Sometimes when I’m watching TV, I see characters who have so much chemistry that I have to wonder if they’re dating or have ever dated in real life. To my surprise, there have been many instances among TV co-stars of love at first sight, friends to lovers, and couples that are even married with children! You’ll be surprised when you look and see which of your favorite TV co-stars dated in real life.
- Camila Mendes and Charles Melton (Riverdale)
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This couple didn’t last very long on-screen, but they shocked fans in 2018 with an Instagram official announcement. Camila Mendes posted a now-deleted photo of the two with a simple caption: “mine.” Fans couldn’t believe that Veronica would date anyone other than Archie, seeing as they were on and off from the start of Riverdale without any other relationships (at least, any that lasted that long). So when Reggie and Veronica started to become more than friends, fans noticed. It was the same with Mendes and Melton — the two were spotted getting cozy in an Instagram photo and fans, being great detectives, speculated about their relationship before they shared the news with everyone. Though not too long after their one-year anniversary, news broke that the two had split.
- Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things)
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Are you team Stancy or Jancy? Well, I think we can all agree that regardless of your OTP on the show, Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton are so adorable! The two have been speculated to be dating since Stranger Things began, with people noticing their chemistry right off the bat. Jancy has also been a mainstay on the show, as the characters have been dating since Season 2. The couple is still going strong, with photos of the two always making the internet smile.
- Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse (Riverdale)
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Where to begin with these two? Bughead, or Betty and Jughead from Riverdale, started an internet culture storm that I think all of our future kids will know about. Whoever wrote that those two would get together on the show is a genius! Sprouse and Reinhart were both open and private about their relationship — confusing, I know. The two weren’t shy about PDA and sharing the love they had for one another, but didn’t want to have to constantly explain the status of their relationship and their personal life, which is totally understandable. The two did split in 2020, but still only have kind words to say about each other.
- Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes (Outer Banks)
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It’s unclear if this was a case of love at first sight, but Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes started dating rumors instantly. They met weeks before Outer Banks Season 1 began filming and even said that they were quarantining together. So, when the series began streaming and fans got to see their characters John B and Sarah get together, the rumors only got bigger. The two finally let the cat out of the bag on Instagram, making the official news known to their fans. They didn’t hide the love they had for each other, celebrating birthdays and even winning an MTV Movie and TV Award for Best Kiss! In late 2021, the two split with rumors that Madelyn may leave the show due to their relationship ending. However, Cline set the record straight that she is not going anywhere, and the ex-couple even held hands in the show’s promotion.
- Sophia Bush and Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill)
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Let’s take it back to an iconic couple of the 2000s, Sophia Bush and Chad Michael Murray. Murray was nearly every girl’s crush at the time, especially during One Tree Hill. Brooke and Lucas started dating on the series, only to break up because Lucas cheated on Brooke with Peyton. They got back together only for the same cycle to happen again. In real life, Bush and Murray began dating in 2003 and got married in 2005. Everything was not what it seemed when the two split five months later, with rumors swirling that Murray may have cheated. Years later, Bush explained on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen that she never really wanted to marry Murray. Luckily, the two were able to work well together for the rest of their time on One Tree Hill, with their characters going their separate ways as well.
- Ross Lynch and Jaz Sinclair (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina)
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If these two ever break up, I personally may need a week off to recover. Ross Lynch and Jaz Sinclair had sparks flying when they met while filming Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Their characters, Harvey and Rosalind, didn’t start the show, together but began their relationship slowly and steadily, kind of like in real life. Lynch said in an interview with GQ that they were best friends before taking the relationship to the next level. Lynch and Sinclair confirmed there relationship in 2019 and ever since, we have been graced with many beautiful moments on their social media, such as singing together at The Driver Era’s concert. Lynch even defended Sinclair and let haters know to step back when Sinclair was receiving hate “on a race basis,” because she is a Black woman and he is a white man.
- Peyton List and Jacob Bertrand (Cobra Kai)
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These two go all the way back to Disney, but are mostly known for the series Cobra Kai. Bertrand portrays Hawk, a shy kid who turns into the series’ star karate student. List is introduced in Season 2 as Tory, who joins the Cobra dojo and gains the nickname Queen Cobra. Their characters actually rarely interact unless the dojos are battling it out, but the actors were suspected to have been dating for a while before they confirmed their relationship in March 2022. That’s honestly the cutest thing ever!
- Blake Lively and Penn Badgley (Gossip Girl)
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Yes, Dan Humphrey and Serena van der Woodsen dated in real life. I repeat, Dan Humphrey and Serena van der Woodsen dated in real life! Lonely Boy and the Upper East Side’s it girl were rumored to have started dating in 2008 after Season 1 of Gossip Girl aired, but they confirmed it not too long after when they were spotted kissing. The two kept their relationship to themselves and didn’t make a big deal about their split, not even mentioning it to the people they work with!
