these conversations? It's, uh, it's comical."
18.Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green
After dating for about two years, Megan and Brian announced their engagement in 2006. In early 2009 the pair paused their wedding plans, but they were an item again by June 2010. They got hitched that year, but by 2015, Megan had filed for divorce. She and Brian went on to continue their union after the filing.
They had been married for a decade when Brian revealed in 2020 that he and Megan had separated. The Beverly Hills, 90210 star, who shares three children with Megan, explained that "neither one of [them] did anything to each other," but instead the two had just been "growing apart."
"I will always love her," Brian said on his podcast. "And I know she will always love me, and I know as far as a family what we have built is really cool and really special."
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