There is something so romantic about two famous people falling in love, surrounded by the glitz and glamour of stardom. When two celebs say "I do," their fans are thrilled for them...then the countdown to their relationship's demise begins.
In fact, some even place bets on how long two celebrities who've tied the knot will last before calling it quits. It's not just that the world at large is cynical; it's also that those who choose to root for adorable celeb pairings get their hearts ripped out of their chests time and time again. Let's face it: famous couples don't have very good track records when it comes to staying together for the long haul. Often, just when fans are sure a celeb couple will be blissfully happy forever, they announce they're over. Talk about heartbreaking.
Case in point: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. Many were sure these two were rock solid, nothing could break them, and that they'd be together until their dying breaths. They seemed like a perfect match, whose love for each other would never, ever die. Then it did, and their devastated fans reminded themselves that it's never a good idea to get too excited about any sort of romance playing out in the spotlight.
The truth is, whether a husband and wife pairing is a famed one, or an obscure middle-class one, sometimes, marriages don't work out. It's a painful part of life that many people deal with. Divorce becomes even more painful when children are involved. The following 20 celebrity moms have been through some of the most heart-wrenching of divorces. Their revelations about the pain and sorrow they dealt with while going through very public divorces, and how they got through the ends of their marriages, are poignant, inspirational must-reads.
20 Anna Faris - Difference In Opinions
The world mourned this summer when it was revealed that Anna Faris and Chris Pratt had decided to go their separate ways. Although the two have made it clear there is no chance they will reconcile, they both remain devoted to their adorable son, Jack, and are determined to keep their relationship amicable for his sake. According to TMZ, the two parted ways because of differences in their opinions on what a family should be like. Faris is traditional, loves spending time as a family, and wants to have more children, while Pratt, whose career has really taken off in recent years, doesn't want more children and travels a lot for work.
Opening up about the split, Faris said, "Life is too short to be in relationships where you feel this isn't fully right or somebody doesn't have your back, or somebody doesn't fully value you. Don't be afraid to feel your independence if things aren't right."
Speaking to her fans, she continued, "There are so many people out there, there's so much life experience, I hope you get to live it all and experience a whole lot of people.”
19 Angelina Jolie - Things Got Bad With Brad
Brangelina was a couple for the ages: good looking, effortlessly cool and seemingly madly in love. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's fans were shell shocked when the news broke that the two were calling it quits. Jolie later admitted to Vanity Fair, "Things got bad...I didn’t want to use that word...Things became 'difficult.'"
The star and mother-of-six also cryptically told the mag, "We’re all just healing from the events that led to the filing. [The children are] not healing from divorce. They’re healing from some...from life, from things in life."
Speaking about her relationship with Pitt since the split, Jolie shared, "We care for each other and care about our family, and we are both working towards the same goal. I was very worried about my mother, growing up...a lot. I do not want my children to be worried about me. I think it’s very important to cry in the shower and not in front of them. They need to know that everything’s going to be all right even when you’re not sure it is."
18 Reese Witherspoon - Too Much Negativity
Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe were one of the hottest young Hollywood couples when things heated up between them in the 90s. Their two children, Ava and Deacon, are as beautiful as can be, and it seems, despite parting ways, Witherspoon and Phillippe have been able to make co-parenting work wonderfully for everyone involved.
Reese once admitted, "There are things in my life that are hard to reconcile, like divorce. Sometimes it is very difficult to make sense of how it could possibly happen. Laying blame is so easy. I don’t have time for hate or negativity in my life."
She continued, "There’s no room for it. When you make wrong choices, you have to take responsibility for them: ‘What part of this do I own?’ I struggle to figure out what made me make those choices. All I can hope for is that I’ve learned something from it and won’t make the same choices again.”
17 Jennifer Lopez - Called Mark A Pig
Jennifer Lopez is the proud mother of adorable twins: Max and Emme, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Marc Anthony. JLo was also married to actor Cris Judd from 2001 until 2003 and actor Ojani Noa from 1997 to 1998. She is currently dating retired MLB pro, Aron Rodriguez, and it seems she's finally met her match...that is until the two break up and devastate us all once again.
Speaking about the heartache associated with divorce, Lopez has shared, "There's no pain or failure like going through a divorce. That hope, that dream, that fairytale, with that first time that dream gets blown to pieces, you feel like you're going to die. You feel like you failed. You feel like no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make it work."
The singer and actress has also admitted, "I remember being on the set and being in my dressing room and not feeling like I could get up in the morning and there's just no pain like that."
