Relationships are hard.
And when both partners are A-list celebrities, it can add even more pressure.
After ending their engagement 20 years ago and marrying other people, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez thought they were reunited to live happily ever after. Their love was burning brightly, but it seems to have quickly fizzled out. Although they haven't spoken publicly about it, they spent much of the summer on separate coasts, with a source telling Fox News Digital: “They're done. They're totally done. They're not getting back together.”
But Lopez and Affleck aren't the only power couple to have fallen apart. Brad Pitt's marriages to Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie ended in divorce, as did Meg Ryan's marriage to Dennis Quaid, and Nicole Kidman's union to Tom Cruise.
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The marriages of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, both faced difficulties. (Getty)
“When two celebrities enter into a long-term relationship, unique challenges arise that may initially be overlooked,” said Alessandra Conti, celebrity matchmaker for matchmakersinthecity.com, told Fox News Digital.
“When stars get together, it can feel like something out of a movie: their chemistry is palpable, the paparazzi are hanging on their every move, the glamour and intrigue are intoxicating and highly profitable for whatever project they're working on at the time. The illusion of perfection is often like much of Hollywood: smoke and mirrors.”
Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise divorced in 2001. (Leonardo Cendamo/Getty Images)
Pitt and Aniston married in 2000, but filed for divorce five years later. Pitt quickly moved on with Angelina Jolie, his co-star in 2005's “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.” The couple finally tied the knot in 2014, but have been locked in a messy divorce battle for years.
Conti, who has worked as a matchmaker for more than 12 years in Hollywood, added: “I have a saying: In every relationship there is a diamond and there is a setting. Two diamonds are not an ideal match because when you have two powerful personalities in a relationship, especially when they are in the entertainment industry, there can be a huge power struggle.”
She said that while there are “fireworks” at the beginning of the relationship, that is not sustainable.
Brad Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston before Angelina Jolie. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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“Fireworks are exciting, but they're often a red flag if a client is looking for their lifelong match,” Conti said. “The passion and fire that are synonymous with these superstar romances can erode into a clash of egos and a fight for dominance.”
Damona Hoffman, a celebrity dating coach and author of “F the Fairytale,” told Fox News Digital that it's not so much about the couple's celebrity status, but rather their tireless schedules “and the pressures of a job in the spotlight.”
“That's why we see the same phenomenon with high-profile people in the business world, too,” Hoffman said, naming people like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates. “Two successful careers in Hollywood mean a lot of time apart on the road, grueling hours and a lot of people on the team managing your every move. The best way to make it work is to view each person's career as having seasons where they are the lead while the other person is more focused on the home front and supporting their partner.”
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Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are a “good example of a couple who support each other's careers.” (Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Hoffman said Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are a good example of a couple who support each other's careers and take turns in the spotlight. “These two also have a great sense of humor and make it a point to publicly support each other, which is key to long-term success,” he said.
“Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes are also great role models when it comes to relationships,” Hoffman added. “When Ryan was at his peak in his 'Ken' era, Eva supported him behind the scenes but never tried to steal the spotlight from him. When celebrity couples get too competitive with each other, that can be a disaster. When they can support each other through the ups and downs of being a celebrity, they can stand the test of time.”
A relationship expert has called Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling “great relationship role models.” (Sonia Recchia/Getty Images)
“It doesn't matter what your job or public function is. The important thing is to reach an agreement and make sure your partner knows that you love them more than fame and fortune,” he said.
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