Stars who were blamed for the end of picture-perfect Hollywood relationships

WHEN Hollywood’s favourite couples abruptly call it quits, the world unfortunately looks for someone to blame. These are the stars who were in the firing line.

Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt starred in Passengers in 2015.

IT’S the role no actor wants — the one right before a huge celebrity break-up that inevitably leads to thousands of fans looking for someone to blame.

And, whether the rumours are real or false, it doesn’t stop the wrath of fans and tabloids alike speculating who or what led to the split.

Here’s the stars who unwittingly became collateral damage from celebrity break-ups — purely because of a role they took.

PASSENGERS

The world is still recovering from Chris Pratt and Anna Faris’ separation announcement this week and, like most celebrity break-ups, the search has been on for someone to blame.

Jennifer Lawrence unfortunately became that exact person after Faris responded to cheating rumours between her then-husband and the actress in 2015 after they starred together in Passengers.

“[That] stung a little bit harder than I thought it would,” Faris told Us Weekly in August, 2015.

“I had always kind of believed that part of the rumours of celebrity couples were sort of true because they had never been part of my life. I was like, ‘Oh, maybe there’s a kernel of truth to that.’ It’s been a little devastating because for us, it’s like, ‘What the heck?’” the then-38-year-old actress said.

“This has been blindsiding to us. We have an incredible relationship. It has been weirdly stinging,” she added.

Anna Faris and Chris Pratt announced their separation this week. Picture: Rich Polk

Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence in Passengers.

ALLIED

Midway through the promotion tour for Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard’s 2017 movie Allied, Pitt’s marriage to Angelina Jolie — one of the most high profile in Hollywood — abruptly came to an end.

The French actress was immediately in the firing line following Jolie’s decision to file for divorce — a rumour Cotillard quickly shut down.

“This is going to be my first and only reaction to the whirlwind news that broke 24 hours ago and that I was swept up into. I am not used to commenting on things like this nor taking them seriously but as this situation is spiralling and affecting people I love, I have to speak up,” she began.

The actress went on to slam the rumours she was “the other woman”, instead revealing she was pregnant with her and her partner’s second child.

“Firstly, many years ago, I met the man of my life, father of our son and of the baby we are expecting. He is my love, my best friend, the only one that I need. Secondly to those who have indicated that I am devastated, I am very well thank you.”

Cotillard has been with partner French actor and director Guillaume Canet since 2007 and he also came to her defence on Instagram, slamming the “venal stupidity” of the rumours and urged people to stop “constantly coming out with s**t”.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie announced their divorce in February, 2017. Picture: Mark Ralston

The director of Allied called Marion Cotillard and Brad Pitt’s chemistry ‘electric’.

And while these two might be completely fake, there’s obviously precedent for the blaming, and here’s a few reasons why fans go into a frenzy if couples break up immediately after shooting a movie.

MR & MRS SMITH

If there’s one movie everyone knows as the one that ended a relationship, it’s Mr and Mrs Smith.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s on-screen chemistry seemed a little too realistic and Jennifer Aniston’s abrupt separation from Pitt the same year the movie was filmed seemed to confirm everyone’s suspicions.

Announcing their split in January 2005, the Hollywood golden couple finalised their divorce by October the same year. Three months later Jolie confirmed to PEOPLE she was pregnant with her and Pitt’s first child.

Pitt and Jolie have both confirmed they fell in love while making the 2005 movie with Jolie telling the New York Times, “not a lot of people get to see a movie where their parents fell in love”.

Sadly it’s all over now with Jolie filing for divorce in September 2016.

Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt in 2004. Picture: Kevin Winter

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Mr & Mrs Smith. Picture: Stephen Vaughn

VANILLA SKY

When people used to think of Hollywood golden couples, the top of the list was always Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.

But a month before filming wrapped on Cruise’s 2001 film Vanilla Sky, the actor filed for divorce from his wife, not long after they’d celebrated their 10 year wedding anniversary.

While the couple’s publicists eventually said the separation was mutual, blame fell on Cruise’s Vanilla Sky co-star Penelope Cruz.

The pair started dating not long after Vanilla Sky hit cinemas but, after three years together their relationship ran its course and they ended things in 2004.

Kidman and Cruz went on to star together in the 2009 movie Nine and have been good friends ever since.

Cruise filed for divorce immediately after his movie with Cruz.

Penelope Cruz with Tom Cruise in Vanilla Sky

PROOF OF LIFE

Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid were picture perfect for nine years — right up until the actress met Russell Crowe on the set of the 2000 movie Proof Of Life.

It was always rumoured in tabloids the couple had a brief affair during filming and Quaid and Ryan later divorced.

Ryan copped most of the heat for the end of their marriage. And in an interview with InStyle in 2008, the actress acknowledged the rumours and claimed her ex-husband had been unfaithful during their time together.

“It was a great story,” she told the publication. “But what wasn’t in the story was the reality of my marriage for nine years. Dennis was not faithful to me for a very long time, and that was very painful. I found out more about that after I was divorced.”

Talking about Crowe, she said: “I think he took a big hit. But Russell didn’t break up the marriage. He was definitely there at the end, but it wasn’t his fault. I was a mess. I hurt him too at the end. I couldn’t be in another long relationship, it wasn’t the time for that. So I got out.” “My time as a scarlet woman was really interesting. As painful as it was, it was also incredible liberating. Now I was utterly free. I didn’t have to care about what people thought.”

Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid in 1996. Picture: Chris Pizzello

Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan in Proof of Life.

DREAM HOUSE

Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig had been friends for years before starring in the 2011 movie Dream House but clearly acting as husband and wife on-screen led to something more.

Both stars of the movie left their respective partners almost immediately after filming ended with Craig ending his five-year engagement with producer Satsuki Mitchell and Weisz ending her nine-year relationship with director Darren Aronofsky.

Less than six months of dating, Craig and Weisz married in June, 2011 — a wedding that didn’t sit well with their former partners.

Mitchell’s father Christopher spoke to the Daily Mailweeks after the wedding, claiming his daughter was “absolutely bewildered” at their marriage.

“We heard about it like everyone else, by reading the newspapers. She doesn’t mention his name now and tells me off if I do,” he told the publication.

Weisz was also slated to star in Aronofsky’s biopic of Jackie Kennedy not long after Dream House but she was instead dropped from the movie and replaced by Natalie Portman who went on to score an Oscar nomination for her role.

Aronofsky has been dating Jennifer Lawrence since September, 2016 after they met on the set of Mother!

Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz in Dream House.

Originally published as Stars who were blamed for the end of picture-perfect Hollywood relationships