When it comes to reality TV couples, it’s not easy to make a relationship last – but many fromMarried at First Sight have proven that they could do just that.
The Lifetime series follows multiple couples who are paired up by relationship experts and agree to tie the knot upon their first meeting. They are thrust into married life for eight weeks ahead of Decision Day, where they choose to either remain married or get a divorce.
The series, which kicked off on FYI network and moved to Lifetime (produced by Kinetic Content) for season 5, has also resulted in multiple spinoffs, including Married at First Sight: The First Year, Married at First Sight: Happily Ever After and Married at First Sight: Couples Cam.
Jamie and Doug married during the first season of the series. The pair welcomed their first child, a daughter, in August 2017 and their first son in May 2020. In addition to their own spinoff series, they also appeared on Married at First Sight: The First Year. They announced in February 2024 that Jamie is pregnant with twins.
The couple appeared on season 5 of the series, which aired through August 2017. In August 2018, they announced they were expecting their first child; they welcomed their daughter three weeks early in January 2019. Their second daughter arrived in February 2021.
The season 6 couple had a tough time getting to know each other and argued quite a bit during the show but ultimately decided to stay together. They welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Laura Denise Pierre, in October 2018.
The season 7 couple share three children: daughter Olivia, born in February 2019, son Bobby, born in December 2020 and daughter Savannah, born in September 2023.
The pair had many ups and downs during season 8, but stayed together and appeared happier than ever during Married at First Sight: Couples Cam, which aired in June 2020. They shared that they are attending marriage counseling to help them grow together.
This season 8 duo also appeared on Couples Cam, sharing that they are renovating their home. "Every girl deserves a guy who can make her smile," she shared via Instagram, posting a photo with Keith in July 2020.
The season 10 pair tied the knot in Washington, D.C., and during the April 2020 reunion special, revealed they were looking to buy a house together. Jessica and Austin welcomed their first baby, son Westin, in November 2021. They announced in March 2024 that they were expecting their second baby. Son Everett arrived August 2024.
The couple stayed married after season 9 wrapped and she shared in 2020 that she has "baby fever." The pair welcomed son Declan in February 2021.
Since the beginning, Vincent and Briana have had a strong bond — something that only continued following the show's end. The pair announced in July 2022 that they were expecting their first child. Daughter Aury Bella arrived in January 2023. They announced in April 2024 that Briana was pregnant with baby No. 2 and son Kai was born in November 2024.
This season 11 couple, who realized after marrying that they had actually bumped into each other before saying "I do," are still going strong. They welcomed their first child, a baby boy, in June 2022. They welcomed baby No. 2, son Rai Zahir, in November 2023.
Boy Meets World became a family sitcom phenomenon during its seven-season run on ABC from 1993 to 2000.
Created by Michael Jacobs, the show followed the life and life lessons of Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) from home with parents Alan (William Russ) and mother Amy (Betsy Randle) to school with neighbor and forever-teacher George Feeny (William Daniels). Cory’s life wouldn’t be complete without best friend Shawn (Rider Strong), brother Eric (Will Friedle) and his longtime love, Topanga (Danielle Fishel). Later, Shawn meets his long-lost brother, Jack (Matthew Lawrence), who quickly becomes part of the group.
Disney Channel premiered a spinoff titled Girl Meets World in 2014, which followed Cory and Topanga’s daughter, Riley Matthews (Rowan Blanchard), as she worked her way through school with her dad as her teacher. Most of the original Boy Meets World cast made guest appearances on the series, which ended in 2017, with others writing and directing several episodes.
“A reunion show that’s one and done. But to actually take the children of Cory and Topanga and watch on two levels [as they] grow up and as Cory and Topanga keep growing up, I can’t resist that,” Jacobs told Entertainment Weekly in December 2019. “I can’t resist that and I’m very hopeful the audience won’t resist it either.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see where the cast is today:
After Boy Meets World ended in 2000, Savage appeared in multiple episodes of other TV shows, including Still Standing, Chuck, Without a Trace and Bones. He then landed a role in Girl Meets World and directed 10 episodes. He's appeared in two episodes of Criminal Minds and in the final season of Homeland — in both shows, playing a younger version of Mandy Patinkin.
In January 2023, Savage announced via Instagram that he was engaged to girlfriend Tessa Angermeier. “The best is yet to come,” he captioned a photo of the twosome that features Angermeier wearing a diamond ring. The couple tied the knot one month later.
Friedle has voiced Nightwing/Dick Grayson in multiple animated Batman films and voiced Batman in all three seasons of Batman Beyond. He voiced Ron Stoppable in Kim Possible from 2002 to 2007 on Disney Channel. His post-Boy Meets World career consists of a ton of voice roles, including voicing Peter Quill/Star-Lord in multiple Avengers animated projects.
Friedle reprised his Boy Meets World character in multiple episodes of Girl Meets World and penned a season 2 episode. He tied the knot with wife Susan Martens in 2016.
In June 2022, Friedle announced he would be part of the “Pod Meets World” podcast, on which he and his former costars Strong and Fishel rewatch Boy Meets World and discuss their time on the series.
Strong went on to star in horror hit Cabin Fever in 2002 and landed a role on Broadway in 2006. He later appeared in multiple episodes of Girl Meets World and directed 18 episodes. In 2013, he married Alexandra Barreto and they welcomed a son the next year. He has cohosted the “Pod Meets World” podcast with Fishel and Friedle since 2022.
After Boy Meets World, Fishel was a correspondent on The Tyra Banks Show and hosted The Dish and Say What? Karaoke. She went to college at 27 in 2012 and met Tim Belusko, whom she later married. Two years after their 2016 split, Fishel tied the knot with husband Jensen Karp, with whom she shares two sons. Fishel not only reprised her role on Girl Meets World, but she directed four episodes and wrote one. Fishel has since launched a hair care line called Be Free and cohosts “Pod Meets World” with Friedle and Strong.
Fishel revealed in August 2024 that she has been diagnosed with a form of breast cancer called DCIS.
The two-time Emmy award winner had an epic career before and after Boy Meets World. After the sitcom wrapped, he appeared on King of Queens, The Closer, Boston Legal and Grey's Anatomy. He also returned for five episodes of Girl Meets World. He has been married to Bonnie Bartlett since 1951, and the two adopted two sons.
She is married to film editor John Randle and they have two children. In addition to appearing in two episodes of Girl Meets World, Randle appeared in The Beat, Charmed, Adam Ruins Everything and Dirty 30.
Although he had a successful career before Boy Meets World, Russ' success continued after, starring in movies including A Fork in the Road, Green Guys, California Solo and Drones. He also returned to TV, appearing on Crossing Jordan, Deadwood, CSI: NY, Boston Legal and landing a recurring role on The Ex List. He appeared in two episodes of the spinoff and directed one.
Russ’ recent acting credits include shows such as Bosch, 9-1-1 and Animal Kingdom, as well as movies such as Founders Day, Keeping Company and Chasing the Rain. He is married to Clare Wren and they have two children.
In 2017, he started a band with his brothers Joey and Andy Lawrence, called Still Three. He also starred in Boston Public, Melissa & Joey, Workaholics and one episode of Girl Meets World. After being briefly engaged to Heidi Mueller from 2004 to 2006, he began dating Cheryl Burke in February 2007. The couple married in 2019 and later divorced in 2022. Lawrence has been dating TLC member Rozonda Thomas, a.k.a. Chilli, since 2022.
In 2012, after six seasons, the cast left Seaside Heights, New Jersey, to focus on different projects. Polizzi and Farley starred on Snooki & JWoww from 2012 to 2015 and DelVecchio documented his DJ journey on The Pauly D Project.
Nearly a decade after the original show premiered, most of the stars reunited in 2018 for the spinoff Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. Giancola was noticeably absent when the new show began but has since returned for season 6 in 2023.
Scroll through the gallery below to see how each cast member has changed through the years:
At 29 years old, DelVecchio was the oldest member of the cast when the original show began. Throughout the show, he dated many women but never settled down. In June 2013, DelVecchio welcomed his daughter, Amabella Sophia, with Amanda Market. Following his time on E!’s Famously Single, DelVecchio dated Aubrey O’Day on and off from 2015 to 2017. The DJ has been in a relationship with Nikki Hall, whom he met on MTV's A Double Shot at Love, since 2020.
DelVecchio has been starring on Jersey Shore: Family Vacation since 2018.
When Polizzi joined the show at age 22, she came in as the party girl ready to have a good time. She quickly became best friends with Farley. During season 3, she hooked up with Jionni LaValle, a man she met at a club. In season 4, the two began dating and got engaged in March 2012; they married in November 2014. The two welcomed son Lorenzo in 2012, daughter Giovanna in 2014 and son Angelo in May 2019.
The Confessions of a Guidette author revealed in December 2019 that she was leaving the show, saying she wanted to be home with her kids. After skipping season 4 of Jersey Shore Family Vacation, Polizzi returned as a full time cast member for season 5 in 2022.
Sorrentino entered the Jersey Shore house at age 27, introducing himself as “The Situation” — which was also the nickname for his abs. While he got into many fights with most members of the cast, he revealed an addiction to prescription drugs at the end of the series and entered rehab in March 2012. He left the center after only a few weeks and relapsed in 2015, entering rehab for a second time. He has remained sober since.
Sorrentino has also faced his share of legal troubles. In 2014, he was indicted for tax fraud. He pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion and began his eight-month prison sentence in January 2019, two months after marrying Lauren Sorrentino (then Lauren Pesce.) Mike left prison that September. He and Lauren welcomed their first child, son Romeo, in May 2021 after previously suffering a miscarriage.
Mike and Lauren went on to welcome daughters Mia and Luna in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Cortese was a longtime friend of Polizzi and originally auditioned for Jersey Shore but didn’t make the cut. She joined in season 3, promoting herself as “a blast in a glass.” In 2017, she married Chris Buckner. The pair share two children: Christopher, born in 2019, and Cameron, born in 2021.
Ortiz-Magro joined the cast of Jersey Shore at 24 and spent most of his time on the show in arguments with Giancola and Mike. However, his life changed in December 2017 when his girlfriend Jen Harley revealed she was pregnant. They welcomed daughter Ariana Sky in April 2018. The pair had a tumultuous relationship and both accused each other of physical abuse. In January 2019, Ortiz-Magro spent a month in a treatment facility for alcohol and depression.
Ortiz-Magro and Harley split for good in October 2019 after an altercation at an L.A. Airbnb. Ortiz-Magro was subsequently charged with seven misdemeanors including domestic violence, child endangerment, false imprisonment and resisting arrest. He pleaded not guilty but was ordered to stay at least 150 yards away from Harley and his daughter. In May 2020, the MTV star accepted a plea deal in the case and was placed on probation for 36 months, ordered to serve 30 days of community labor and pay $20,000 to a woman's shelter.
The drama continued when Ortiz-Magro decided to step away from Jersey Shore: Family Vacation in May 2021, one month after he was arrested and released on $100,000 bond in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to Us that his booking fell under “intimate partner violence with injury with priors,” referring to his previous arrests.
In June 2021, Ortiz-Magro proposed to his girlfriend Saffire Matos. “He knew that she was The One pretty much early on in their relationship,” a source told Us at the time. The twosome split in July 2022, calling off their engagement.
Ortiz-Magro returned to Jersey Shore: Family Vacation as a supporting cast member for season 7 in 2024.
When Farley entered the Jersey Shore house at 23, she was in a relationship but it quickly fizzled out. During season 3, she met Roger Mathews at Karma, a nightclub in New Jersey, and they hit it off. The pair welcomed daughter Meilani in July 2014 and tied the knot in October 2015. They expanded their family with the birth of son Greyson in May 2016. Farley revealed that Greyson was diagnosed with autism in November 2018.
Farley filed for divorce in September 2018 and began dating wrestler Zack Clayton Caprinello the following April. Following a brief split, Farley revealed in March 2021 that Caprinello had popped the question and the pair were engaged.
Pivarnick joined the show at 23, but did not immediately connect with the cast. In fact, she got in to many altercations with most members of the show, leaving the house multiple times through the series. However, she returned for Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. She married Chris Larangeira in November 2019.
In February 2022, Larangeira filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences" which caused a "breakdown of the marriage for a period of at least six months." Pivarnick soon got together with Vinny Tortorella, who proposed during an April 2023 episode of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.
At 22, Giancola entered the Jersey Shore house and called herself the “sweetest bitch you’ll ever meet.” She briefly connected with Mike, but ultimately decided to enter into a relationship with Ortiz-Magro. The two had a messy on-again and off-again relationship through the entire series and moved in together when the show ended. Eventually, they split and Giancola began dating Christian Biscardi in April 2017. He proposed in March 2019.
In April 2020, the couple postponed their wedding due to the coronavirus pandemic, and by July 2021, they'd called it quits. Giancola has since moved on with Justin May. The pair got engaged in March 2024 and announced they are expecting their first child one year later.
After sitting out the first five seasons of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, Giancola returned for season 6 in summer 2023.
Guadagnino was 22 when Jersey Shore began. During the series, he became best friends with DelVecchio, and the two remained close through the duration and after the show ended. The two hosted a dating show, A Double Shot of Love, in 2019 — but neither found a relationship. In April 2019, he started a residency as a guest dancer at Chippendales in Las Vegas and later revealed he'd lost a ton of weight on the keto diet.
Guadagnino caused a stir in fall 2022 when he publicly flirted with The Bachelorette’s Gabby Windey while they both competed on season 31 of Dancing With the Stars. Guadagnino exclusively told Us in December 2022 that the pair “have great chemistry,” but they never became an item. (Windey announced in August 2023 that she has a girlfriend named Robby Hoffman.)
When Hocus Pocus dropped in theaters in 1993, it flopped — but it has since lasted the test of time, becoming a must-watch film every October.
Starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson Sisters, the spooky classic follows a high school boy (Omri Katz), his crush (Vinessa Shaw) and his little sister (Thora Birch), who quickly find out the rumor of the witches is true and must find a way to stop them from becoming immortal before Halloween is over.
In May 2021, Disney+ announced the official return of the Sanderson sisters for the long-awaited sequel, Hocus Pocus 2, with Midler, Parker and Najimy all reprising their roles.
“Sistaaaahs! It’s been 300 years… But we’re BACK! #HocusPocus2 arrives Fall 2022 on @DisneyPlus,” Midler confirmed via Instagram at the time.