16 Christina Aguilera - Possible Affairs
Singer Christina Aguilera was married to music producer Jordan Bratman from 2005 until 2011. The two share a son, Max, making the end of their relationship all the more painful when they parted ways. Aguilera is now married to guitarist Matthew Rutler, and the two have a daughter named Summer Rain.
Speaking about her split from Bratman, and alluding to possible affairs, Aguilera dished, “At one time or another, we were both not angels. It got to a point where our life at home was reminding me of my own childhood."
The Grammy winner then added, "I will not have my son grow up in a tension-filled home. I knew there would be a negative reaction in the press to my divorce, but I am not going to live my life because of something someone might say. That goes against everything I sing on my records. I have to be myself.”
15 Jennifer Garner - He Slept With The Nanny
One of the most shocking celebrity break-ups of all time was most definitely that of Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck after 10 years of marriage. Speaking about her divorce, Jen jokingly told Vanity Fair that it had been the "year of wine." The two parted ways amid rumors that Affleck had been unfaithful with the family's nanny, Christine Ouzounian, an allegation his reps have denied.
Garner also told the mag of their relationship before the split, "It wasn’t for the cameras. And it was a huge priority for me to stay in it. And that did not work.” The actress also addressed what the tabloids dubbed "nannygate," and dished, "We had been separated for months before I ever heard about the nanny. She had nothing to do with our decision to divorce. She was not a part of the equation. Bad judgment? Yes. It’s not great for your kids for [a nanny] to disappear from their lives."
Garner has also shared, "I cannot let anger or hurt be my engine. I need to move with the big picture always on my mind, and the kids first and foremost.”
14 Amy Poehler - Feeling Incredibly Alone
Speaking about her divorce from Will Arnett, with whom she shares two adorable little ones, Archie and Abel, comedienne Amy Poehler has said, "Imagine spreading everything you care about on a blanket and then tossing the whole thing up in the air…The process of divorce is about loading that blanket, throwing it up, watching it all spin, and worrying what stuff will break when it lands."
The star has also admitted, “When you are a person going through a divorce, you feel incredibly alone, yet you are constantly reminded by society of how frequently divorce happens and how common it has become. You aren't allowed to feel special, but no one knows the specific ways you are in pain."
Despite her pain, Amy remains cordial and diplomatic when speaking about her ex. Speaking about Arnett, she has stated, "I am beyond grateful he is their father, and I don't think a 10-year marriage constitutes failure.”
13 Khloe Kardashian - Lamar's A Hot Mess
Khloe Kardashian, who is expecting a new addition next year with her current flame, Tristan Thomspon, dealt with a lot of drama during her separation and eventual split from first husband, former NBA star Lamar Odom. Kardashian filed for divorce in December of 2013 after Odom relapsed into past substance abuse habits and was unfaithful to her. Afterwards, the reality star said that she wasn't "rushing" to finalize the divorce because she wasn't, “looking to get married tomorrow.”
The star has also said about her former husband, “Lamar is genuinely one of the best people I’ve ever met, and everyone says that when they meet him. I think Lamar’s going to always be that person [for me] but that’s what made it so special. Even if I had it for five years or whatever, it was the best ever and I’m grateful I did. Some people don’t get that ever and I had that magic for a long time.”
Kardashian has also admitted, “I miss what we had...things we got to do together are just memories. I like looking back and holding on to that stuff. I definitely miss it, and there’s times I’ll get so sentimental and so sad, but this had to happen for some reason. I’ll figure it out over time, someone will give me that answer eventually.”
12 Olivia Wilde - Young And Stupid
Actress Olivia Wilde has two children, son Otis Alexander and daughter Daisy Josephine, with her current husband Jason Sudeikes. Her first marriage to filmmaker Tao Ruspoli, whom she wed on a bus at the tender age of 18, ended in March of 2011. She has shared that separating from Ruspoli was "the scariest thing I’ve ever done.”
Wilde has also dished, “You don’t want to break up with someone, you dont want to end a marriage, especially if you really like the person--you just know that something’s off so you try to change everything else. We basically built a new house and it was perfect--just a glorious house--and the day it was finished was the day I knew it wasn’t the house.”
Wilde has also shared that getting divorced made her feel like "such a failure." She's also admitted that food was a major source of comfort for her after her first marriage ended.
11 Nicole Kidman - What A Nightmare
Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were the golden couple of Hollywood for 11 years before their demise. Kidman, who has since wed country singer Keith Urban, has said, "I think that divorce is hard for anyone. It's a nightmare, it just is, and you can pretend you're fine. And days you're great [and] days you're not great."
