Were these relationships real or PR stunts? Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at celebrity pairings that felt a little too staged or were just too good to be true.
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00:00 "We're getting married this summer."
00:03 "What?"
00:06 Welcome to Ms Mojo, and today we're looking at celebrity pairings that felt a little too
00:10 staged or were just too good to be true.
00:13 "Who are we trying to kid? You've got your team and now I've got mine."
00:17 20. Steve-O and Nicole Richie
00:22 "Whatever, at least we have this barbecue tonight."
00:24 "Yeah, tonight will be fun."
00:26 "It'll be hot guys."
00:27 "Joseph's from?"
00:28 In 2006, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie had captured the world's attention with their
00:33 over-the-top reality show, The Simple Life. And while Nicole initially gained fame for
00:38 her socialite status, she was also making headlines with DUIs and her sudden weight
00:43 loss.
00:44 "It's almost hard to believe this is what Nicole used to look like. She says she's not
00:48 doing anything dangerous, she's just working out three times a week with a trainer and
00:52 no longer eating Taco Bell for breakfast."
00:55 The same year, Steve-O was hot off of his jackass success, but he was also no stranger
01:00 to bad press. So when the duo were spotted packing on the PDA, fans were quick to doubt
01:05 the convenient coupling. The comedian later confirmed these suspicions, saying the pairing
01:10 was just for attention.
01:12 "It's stunt time."
01:13 "Oh no, what are you doing? Don't do it, don't do it."
01:16 "Do it!"
01:17 "Seriously."
01:18 "And Artie, I love you for saying that."
01:20 19. Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny
01:22 "See the hate that Bad Bunny's getting though? What do you guys think?"
01:27 When pictures first emerged in 2023 of the supermodel and Puerto Rican musician together,
01:33 the internet was thrown into speculation shambles. Those who disapproved of the pairing quickly
01:38 assumed it was another one of Kris Jenner's publicity schemes.
01:41 "400 shows and I never even got a wink."
01:44 "You know when you scream, just now I hear you."
01:46 "Okay, good."
01:47 Dozens of Bad Bunny fans expressed their disappointment, and not without reason. While the singer is
01:53 celebrated for his outspoken representation of Latino culture in the mainstream pop scene,
01:59 Kendall has repeatedly been accused of appropriating that culture. However, the couple were continually
02:04 spotted together until no one could deny the truth. But at least we got this iconic video.
02:10 "Mommy, be careful."
02:12 "Rabies?"
02:13 "De mosquitos."
02:14 "Ew."
02:15 "When did things go wrong? What happened?"
02:22 "Well, they didn't really go wrong. They just dissipated on his part."
02:27 Traveling back in time to the great silver screen romances, this couple first met in
02:32 the mid-1950s. An unlikely pairing, Rock Hudson was a big-time movie star, while Phyllis was
02:38 his agent's secretary. However, when people began to question the charismatic actor's
02:43 sexuality, he was quickly married to quell the rumors.
02:47 "Do you think Henry knew that Rock was gay?"
02:50 "Well, I don't know."
02:51 "I mean, for publicity purposes, would it look good for him, you know, to be with some..."
02:55 "Oh, sure."
02:56 "Yeah?"
02:57 "Mm-hmm. But I didn't think about that."
02:59 And while sources have said he was eager to keep up his "All-American" persona, their
03:04 marriage fell apart after just three years. More would come to light after Hudson's AIDS
03:09 diagnosis, which led to the actor's tragic passing in 1985.
03:13 "He had a boyfriend at the end who wound up suing him. Mark Christian."
03:18 "Mark Christian. I felt sorry for him."
03:20 17. Chad Michael Murray and Sophia Bush
03:24 Apparently the behind-the-scenes drama between these One Tree Hill co-stars would have made
03:29 the show seem like a bore.
03:30 "It became that... So it was that loaded of a situation where it was like..."
03:34 "You know, life is always loaded. What the public knows ever is never... It's not the
03:40 tip of the iceberg."
03:42 When they began dating in 2002, it looked like just another case of young actors dating
03:46 their castmates. However, when they got engaged, married, and divorced in less than a year
03:51 and a half, the public started to question the relationship's legitimacy.
03:55 "I didn't sleep with Peyton."
03:56 "No, you slept with Peggy."
03:57 "I didn't have feelings for you then."