The second installment premiered on Disney+ in September 2022 and became the streaming service’s most-watched film.
Scroll through the gallery below to see what the original cast is up to today:
The icon continued her acting and singing career after the spooky hit, starring in The First Wives Club and The Stepford Wives. She had a Las Vegas residency, Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On, from 2008 to 2010. The next year, she produced the Broadway production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Midler landed her first-ever leading role on Broadway in 2017 in Hello, Dolly, for which she won a Tony Award. In addition to film and stage appearances, the singer was an adviser on The Voice in 2016 and starred in Netflix's The Politician in 2019. In 2020, she led HBO's Coastal Elites. She has been married to Martin von Haselberg since 1984, and the pair have one daughter, actress Sophie von Haselberg.
Midler celebrated the news of the Hocus Pocus sequel in May 2021. “Sistaaaahs! It’s been 300 years… But we’re BACK! 🧹 #HocusPocus2 arrives Fall 2022 on @DisneyPlus,” the actress wrote via Instagram at the time. The following January, Midler confirmed production was over. “THAT’S A WRAP!!!!” she tweeted alongside a pin of the iconic witches looking at a spell book.
When asked about a Hocus Pocus 3, Middler expressed interest in the project before it’s too late.
"I haven't seen the script, but, I've heard rumblings," she said in a July 2024 appearance on QVC+'s Busy This Week. "I think if they're gonna, they oughta, because time is not just marching, time is barrel-assing to the finish line. Get us while we're still breathing, I mean, God!"
Five years after the spooky flick, Parker landed one of the lead roles in Sex and the City, which aired from 1998 to 2004 and was followed by two films. She starred in multiple other movies, including The Family Stone, Failure to Launch and New Year's Eve. From 2016 to 2019, she led the HBO drama Divorce, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. In 2014, she launched her footwear line, SJP Collection. Parker has been married to Matthew Broderick since 1997 and they have three children.
She reprised her role as Carrie Bradshaw in And Just Like That, a Sex and the City sequel series, which debuted on HBO Max in December 2021.
Parker gave fans a few behind-the-scenes details of the Hocus Pocus 2 production. “Hair and makeup test on HP2. First day,” she wrote via her Instagram Story in November 2021, alongside a video of her character’s face makeup. “Where is Sarah? There’s a piece of Sarah!” she joked while showing off the witch’s long, blonde wig.
Parker also shared a video of the fall leaves in what appeared to be at the Rhode Island filming location, teasing viewers with what’s to come.
Moreover, during a February 2022 appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Parker confirmed she would be teaming up with costars Midler and Najimy for another musical performance in the new film. "Yes, there will be a number! Of course there will be a number — a number or two," she quipped, adding that shooting the sequel was “amazing and funny.”
Najimy continued to act following Hocus Pocus, starring in Rat Race, Veronica's Closet, Dumplin', Veep and voicing Peggy Hill on King of the Hill. She also wrote and performed a play, The Kathy and Mo Show, with Mo Gaffney. In addition to reprising her role as Mary Sanderson in the 2022 Hocus Pocus sequel, the Sister Act star had parts on Younger and The Morning Show. She has voiced Major Jen on Duncanville since 2020.Najimy married Dan Finnerty in 1998 and the pair have one daughter, Samia, who is a singer-songwriter.
Katz, who held main roles in Dallas and Eerie, Indiana, before Hocus Pocus, slowed down his acting career after the film. After briefly appearing in a few projects, including The John Larroquette Show, Katz retired from acting in 2002. He is in a relationship with Michele Watters and the pair live in Los Angeles. Katz runs The Mary Danksters, a cannabis company. Though he didn't return for Hocus Pocus 2, Katz has reunited with his castmates at various conventions over the years.
The former child star rose to fame following Hocus Pocus, landing roles in Monkey Trouble, Now and Then and Alaska as a child. In 1999, her part in American Beauty landed her a BAFTA nomination. She was later nominated for a Golden Globe in 2001 for her part in Ghost World and an Emmy in 2003 for her role in Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story. She took a break from acting in 2012 but has since returned, landing recurring roles on USA's Colony and AMC's The Walking Dead. In 2018, she married talent manager Michael Adler.
Birch hinted at her Hocus Pocus character Dani’s possible return to the sequel in May 2021, tweeting, “2022 will be ‘Mah-velous!’” She also told HollywoodLife in February 2020 that she would happily come back to the sequel “if they would have me.”
Entertainment Weekly reported in March 2022, however, that Ghost World actress would not be making a cameo despite being offered a chance to come back, pointing to scheduling conflicts as her reason for passing.
Birch starred as Nicole Schmidt, the late Gabby Petito's mom, in the 2022 Lifetime movie about Petito's disappearance and murder.
After Hocus Pocus, Shaw enrolled in Barnard College but continued acting, starring in Eyes Wide Shut at the same time. She went on to appear in 40 Days and 40 Nights and The Hills Have Eyes. In 2014, she landed a supporting role in Showtime's Ray Donovan. She is married to Kristopher Gifford and the pair have one son.
Shaw spoke with Entertainment Tonight in October 2021 about where she thought her Hocus Pocus character, Allison, and love interest Max would be now, hinting at their possible returns. “I feel like she and Max are still together, but I think Allison’s from Salem and he always wants to be in California,” she told the outlet. “I think they did some sort of compromise and maybe she’s in Salem when the witches come back, you know, visiting her mom or something.” Like Katz and Birch, Shaw did not appear in the sequel, but she has spent time with her costars at fan conventions.
After portraying Thackery Binx, Murray continued his acting career, starring in Hart of the West, The Lottery, JAG and Boston Public. In 2003, he landed a recurring role in NCIS, which he still stars on today. In 2005, he married Carrie James. The pair have two children.
The star has made cameos in multiple big-budget TV shows, including Stranger Things, American Woman, This Is Us, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., NCIS: Los Angeles, Mayfair Witches and NCIS: Hawai’i. Jelinek married Irina Costa in 2014.
Bagby has starred in numerous films and TV shows since Hocus Pocus, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Saints and Soldiers, Walk the Line, The Young and the Restless, NCIS, Ray Donovan, 9-1-1 and Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1. Also a musician, he has released multiple albums and EPs since 2005.
Jones went on to star in dozens of films, including Mimic, Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, Crimson Peak and The Shape of Water. On the TV front, he appeared in one of the most famous episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and later landed large parts on Falling Skies and The Strain. He starred as a lead on Star Trek: Discovery from 2017 to 2024. He married his childhood love Laurie Pontoni in 1984.
In 2022, he reprised his role as Billy for the Hocus Pocus sequel.
It’s not uncommon for stars to quickly fall head over heels in love while filming a reality TV show — and The Challenge competitors are no exception.
While many fans didn’t think Paulie Calafiore and Cara Maria Sorbello would create a real bond after meeting on Final Reckoning in 2018, but they proved the haters wrong. The duo went on to compete alongside each other on War of the Worlds later that year and War of the Worlds 2 in 2019.
Then they hit pause on filming reality TV to focus on themselves both individually and as a couple and later decided to move in together in Montana.
“We definitely want kids and we want marriage,” Calafiore exclusively told Us Weekly in June 2023, addressing Sorbello’s initial hesitation to get married. “[During] meet and greets she’d be like, ‘No, I’m happy being the mistress.’ And I’m like, ‘We’re dating!’”
She added at the time: “I absolutely would love to marry [Paulie]. I’ve never said that before, but [Paulie is] the person that I see for the rest of my life. … Like, this is my best friend.”
Although Sorbello and Calafiore are a more recent Challenge couple, some have lasted the test of time. Sean Duffy and Rachel Campos met while filming the first-ever season of The Challenge in 1998, then titled Road Rules: All Stars. The pair got married one year later before welcoming nine children.
Scroll through the gallery below to see more Challenge couples whose romance lasted outside the house:
The couple met during Compono's first season, Battle of the Exes II, in 2014. They dated on and off for years, and he proposed in December 2019. In February 2021, they announced they were expecting their first baby together. In March 2021, the pair tied the knot. Son Anthony was born in September 2021 with his younger sister, Liliana, following in December 2022. Compono and Nicholas revealed in August 2023 that they are expecting baby No. 3, whom they welcomed later that year and are currently expecting their fourth baby.
Despite a rocky start, Sorbello and Calafiore couldn't deny the sparks after meeting in 2018 on Final Reckoning. After a brief split, they got back together in 2019 and moved in together in Montana.
After meeting on Vendettas in 2018, the pair had an instant connection. Though they had an up and down romance over the years, they got back together in August 2019 and moved in together in Texas in 2020. The couple announced in December 2021 that they are expecting their first child together.
In 1998, the Real World: Boston alum met the Real World: San Fransico star during the first season of The Challenge, Road Rules: All Stars. They tied the knot the following year. She went on to be a Fox News correspondent while Duffy is a politician. He resigned from Congress in 2019 when Campos became pregnant with their ninth child, who they learned would have health complications.
Heath Ledger made an impact from the moment he first stepped in front of the camera — and his legacy continues to live on long after his death.
The Australian actor landed 23 roles during his 19-year career, making it nearly impossible not to see his face on the big screen year after year.
Sadly, Ledger’s life was cut short when he died at the age of 28 in 2008 due to an accidental overdose. Still, his legacy continues in his films — and through his and ex Michelle Williams’ daughter, Matilda, whom they welcomed in 2005.
In his memory, Us Weekly is recounting the performances that made him a legend. Relive his most iconic onscreen moments above and read on for more details about his biggest movie hits.
’10 Things I Hate About You’ (1999)
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This was the film that put Ledger on the map and gave the world their first look at that gorgeous smile that lit up the screen. One of his most memorable scenes in his career was in this film — his character, Patrick, sang “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” on the bleachers of the high school stadium to win over Julia Stiles‘ Kat.
‘A Knight’s Tale’ (2001)
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Ledger was excited to land a more serious role after the rom-com. This movie was when he realized he had become a movie star. “I am affected by all this, you’d be a freak if you weren’t,” he said in an interview with NitrateOnline in 2001 while promoting the film. “I don’t care about it enough to let it affect me, it’s not the be-all and end-all of my life. I truly work to live. I love what I do, but the special moments for me are between ‘action’ and ‘cut,’ and the rest really bores me.”
‘Brokeback Mountain’ (2005)
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The love story of two cowboys earned Ledger his first Academy Award nomination. He didn’t win, but earned great praise for his role of Ennis Del Mar. “Heath is very meticulous,” director Ang Lee told The Guardian in 2006. “I don’t advise actors to come to the monitor to watch themselves, but he’s the only exception I made. He gets better as he gets more self-conscious. He sets himself in a zone and believes in it and keeps refining it.”
‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
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Probably Ledger’s most memorable role is one of his last where he portrayed a very dark joker. The actor earned a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in the film. While many thought the intense role drove him to his death, Ledger’s family confirmed that wasn’t the case at all.
“He had an amazing sense of humor and certainly playing the Joker, for him it was one big gag. He had so much fun doing that,” his sister Kate Ledger said after the Tribeca Film Festival premiere for I Am Heath Ledger, a documentary made about the actor, in 2017. “It was actually the exact opposite. There was no doom and gloom … That was a shock to me that people even thought that, really.”
On The Bachelor, a winning couple didn’t get married until season 17. Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici married in a TV wedding in 2014. However, the season 13 Bachelor, Jason Mesnick, did tie the knot — to his runner-up.
Although he chose Melissa Rycroft, Mesnick ended their relationship during the After the Final Rose special and in turn, proposed to Molly Malaney. The two tied the knot in 2010.
The Bachelorette has been a bit more successful. The first-ever lead, Trista Sutter (née Rehn), found her prince charming. She married Ryan Sutter in 2003. Since then, several other Bachelorette winning couples went on to say “I do,” including Desiree Hartsock, Rachel Lindsay and JoJo Fletcher.
Scroll down to find out which Bachelor Nation couples have tied the knot!
Brayden and Christina formed a romantic connection after competing on Charity Lawson and Zach Shallcross’ seasons of The Bachelorette and The Bachelor, respectively. Brayden popped the question during The Golden Bachelor’s live Golden Wedding special in January 2024, and the couple announced one year later that they secretly tied the knot in December 2024.
Gerry and Theresa became the first-ever Golden Bachelor success story when the show’s inaugural season ended in November 2023. They wed in a televised ceremony in January 2024. (They announced their split three months later.)
Kenny and Mari met on the beach during Bachelor in Paradise season 7 and got engaged before leaving Mexico. They wed in multiple ceremonies: one in November 2023 and a second, which was showcased on Bachelor in Paradise season 9, in December 2023.
Godwin and Barbour found love on season 6 of Bachelor in Paradise, which filmed in 2019. After four years of dating, the couple tied the knot in August 2023.
The season 12 Bachelorette accepted a proposal from Rodgers on the 2016 finale of their season. After postponing their nuptials twice amid the coronavirus pandemic, the duo exchanged vows May 2022 in California.
The Bachelor in Paradise season 4 pair exchanged vows in Dallas in April 2021. She gave birth to their first child, Gates Zev, in January 2022, and their second son, Max Asa, was born in July 2023.
The Bachelorette season 13 couple walked down the aisle in Mexico in August 2019. Us Weekly confirmed in January 2024 that Bryan had filed for divorce after 4 years of marriage.
The pair met and got engaged during season 5 of Bachelor in Paradise. The following year, they tied the knot in June 2019. The pair separated in February 2020 and finalized their divorce that December.
After years of being best friends, the Bachelor in Paradise alums tied the knot in August 2019 in a Rhode Island ceremony. They first met on season 2 of Bachelor in Paradise. They welcomed their first child, son Dawson, in January 2022.
Following his split from winner Becca Kufrin, the race car driver proposed to the swimsuit designer in March 2018 during his Bachelor season’s After the Final Rose special. They tied the knot in Hawaii in January 2019 and are the parents of daughter Alessi and twins Lux and Senna.
After falling in love on Bachelor in Paradise season 3, the couple married in June 2017 and welcomed their first child together, daughter Bella, in February 2018. Just over one year after welcoming son Charlie in November 2019, the twosome announced their split in December 2020.
A match made in Paradise! The duo met during Bachelor in Paradise season 2 and married in January 2016. They share daughter Emmy and sons Brooks and Reed.