She opened up about the split on Oprah Winfrey's talk show, and became visible emotional during the interview. The actress told Winfrey, "I've had a blessed life. I've always thought [if] something bad is going to happen, something bad is going to happen. But then something really bad happened. A number of really bad things happened. You go, 'I'm dealing with it. I'm stronger than I thought.' Ultimately that's where wisdom comes from, doesn't it?"
She then added, "All I will say is it's been awful--one of those things where you just say, 'I cannot believe this is happening to me,' but I will move forward day by day. Surprisingly, some people I thought would be there have not been. It's hurtful. And people I would never have thought have been a life force."
10 Jessica Simpson - Very Jaded
Jessica Simpson shares two beautiful children, daughter Maxwell and son Ace, with her current husband, Eric Johnson. Before finding her happily ever after, Simpson went through a very public and painful split with her first husband, Nick Lachey. Speaking about the experience, Simpson has shared, "It was like a death in the family: You go through the mourning stage, then the rebellion, and then all of a sudden you have to find life by yourself."
Soon after her split from Lachey, the singer and fashion mogul admitted, "I loved everything about marriage. I loved having a companion to wake up with and have barbecues with. But things happen and people grow apart. I don't really ever talk about the divorce because it was a heart-wrenching thing to go through. It's a very, very personal thing."
The star has also admitted, "I'm just a really open person…but if I were to say I wasn't a little bit jaded, that would be a lie. I am definitely on guard. People are judging your every move...It has really helped me grow as a person."
9 Danica McKellar - Saddest Events One Can Experience
Danica McKellar, best known for her role as Winnie on The Wonder Years, has one son, Draco, with her ex-husband, composer Mike Verta. The split has been very hard on her, and she's so thankful to her fans for helping her get through it.
She recently wrote on her website, “I am just overwhelmed by the love and support in the messages I’ve been receiving from all of you via Twitter and Facebook during this incredibly tough time." McKellar also shared, "The end of a marriage has got to be one of the saddest events one can experience. I’ve heard that the pain [of divorce] is second only to an actual death in the family, and that sounds about right."
The star was also been sure to note on her site that she's "grateful" that the divorce "has been nothing but amicable, and this process seems like it will be as smooth as can be hoped for." She continued, "We are both totally in love with our little boy, and believe this is the best thing for him."
8 Heidi Klum - Romantic Relationship In The Dumps
Supermodel Heidi Klum and singer Seal seemed like the perfect pairing, and fans took it hard when they parted ways. Despite the end of their romantic relationship, Klum and her former hubby have been able to keep their relationship amicable, and often do things together with their four children.
Unlike many celebs who have equated the end of a marriage to a death and have admitted to being truly devastated by the experience, Klum hasn't let her divorce get her down, and has chosen to move forward by focusing on the positive.
Speaking about the split, Heidi has candidly stated, "People say, 'Oh, God, how devastating to go through a divorce.' Did I wish for this to happen to my family? No. But everyone is healthy; we're moving on with our lives. If someone got [very sick], God forbid, that would be a real problem. It's not what I wanted--it's not what anyone wanted--but it's not a real problem."
7 Kate Hudson - Different Visions
The ever-stunning Kate Hudson is the mother of two adorable sons, and has been through plenty of heartache over the years. She shares her eldest, Ryder, with her rocker ex-husband Chris Robinson.
After her split from Robinson, Hudson shared, "[It was] the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life. The process of discovering with somebody that you love that you don’t… work is so painful. And thank goodness I did it with Chris…We helped each other through it. Now we’re both single."
The actress then wed English musician, Matthew Bellamy, and the two share a son named Bingham. After Bellamy and Hudson divorced, the star told Allure magazine that she and her former flame, "had different visions of how [they] wanted to live [their] lives." She also wisely mused, "Relationships ending are painful, and you can choose to carry that or you can choose to reframe it. If Matt and I had a great relationship, we would still be together, but we chose to move on."
6 Gwen Stefani - "Horrible, Crazy Explosion"
The Voice judge Gwen Stefani has called her split from musician Gavin Rossdale in August of 2015 a "horrible, crazy explosion." The two share three sons, Apollo, Zuma and Kingston, and their divorce caused many of their fans to gasp in disbelief and dismay.
In an interview on CBS' Sunday Morning, the singer shared, “At that time everything was like I had no skin, it was so raw. Nobody knew what was happening, and I had this big secret. During that time period, I felt like I was down all the way, like, you don’t go down lower than that. It was rock bottom. I was so embarrassed, you know what I mean?”