03:58 "I didn't have feelings for you."
03:59 "I didn't have feelings for you."
04:00 "I didn't have feelings for you."
04:01 "I didn't have feelings for you."
04:02 "I didn't have feelings for you."
04:03 "I didn't have feelings for you."
04:04 "I guess that's my answer."
04:05 "No, it's not, Lucas. I care about you so much."
04:11 Years later, Sofia alluded to feeling pressured into the marriage, but this sparked backlash
04:16 from Chad's team, who denied the claim. Now, the actress just chalks it up to a youthful
04:21 mistake, but we can't help but wonder if there's more to the story.
04:25 "Oh my god."
04:26 "Because you were so young."
04:27 "Oh yeah, no. I mean, I was... How old was I? I don't even know. It was like the second
04:32 season."
04:33 "Wow."
04:34 "I was like 22 and stupid, you know?"
04:36 "Right."
04:37 16. Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas
04:40 "What did you say to Joel?"
04:45 "Nothing."
04:46 "He must have said something."
04:50 When usually private co-stars publicly debut their relationship, leading up to promotions
04:55 for a new movie, it's easy to be suspicious. And at the beginning of lockdown, social media
05:00 was suddenly bombarded with endless paparazzi shots of Ben and Ana grabbing coffee or walking
05:07 their dogs.
05:08 "Why are you the only man who wants to stay with me?"
05:12 "I don't know."
05:13 They quickly became the "quarantine couple," and the internet seemed to agree that all
05:17 the signs were pointing to a PR sham for their film Deep Water.
05:22 And while Ana has said that the pressure of the constant spotlight led to her leaving
05:26 LA, we're still not over this iconic photo of her cardboard cutout being thrown into
05:33 the trash.
05:34 "Uh, how about, uh, couple's therapy?"
05:35 "I was gonna get something to go for the guys, but maybe I'll just skip it."
05:43 15. Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn
05:46 "Hey, you wanna go get a drink?"
05:49 "No, I'm with somebody."
05:51 In 2005, the media went crazy over Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's sudden divorce. But
05:57 Angelina Jolie wasn't the only Mr. and Mrs. Smith co-star who got involved with one of
06:02 these exes. That same year, Vince Vaughn went on to star alongside none other than Aniston
06:08 in a movie conveniently called The Break-Up.
06:11 So when rumors of romance between the two began, people assumed it was all a setup.
06:15 "For all you know, I just offered you a get-out-of-board-love-for-free card with no strings attached."
06:19 "God, you're crazy."
06:20 "No, I'm not crazy. And a lot of times people go, 'Oh, that's crazy.' Then they go, 'It's
06:24 genius.'"
06:25 The public attention then led to the film becoming a box office hit, and the couple's
06:29 post-release breakup only added to the PR accusations. However, the couple still speaks
06:35 highly of their short time together, and it appears like they've remained friends ever
06:39 since.
06:40 "Anytime you want. We'll be out in the house. Come on by."
06:43 "Wow. I will then."
06:45 14. Theo James and Shailene Woodley
06:48 "I don't want to go too fast."
06:53 "It's okay. I've already got my spot on the floor."
06:58 After these actors were cast as Tris and Thor in the popular Divergent series, fans were
07:03 quick to clock just how much chemistry the pair shared. From their steamy romance scenes
07:08 in the film to their flirty banter during press and promotions, the public was left
07:12 wondering if it was more than just acting.
07:15 "Looks good. It's very…"
07:17 "Stinky."
07:18 While they denied being in a relationship, their jokes of repeatedly practicing the film's
07:22 kiss scene didn't help quell any rumors. Like many suspected, Theo later went on to
07:27 say that everything between the two was all in an effort to make their character's relationship
07:32 feel legitimate.
07:33 "Anyway, you should get back to your friends."
07:38 "Okay."
07:39 13. Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet
07:43 "Huh."
07:44 "Huh?"
07:45 "Huh."
07:46 "Huh."
07:47 "Huh."
07:48 This is truly a celebrity pairing that no one saw coming in 2023. And while grainy paparazzi
07:54 photos, rumors of Kylie's car in the actor's driveway, and inside sources had teased this
08:01 duo for months, the public was certain it was fabricated.
08:05 Then came the Beyoncé concert, where the two first put their relationship on public
08:09 display, and the internet went wild.
08:12 "Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, oh na na. Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, oh na."