Such a success story! Lowe proposed to Giudici on The Bachelor season 17 finale and they wed in January 2014. The pair share sons Samuel and Isaiah and daughter Mia.
Hebert and Rosenbaum got engaged on The Bachelorette season 7 finale and married in December 2012. They share son, Fordham, and daughter, Essex. The twosome announced their split in October 2020 and finalized their divorce one year later.
Although Pappas didn’t find love on her Bachelorette season, she went on to marry Stagliano — whose twin brother, Michael, appeared on Jillian Harris’ Bachelorette season — in October 2011. They share daughter, Addison, and son, Austin.
News broke in January 2023, however, that they had split after 11 years of marriage. “We have been working hard for a long time — both as a married couple & as individuals & have come to the conclusion to remain separate,” she said in a statement at the time.
Mesnick broke up with his season’s winner, Melissa Rycroft, in March 2009 to pursue runner-up Malaney. They married in February 2010 and share daughter, Riley. He also has a son, Ty, from a previous marriage.
Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni met on the set of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 1999 — and decades later their bond is still going strong.
“I have a million memories from the pilot, especially the immediate chemistry with Chris. We were filming in the Meatpacking District, and it was really hot and raining, so we all had to wear baseball caps,” Hargitay recalled to TV Insider in 2018. “I was going, ‘How lucky is this California girl to be shooting a television series in New York with this fantastic actor and fantastic crew!'”
For years, fans wanted their characters, Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler, to come together romantically, but that never happened. Instead, Elliot and Liv formed a seemingly unbreakable working relationship and friendship — until he unexpectedly left the unit at the end of season 12 in 2011.
Meloni returned to SVU for the first time in 10 years in an April 2021 episode before kicking off his series, Law & Order: Organized Crime. The two actors have since crossed over to each other’s shows — and their chemistry still can’t be beat.
Scroll down for Hargitay and Meloni’s quotes about their friendship:
During auditions, Meloni thought, "Who's the chick with all the energy?" he shared in 2009's The Law & Order: SVU Unofficial Companion book. "I just knew that Mariska was going to be The One. I was in the middle of telling her this story, this joke. So we got up on the stage and I'm like, 'Hold on just a second, I'm going to finish telling this story.' Not being disrespectful, but this is important too. This may change my life, but the story is that funny. And I think that put us at ease, and unconsciously there was a connection you could see: That she was now my partner."
"From the second we met, bells went off," she told TV Insider in 2018. "We knew we were going to be a huge force in each other’s lives. He was intense and mercurial but also fun."
During The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU in 2020, Hargitay described her relationship with Meloni as one filled with "instantaneous ease, chemistry, trust [and] comfort."
"[SVU] gave birth to Mariska and Meloni, and Benson and Stabler. We’re kind of inextricably linked and connected in that way. Beyond that, we’re very good friends. I think we value each other," he told Entertainment Tonight in 2020, before explaining what it was like to be back on set together. "We just pick it up right where we left off. ... We just kind of fall seamlessly into that place every time we see each other."
"We’ve said it’s like we don’t have this relationship with anyone else," Meloni told ET. "It’s unique, it’s full of laughter, she’s full of love."
"I walked in, saw him, and I went, 'That guy. That's the guy.' It went deep, very fast. We both knew that it was something big," Hargitay recalled in 2021. "I won't say that I fully understood it, but I knew that meeting him was important and life-changing. My father, my husband [Peter Hermann], Dick Wolf and Chris are the four pillar men in my life. And that happened early."
Meloni presented Hargitay with her Glamour Woman of the Year Award in November 2021. Ahead of the event, she told Us exclusively that it was “deeply meaningful” for her longtime costar to be the one to present her with the honor.
“I have been trusted with one task tonight, introduce someone who needs no introduction, who I’ve been working with for 13 years, and been friends with for 22,” Meloni said in his speech, per reports. “She’s got great energy, great personality. So tonight, I say this: Radiant. Charming. Funny. Generous. Elegant. Bawdy. Honest. Appreciative. Inclusive. Direct. Vivacious. That’s my favorite word; it comes from the Latin, to live. Which is what she does with great passion, every day, with everyone that she engages, be they friends, family, strangers or commitments.”
He added: “She’s fearless, without the bravado of the warrior stance, but always with the open arms, the open heart. She’s a connector of people, because she knows we’re all better when we’re working together. She is as comfortable in the sacred as she is in the profane; she is a soul in the constant search of the beauty and the truth that she knows that this world holds, but she also knows requires vigilance, persistence, and insistence to pry magic from the often times mundane reality. Her first instance is to always react with compassion and empathy. She sees hope in the hopeless; she sees the potential in the you, and me, and us.”
Meloni may have spent a decade away from the Law & Order franchise, but he was able to pick up exactly where he left off with his former costar. "[It was like] zero time had passed," Hargitay told Entertainment Tonight in February 2022 about their onscreen reunion. "[We] didn’t miss a step and it just felt so good. It felt like home."
Meloni echoed those sentiments, explaining that "because there's history, there’s an effortlessness" to their partnership. "I think we get to play notes that only she and I can play together, you know? Whatever comes out of the duet is very unique. And so, that is refreshing and gives life to both of us."
Hargitay shared a special tribute to her costar on his birthday in April 2022, writing via Instagram, "Happy 61 @chris_meloni you're aging like a fine wine cheers🍷🔥🎉 #HeStillGotIt."
Hargitay and Meloni walked the red carpet together ahead of the 2022 Emmy Awards. The SVU star told E! News that she's "never once" grown tired of working with the Man of Steel actor.
"I love him, and I've never gotten sick of him," she said of Meloni. However, when asked whether Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler will ever get together, the Emmy Award winner quipped, "You want the tea, baby? Sweetheart, get in line."
“My favorite Law & Order: Special Victims Unit scene featuring myself and Mariska Hargitay was when Lou Diamond Phillips had a gun to my head, and Stabler told Benson to take the shot,” Meloni exclusively told Us Weekly in October 2024, referring to season 7, episode 19. “We were bound to each other in that moment as people and characters. And I think Mariska was eight months pregnant at the time, so it’s a moment I find particularly special.”
Hargitay recalled in January 2025 how meeting Meloni during their screen test was a “once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
She recalled the moment to Today’s Willie Geist, saying, "In the room, when he walked in, I sort of sized him up, and I said, ‘That’s the guy.’ … It was so obvious to me that that was the guy, and apparently, he felt the same way.”
The actors had instant chemistry during their initial meeting. “So, it was — just felt meant to be,” Hargitay explained.
“We were like, ‘I know we have good chemistry.’ Even at times when we were, like, fighting or had a difference of opinion, or things getting tense, we still had it,” she told the outlet. “It’s chemistry, right?”
That chemistry led to a bond that has remained both on and off screen. “We were just always very important people in each other’s lives, and we knew it. We knew it from minute one,” she added. “And we’re still very close, very close.”
Whether competing on TV for a cash prize or simply being filmed while living your day-to-day life, reality television stars almost always get a paycheck — and it may be bigger than you think.
In 2021, Jason Tartick launched a “Trading Secrets” podcast, during which he is focused on “break[ing] the stigma that we shouldn’t be talking about money,” shining the light on reality television.
“Once a month, our goal is to do a reality TV series,” the Bachelorette alum told Us Weekly at the time of his podcast. “And we want to cover every single reality TV show out there to understand the differences — how are these people compensated? How have they been compensated after the show? Did they go back to work? Did they lose their job? How much did it cost to go on the show? Did it positively or negatively impact [you] … maybe you had to seek other expenses, such as therapy or things like that, and what is the cost of that? We want to uncover all that.”
Although most stars aren’t allowed to detail their contracts, many have been open about the amount of money they’ve spent going on a reality show. Elena Davies shared in 2021 that she spent around $5,000 on makeup, Botox, clothes and hair products before competing on season 19 of Big Brother.
Jillian Harris, who appeared on season 13 of The Bachelor and went on to become the Bachelorette, shared that while the women received goodie bags, half of the clothes didn’t fit.
“That was it. The girls do have to bring all of their own clothing and of course, they want to be wearing the best clothes EVER to be seen on TV in,” she wrote on her blog in 2016. “I had remortgaged my house and I spent something like $8,000 on clothing.”
Scroll through the gallery below to hear more from reality TV stars about their salaries:
Season 11 star Kaitlyn Bristowe claimed in April 2023 that she was initially offered $40,000, but hired a lawyer and asked to be paid the same amount as season 19 Bachelor Chris Soules.
“He changed a lot and negotiated my contract big time for me,” she said on the “Trading Secrets” podcast. “One of the executive producers said to me, ‘You got an entertainment lawyer, and you're asking for this amount of money? I'm sorry. I thought this is about love for you.’ F—k off! It's about love and money, OK? They go hand in hand for me right now. Because they said you're going against Britt [Nilsson], I was like, ‘I’m not doing it.’ And then I said, ‘I’ll only do it if you paid me as much as you paid Chris Soules.' I said I wanted to make the same as he did.”
While discussing the beloved early aughts MTV series on the podcast "Back to the Beach," Kristin Cavallari revealed how much the cast made for the first season. “I think $2,500," she said during a July 2022 episode of the show. Her cohost Stephen Colletti, however, remembered things differently: “I don’t even think it was that much. I think it was $2,000. Lauren [Conrad] and I renegotiated for season 2. It was going to be our last season! We were like, ‘We’re out of here!'”
According to a lawsuit filed by season 2 contestant Jeremy Hartwell in July 2022, the Netflix show pays $1,000 per week, up to $8,000 for the length of filming the show. One of the allegations in the suit was that the production paid “less than half of the applicable minimum wage rate of $15.00 per hour” in California, claiming the cast worked up to 20 hours a week.
“Resultantly, these workers were effectively [paid] as little $7.14 per hour. … Less than one-third of the minimum overtime rate of $22.50 per hour, and less than one-fourth of the minimum double-time rate of $30.00 per hour pursuant to the applicable Los Angeles City and County minimum wage ordinances,” the docs state.
Carole Radziwill said on a November 2021 episode of the “Behind the Velvet Rope With David Yontef” podcast that the “first year” of RHONY, “everyone gets paid $60,000.” However, hair and makeup costs were then taken out of that.
“I was like, ‘I’m not doing it for [$60,000]. I’ll do it for a hundred.’ They had blown up the show at that point and right. They’d fired like four people … I guess they were desperate,” she said. “I only found out … that Heather Thomson and Aviva Drescher didn’t get $100,000 because then the second season we were negotiating and they gave us $150,000. Heather thought it was great. I’m like, ‘It’s not that great.’ And then I realized they had just paid her the $60,000. Of course, I immediately told her because I wasn’t gonna like pretend or lie to her.”
Rob Dyrdek detailed his massive salary bump during Rob & Big, Fantasy Factory and Ridiculousness.
"I was probably getting $35K an episode of Rob & Big, and they offered me $125K an episode to do a fourth season of Rob & Big or do another show," he explained on the "Trading Secrets" podcast in July 2021.
Davies, who competed on season 19 of Big Brother, revealed in July 2021 that they were paid $1,000 a week. “I was in the jury house, so I technically filmed the entire season. I got paid the entire 13-week stipend," she said on Dear Media’s “Trading Secrets” podcast.
Davies also shared that when she joined Ex on the Beach two years after Big Brother, she had learned to negotiate and ultimately made the same amount of money even though she only filmed for five days.
"I want to say that my stipend was $4,500. I made it out with maybe $17,000 from this show, and that was just me really playing the game,” the reality star shared. "Even when they wanted to fly me back to shoot just my headshot — because why wouldn’t I shoot that while I was there? — I was like, ‘I want my weekly stipend.’ I flew in at 11:00 at night, and I was on the flight the next day at 9:45 in the morning. And I got paid my weekly [stipend] for that."
While the stars of MTV's competition series have kept relatively quiet about their pay, a source confirmed to Us Weekly that rookies make $1,000 stipend a week and returning players who aren’t top vets make between $3,000 and $5,000. “Elite” players — think Cara Maria Sorbello, Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio or CT Tamburello — can make around $80,000 simply for arriving on day 1.
In May 2021, Dean Unglert explained that ABC offered him $400 a day for Bachelor in Paradise. "I was like, ‘Oh yeah, great. $400 bucks a day, 30 days, $12,000. That’s fantastic.’ And then I start talking to some friends and they’re like, well, ‘You should get more money because … you’re going to be, like, the guy they want most from your season [to] go to Paradise minus, like, Peter [Kraus],'" he said on the “Trading Secrets” podcast, noting that he then asked for $800 a day but ultimately countered with $600. He also revealed he made $400 a day for The Bachelor Winter Games.
When searching for the season 23 lead in 2019, Colton Underwood, Tartick and Blake Horstmann were all offered $100,000, Tartick said on his podcast in May 2021. Unglert said he was offered $75,000 the year prior, but Arie Luyendyk Jr. was ultimately named the season 22 lead. For season 23, Underwood led the season.
In 2018, Johnny Fairplay claimed that the first person eliminated from Survivor gets $3,500, and the jury members receive $40,000. He said that the final two receive $100,000 while the winner earns the $1 million prize. For Winners at War, for which the $1 million prize was doubled, each player was reportedly guaranteed $25,000, plus the standard of $10,000 for appearing at the reunion.
In 2021, Corinne Kaplan, who competed on Survivor: Gabon and Survivor: Caramoan, detailed the breakdown even further on Dear Media's "Trading Secrets" podcast.
“We do make money for as far as we make it. They explain it to you in very basic terms — not hard numbers. The same amount of money exists no matter how many players there are,” she said during a September 2021 episode, confirming that each star makes $10,000 to return for the live reunion.
"Roughly the first person voted out makes $2,500, and it goes up very incrementally until you hit the jury. Then it starts going up with each jury member. So it works backward. $1 million is first place, second place is $100,000. Third place is $75,000, then $65K, $55K, $45K. Once you stop the jury, those people only make a few thousand and there’s, like, $100 difference between them."
In 2019, Variety reported that contestants make $125,000 for the show’s rehearsal period and the first two weeks. Those who make it past week three can earn up to $295,000.
In November 2021, Bachelor alum Courtney Robertson claimed she was offered $150,000 to be part of the competition series. “Each week you last, there’s, like, an incentive,” she said on the “She’s All Bach” podcast, noting she was told she'd get around $30,000 for each additional week she stayed in the competition.
