Calling it quits: Popular celebrity couples that broke up in 2023

From Britney and Sam to Shannen and Kurt, these breakups got everyone in the feels

LOS ANGELES:

Navigating the realm of celebrity relationships often involves highs and lows that captivate audiences worldwide. Amidst the glitz and glamour, the year has been marked by splits and breakups that have sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry.

From A-list couples to rising stars, the year has witnessed separations that sparked conversations, stirred emotions, and kept the gossip mills buzzing. These splits haven't just highlighted the complexities of love in the public eye but have also provided glimpses into the intricate dynamics of fame, relationships, and the challenges that accompany them.

Britney Spears and Sam Asghari separated in August after being married for 14 months. The couple met in 2016 on the set of Spears' Slumber Party music video, and wed in June 2022. The couple had previously been dating for five years after meeting on the set of her Slumber Party music video where Sam played the love interest. During the battle to end her conservatorship, Spears expressed her desire to marry and have children.

Although an engaged couple by 2021, Britney and Sam were not allowed to marry under the laws of her conservatorship that dictated all financial and personal decisions were to be taken by her conservators, one of whom was her father, Jamie Spears.

In what was a romance full of hardship, the couple is now set to divorce after what TMZ reports was a falling out over the pop superstar allegedly cheating on her husband. Having separated in July of 2023, the fitness mogul has now reportedly filed for an official divorce with a desire for spousal support and attorney fees.

Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth announced their decision to divorce in March, just days ahead of their twelfth anniversary. "We have some personal news to share...It is with a great deal of care and consideration that we have made the difficult decision to divorce," they shared on Instagram. "We have enjoyed so many wonderful years together and are moving forward with deep love, kindness and mutual respect for everything we have created together."

Christine Baumgartner filed for divorce from Kevin Costner in May after 18 years of marriage. The couple have three children together and Baumgartner became stepmom to Costner's children from previous relationships. The divorce was settled in September. Billie Eilish and Jesse Rutherford split in May after less than a year of dating.

Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello separated in July after seven years of marriage. “We have made the difficult decision to divorce,” read a shared statement from the couple. “As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect for our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives.”

Imagine Dragons singer Dan Reynolds and Aja Volkman filed for divorce in April after splitting last year. Married in 2011, the couple have four children together. "Navigating being in a public space while going through all of the things we have been through this year has been hard for both Dan and I," Volkman wrote on Instagram. "There is nothing to be said about the fairness of that because we both chose to be on a stage as our career path, so it certainly comes with the territory. However, I've never spoken about the details of our marriage or separation or divorce. I don't intend to."

Billy Porter and Adam Smith separated in July after six years of marriage. The couple wed in 2017 after first meeting in 2009. "We both grew up in households where who we are is labeled an 'abomination,'" Porter told PEOPLE magazine in 2017. "The thought of marriage, there was no context for it — there was no dreaming about it because there was no context to dream; it was unspoken and very clear that the sanctity of marriage was not for us. So to see that come around, to see that tide turned, it still takes my breath away. I'm still trying to find the words to describe it."

Elle Fanning and Max Minghella revealed in April they were no longer dating. Romance rumors first swirled around the couple in 2018 on the set of Teen Spirit. Brie Larson and Elijah Allan-Blitz revealed in March they were no longer dating. The couple had been together since July 2019. Rauw Alejandro and Rosalia broke off their engagement in July after three years together. The couple met in 2019 at the Latin Grammy Awards and began dating soon after.

Shannen Doherty filed for divorce from husband Kurt Iswarienko in May after 11 years of marriage. The actor, who has been been undergoing treatment for breast cancer the past few years, cited "irreconcilable differences" as a reason for the divorce. Noel Gallagher and Sara MacDonald revealed in January they are divorcing after 12 years of marriage. The former Oasis member met MacDonald at a club in Ibiza in 2000 and wed at a private ceremony in 2011.

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