Stefani has chosen to keep the details behind her divorce from Rossdale private, but told the New York Times that it's "a really good, juicy story." She also revealed to the Times that her mindset during the parting was, “I’m gonna die. I am dead, actually. How do I save myself? What am I going to do? How do I not go down like this?”
5 Kim Kardashian West - Divorced After 72 Days
For those who have been living under a rock for the last five years or so, we'd like to fill you in on the fact that reality television icon Kim Kardashian is married to rapper Kanye West. The two have a daughter, North and a son, Saint, and are planning to welcome a new arrival via gestation surrogate early next year. Before marrying West, Kim was wed to R&B singer Damon Thomas from 2000 until 2004, and was hitched to NBA player Kris Humphries from 2011 to 2013.
Reflecting on her past relationships, Kim has admitted, "I've always been the type to fall in love fast and, with every boyfriend, I plan out my wedding in my head. It's taught me to take things slow. I've always believed in love. I haven't always been so lucky, but I still do believe in it."
Speaking about her public and humiliating spit from Humphries soon after their lavish wedding aired on E!, Kim shared, "I loved this person, it just wasn't the right situation for me. I try to hold my head up high and live my life."
4 Naomi Watts - Change Was Scary
Oscar-nominated actress Naomi Watts and actor, director, screenwriter and producer Liev Schreiber announced that they had chosen to part ways in September of 2016. Once again, the news of the split devastated many fans who though the couple's bond was one of the unbreakable ones. Before they ended their marriage, Schreiber and Watts had two sons together: Samuel and Alexander.
Soon after the announcement of the separation, The Glass Castle star told The Daily Telegraph, "I feel I'm in a good place in my life and I want to make sure my kids are healthy, my kids are happy, and things are going to go well. Those are my hopes for me and for all of us."
She then added, "I feel, whether you're famous or not, transitions are scary for anybody. I feel like change is always scary, but that's only because transition for anyone is new and you wonder how things are going to go."
3 Madonna - "Three-ring Circus"
Madonna and her former husband, Guy Ritchie, parted ways in 2008 after eight years of marriage. Since, the Grammy winning singer has claimed that while she was married to Ritchie, she felt like she was "incarcerated."
There are two sides to every story, and Ritchie has made it clear, that, in his eyes, the failure of their marriage wasn't all his fault. He even went so far as to say that life with Madonna was like a "three-ring circus." The former spouses have two sons together: Rocco, who is biologically theirs, and David Banda, who they adopted.
Speaking about the divorce soon after it became final, Madonna said, "What can I say? It was a challenging year. I think work saved me, and I'm very grateful that I had work to do. I may have thrown myself off a building, Life is an adjustment. It's different. My sons aren't with me right now, they're with their father, and I'm not comfortable with the idea of my children not living together."
2 Drew Barrymore - 3rd Times Not A Charm
Drew Barrymore's third marriage to Will Kopelman was not the charm. The two split in 2016 after tying the knot in 2012 and having two adorable daughters, Frankie and Olive, together.
Barrymore opened up about the divorce on The Ellen DeGeneres show, and shared, "It was just like my worst nightmare. I so wanted to raise kids in this ultra-traditional way and do everything so the polar opposite of my experience.” After being raised in the spotlight by far from traditional parents, John and Jaid Barrymore, an experience that led her down a path of substance abuse at a young age, it's understandable why Barrymore would want a different life for her own daughters.
Speaking about the way she wants to raise her children, the author and actress has said, “It really is about the tone you set, and you can talk until you're blue in the face, but kids watch what you do every single day of your life, all day long, and that behavior and that example and that love and community and honesty is just, I think, what's making everything feel safe for my kids."
1 Katie Holmes - Defining Moment
Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise made headlines when they openly gushed non-stop about how much they adored each other. Holmes eventually got pregnant with Cruise's baby and they wed soon afterwards. Since their split, the actress has revealed that behind closed doors, her life didn't match the rosy exterior fans saw at red carpet events.
She told People magazine, “I don’t have any fear now, I don’t have a lot of rules for myself, and I don’t take myself that seriously. I feel ready for new challenges." Speaking about the time she spent as Tom's wife, Katie has said, "I don’t want that moment in my life to define me, to be who I am. I don’t want that to be what I’m known as. I was an actor before, an actor during and an actor now.”
On being a mom to her daughter, Suri, whom she shares with her former hubby , Holmes has said, "I'm learning every day, and I have been since the minute I became a mom. My patience has grown, but between 4 and 6 p.m....I mean, wow,” she says. “Between tickle fights and glitter art, I try to throw in some manners along the way."
Sources: MarieClaire.com, DailyMail.co.uk