Bristowe, who won season 29 of DWTS, mentioned on the “Trading Secrets" podcast, “You get a bonus every week that you make it. The final four are in the final episode, they all get paid the same. … But your signing bonus, I think you can negotiate a bit, like, to sign to say you're going on the show.”
In 2018, Nikki Cooper, who appeared as a friend of David Toborowsky on season 5 of 90 Day Fiancé, posted on Facebook that cast members get paid $1,000 per episode and $2,500 to film the tell-all special, which equals out to $14,500 for a 12-episode season.
Adam Lind shared via Instagram that his ex Chelsea Houska earned $250,000 for season 6 of Teen Mom, noting in 2016 that he had a similar salary. He added that the pair's daughter, Aubree, made $50,000 for appearing.
The Hollywood Reporter claimed that the main cast members of the Bravo series earned around $25,000 an episode in 2017 and 2018, with Lisa Vanderpump taking home closer to $50,000.
In July 2023, Kristen Doute recalled the small amount of money she brought home after season 1. "We had very little in our bank account," she recalled on her "Sex, Love, and What Else Matters" podcast. "It was $5,000 and if we became a primary, we got an additional $5,000."
Laura-Leigh, meanwhile, hasn't received any additional payment associated with her time on the series, despite the show's massive success.
"No residuals. Nothing. And I had to go after them to get that $500," she claimed in January 2025. "The cast all got paid, I think it was $8,000 for the first season. Jax [Taylor] and everyone else got like $8,000. The only reason I know that is because that’s all the money Jax had to his name. And I was like, 'Well, if they’re getting money, why can I get money?' They were like, 'OK, we’ll give you $500.'"
Brittany Cartwright recalled being "broke" when she first appeared on the show. "I didn't get paid my first season of Vanderpump Rules — until the very, very end. I was broke," Brittany, 35, who started appearing as a guest on season 4 when she met Jax, shared on the "When Reality Hits" podcast in August 2023. "It took a lot out of me."
Jax recalled Brittany's excessive spending before she made the move to Los Angeles.
"It was costing her. This is the beginning of the show and it was costing her $800 to $900," he said, referring toBrittany flying in to see him while filming season 4. "She was in Kentucky [working at a bar and Hooters] and $800 is a lot of money [to spend on airfare]."
While speaking with Kristen about their original paychecks, Jax said he was just grateful to get paid, adding on the July 2023 podcast episode, "I had nothing at that time so whatever we got ... [I felt like] I was rich. $5,000? I was paying $100 a week to live so I [thought] I could retire. When we were filming, I felt like, 'This is awesome.'"
He continued: "I have been hustling my whole life and living paycheck to paycheck to paycheck. I would do a lot of jobs but by the time I got my paycheck I was so behind on my credit card bills."
In 2015, Abby Lee Miller shared that the young dancers earned $1,000 an episode for season 1 through 4, and $2,000 an episode for season 5. She added that she was earning $1,500 an episode.
While most of the Bravo talent has stayed mum about their salaries, Real Housewives expert Brian Moylan shared some insight in his 2021 book, The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives. According to Moylan, Kandi Burruss is the highest-paid, making nearly $2 million a season. RHOA cast overall make the most because that spinoff has the highest ratings.
Newcomer cast members usually sign on for $60,000 a season — a number Gina Kirschenheiter confirmed in her divorce filings, listing $63,000 paid by the production company and $5,450 paid by NBCUniversal. Meanwhile, Bethenny Frankel said she made just over $7,000 for her first season.
RHOD's Cary Deuber said she made "less than a Birkin" bag when she signed on, and by season 3, was making around $200,000 a season.
Does everybody know what time it is? That was the famous phrase that came out of Home Improvement, the ABC sitcom that aired from September 1991 to May 1999. The 30-minute comedy followed Tim “The Toolman” Taylor (Tim Allen) as he hosted a home-improvement show titled “Tool Time,” even though he’s not at all a handyman.
When not at work with sidekick and best friend Al Borland (Richard Karn), Tim spent time at home with wife Jill (Patricia Richardson) and their three sons: Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan); Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas); and Mark (Taran Noah Smith).
The series, which launched Allen’s television career, ran for eight seasons and was nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards. Thomas, whose career took off while the show was airing, exited the show during the eighth season to go to school.
While both Allen and Richardson were reportedly offered between $25 and $50 million to do a ninth season, both turned it down.
In 2020, Allen revealed he “always thinks about” doing a reunion of some sort. “I like the idea of doing it as a one-off, like a one-hour movie. I like the idea of finding out where the boys are now,” the comic told TVLine. “Tool Time would be in today’s world. I just think it’s a marvelous idea, and all the actors think it’s a great idea.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see where the cast is today.
The comedian's actor has not slowed down since the sitcom wrapped. As he voiced Buzz Lightyear in every Toy Story film, he led the Santa Clause film trilogy and starred in hit movies including Galaxy Quest, Christmas with the Kranks, Wild Hogs and Ralph Breaks the Internet. On the TV front, he returned to the sitcom world in 2017, leading and executive producing Last Man Standing and ABC's Shifting Gears. Allen was married to Laura Deibel from 1984 to 2003 and the pair share one daughter, Katherine, who was born in 1989. He married Jane Hajduk in 2006 and the duo welcomed their daughter, Elizabeth, in 2009.
Richardson has continued to act since the end of Home Improvement, landing a main role on Strong Medicine from 2002 to 2005 and The West Wing from 2005 to 2006. She also reunited with Allen on Last Man Standing for two episodes in 2015 and made a cameo in Blindspot in 2019. In addition to multiple film roles, Richardson also served on the SAG-AFTRA board and has returned to her stage roots. She starred in Cruel Intentions: The Musical in 2017. The Maryland native was married to actor Ray Baker from 1982 to 1995. They have three children: Henry, born in 1985, and twins Roxanne and Joseph, born in 1991.
The former child star rose to massive fame in the '90s. He exited the show before the end of the series to attend school, with his last episode airing during season 8 in December 1998. In 2000, he graduated from Chaminade College Preparatory School in California, then went on to study philosophy and history at Harvard University. In 2010, he graduated from Columbia.
After Home Improvement, he appeared in multiple TV shows and movies, including 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, Smallville, Veronica Mars and I'll Be Home for Christmas. His last acting role was in 2015, as he appeared as a guest star on Allen's Last Man Standing. He also directed an episode in 2016.
The actor was photographed for the first time in nearly eight years in June 2021, walking in Hollywood with his dogs.
In addition to being known for playing Al Borland, Karn is also recognized as the fourth host of Family Feud, a job he took on from 2002 to 2006. Karn has starred in dozens of TV shows and movies, including That '70s Show, Ctrl, The Bold and the Beautiful and PEN15. He also cohosted Bingo America from 2008 to 2009. Karn married actress Tudi Roche in 1985 and they have one son.
The Colorado native appeared on many TV shows following Home Improvement, including Boston Public, Family Law and Veronica Mars. He landed movie roles in Longshot, Slammed and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, among others. He married Carly Matros in 2007 and the pair share four children: twin daughters, Taylor Simone Bryan and Gemma Rae Bryan, born in 2014, daughter Jordana Nicole Bryan, born in 2016, and son Pierce, born in 2019. In October 2020, Bryan was charged with assault and strangulation for allegedly trying to choke his girlfriend in an apartment in Eugene, Oregon. He continued to make headlines over the years for his legal woes including arrests for DUIs and alleged incidents of domestic assault.
Smith, who starred on the show from age 6 to 16, did not want to act after the series ended. He briefly ran a vegan restaurant and catering company called PlayFood, volunteered in the Philippines for the not-for-profit organization Communitere and later worked for the Community Submersibles Project. Smith married Heidi van Pelt in April 2001 when he was 17 and she was 33. The two divorced in 2007.
After portraying Heidi on the TV show from 1993 to 1999, Dunning went on to appear in multiple comedies, including The Misery Brothers and Now You Know. In 2017, she began hosting a travel show, "Debbe Dunning’s Dude Ranch Round-Up," on DirecTV's The Cowboy Channel. Dunning married volleyball pro Steve Timmons in 1997 and the pair share three children: Spencer, born in 1996; Stoney, born in 2000; and Sysco, born in 2008. The duo split in 2018.
Best known for his role as Wilson on Home Improvement, Hindman went on to appear in Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Final. The actor died of lung cancer in 2003 at the age of 61. He was survived by his wife of more than 20 years, actress Molly Wheaton McGreevy. She passed away two years later.
Anderson, whose first recurring TV part was on the series from 1991 to 1993, then landed her breakout role on Baywatch and later V.I.P. The model, who covered dozens of magazines, also starred in multiple movies, many times playing an exaggerated version of herself. Anderson has been married four times.
She was married to Tommy Lee from 1995 to 1998 and the pair had two children, Brandon in 1996, and Dylan in 1997. She married Rick Salomon in 2007 but they had their marriage annulled the following year. In 2014, she announced they had remarried but they divorced for good in 2015. In January 2020, she married Jon Peters, but the pair split only one month later. However, she has since denied that they were legally married.
There are several movies that perfectly capture the feelings that come along with New Year’s Eve, from finding the right person to kiss at midnight to celebrating with loved ones.
In 2008’s Sex and the City, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) goes to bed early on New Year’s Eve. Meanwhile, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is in Brooklyn all alone and she calls Carrie, who arrives at her place just in time for midnight.
“The idea of being single on New Year’s Eve has always been treacherous for everybody,” director Michael Patrick King, told Entertainment Weekly in 2020. “There’s something about that bullseye of midnight that makes almost an imperative that you check in with yourself. You’re supposed to be in love at midnight. You’re supposed to be in a couple. Which is why it’s so great for Sex and the City, because anytime we could underline what society says vs. the reality of where people are was always powerful.”
Parker also loved the scene, telling EW, “I loved it because it wasn’t about words, it was just about this desperate need to connect to somebody that actually matters to you.”
A New Year’s Eve special serves as a major plot point in the body horror film. Elisabeth’s (Demi Moore) younger half, Sue (Margaret Qualley), refuses to switch places with her counterpart — and the aftermath causes the special’s audience to erupt into chaos.
Emma Roberts and Thomas Mann star as Margot and Griffin, respectively, in the 2022 Prime Video romantic comedy. The film, which takes place leading up to New Year’s Eve, begins with the twosome living parallel lives as they both anticipate getting engaged on NYE. A twist of fate allows Margot and Griffin to meet after they are dumped by their respective significant others — which is only the beginning of their similarities.
Tired of their respective love dilemmas, Iris (Kate Winslet) and Amanda (Cameron Diaz) agree to trade homes between Christmas and New Year’s. While most of the film takes place during the merry holiday, a sweet New Years’ scene concludes the production.
Fed up with being single during the holidays, two strangers (Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey) agree to be each other’s platonic dates for the entire year. They accompany one another to gatherings for NYE, Cinco de Mayo, Halloween, Thanksgiving and more celebrations.
In the Godfather sequel, a young Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) is continuing to develop in 1920s-era NYC as son Michael (Al Pacino) expands the family’s role in the crime scene in the present day. While the movie isn’t fully classified as a holiday flick, one NYC scene is particularly memorable for faithful fans.
The holiday plays a crucial role in the Oscar-nominated film as Cate Blanchett’s Carol Aird and Rooney Mara’s Therese Belivet have their first kiss and sexual encounter during an NYE gathering.
This movie musical is set in the 1980s as a group of New Yorkers struggle with their careers, love lives and the growing AIDS epidemic. While the movie is primarily set around Christmastime, there is also a notable NYE musical moment, too.
Like an old friend, this 1989 classic always feels right on New Year's Eve. The film chronicles the story of Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan), who wonder if it's possible for men and women to be just friends.
Not exactly a New Year's Eve staple, but this musical Disney Channel movie includes quite a New Year's Eve party that has Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) fans swooning.
It's in the title! This rom-com includes many intertwined stories of love, friendship and family and stars a ton of A-list stars, including Hilary Swank, Robert DeNiro, Halle Berry, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jessica Biel and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are a match made in heaven anytime they're on screen together. This romantic film's most emotional moment takes place on New Year's Eve.
This 1995 heartwarming movie follows Lucy (Sandra Bullock) who saves her crush's life. While Peter (Peter Gallagher) is in a coma, his family is led to believe they were engaged and completely take her in as one of their own. Meanwhile, she falls for another member of his family, Jack (Bill Pullman).
Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) and Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) finally embrace in a steamy, passionate kiss on New Year's Eve — what more could you ask for?
This romance follows Mary (Rachel McAdams) and Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) whose story is forever changing through time travel. While Tim is always hopping between different points in time, he always makes it back for that New Year's Eve kiss.
Sometimes, it's all about friendship. In the first Sex and the City movie, Carrie takes the subway to Brooklyn — gasp! — in order to make it to her lonely friend, Miranda, in time for midnight on New Year's Eve.
Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho and Tilda Swinton star in this 2013 sci-fi film about a horrific post-apocalyptic Earth. It's not exactly a pick-me-up, but it does feature quite a twist that happens on New Year's Eve.
This 2005 comedy will have you laughing out loud as the clock strikes midnight, as Nick (Ice Cube) attempts to impress Suzanne (Nia Long), offering to accompany her children on a flight — which quickly goes awry. While full of laughter, a touching moment takes place on New Year's Eve.
The casts of Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. continually bring the heat on screen — and some of the stars have equally as fiery romances off camera.
Chicago P.D.’s Jesse Lee Soffer and Sophia Bush, for example, dated from 2014 to 2016. Their red-hot relationship seemed to mirror their TV characters’ Jay Halstead and Erin Lindsay’s romance. Following their split — and Bush’s exit from the series — Soffer briefly dated Chicago Med’s Torrey DeVitto.
The Australian actor — who played Matt Casey on Chicago Fire from 2012 to 2021— dated singer Louise Griffiths and surfer Maya Gabeira before meeting now-wife Kali Woodruff Carr in 2014. They tied the knot in June 2020.
The Chicago P.D. star — who exited the series in 2022 — dated Bush for two years during her time on the show, but the pair split in 2016. Two years later, Us confirmed Soffer was dating Chicago Med's DeVitto. The duo split in 2019.
The Pennsylvania native, who stars on Chicago Fire, began dating Lady Gaga in 2011 and the two were engaged from 2015 to 2016 before ending their relationship. In April 2022, he went public with girlfriend Ashley Cruger while attending the Operation Smile 2022 Park City Ski Challenge in Utah.