08:17 Some attributed the sudden attention to yet another Kris Jenner master plan, while others
08:22 wondered what the two could possibly have in common. It looks like only time will tell.
08:27 "These are our years, Kendall."
08:29 "They are our years."
08:30 "I'm 25, you're like 30."
08:31 "Kylie, that is so rude."
08:35 12. The Weeknd and Selena Gomez
08:39 When paparazzi photos of these two kissing first circulated in 2017, fans weren't sure
08:44 what to think. And as the couple became more publicly involved, people still weren't buying
08:49 it.
08:50 "It's a love, oh no. I catch you every time."
08:58 Many pointed to Selena's past, wondering if she was trying to get away from the never-ending
09:02 Justin Bieber drama and recalling her previous "fake fling" with Zedd to promote their collaboration.
09:09 "I want you to know that it's a tie. You and me bleed the same light."
09:16 When the couple was reported to have parted ways less than a year later, gossip sites
09:20 insisted that the relationship was entirely contractual.
09:23 The nail in the coffin was Selena's 2020 video with NikkieTutorials, where she shared her
09:28 lengthy solo status.
09:30 "It's actually a great time for me to be. I've been single for almost five years, and
09:37 I think this was so important to me. So I feel pretty good."
09:42 11. Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello
09:45 Where do we even begin with this one?
09:54 From constant photos of the pair making out to that one kissing video, this relationship
09:59 feels like a fever dream. And while celebrities are usually busy denying dating claims, Shawn
10:05 and Camila spent their time together trying to convince the public that they were a real
10:10 couple.
10:11 "It's true love. Oh, I should be running. Oh, you keep me coming for you."
10:17 The pair going public around the release of their song "Señorita" didn't help their
10:21 case, and neither did Shawn's previously speculated PR relationship with Hailey Baldwin.
10:27 However, the couple proved the naysayers wrong by staying together for two years until their
10:32 eventual breakup in 2021.
10:34 "I don't think that I'm going to be able to write songs that really do it justice, that
10:38 can really capture the things and the feelings with her."
10:42 10. Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson
10:44 "Guys, I asked for your number at the last minute and you pretended that you couldn't
10:48 give it to me because you had gloves on."
10:50 "I know, you asked me again this time. I don't have gloves on."
10:53 In the wake of Pete's public breakup with Ariana Grande, fans weren't convinced his
10:57 time with Kate Beckinsale was anything more than a vengeful rebound. However, Pete went
11:02 on to surprise the world by dating a long list of Hollywood's most beautiful and successful
11:08 women.
11:09 "Oh my god, there's something about that boy. $50. $100. $500. $1000."
11:15 Perhaps the most unexpected was the newly divorced Kim Kardashian. And while you might
11:20 remember their SNL skit, his public fights with Kanye, or the fact that Pete got branded
11:26 for her, an inside source at Hulu revealed that producers tried to tease the relationship
11:32 longer just to pique public interest in the Kardashians' show.
11:36 "I knew it was like an excuse, but I remember being in the car being like, 'Wow, she knows
11:42 how to make someone feel really good about themselves.'"
11:46 9. Taylor Swift and Harry Styles
11:49 "Blue dress on a boat. Your new girl is my clone."
11:57 Swifties were quick to point out that Taylor's "Vault Track" "Is It Over Now?" seems a lot
12:02 like an answer to all the "HALA" speculations. Those who were in the 2012 Tumblr trenches
12:08 are sure to remember everything from the park date photos to the paper airplane necklaces.
12:13 But when rumors of this "it" couple began, fans were quick to point out mismatched timelines
12:18 and the usually private star's sudden influx of paparazzi photos.
12:23 "Same white shirt, couple more tattoos. But it's not you and it's not me."
12:32 Since their separation in 2013 and the iconic boats photo, there have been plenty of complex
12:38 fan theories and connections between the two, and real or not, they've still got the world's
12:44 attention a decade later.
12:45 "We come back every time. Sweet every time."
12:46 8. Kaley Cuoco and Henry Cavill
12:56 "It's a bird. It's a plane. I forget the rest."
13:02 "Alright, let's get this thing over with."
13:06 The Big Bang actress took soft-launching a new boo to another level when she suddenly
13:11 promoted Henry Cavill's upcoming film on her social media. However, her apparent fling
13:17 with the superhero only lasted a handful of paparazzi-heavy outings before the two went
13:22 their separate ways.