- Kit Harington and Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones)
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Portraying star-crossed lovers on-screen, these two lovebirds didn’t reveal the status of their relationship until four years into their relationship, when they showed up to a red carpet in 2016 hand in hand. Harington and Leslie have gone through a lot, with Leslie sharing about Harington’s addiction and time in rehab. They have chosen to keep their relationship private, staying away from social media, but they wed in 2018 and welcomed a baby boy in 2021.
- Adam Brody and Rachel Bilson (The OC)
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Summer Roberts and Seth Cohen were high school sweethearts who dated for years before getting married on The OC. The actors who portrayed them, Adam Brody and Rachel Bilson, took their love off-screen, dating for basically the whole run of the series. The two split in 2006, just before the final season of The OC. Don’t be too sad, though — they’ve remained friends and even catch up every once and awhile.
- Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer (True Blood)
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It all started in 2007 when Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer started filming for True Blood. They played love interests Sookie Stackhouse and Bill Compton, who took part in a love triangle. Paquin and Moyer knew it was forever when they laid eyes on each other and wed in 2010. In 2012, the two became parents and had twins!
- Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson (Dawson’s Creek)
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The classic love triangle story: Girl likes boy, boy likes girl, and instead of making it simple, they add in another person to complicate things. I honestly love how much drama this trope gives a TV show, and Dawnson’s Creek didn’t disappoint with Joey Potter, Dawson Leery, and Pacey Witter. In real life, though, Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson who portrayed Joey and Pacey began dating in 1998 and ended in 1999. The two ended on good terms and are still friends today.
- Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory)
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The two actors explain a lot of their relationship in Jessica Radloff’s book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series shared with Vanity Fair. In 2007, Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki started filming for The Big Bang Theory. The two developed a crush on one another and eventually dated in 2008. In 2009, they decided their relationship as friends was too important and parted ways. As for Penny and Leonard, the two end the series married with a baby on the way.
- Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder (The Vampire Diaries)
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Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder didn’t share too much about their relationship, but they were seen at award shows and music festivals together while they were dating. Their characters, Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore, end the show together married, but things didn’t play out that way in real life: The two actors dated for a few years before splitting in 2013.
- Lea Michele and Cory Monteith (Glee)
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The high school quarterback and the future funny girl (literally and figuratively) are the unlikely couple at the center of Glee. She wants to make it on Broadway and he just wants everyone to be happy. The cute couple went from on-screen to off-screen romance, first showcasing their relationship on the red carpet in 2012. Michele and Monteith shared their love pretty much whenever they were asked about each other, and fans of Glee couldn’t get over their chemistry on and off screen. Sadly, in 2013 Monteith passed and Glee aired an emotional episode called “The Quarterback” in tribute to him. (You’ll need tissues to get through it.)
- Alexis Bledel and Milo Ventimiglia (Gilmore Girls)
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Gilmore Girls had many popular relationships. One in particular was Rory Gilmore and Jess Mariano. The classic story of good girl and bad boy leaped from on-screen to off-screen, with co-stars Alexis Bledel and Milo Ventimiglia dating for more than three years and splitting 2006. The two kept their relationship private, but many fans were happy to see their favorite on-screen couple dating IRL.
- Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis (That 70s Show)
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From sharing a first kiss to sharing I do’s, these two are one of Hollywood’s most beautiful love stories. Their characters, Jackie Burkhart and Michael Kelso, were known for having an on-and-off relationship that would annoy their friends. Kunis and Kutcher, on the other hand, didn’t begin a romantic relationship until 2012 after reuniting at the Golden Globes. The two welcomed a daughter in 2014, wed in 2015, and welcomed a son in 2016. Kunis and Kutcher are so cute, supporting one another in new projects, appearing in a commercial together, and even seen doing TikTok challenges.
- Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
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Though they never confirmed or denied it, these two definitely have some history behind their relationship. Beginning in 2019, the two portrayed Nini and Ricky in the High School Musical spinoff High School Music: The Musical: The Series. Their characters played love interests who got the roles of Gabriella and Troy in High School Musical. Throughout 2019, Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett were spotted together frequently until 2020, when Bassett was spotted with Sabrina Carpenter. Rodrigo would then go on to post about failed relationships. In January 2021, Rodrigo released “drivers license,” which is speculated to be about Bassett. And, well, the rest is history.
- Jared Padalecki and Genevieve Padalecki (Supernatural)
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In 2008, Jared Padalecki and Genevieve Padalecki met on the set of Supernatural. The two have since married and had three kids. They are not afraid of showing their love, with many social media posts on birthdays and holidays.