DeVitto, who exited Chicago Med in 2021 after six seasons, was married to Paul Wesley from 2011 to 2013. She has since dated actor Rick Glassman, dancer Artem Chigvintsev, costar Soffer and actor Will Estes. Us Weekly broke the news in September 2023 that DeVitto is engaged to Jared LaPine. The couple announced in May 2024 they were expecting their first baby together. DeVitto and LaPine got married in September 2024 and welcomed daughter Lyle-Josephine in November 2024.
Raymund who starred on Chicago Fire from 2012 to 2019, was married to Neil Patrick Stewart from 2011 to 2014. She later came out as bisexual and has been dating Tari Segal since 2016.
The actress has kept her personal life off of social media but was previously engaged to actor Jon Cor. They split in 2013. News broke in October 2023 that Spiridakos is leaving Chicago P.D. after season 11.
Bush, who starred on Chicago P.D. from 2014 to 2017, was married to One Tree Hill costar Chad Michael Murray from April 2005 to December 2006. After relationships with James Lafferty, Austin Nichols, Dan Fredinburg and Soffer, she began dating Grant Hughes in 2020. The pair announced their engagement in August 2021. Bush and Hughes got married at Philbrook Art Museum in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, on June 11, 2022.
Us confirmed in August 2023 that Bush filed for divorce from Hughes after 13 months of marriage. She started sparking romance rumors with soccer star Ashlyn Harris in October 2023. Bush confirmed their relationship in April 2024, when she came out as queer in a Glamour cover story.
It’s not an easy game — but someone’s got to play it! Survivor first debuted in 2000, quickly becoming a fan-favorite and ratings juggernaut for CBS.
The reality series, which awards one sole Survivor the $1 million each season after lasting 39 days outside, has come a long way over the years. Host Jeff Probst, who has been at the show’s helm since the premiere, has been open to changes as well, with formatting and twists constantly being added in.
Survivor found its first champion with Richard Hatch in Survivor: Borneo. Three years later, Richard returned to compete on Survivor: All-Stars but did not take home the crown. Years later, Sandra Diaz-Twine made history and became the first-ever two-time winner.
Sandra wouldn’t be the only two-time victor for long. For Survivor’s 40th season, Winners at War, 20 former champions returned to the game to compete for a $2 million prize. Tony Vlachos ultimately took the crown and the cash.
After winning season 1, the reality star appeared on The Apprentice 11 and The Biggest Loser season 17. He returned to Survivor for season 8, Survivor: All-Stars. In 2006, Hatch was convicted of tax evasion and served 51 months in prison. In 2011, he served a separate nine-month sentence for a probation violation. In 2024, Hatch made his reality TV return for House of Villains season 2.
After winning Survivor: The Australian Outback, Wesson competed on All-Stars and Blood vs. Water. In 2006, she wrote a book, Out Live, Out Laugh, Out Love. She is married and has a daughter, Katie Collins, who also competed on Survivor.
After winning season 3, he went on to compete on All-Stars and Winners at War. He is also a former professional soccer player and after winning Survivor, he cofounded a nonprofit organization called Grassroot Soccer, during which soccer is used to raise money and awareness to fight HIV.
Zohn was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2009. He underwent multiple rounds of treatment and went into remission in 2010. His cancer returned in 2011 but after stem cell transplants, he announced he was cancer-free in 2013.
He dated Survivor alum Jenna Morasca from 2003 to 2013. He has been married to Lisa Heywood since 2016.
Towery became the first African American contestant to win Survivor during season 4. The Oregon native married Leander Robinson while the season was airing and the birth of their son was featured on an episode of TLC's A Baby Story in 2004.
The actor, who won Survivor: Thailand, faced many legal troubles after his time on the show. He filed a restraining order against his then-wife Charmaine "C.C." Costigan in 2002, alleging assault. The order was lifted as he didn't show up in court. The pair, who share one son, divorced in 2006 and he quickly remarried and had three more children. In 2006, he was arrested for allegedly shooting a dog with an arrow.
When she won Survivor: The Amazon in 2003, Morasca became the youngest woman to ever win at age 21. She joined Survivor: All-Stars but left after nine days to be by her mom's side as she was battling cancer. Now, she works as a veterinary nurse and as an ER nurse at an emergency hospital.
Morasca dated Survivor vet Ethan Zohn from 2003 to 2013 and the pair competed on season 19 of The Amazing Race.
In 2018, she was arrested for possession of narcotics paraphernalia and DUI.
Known as one of the best, Diaz-Twine won the first two seasons she appeared on, Survivor: Pearl Islands and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains. She returned for Game Changers and was a mentor on Island of the Idols. She also competed on Winners at War and ultimately quit the show.
Diaz-Twine went on to compete on the Australian version of the reality series in January 2022 alongside her daughter Nina.
The Army vet lives in North Carolina with her husband and her two children.
Brkich won Survivor: All-Stars after previously competing on The Australian Outback. She went on to compete on season 40, Winners at War.
She married Rob Mariano, who proposed during the All-Stars finale, in 2005. The duo, who competed on The Amazing Race twice, share four daughters.
The firefighter returned for Heroes vs. Villains after winning season 10. He worked for the New York City fire department for 20 years and retired in 2005. He has one daughter.
The former Miss Teen USA won season 11 of Survivor and later returned for Winners at War. She now works as an on-air personality for KCSP in Kansas City, Kansas and runs a sports clothing label. She shares two sons with husband Casey Wiegmann.
The yoga instructor and musician, who performs under the name Odd Us, returned to Survivor during Blood vs. Water. He shares two children with wife Christy Petersen.
The season 13 winner went on to compete on Winners at War. The Yale alum has had many jobs over the years. In 2007, he worked as a CNN correspondent on a series exploring issues in the Asian American community. He later worked as a lecturer for the FBI, before landing a job working at the privacy department at Facebook. He currently works at Google in product management.
Kwon shares two children with wife Sophie Tan.
Following his Fiji win, the entrepreneur launched a creative management company and worked with many celebrities. He also established the Perthes Kids Foundation, a charity for children with Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease. In 2020, he cofounded the startup company The Smart Tire Company. He is also a father.
Herzog is best known for winning season 15 of Survivor. He briefly dated Survivor: Tocantins' Spencer Duhm before meeting Jess Hermansen, whom he married in November 2020. He currently makes and sells customized Funko Pop toys.
Ahallow won her second season of Survivor, Micronesia, in 2008. She returned for Heroes vs. Villains and Winners at War and briefly hosted Survivor Live for CBS and Around the World for Free.
In 2020, she coauthored a children's book titled Om the Otter. The reality star has one daughter with estranged husband John Fincher, whom she married in 2017. Shallow filed for divorce in August 2021 and requested a restraining order. She came out as queer in 2023 while confirming her relationship with comedian Mae Martin.
Shallow competed on season 2 of The Traitors in 2024. Later that year, it was announced she would be on season 2 of Deal or No Deal Island.
The former teacher won Survivor in 2008, becoming the oldest to win at age 57. He lives in Maine running the Maine Forest Yurts, a year-round campground he created with his wife and children. He also founded a nonprofit called the Durham Warriors Project and the Durham Warriors Survival Challenge.
The model earned the nickname "Fabio" during his time on season 20. Birza has had small film roles in A Dream Within A Dream and Burning Man: Metropolis. He also is the drummer for Space Funk Odyssey.
Best known as "Boston Rob," Mariano has appeared on six seasons of Survivor, winning season 22, Redemption Island. He has competed on The Amazing Race twice alongside his wife, Amber Mariano, a previous Survivor winner. The duo married in 2005 and have four daughters.
In 2022, Boston Rob joined the second season of Secret Celebrity Renovation as the show’s general contractor. He also competed on the inaugural season of Deal or No Deal Island in 2024, finishing in fourth place. Later that year, he was announced as one of the several Survivor alums casted on The Traitors season 3.
After winning South Pacific, Clarke returned for Winners at War. She completed med school and worked in TV producing and management consulting. Clarke married husband Robert Shady in 2019. The duo welcomed son Robinson in 2021 and daughter Teal in 2023.
The interior designer won season 24 and returned for Winners at War. She currently works at Kate Kingman Interiors and lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and three children. After Survivor, Spradlin went on to host the 2021 HGTV series Why the Heck Did I Buy This House?
Stapley also returned for Winners at War, many years after winning season 25. She works as a licensed mental health therapist and a certified sex therapist in Iowa, where she resides with husband Brad Stapley and their daughter.
Cochran won his second season of Survivor, Caramoan, in 2012. He went on to become a TV writer, working on CBS' The Millers and Kevin Can Wait as well as Paramount+’s Stark Trek: Lower Decks.
The Utah native has competed on four seasons of Survivor, winning Blood vs. Water, his third. He also appeared on Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars 2, where he proposed to now-wife Rachel Foulger in 2015. The duo share two children.
In 2022, Apostol competed on The Challenge USA, a CBS spinoff of the MTV competition series.
In addition to reality TV, Apostol has been playing competitive poker since 2016. He is also a professional pickleball player and podcast host.
Vlachos is the second person to win two seasons of Survivor. He first won season 28, Cagayan. While he didn't win his second season, Game Changers, he won season 40, Winners at War. Vlachos married Marissa Vlachos in 2012 and the pair have two children. He works in New Jersey as a police officer. Vlachos will return to reality TV in 2025 for The Traitors season 3.
After winning San Juan del Sur despite her sister being the first one eliminated, Natalie went on to compete on Winners at War, coming in second place. The crossfit trainer competed on The Challenge: Double Agents in 2021, but had to leave after learning she was pregnant. She suffered a pregnancy loss after returning home.
The Texas native has worked as a real estate agent ever since winning Worlds Apart. He also founded an online T-shirt company called Sweet T's Designs and is currently engaged to Big Brother alum Meg Maley.
The firefighter has been on Survivor three times — first competing with his wife, Val Collins, on San Juan del Sur before returning solo for Cambodia and becoming the Sole Survivor. He also appeared on Winners at War. He works for the Cambridge Fire Department in Massachusetts and has four children. Collins was announced as one of the four Survivor alums to compete on The Traitors season 3.
After the travel consultant won season 32, she went on to join Winners at War and came in third. Fitzgerald's reality TV career continued in 2021 when she joined season 37 of The Challenge in 2021. She later competed on The Challenge: Ride or Dies in 2022 and The Challenge: USA 2, The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion in 2023 and The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras in 2024.
Klein was crowned the season 33 winner in 2016 and competed on Winners at War. In 2017, he became the host of Taiwan: Off the Grid, a travel show based in San Francisco. Klein currently works as a reality TV casting coach. In January 2023, he got engaged to longtime girlfriend Kailey Maurer. The couple wed in May 2024.
Lacina won her second season of Survivor, Game Changers, in 2017, after first competing on Cagayan three years prior. She also returned for Winners at War. Lacina also went on to compete on — and ultimately win — CBS’ The Challenge USA in 2022. The police officer lives in Iowa with fiancé Wyatt Wardenburg and their son.
The Marine won season 35, Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, and returned for Winners at War. In 2022, he also competed on The Challenge USA. He now lives in Boise, Idaho, with wife Kelly Russell and their two children, and works in real estate.
After winning Ghost Island, Holland returned for Winners at War. After becoming a lawyer, Holland left his practice and founded Beve Unlimited, a furniture company. In 2020, he began the cohost of HGTV’s Hot Mess House. In 2023, Holland competed on the Amazon series The Goat. Holland will be part of the cast of the 2025 reboot of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
In May 2023, Holland welcomed son Wendell Carter with ex Chelsea Brooks.
The former public defender won season 37, David vs. Goliath, in 2018, and returned for Winners at War. He currently lives in Kentucky with wife Grisel Vilchez and worked at the Kentucky Commonwealth's Attorney Office. In 2022, Wilson was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives.
After winning Edge of Extinction, the South Carolina native shared his plans to move to Chicago with his wife, Katelyn Jermstad. He currently works for LGCY Nation. In 2023, Chris competed and won season 2 of The Challenge USA.
The elementary school teacher won season 39, Island of the Idols, in 2019. He returned to teach fourth grade on Long Island until returning to reality TV, joining the cast of The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies in 2021.
On the season 41 finale, Erika made history as the first Canadian to win Survivor. Additionally, she was the first woman to win in six seasons. She now hosts her own podcast, “Happy to See Me.” In 2023, Erika competed on the first season of the Canadian version of The Traitors.
The Canada native took home the trophy for season 42 of the reality series, which aired in spring 2022. She has since returned home and continued to inspire others by giving speeches to junior high school students in November 2022. In April 2024, Oketch tied the knot with Konner Howell.
The heart valve specialist won season 43 of Survivor in December 2022. Shortly after his win was announced, he revealed he would be donating the $1 million in prize money to veterans who need help. One year after his win, Gabler announced that his entire prize had been donated.
Arocho, a Puerto Rico-based salon owner, won Survivor season 44, which aired in May 2023. He defeated Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt and Carolyn Wiger 7-1-0 in a landslide jury vote.
The entrepreneur ultimately took home the prize over her showmance partner, Austin Li Coon, in a 5-3 vote during the season 45 finale. She cohosted the Survivor podcast “On Hire” with Probst while season 46 aired in 2024.
The hair salon owner beat fellow castaways Charlie Davis and Ben Katzman in a 5-3-0 vote during the May 2024 Survivor 46 finale. She and husband Jackson Petty welcomed their first child, son Beau, in September 2024.
Changing the way people view beauty pageants. Hit 2000 film Miss Congeniality follows FBI agent Gracie (Sandra Bullock) as she goes undercover at a beauty pageant in order to prove herself at work to her male counterparts (played by Benjamin Bratt and Ernie Hudson).
Since she’s been a tomboy her whole life, the head of the pageant, Kathy Morningside (Candice Bergen), enlists expert Victor Melling (Michael Caine) to get Gracie ready for competition through quite an intense makeover process. Throughout the movie, the cop forms unexpected friendships, romances and is shocked when she’s able to uncover the life-threatening events happening at the pageant.
In 2000, Ellen DeGeneres revealed in an interview that the rom-com was actually based on her.
“When I was getting ready to cohost the Emmys, the writer saw me [on TV] learning how to walk in a dress and heels,” she shared with Parade magazine at the time. “My stylist at the time — a man — was teaching me, and it was hilarious. The Miss Congeniality writer saw it and thought it was brilliant.”