13:23 "The good news is we have a Wonder Woman."
13:26 "Oh, what's the bad news?"
13:28 "Superman probably isn't getting laid tonight."
13:31 Many were suspicious, noting that Kaley had a history of keeping her relationships out
13:36 of the public eye, and then it came out that the actors were under the same PR agency.
13:41 At the end of the day, it looks like this pairing was just another orchestrated career
13:46 move.
13:47 "Maybe. I'm not about to let that stop me from trying."
13:50 "You might want to step back a little bit."
13:55 7. Jennifer Lopez and Drake
14:04 Neither the rapper nor the singer are lacking in star-studded exes, but this high-profile
14:09 pairing still seemed almost too good to be true. Rumors about the pair growing close
14:14 had been swirling since Drake's public breakup with Rihanna, and the duo quickly went Instagram
14:20 official in December of 2016.
14:22 "What was happening?"
14:23 "We were just hanging out."
14:24 "I hang out with a lot of friends and we never hang out like that."
14:30 "What song do you do?"
14:31 However, when their whirlwind relationship fizzled out right before the musicians' upcoming
14:36 releases, all signs were pointing to a promotional stunt. Later, both inside sources and Drake
14:42 and JLo themselves would look back on the whole thing as more of a booty call.
14:47 "Did y'all really ever write a song together?"
14:49 "Yes we did."
14:50 "Oh you did?"
14:51 "Actually he sent me a song that he wanted me to be on, and then I got on the song and
14:55 yeah, so we have a song together. I don't know what he's going to do with it, but yeah."
14:58 "Yeah, but you got on the song."
15:00 6. Lisa Marie Presley and Michael Jackson
15:03 "What was the countdown to your marriage? Tell me who said the word marriage first."
15:09 "I did."
15:10 "You did."
15:11 "When? Where?"
15:12 The King of Pop first asked the King of Rock's daughter to marry him in 1993. However, not
15:17 only was this conversation over the phone, but at the time, Lisa Marie was married to
15:22 her first husband. After her divorce, the couple eloped mere weeks later, but few believed
15:27 their union would be a happily ever after.
15:30 "And just think, nobody thought this would last."
15:41 Neither were strangers to headlines, and Michael was in the midst of sexual abuse allegations
15:46 that would follow him the rest of his career. While they always insisted they were in love,
15:51 the pair would go on to end things the next year.
15:53 "Well we've worked out things and we've signed certain things, but of course that's
15:58 very confidential."
15:59 5. Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron
16:02 "It's the start of something new. It feels so right to be here with you."
16:11 Before we ruin hundreds of childhoods, these two Disney stars did end up dating for five
16:16 years. And looking back, there's overwhelming evidence that the two actors were truly in
16:21 love.
16:22 But when fans first noticed their chemistry during promotions for High School Musical,
16:26 many wondered if the rumors were just for press.
16:29 "I've heard a few of those. I'm gonna go."
16:34 Though they constantly appeared together, the couple was always coy when asked about
16:38 their relationship. But while the public kept guessing, Zac later denied that "Zanessa"
16:43 was ever just for PR, pointing out that they surely would have ended things a lot sooner.
16:47 "If I'm gonna have a last dance with these tie, it's gonna be with you."
16:53 4. Kim Kardashian and Chris Humphries
16:55 "Is this a joke? If you tell me you're gonna get married in nine days, I'll literally
17:01 lose my s---."
17:02 "No, we're thinking about 9D."
17:05 Somehow, Kim marrying an athlete who towered over her and shared her mom's name wasn't
17:10 even the weirdest part of this high-profile relationship. Add on a 72-day marriage, a
17:16 popular reality TV show, and the Kardashian family's tendency to create drama, and you've
17:22 got the recipe for a Kris Jenner PR masterpiece.
17:26 "I don't wanna do this."
17:27 "You don't wanna do this?"
17:28 "The big question is, how fast can you still run?"
17:29 "Yeah, that's right. We're gone. We're outta here."
17:34 When the couple publicized their separation, Humphries expressed he felt used to further
17:39 Kim's show and personal brand. Now, both have said that the relationship was real and
17:45 it was a youthful mistake, but the questionable union will always hold a place in celebrity
17:51 gossip infamy.