- Melissa Benoist and Chris Wood (Supergirl)
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Karamel, aka Kara and Mon-El from Supergirl, went from an on-screen ship to an off-screen romance. The two are married and have one child. Melissa Benoist and Chris Wood even got the chance to say their goodbyes to the characters that brought them together when Supergirl filmed the series finale.
- Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally (Parks and Recreation)
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Known for their characters Ron and Tammy Swanson on Parks and Recreation, Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally have been married for years after meeting during a play they both acted in, The Berlin Circle. They even had a podcast in 2020 called In Bed with Nick and Megan where they filmed in bed, quarantine style, and got candid about their relationship with celebrity guests and the audience.
- Aly Michalka and Raviv Ullman (Phil of The Future)
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From best friends to more than friends, characters Philip Diffy and Keely Teslow had a will-they-won’t-they relationship on Phil of The Future. In 2005, actors Aly Michalka and Raviv Ullman began dating and broke up six years later in 2011. Most fans, including myself, didn’t know about the relationship until it was already over.
- María Pedraza and Jaime Lorente (Elite)
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On Elite, Marina and Nano were star-crossed lovers. She was the rich girl that everyone wanted to be or be with, including Samuel (who’s Nano’s younger brother, BTW). Nano was a bad boy who just got out of prison and wanted to leave town to start a new life. This Netflix mystery brought María Pedraza and Jaime Lorente together IRL. The two also worked together on Netflix’s Money Heist. Dating from 2018 to 2021, the gorgeous couple split and have since deleted all evidence of their PDA-filled social media posts.
- Bridgit Mendler and Shane Harper (Good Luck Charlie)
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On Good Luck Charlie, Bridgit Mendler and Shane Harper portrayed Teddy Duncan and Spencer Walsh, who dated for almost the whole series. The couple went through a lot of ups and downs on the series, dealing with cheating, time apart, and a surprising amount of relationship struggles for a Disney Channel show. Off-screen, though, Mendler and Harper became Disney’s It couple. The two were always posting cute photos together, but didn’t share too much about their private life. Their relationship coming to an end as a shock to everyone as they never actually announced their breakup, but Mendler mentioned being single in 2015.
- Dominic Fike and Hunter Schafer (Euphoria)
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Anyone else remember watching Season 2 of Euphoria and hearing rumors about Dominic Fike and Hunter Schafer holding hands in public? The couple, who were somewhat of an item on the series, made things official on Instagram when Fike shared a birthday post on his Instagram Stories about Schafer as they kissed. Fike later further confirmed the relationship, calling Schafer his girlfriend and expressed loving and missing her while she was away. The two don’t post much on social media, but the assumption is that they are still happily together just working on their fabulous careers, staying booked and busy!
- Grace Van Patten and Jackson White (Tell Me Lies)
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Tell Me Lies is a new Hulu drama about the relationship between characters Lucy Albright and Stephen DeMarco and how it affects everyone around them. The actors Grace Van Patten and Jackson White have seemingly confirmed that they are dating while at the CFDA Awards together in November.
- Emily VanCamp and Josh Bowman (Revenge)
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For a show that had many twists and turns, perhaps the biggest twist of all was that actors Emily VanCamp and Josh Bowman dated in real life. In 2012, VanCamp and Bowman went public with their relationship, with many PDA-filled photos from paparazzi. In 2017, the two got engaged and married in 2018. In 2021, they welcomed their first child and let fans know through Instagram, with most people not knowing VanCamp was even pregnant.
- Zendaya and Jacob Elordi (Euphoria)
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A blink and you miss it couple, Zendaya and Jacob Elordi were rumored to have dated — unlike their Euphoria characters, who hate each other. In 2019, photos of the two spending a lot of time together even on holidays made the rounds online. The reported romance was apparently very quick, since the news of them dating new people came just as fast as the photos of them being seen together. They had to have called it quits sometime in 2020 because Elordi later sparked rumors of dating Kaia Gerber, and Zendaya had been speculated to be dating Tom Holland for years before they confirmed the relationship.
- Xolo Maridueña and Hannah Kepple (Cobra Kai)
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Around 2018, Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña and Hannah Kepple, who play Miguel Diaz and Moon, started dating after having a flirtatious friendship. Having met while filming together on the series Cobra Kai, the two shared many now-deleted social media posts during their relationship, and it seems like they’ve since split. Not much information is out there on this couple.
- Audrey Whitby and Joey Bragg (AwesomenessTV)
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The cutest and funniest couple online, Audrey Whitby and Joey Bragg may have been perceived to have met on the set of Liv and Maddie, but actually met on the set of an AwesomenessTV sketch. However they met, I can’t help but be obsessed with their many posts they share with the world online.