Despite it being based on the TV host, Bullock also closely related to Grace, later admitting that doing the combat scenes — and she did many of her own stunts — were easier than the pageant scenes. Additionally, she told Entertainment Tonight that she tried to cut the swimsuit scene.
“That was a huge bone of contention for me. I was trying to get it written out so many times,” the Speed actress shared. ‘It’s in the script. We already shot it—outside in San Antonio.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see what the cast is up to today.
In addition to starring in the sequel five years later, Bullock appeared in many hit movies over the years, including Crash, Two Weeks Notice, The Proposal, The Blind Side and Gravity. She won an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Awards for her part in The Blind Side. The Virginia native was married to Jesse James from 2005 to 2010. Bullock moved on with partner Bryan Randall in 2015. The pair share two children via adoption. In August 2023, Randall died following a battle with ALS.
In addition to the two Miss Congeniality movies, Burns starred in Two Weeks Notice, Bewitched and Manchester by the Sea. Additionally, she starred in multiple TV shows including Twenty Good Years, Bored to Death and Blindspot. She is married to actor Ajay Naidu.
The Emmy nominee starred in Traffic, Catwoman, Snitch, Private Practice and Star. He also voiced characters in Despicable Me 2, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and CoCo. He shares two children with wife Talisa Soto.
The Star Trek star continued his successful acting career after the film, starring in the sequel, The Practice, Boston Legal, Breaking Ground and many other projects. He also recorded several spoken-word albums. In 2021, he flew into space aboard a Blue Origin sub-orbital capsule, becoming the oldest person to visit outer space.
He also recorded many spoken-word albums. He was married to Elizabeth Martin from 2001 to 2020.
The iconic actor went on to star in dozens of successful movies, including Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Inception, Interstellar and Tenet. The six-time Academy Award nominee has been married to Shakira Bakish since 1973 and they have one daughter. He also has a daughter from his first marriage to Patricia Haines.
The actress and model appeared in dozens of TV shows and movies — mostly comedies — after Miss Congeniality, including Sweet Home Alabama, View From the Top, Sex and the City and Let Them All Talk. She starred in 84 episodes of Boston Legal and reprised the title role in the Murphy Brown revival. She has been married to Marshall Rose since 2000. She has one daughter from her first marriage to Louis Malle, who died in 1995.
The Ghostbusters star appeared in the Miss Congeniality sequel, as well as Nobel Son, Lonely Street, You’re NotYou, the 2016 Ghostbusters remake and Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Hudson has appeared in dozens of TV shows including Desperate Housewives, The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Grace and Frankie. He has been married to Linda Kingsberg since 1985 and they have two sons. He’s also the dad to two sons from his first marriage to Jeannie Moore.
The Voice quickly became a success after it debuted on NBC in 2011, with Carson Daly as host and a group of successful coaches ready to find the next superstar.
Kicking off the first season, Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green and Adam Levine filled the coaches’ chairs, each bringing their different expertise to the table. Aguilera and Green left before season 4 and were temporarily replaced by Shakira and Usher. The original judges returned for their chairs in season 5 before leaving again in season 6.
Aguilera briefly appeared as a part-time adviser on season 7 and returned as a coach twice more — for seasons 8 and 10 — officially exiting in 2016. She later referred to the show as an “energy sucker” in her life.
“It became something that I didn’t feel was what I had signed up for in season 1. … You realize it’s not about music. It’s about making good TV moments and massaging a story,” she told Billboard magazine in 2018. “I didn’t get into this business to be a television show host and to be given all these [rules]. … Especially as a female: ‘You can’t wear this, can’t say that.’ I would find myself on that show desperately trying to express myself through clothing or makeup or hair. It was my only kind of outlet.”
Scroll through the gallery below for all the coaches through the years and why they left the show:
Status: Coached for seasons 1-23
Reason for exit: Shelton announced his plans to leave The Voice after more than a decade as a coach. “I’ve been wrestling with this for a while and I’ve decided that it’s time for me to step away from The Voice after season 23,” he wrote in an October 2022 statement. “This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me. It’s been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns and I want to thank everyone at The Voice from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew and catering people, you are the best.”
The country star’s final episode aired in May 2023.
Status: Coached for seasons 1-3, 5, 8 and 10
Reason for exit: Aguilera left for seasons 6 and 7 to spend time with her family. Following her permanent exit, the five-time Grammy winner told Billboard that she was "longing for freedom" after spending five years on the show. "[After filming,] I would just take everything off — the makeup, all of it — and would blast hip-hop, or Nirvana, ‘Creep,’ Slayer. Anything like that to get me out of that zone, that TV mode," she told the magazine in 2018.
Status: Coached for seasons 1-3 and 5
Reason for exit: Despite rumors that the Gnarls Barkley singer quit to avoid being fired, Green told Us Weekly in 2014 he left the show on good terms, simply because it "quickly became a job" more than anything else. "Very, very obligating, taxing and tiring," he shared with Us. "I still tip my hat to Adam and Blake and those guys who continuously do it, but I think I ran my course there just naturally."
Status: Coached for seasons 1-16, 27
Reason for exit: A source told Us exclusively in 2019 that leaving wasn't an easy decision. "Things have been very tense between the judges," the insider said in 2019. "It was his choice to go but no one was begging him to stay."
That same year, Levine told Ellen DeGeneres that he was happy to "be able to stop in this moment to spend time with my new young family and just have the greatest time ever."
The longtime coach returned to perform on the season 20 finale in May 2021. News broke three years later that Levine would be joining the cast of coaches for season 27.
Status: Coached for seasons 4 and 6
Reason for exit: In 2013, after her first season coaching, the "Hips Don't Lie" singer told Access Hollywood she was "really struggling with the fact that I had to leave my nest with my little baby." At the time, her son Milan was only 5 months old. After her second season on the show — and welcoming a second child — she decided again it was too tough to be away from her children.
Status: Coached for seasons 4 and 6
Reason for exit: The artist never spoke out about the reason for his exit but has said that he'd love to return if the opportunity arose.
Status: Coached for seasons 7, 9, 12, 17, 19, 22 and 24
Reason for exit: After four seasons off, the No Doubt singer returned for season 17, taking Levine's chair. She returned for seasons 19 and 22, the latter marking her first time in the red chairs since she married Shelton. Following a one-season hiatus, Stefani coached once again in season 24.
Status: Coached for seasons 7-10
Reason for exit: "Honestly, I have to work. I got so much work to do. It was so much fun and while I was doing it, helping other people was like a drug for me," he told the Today Show of why he was leaving in 2017. "I couldn't get enough of helping them, but I have work to do, music to make and so many records."
Status: Coached for seasons 11 and 13
Reason for exit: Ahead of season 14, Cyrus revealed she didn't have plans to return but added on The Howard Stern Show in 2017, "This is not my last season maybe forever!"
Status: Coached for seasons 11, 12 and 14
Reason for exit: Keys left the show to focus on recording her own music, explaining to Entertainment Tonight in 2018 that it was "time" for a new album.
Status: Coached for seasons 14-21 and 23
Reason for exit: In 2023, Clarkson opened up about wanting a “fresh start” in New York City — where her talk show is now based — after her divorce. “Full disclosure, I put on a smile a lot of those times because I was struggling a lot in my personal life,” she told USA Today. “I’ve learned a lot about what I’m capable of handling, and also what you should not handle. That was me saying ‘bye’ to The Voice and having this big move. I love that family, but I was like, ‘I’m struggling. I can’t smile anymore. I don’t feel like smiling.’”
Status: Coached for seasons 18 and 20
Reason for Exit: Though Jonas hasn’t offered a reason for leaving the show after season 20, it’s not the first time he’s decided to take a break. After replacing Gwen Stefani as a coach for season 18 of The Voice, the youngest Jonas Brothers member took a hiatus for season 19. Though he returned the next season, it was announced in March 2021 that Ariana Grande would take his spot for the 21st competition.
Status: Coached for season 21
Reason for exit: Grande was gearing up to film Jon Chu’s two-part Wicked movie musical opposite Cynthia Erivo when season 21 aired in 2021. “I mean, [the audition process] was really insane. It was a three-and-a-half-month period of time. … I was filming The Voice, so I was going from my vocal coach to my acting coach to doing the live shows,” she told Variety in 2024. “I was so nervous about my voice being in good shape because my audition was the next day. And I was on set doing The Voice, and I asked them to cut the air conditioning. They keep it really cold to keep the live audience awake. I had to sing opera the next day. I had to sing ‘No One Mourns the Wicked,’ and people started to notice. I was like, ‘It’s my fault.’”
Status: Coached (and won!) for the first time on season 23, returned for season 24
Reason for exit: Horan chose not to return for the 25th season due to his busy tour schedule promoting his third album, The Show.
Status: Coached for season 23, returned for season 25
Reason for exit: The Chicago native has not directly addressed why he spent time away from the competition series.
Blue Bloods premiered on CBS in September 2010, introducing the world to the Reagan family of cops — and fans had to say goodbye at the end of season 14.
Len Cariou leads the family on the show as the retired New York police commissioner, Henry Reagan; his son, Frank (Tom Selleck), plays the current PC; Frank’s son Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) plays a detective and his younger son Jamie (Will Estes) is a sergeant; Frank’s daughter, Erin (Bridget Moynahan). When the series began, Frank and his family were mourning the loss of his eldest son, Joe Reagan, whom is only featured in flashbacks.
Although the show began with many other stars — including Jennifer Esposito as Detective Jackie Curatola — the six actors above are the only ones that have been part of the show from the start to finish.
CBS announced in November 2023 that season 14 will be the show’s last. Viewers were treated to the first batch of episodes beginning in February 2024 with part two ending in December of that year.
Scroll through the gallery below to see the cast in season 1 and now:
Choosing to go against her family's police path, Moynahan plays ADA Erin Reagan. She shares one daughter with ex-husband Jack Boyle (Peter Hermann).
Esposito initially exited the show in 2012 after portraying Detective Jackie Curatola for three seasons. She returned for a cameo during season 13 and again during the first half of season 14.
Hawk stars as Abigail Baker, skilled detective and primary aide to Frank. She and Frank have a father-daughter style relationship, but she’s not afraid to call him out.
Clohessy portrays Sid Gormley, who began the series as Danny’s boss. During season 5, Sid was promoted to 1PP to be Frank’s special assistant and liaison for the rank and file.
Ray joined the cast in season 4 as Jamie’s partner Eddie Janko. The pair have a flirty coworker relationship for years before they start dating during season 8. The TV couple tie the knot during season 9.
Many Bachelor Nation couples struggle to stick together after the show, but the original Bachelorette, Trista Sutter, seems to have found her happily ever after with husband Ryan Sutter.
“I decided going in that I needed to give myself wholeheartedly to the experience in order for it to work,” Trista recalled to Us Weekly exclusively in 2020. “I still believe that for anybody who’s the lead, if a person is not willing to be vulnerable and willing to express themselves and be truly themselves without fear of criticism or skepticism or whatever, I don’t think it’ll work out.”
The then-physical therapist and the firefighter were always true to themselves. On the 2003 finale of the show, they got engaged, and one year later, they got married in a TV special. Trista and Ryan now share two children and continue to fight for their romance.
“We’ve had our bumps in the road, just like anyone else, but it’s really about staying focused on each other and dedicating time to each other,” Trista said on the Today show in 2015.
Scroll down for a full timeline of their love story:
After coming in second place on season 1 of The Bachelor, Trista was named the first Bachelorette. On night one, which aired in January 2003, she met Colorado firefighter Ryan. During week three of the show, he received the first one-on-one date.
On December 6, 2003, Ryan and Trista got married. The wedding was broadcast on ABC as a three-part special titled Trista & Ryan's Wedding. The couple were paid $1 million for the special, which filmed at The Lodge luxury resort in Rancho Mirage, California, and drew over 26 million viewers.
On December 14, 2013, Trista and Ryan celebrated their 10-year anniversary by renewing their vows with their children by their sides. The cameras rolled on their intimate Colorado ceremony and aired the following month as part of ABC's The Bachelor: Bachelor Love Stories.
The pair decided to return to reality TV for season 3 of Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars in 2014. “We’ve been asked a lot of times to do different shows and it just never felt right, but this one felt right," she told Parade at the time. "When they first contacted us, we were like, 'Oh, I don’t know, I don’t think so,’ but the more we talked to producers, the more we realized we wanted to be able to strengthen our marriage and to show people you don’t have to be unhappy to want to be happier, you can be in a really good place and want to be in a better place. I wanted to do that for us, but also show people that it’s not a bad thing to work on your marriage."
On the day after Thanksgiving in 2020, Trista revealed via Instagram that Ryan had been struggling for months with a mystery illness. While the doctors ruled out cancer, they are still trying to find a diagnosis. Ryan also shared via social media that he began feeling "flu-like" symptoms five months ago. "If anything, I feel worse," he said, noting that his symptoms include "almost paralyzing" fatigue, headaches, fevers, nausea, neck and throat swelling and more. “Most days I feel about 70 percent. Somedays I feel a bit better and somedays I can barely get out of bed,” he wrote via Instagram. “I don’t believe I have anything contagious as no one else in my family has been sick nor has anyone I have worked with or associated with been sick.”
Trista praised her husband's "bravery and resilience" as they celebrated their 17th anniversary amid his health battle. "More handsome today than he was on this day 17 years ago, but not only because I see him through the eyes of the mother of his children. Because he continually works to better himself...and us. Because he is the most humble, hard-working, generous, sincere, kind-hearted human with the biggest heart and even bigger muscles," the former Bachelorette star, 48, captioned a black-and-white photo of her husband on their wedding day. "Because his bravery and resilience is something I personally strive for. And that smile and those eyes. I mean...they pretty much slay me. Happy anniversary, Mr. Sutter and thank you for giving me the best years of my life.
In his own loving post, Ryan thanked his wife for being by his side, "Through good times and bad, sickness and health, blue skies and rain. You’ve stood by me through difficult times, supported me through change and sympathized with me through struggle. You’ve shown me grace and taught me gratitude. You challenge me and inspire me. You exemplify love and are a wonderful mother. You are my light, my reason and my hero. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me and the love of my life."