17:52 "You don't think I feel bad that I invited all these people to this huge wedding and
17:56 flew everyone out? I wasted everyone's time. You know, I wasted everyone's money, I wasted
18:02 everyone's everything, and I feel bad. You don't think I feel bad?"
18:06 3. Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston
18:09 How far would an actor go to book the role of James Bond? That was the question on everyone's
18:15 minds when Taylor Swift was first linked with Tom Hiddleston in 2016.
18:19 "I sat next to her at dinner that night and she was very charming and she is amazing."
18:27 From the constant paparazzi photos to Tom's TS-themed shirt, fans were certain this couple
18:33 was staged. And they certainly made a media splash in their few months together.
18:38 "Taylor, what do you think when you Google yourself?"
18:40 "I think you should never Google yourself again."
18:44 Who can forget the platinum bob and Oceanside make-outs that made up the Hiddlestwift whirlwind?
18:50 Since then, Tom's labelled their very short time together as 100% authentic. And Taylor's
18:56 lyrics also seem to paint the actor as more of a dreamy rebound than a PR setup.
19:02 "She was running after us, I was screaming, 'Go, go, go!' But we're three of us, honey,
19:07 it's a sideshow."
19:08 2. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson
19:10 "You better hold on tight, spider monkey."
19:14 While no one fully anticipated the Twilight film's enormous success, the fans predicted
19:19 Edward and Bella's eventual off-screen involvement from the start. The couple was dedicated to
19:24 keeping their relationship status on the down-low for years before the rumours were ever officially
19:29 confirmed. But when all finally seemed to be going well with the "it" couple, Kristen's
19:34 2012 cheating scandal rocked the world.
19:37 "Snapshots apparently show 22-year-old Kristen Stewart stepping out on her on- and off-screen
19:41 beau Robert Pattinson with her Snow White and The Huntsman director Rupert Sanders,
19:46 a 41-year-old married father of two."
19:48 It was all anyone could talk about, and conspirators pointed out the timing conveniently matching
19:54 up with the final film's release. And while the actress had admitted they were treated
19:59 like a marketing commodity, she continually shut down suggestions that it was just fodder
20:04 for PR.
20:05 "I mean, we were together for years. That was like my first, you know, love."
20:10 "Yeah."
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20:26 1. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
20:38 The rumors surrounding this relationship are so bizarre that they could create their own
20:42 movie franchise. But they all share one thing in common - the Church of Scientology.
20:48 Tom Cruise has always been a wildcard, and this characteristic extends to his relationship
20:53 with Katie Holmes.
20:54 "Have you ever felt this way before?"
20:55 "You're gone. You are gone."
20:56 "I'm not going to be here."
20:57 "I'm not going to be here."
20:58 "I'm not going to be here."
20:59 "I'm not going to be here."
21:00 "I'm not going to be here."
21:01 "I'm not going to be here."
21:02 "I'm not going to be here."
21:03 "I'm not going to be here."
21:04 "I'm not going to be here."
21:05 "I'm not going to be here."
21:06 "I'm not going to be here."
21:07 "I'm not going to be here."
21:08 "I'm not going to be here."
21:09 "I'm not going to be here."
21:10 "I'm not going to be here."
21:11 "I'm not going to be here."
21:12 "I'm not going to be here."
21:13 "I'm not going to be here."
21:14 "I'm not going to be here."
21:15 "I'm not going to be here."
21:16 "I'm not going to be here."
21:17 "I'm not going to be here."
21:18 "I'm not going to be here."
21:19 "I'm not going to be here."
21:20 "I'm not going to be here."
21:21 "I'm not going to be here."
21:22 "I'm not going to be here."
21:23 "I'm not going to be here."
21:24 "I'm not going to be here."
21:25 "I'm not going to be here."
21:26 "I'm not going to be here."
21:27 So we can't help but wonder, was this really her escape plan, or just the end of a contract
21:33 that had run its course?
21:34 "Tom Cruise saying, 'Listen, this was not what I wanted.
21:38 This is Katie filing for a divorce.'"
21:40 Which of these relationships are you convinced are real?
21:43 And which ones do you think were all for show?
21:45 Let us know in the comments below.
21:47 "The reaction to this marriage has been across the spectrum.
21:50 Everything from astonishment, to delight, to suspicion."
21:56 Do you agree with our picks?
21:57 Check out this other recent clip from MsMojo.
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