- Grace Gealey and Trai Byers (Empire)
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Meeting on the set of Empire, Grace Gealey and Trai Byers went from friends to saying I do. On the series, Byers played Andre Lyon, oldest son of Cookie and Lucious Lyon, and Gealey played Anika Calhoun, one of Empire’s higher ups and Lucious’ ex-wife. The show never sees the two enter a romantic relationship, but off-screen, they fell deeply in love with one another. In October, Gealey posted on social media that the two are expecting their first child together. Congratulations to the beautiful couple!
- Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons (Fargo)
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These two met on the set of Fargo and once they started, they didn’t stop. In 2016, the two started dating, and they got engaged in 2017. In 2018, they welcomed their first son and had another son in 2021. In 2022, the two got married, and who knows what will be next for the two. I would definitely describe them as a power couple, as they also both earned their first Oscar nominations in 2021 for The Power of The Dog, which they co-starred in. Only magic has come from these two meeting and I’m here for it!
- Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin (Gotham)
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As their on-screen characters on Gotham began their relationship, the two actors had sparks flying IRL. In 2015, Gotham fans like me were shocked to hear that Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin were together and expecting their first child together. It was sudden and exciting news, but in 2016, the two welcomed a baby girl and soon after announced their engagement. Since then, the two have gotten married and had their second child in 2021.
- Kat Dennings and Nick Zano (2 Broke Girls)
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2 Broke Girls is one of my comfort shows, so when I found out that Max and Johnny were dating IRL, I was so happy! Kat Denning and Nick Zano began dating in 2011 after meeting on the series 2 Broke Girls. Denning confirmed the relationship when doing an interview, saying the Zano is the best. Sadly, the two decided to part ways in 2014.
- Leighton Meester and Sebastian Stan (Gossip Girl)
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In 2007, Leighton Meester and Sebastian Stan met on the set of Gossip Girl. Meester portrayed the iconic character Blair Waldorf, and Stan portrayed Carter Baizen. In 2008, the two began dating and because this is peak Gossip Girl era, they were popular among fans as a couple. In 2010, however, the two split as Meester explained that this break up was hard but taught her about herself. - Frankie Rodriguez and Joe Serafini (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
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In 2019, Carlos and Seb from High School Musical: The Musical: The Series made history as the first openly gay couple in the High School Musical franchise. While the two were making history and building a romance on-screen, they were also sparking romance rumors off-screen. In May 2021, the two confirmed their relationship in an interview with Gabi Conti from Hollywire, explaining how they were never really secretive about it, but they are dating. The two still look very happy together as of July, going to the HSMTMTS Season 3 premiere together.
- Paul Wesley and Phoebe Tonkin (The Vampire Diaries)
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This relationship started on somewhat of a rocky patch. Paul Wesley, better known as Stefan Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries, and Phoebe Tonkin, who portrayed Hayley Marshall on the series, began dating in 2013. At the time, Wesley was reportedly going through a divorce. The two went on to date for four years, deciding to keep most of their relationship private. The couple was on again, off again in 2017 before calling it quits for good later that same year.
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Ewan McGregor (Fargo)
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In 2017, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Ewan McGregor played Nikki Swango and Ray Stussy, on-screen lovers engaged to be married on Fargo. Rumors began to swirl about the possible duo being together IRL. They were later seen together at The Good Life Eatery in London in 2017 and in 2018, McGregor mentioned Winstead in his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes. In 2021, the two welcomed their first child together, and in 2022 the two secretly got married.
- Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas (Once Upon A Time)
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In 2011, Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas met on the set of Once Upon A Time, playing love interests Snow White and Prince Charming, and the rest is history. Dallas said in an interview on Live! With Kelly and Ryan that they didn’t stray away from the love they felt as they worked together, but went for it. In 2014, they got married and welcomed their first child. In 2016, they welcomed their second child and in 2022, they celebrated their eight-year anniversary with a beautiful Instagram post.
- Dove Cameron and Ryan McCartan (Liv and Maddie)
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This Disney Channel couple were best known as Maddie and Diggy from Liv and Maddie. Dove Cameron and Ryan McCartan also made music together as the band The Girl and The Dreamcatcher. Cameron and McCartan even got engaged before splitting in 2016. Much has come out from both Cameron and McCartan about the relationship since the split. Cameron talked about how she felt she needed to make everything look perfect, while McCartan made comments on his Instagram story about being cheated on which people assumed were about Cameron. In a later post, McCartan explained how he didn’t like how everything went down after he made the comment about cheating and said that he wishes Cameron the best.