After battling a mystery illness for over a year, Ryan finally got a diagnosis. “My immune system was weakened through exposures to toxins and especially to mold,” he said during an episode of Trista's “Better Etc.” podcast. “I tested positive for Lyme disease. … It seems like something that I will always have. Now I know, and I can build back my immune system to fight it off.”
The reality star received additional diagnoses as well. “Epstein-Barr — I showed that virus, and this weakened immune system may have allowed that to come back in," he said. "On top of that, [coronavirus] … I tested positive for that. The major things now that we’re addressing are Lyme disease and mold toxicity.”
The original Bachelorette shared her support for her husband during the podcast, adding that listeners should consult their own doctors rather than take Ryan's diagnoses as medical advice. “It’s been hard," she said. "It’s a really difficult thing to see the person you love most in the world struggling. He’s a big, strong guy and to see him get emotional and feel hopeless — all I could really do is advocate for him, so that’s what I did.”
Ryan sparked concern for Trista’s well-being when he posted a cryptic Mother’s Day tribute, hinting that his wife was away from home for a brief period. He later clarified that she was physically fine and soothed any breakup rumors. Trista reunited with Ryan and their kids on May 25.
“For those concerned, I’m safe and sound, happy and healthy, in love and grateful. 🥰. For those who’d rather focus on being critical and searching way too hard for darkness, good luck with that. 🙃,” Trista wrote via Instagram. “An opportunity for perspective and personal growth presented itself and with the unconditional support of my family and friends, I chose myself and betterment, knowing that my stay-at-home-mom job and my kids end-of-the-school-year needs were in the best, most capable hands.”
Upon their reunion, Trista and Ryan treated Max and Blakesley to a beach vacation.
“They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. We found out it’s true. It also makes the heart more grateful, more sympathetic, more appreciative for what someone does for you, with you, alongside of you,” Ryan wrote in his own Instagram tribute. “It brings questions and wonder and worry and then answers and peace and celebration. It brought time for reflection, for projects, prayer and independence but mostly it brought joy at its conclusion. Real joy. And that’s really what it’s all about.”
Trista and Ryan reminded fans how strong their love is during a group getaway to Mexico. “Family vacations are my love language,” Trista captioned a video from the trip. “Magic happens when we get away together and disconnect from screens and the daily grind. ✨ I just wish we could do it more!”
Later that month, Trista gushed over her husband while celebrating Father’s Day. “Good days with the best dad. Truly,” she wrote via Instagram. “One to always bring the laughter, adventure, support, guidance, love, and fun. 💯 We love you @ryansutter and with you, these hours and seconds and minutes never go to waste.”
Ryan and Trista each marked 21 years of marriage to each other with sweet social media posts.
“I struggle to find new words to describe how much I love you or new ways to express how much you mean to me,” Ryan wrote via Instagram on December 6, alongside a black-and-white selfie of him and Trista.
He continued, “It’s difficult to explain but so easy to feel. You make it so easy to feel so good, so happy, so much joy and gratitude and peace within. Not much about life is easy anymore, not much except loving you…. And I do and I have and I will - for every second since I said I do…. #happyyanniversary mama. HIF. #love.”
Trista, for her part, shared a photo of the pair from their televised 2003 wedding. “It was Dec. 6, 2003 and I didn’t think I could be any happier,” she wrote via Instagram. “🤍 As I look back to that incredibly special day, I recognize that I was in fact, insanely happy. Definitely the happiest I had ever been.”
She concluded, “But throw a life woven together over 21 years with babies and fur babies, peaks and valleys, love and lots and lots of laughter — and I know a different happiness. A true, solid, faithful, happiness where I feel seen, known and deeply loved. I cherish them both. I cherish you, @ryansutter. Happy Anniversary, babe. HIF ❤️.”
It’s tough to win Big Brother without some sort of alliance — but it’s even more difficult if you’re one half of a showmance. However, that doesn’t stop competitors, time and time again, from pairing up while in the house.
“The secret no one knows about Big Brother — I think it’s really a marriage show,” host Julie Chen Moonves said during Entertainment Tonight‘s Big Brother 25th Anniversary Special in July 2023. “We’ve had more successful marriages than The Bachelorbecause when you are locked away from society, you bond, and you get to see every side of that person.”
Keep scrolling to see all the Big Brother showmances over the years and find out who’s still together
Status: Ongoing
Makensy and Matt had a close bond from the start and seemed headed for a showmance. However, their relationship ended before it began when Matt became the first boot of the season. Once outside the house — Makensy went on to place second, behind Chelsie Baham — the twosome continued getting to know each other. Less than two months after the BB26 finale, Matt and Makensy went Instagram official.
“In case the soft launches weren’t enough, here’s a hard launch☺️🫶🏼,” Makensy captioned a December 2024 photodump of the pair, including a snap of Matt kissing her on the cheek.
“My biggest blessing and worth every bit of the wait 🥹 Excited for the future we get to build together Makensy Jo 😘🤍,” Matt commented.
Status: Ongoing
Several Big Brother 26 houseguests had crushes on Tucker, including Kimo Apaka and Leah Peters, but he only had eyes for Rubina. After weeks of flirting and cuddling, Tucker and Rubina were seen kissing on the live feeds in August 2024. During the finale in October 2024, Tucker and Rubina said they wanted to continue dating.
Rubina took to Instagram in November 2024 to “confidently confirm” that what she and Tucker had “inside the BB house is, in fact, 100x better outside in the real world.”
Status: Done
Although Reilly and Matt were more of a flirtmance than a showmance during their short time together on Big Brother, Reilly proved that the duo had a strong connection when she penned Matt’s Head of Household letter two months after her eviction. She noted in the letter that the feelings between them were “mutual.”
Both Reilly and Matt expressed interest in pursuing their connection outside of the show. However, less than a month after the season finale, Reilly confirmed that she and Matt were not together.
“We are not dating right now. You know, he needs time. We talked about it. He needs time. He is doing his thing and I'm not gonna interfere,” she said via Instagram Live in November 2023. "I'll always be his friend, but right now he was pretty honest, and he said that it's not a good time for him. He's overwhelmed. He has a lot going on. So, I'm going to be there for support when he needs me. And that's that."
Status: Done
Jared and Blue sparked a flirty connection early in the season and fans quickly began to notice the pair alluding to their hookups on the live feeds.
When houseguests Izzy Gleicher and Jag Bains got the idea to prank another couple in the house who’d been flirting, America Lopez and Cory Wurtenberger, by giving them condoms. After that, they quickly realized that the condom stash had mysteriously disappeared. When Izzy and Jag told the house about the missing condoms, the live feed cameras hilariously zoomed in on Jared and Blue, who didn’t own up to any rendezvous.
Jared and Blue’s romance continued to heat up throughout the season until Jared was eliminated in September 2023, placing 11th. Blue lasted a bit longer in the game, finishing in 7th place.
After his eviction, Jared exclusively told Us there was a “high possibility” of him and Blue pursuing their romance outside of the show.
“We did our best to keep a very open and honest dialogue between each other, but at the end of the day, we’ve still got to see how we are outside of here, not inside of that pressure cooker of an environment,” he said. “But I think our personalities definitely click and I can see a future with her for sure.”
Blue, meanwhile, told Us after her October 2023 elimination: “I think there is a potential there. We just have to wait and see.”
Status: Ongoing
Although America and Cory’s dynamic started out as what some Big Brother fans might call a “fauxmance” or a “flirtmance,” their long conversations and cuddling soon transformed into something real. America revealed during a Diary Room confessional that she spent much of the Pressure Cooker competition thinking about Cory.
Many Big Brother fans began to root for the pair, giving them the couple name “AmeriCory.” The duo shared their first kiss in September 2023 and became a bonafide couple soon after.
America and Cory found themselves on the block next to each other in October 2023, and Cory was ultimately sent to the jury house. However, the pair didn’t have to wait long to reunite. One week later, America was the second houseguest voted out during the Double Eviction.
After their respective evictions, Cory and America both told Us they had high hopes for their relationship outside of the Big Brother house.
“I’m very optimistic about our future, and if it doesn’t work out, that’s OK,” said Cory. “But she’s incredible and I can’t go into our relationship [outside the game] being like, ‘Oh no, everything’s going to change.’ … Like, no, she’s great. I think it’ll work out.”
America echoed the sentiment one week later. “I know we’re going to be so solid,” she told Us. “I am so excited to see what we’re able to do outside of here. We made this list throughout the season of different things that we [are] going to do and watch and places we [are] going to go. So, more than anything, I’m just so ecstatic to see him again and to do all of these things together with him.”
As of July 2024, America and Cory are living together in Nashville.
“After two weeks apart, I was like, ‘This sucks. Let me move to Nashville,’” America exclusively told Us Weekly. “I moved here January 1 and I got my own apartment. He lived down the street at his dorm. We did that for like five months and then he moved in after last semester. We’ve been living together for three or four months.”
Status: Done
The twosome sparked a showmance the moment they met on the reality TV show. Kyle, however, caused a stir when he made racist remarks and seemingly called for all of the white contestants to band together in the house. He was sent home during the September 1, 2022, episode.
“I feel very disappointed with the comments Kyle made in the house and I need a lot of clarity on that,” Alyssa exclusively told Us following her own eviction later that month. “So I think getting out of the house – in jury – I can have some good conversations with Kyle. And then after that, I can have some conversations with my family and friends and see where we lie.”
Despite his controversial comments, Alyssa and Kyle fueled dating rumors in October 2022 when they posted photos together on a trip to Florida. While the twosome played coy about their relationship status in November 2022, they jetted off to London for the holidays as a couple.
After returning home from the European vacation, Kyle confirmed their split via social media. “With a heavy heart, Alyssa and I have decided to take some time apart,” he wrote in January 2023. “We want to assure you that this decision was made with a lot of love and consideration for each other’s mental health. We are still on good terms and will continue to support each other in all aspects of our lives and hope that you’ll do the same.”
Status: Done
After Taylor made history as the first Black woman to win the reality series, she exclusively told Us where she and former housemate Joseph stood romantically. “He’s literally the best support system ever. Everybody saw that in the game and getting it back is the best thing in the world,” she told Us in September 2022. “But I don’t wanna jump into a relationship, almost trauma-bonding with someone. I just wanna make sure that I have my head straight. He’s good. And then we can really work on exploring.”
The Michigan native added: “So, we’re having fun. We’re making sure we’re taking care of ourselves, but yeah, I’m not gonna let go of Joseph anytime soon.”
Joseph echoed Taylor’s sentiments, telling Us at the time, “We are truly just taking everything day by day. We do just naturally love and enjoy each other’s company. So we won’t allow any pressure or anything to force something.”
That November, the pair announced that they were officially dating. However, by the following April, they'd called it quits.
“Joseph and I have made the decision to love and support one another to love and support one another as best friends going forward,” Taylor wrote in an Instagram statement, which Joseph reposted. “We recognize what’s best for both of our futures at this time. This decision was made with lots of love, care and acknowledgment of how special our relationship is to the both of us.”
After the split, Us exclusively learned that distance had played a role in the split, with Joseph tied to his home state of Florida for personal and professional reasons and Taylor slowly realizing that she couldn't see herself living there.
Status: Done
While cameras were rolling during summer 2022, Taylor and Monte shared a steamy moment when they cuddled in his room. The couple, who kept their romance a secret from their fellow contestants, later faced some issues which led to a big fight. After the season finale, the pair didn't continue to pursue a relationship.
Status: Done
“Christian and I are just friends,” Alyssa told Us exclusively in November 2021. “We realized leaving the show that I have a career and he has to focus on his career, and we have barely any time to hang out with friends. So, having a relationship just isn’t something that we’re able to do.”
Christian added, “We just decided friends was probably a safer alternative for both of us, for now at least.”
Status: Dating
After the season wrapped, the pair exclusively revealed to Us Weekly that they were dating. “I think that we both really felt the chemistry once we got to jury house and could really connect with each other," she said in October 2021. "We would stay up late talking every single night and we just really developed a bond."
Status: Done
While Memphis and Christmas did not spark a showmance inside the Big Brother house, Us exclusively confirmed that they had begun dating nearly three months after filming wrapped.
“I knew around week six in the house that there was something about her I would not be able to ignore,” the businessman, who finished in second place during seasons 10 and 22, exclusively told Us in December 2020. “We both had to respectfully take care of situations we were in and needed some time. That time apart made me realize I couldn’t be without her.”
After getting engaged in June 2021, the twosome wed the following May. Memphis filed for divorce in March 2024 after less than two years of marriage.
Status: DoneNick and Kat became Big Brother's first-ever jurymance when the duo got flirty in the Jury House. Their connection was a surprise because Nick was still in a relationship with Bella. Kat, for her part, disliked Nick because he concocted a final six deal with Kat's alliance member, Cliff Hogg III. The alliance ultimately led to her eviction. Kat told Us Weekly that she had "preconceived opinions about [Nick's] gameplay" but she got to know him in the Jury House as "an incredible person and friend." She added that while they were flirty, there was “absolutely no hooking up happening" while they were in the Jury House. The couple split in April 2020 after an argument on Instagram Live.
Status: DoneThe therapist and the public health analyst instantly hit it off in the Big Brother house. Nick even proclaimed his love for her after less than a month. He shed a few tears when Bella was evicted but quickly moved on to sharing a bed and cuddling with Analyse. When he was evicted and sent to the Jury House, he started to get flirty with fellow juror Kat. Bella ended their relationship on Twitter while Nick was still in seclusion. “I understand firsthand how being in the BB house can cause houseguests to feel extremely close to each other,” she wrote at the time. “Unfortunately at this time, I can no longer support Nick and his actions. NO ONE deserves to feel second in a relationship.”
Status: DoneThe Big Brother winner and the digital marketing executive were involved before the live feed cameras turned on but their fling was short-lived. Jackson became turned off by Kat's emotional gameplay and decided to end their showmance for the sake of the $500,000 prize.
Status: DoneJackson moved on with the wine safari guide in a showmance that took them all the way to the final two. The pair turned their showmance into a real-life romance and continued to date after the show. They moved in together in January 2020, but split that June.
Status: DoneThe personal trainer and the soccer player began hooking up in the house and continued their relationship once the show ended. In November 2019, the pair revealed on Instagram that Janalyse was over. Analyse blamed the breakup on long-distance and she and Jack being “at two different stages in our lives right now."
Status: MarriedThe couple’s showmance started shortly after they entered the house, but they only spent 23 days together before Swaggy was evicted. Despite their brief romance, the day trader proposed to the flight attendant on the season finale after spending much of the summer with her family back home.
“I want you and only you,” he told her. “I don’t really know what my future holds, but I do know I want you in it.” Later that night, the newly engaged duo stayed mum on the aftershow, Off the Block With Ross and Marissa, when asked about pregnancy rumors, but Bayleigh did say, “We definitely want to have babies.” Two days later, the pair confirmed on YouTube that Bayleigh did get pregnant on the show, but she suffered a miscarriage in the jury house.
The couple revealed in a YouTube video posted in January 2020 that they secretly tied the knot almost one year earlier. The twosome welcomed daughter Alora in August 2022. They announced the birth of their second child, a son named Christopher Jordan Williams II, in January 2023.
Status: DoneThe lifeguard and the fitness model, who are both from Hilton Head, South Carolina, had chemistry from the very beginning, but it took a few weeks for their romance to begin. They finally shared a kiss and exchanged “I love yous” toward the end of the season. Tyler outed his low-key romance with Angela during his final statements to the jury on the finale, during which he finished in second place behind his Level Six alliance member Kaycee Clark. Tyler and Angela launched their ocean-inspired jewelry line Naut & Chain in 2019. Tyler returned for Big Brother: All-Stars in 2020, where he made it to the final six before his eviction. He later told Us that he regretted not bringing Angela into the game with him. The couple got engaged in January 2021.
In December 2022, Us broke the news that the duo called off their engagement after four years together.
Status: DoneThe substitute teacher and the college student had somewhat of a rocky start to their showmance. She even rolled away from him on the hammock in the backyard at one point. During another confrontation, a visibly frustrated Haleigh asked Fessy, “Is this how you act in real life?” But the pair managed to save their relationship once they were evicted from the game and spent time together in the jury house. “It’s the real deal,” Fessy proudly revealed on the finale, to which Haleigh replied, “It is indeed.” They dated for two years before splitting in July 2020.
Status: MarriedJess and Cody began seeing each other day one and quickly separated themselves from the rest of the house. While people liked Jess, no one got along with Cody, and he ruined both of their games. Regardless, he still won America’s Favorite Houseguest.
They later competed on The Amazing Race season 30. Jess and Cody married in October 2018 and welcomed their first daughter, Maverick, in March 2019. In May 2020, they announced they were expecting their second child. The couple welcomed their second daughter, Carter, in October 2020. Their third daughter, Atlas Ruby, was born in July 2022. They announced in July 2023 that they were expecting their fourth baby together. Daughter Gemma was born in December 2023.
Status: DoneThe pair flew under the radar in the Big Brother house, but were inseparable from the start. After filming wrapped, they continued dating but later split.
Status: DoneMark seemed way more into Elena than she was into him during their time in the house, but once the show wrapped, they began a real relationship. They split in February 2019, as Mark confirmed the following month on his podcast.
Status: Done
The duo sparked an unexpected showmance in the house in summer 2016. They continued to date after the show but called it quits shortly after the season ended. Negrotti came out as pansexual in July 2018 during an episode of The Challenge: Final Reckoning. The Venezuela native shared that she was in an exclusive relationship with another woman, whom she did not identify. Huling and Negrotti later got into a tense exchange about her sexuality. Negrotti told Us Weekly in February 2019 that he is “not the kind of person that I want to associate with at all.”
Status: MarriedDuring their Big Brother season, Nicole and Victor weren’t even in the same alliance. In fact, she had a showmance with Corey Brooks at the time. However, they began dating after the show and got engaged during a special appearance on season 20 in September 2018. They announced Nicole's first pregnancy in January 2021 and tied the knot in March 2021. They welcomed their first son, Arrow, in July 2021.
Status: Done“Zaulie” were one of the more controversial couples in the Big Brother house, as she sat by while he attacked other women, and he was caught talking badly about her on the live feeds. They continued dating for a few months after the show wrapped but eventually split.
Status: Done“Clelli” were attached right away during season 17, but neither lasted long on the show. She sobbed when he left, and she was sent home the following week. They never dated once outside the house.
Status: DoneAustin seemed way more into Liz than she was into him. It didn’t help that she and her twin sister, Julia Nolan, kept pretending to be each other, switching on him as part of the “Twin Twist” in the house. They dated a bit after the show ended but have since split.
Status: DoneFrankie and Zach flirted throughout the summer, but there was only one problem: Zach had never been with a guy before. Four years after their season ended, Zach came out as bisexual and revealed that he had hooked up with Frankie at the Broadway star’s sister Ariana Grande’s Halloween party shortly after the finale. “[Now] I’m out and super open-minded. I've explored new crevices of the Earth — no pun intended — and I’m comfortable with it. And it is what it is,” Zach exclusively told Us in December 2020.
Status: DoneHayden fell hard for Nicole, who called him one of the sweetest guys she’d ever met. They actually did date for a bit after the show before she left town to re-enter the following season.
Status: DoneDespite the fact that he talked about his ex a ton on the live feeds, Amanda and McRae were inseparable during their season. They briefly dated afterward, but did not last. In 2014, their break up got messy on social media, with Amanda slamming fans for getting involved in their relationship.
Status: MarriedDaniele returned for her second season and fell for Dominic. They became best friends and tied the knot in 2013. They welcomed daughters Tennessee and Lux in 2018 and 2021, respectively.
Status: MarriedOne of the most famous showmances is “Brenchel,” who couldn’t have been more opposite when they met on Big Brother 12. They returned during season 13 and she won the $500,000. They went on to compete in The Amazing Race seasons 20 and 24.
The pair tied the knot in 2012. They share two children: daughter Adora, born in 2016, and son Adler, born in 2020.
Status: MarriedJeff and Jordan are one of the most beloved couples in Big Brother history. Jordan won their season while Jeff won America’s Favorite Houseguest. The two, who later returned for season 13 and competed on season 16 of The Amazing Race, are now married with two sons, Lawson and Layton.
Status: Done
The pair developed a romantic connection in summer 2001 despite Dragoo having a boyfriend at the time. Kirby raised eyebrows when he convinced Dragoo that he had a rare form of cancer. However, the lie didn't keep the duo from dating outside the house for several months before their split. Kirby later married For Love or Money champ Erin Brodie in 2015. They welcomed their son, Cash, in 2010 and daughter, Scarlett, in 2012, before Kirby filed for divorce in 2021. Dragoo is also married and has two children.
Status: DoneBoogie was head over heels for Krista! During the live finale, he proposed to her and she said yes. However, it didn’t last, and she broke it off shortly after.
The reality show focused on the personal lives of then-high schoolers Stephen Colletti, Lauren Conrad, Kristin Cavallari, Lo Bosworth and more. Laguna Beach was originally set to be a high school drama but was not allowed to film inside the actual high school, meaning that it was completely shifted to focus on the cast’s home life.
Conrad led the first season as the narrator, as the main storyline focused on a love triangle she found herself in with Cavallari and Colletti. In season 2, Conrad went away to college, with Cavallari taking over as the narrator. When her season ended, a new group was introduced but fell flat without the series’ original cast.
Scroll through the gallery below for an update on where the cast is today:
After starring on The Hills, Conrad focused on her fashion career, launching fashion lines LC Lauren Conrad and Paper Crown. In 2020, Conrad launched her children’s brand, Little Co. Conrad’s nonprofit organization and shop The Little Market focuses on connecting wholesalers to artisans in underserved countries. Outside of fashion, the reality star has published nine books.
Conrad married William Tell in 2014. They share two children: sons Liam and Charlie, born in 2017 and 2019, respectively.
Cavallari appeared on The Hills and dabbled in acting and hosting after the reality show wrapped. She married Jay Cutler in 2013 and the pair welcomed three children: sons Camden and Jaxon and daughter Saylor. The couple starred on Very Cavallari before calling it quits in April 2020.
Cavallari currently runs her own business, fashion and lifestyle brand Uncommon James and has written multiple books, including 2020 cookbook True Comfort. In 2022, the Balancing in High Heels author reunited with Colletti to cohost their “Laguna Beach: Back to the Beach” podcast. She has since launched her own podcast, “Let’s Be Honest.”
She debuted her romance with TikTok star Mark Estes in February 2024, the pair were together for seven months before Us Weekly confirmed their September 2024 split.
Colletti focused on acting after Laguna Beach, landing a role in One Tree Hill from 2007 to 2012. He since starred in Lifetime Channel's Hometown Christmas. In 2018, he wrote, produced and costarred in Everyone is Doing Great with James Lafferty. The series was picked up by Hulu in 2021. He started cohosting the “Laguna Beach: Back to the Beach” podcast with Cavallari in 2022.
Colleti confirmed his romance with NASCAR reporter Alex Weaver in August 2022. The couple announced their engagement the following year.
Wahler went on to appear on The Hills after Laguna Beach ended, then took a break from reality TV to focus on himself and getting healthy and sober. He later appeared on The Hills: New Beginnings, which ran from 2019 to 2021.
In 2013, Wahler married Ashley Slack. The couple welcomed daughter Delilah in 2017 and son Wyatt in 2021. The couple announced in October 2024 that they are expecting baby No. 3.
Schmitz lives in Connecticut and works as a general manager for Accor, helping to design hotels. He got married to wife Isabell in 2016 and former costars Colletti, Phillips and Loren Polster served as groomsmen.
The former reality star shares son Nico with his wife, whom they welcomed in September 2018. The couple announced in October 2022 that they were expecting a baby girl. Their daughter, Leni, was born in March 2023.
Phillips achieved his dream of becoming a designer after going to New York for college. He worked for Vera Wang for years before working for Halpern in London. He launched Motion Illustrated, a collection of his own sketches, in November 2023. Phillips has been dating Kasumi since 2017.
Bosworth is the founder of Love Wellness, a line of personal care products for women. She also attended the French Culinary Institute and lives in New York.
Torriero works in digital marketing and is an actor. He is married with three kids, and they live in Nebraska.
“I’m loving my life,” the former MTV star exclusively told Us in November 2022, while reflecting on his marriage to Danielle Torriero and their son Bronson and daughter Hudson. The couple welcomed their third baby, son Tito, in June 2023.
Smith is the founder of Minnow Swimwear, a bathing suit line that recently teamed up with J.Crew. She lives in Laguna Beach with her husband and three children.
"Alex M" married Kyle Johnson in 2014. They share three sons. She is the cofounder of Mox, a consulting agency, and still lives in Orange County.
Reinhardt got married to Sean Brown in 2016 and they share three children. She owns her own bakery, Casey's Cupcakes, in Riverside, California. She won an episode of Cupcake Wars in 2011.
Cole is a photographer and a holistic nutritionist. She has three children and still lives in Orange County. She served as a bridesmaid in Murrell's 2014 wedding.
Underwood fell fast for Olympian Aly Raisman after being set up by a friend. “Aly was easy to talk to. She was open, funny, bright, honest, and inquisitive. She laughed easily and had a smile that I would’ve been happy to simply gaze at for the rest of the night, no further conversation necessary,” he wrote in his 2020 memoir, The First Time: Finding Myself and Looking for Love on Reality TV.
Two weeks after she told him she loved him, she ended the relationship over FaceTime.
After competing on Becca Kufrin’s season of The Bachelorette in 2018, Underwood went on to lead season 23 of The Bachelor the following year. He found love on the show with Cassie Randolph. They twosome had a very messy breakup when they called it quits in 2020.
Underwood came out as gay in 2021 and began dating his now-husband, Jordan C. Brown, that same year.
Scroll through the gallery below to look back at his dating history:
The Olympian was Underwood's first love, and he fell fast after they were set up by Andrew East in 2016. After one month of dating, he told her he loved her. He was heartbroken when she ended the relationship in 2017.
The twosome went to the ACM Awards in 2017 — but felt “no connection.”
“When we met the first time, I knew you were gay. Like, I knew it,” Chrisley said on an episode of her “Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley” podcast with Underwood in 2023. “It was the ACM Awards. … It was after Luke Kennard and I broke up. I was like, 'All right, screw this.' You know how it goes. You go through a breakup.”
Underwood joked: “When I say, ‘It’s not you, it’s me,’ I truly mean that. And obviously, I’ve proven that at this point.”
When Underwood started the casting process for The Bachelorette at the end of 2017, production asked him which women on the current season (season 22 of The Bachelor) he was interested in. He answered Kufrin, Booth and Lauren Burnham and eventually, began chatting with Booth via Instagram. They spent time texting and FaceTiming non-stop before finally meeting.
After he was chosen for The Bachelorette, Booth was his last call before his phone was taken and she told him, "If you don’t end up with her, I’ll see your ass in Paradise." Kufrin did not choose Underwood and he briefly reunited with Booth on season 5 of Bachelor in Paradise before they decided to go their separate ways.
Booth married Taylor Mock in November 2023 after welcoming their first child, son Tatum, in December 2022. Booth announced in August 2024 she’s pregnant with baby No. 2.
Underwood made his reality TV debut during Kufrin's season of The Bachelorette, which debuted in May 2018. He fell for her during filming but was ultimately sent home during week eight, coming in fourth. The pair remained friends following their split.
Kufrin married Thomas Jacobs in October 2023 after meeting on Bachelor in Paradise. The couple share son Benson.
The reality star fell hard for Randolph during his season of The Bachelor in 2018. After she chose to quit the show before the overnight dates, he sent home the remaining contestants and went to the speech pathologist's home and convinced her he wanted to be with her. They dated until May 2020. Although their breakup was amicable at first, she later accused him of placing a tracking device on her car and filed a restraining order against him in September 2020. He denied the allegations. In November, he revealed they settled the matter in private and she dropped the order.
Randolph moved on with musician Brighton Reinhardt in August 2020. The couple announced their engagement in November 2024.
In September 2021, Us confirmed that Underwood was dating Brown after they posted photos from a tropical getaway together. Three months later, Underwood made their relationship Instagram official in December 2021.
That same month, the couple bought a house in Sherman Oaks, California. In February 2022, the Bachelor Nation alum announced that he was engaged to Brown. In May 2023, the lovebirds tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in Napa Valley.
One year later, the pair announced they are expecting their first child together. Underwood and Brown welcomed their son, Bishop, in September 2024 via surrogate.
#HocusPocus2 arrives Fall 2022 on @DisneyPlus,” Midler confirmed via Instagram at the time.
