Celebrities love life: The triangular trap

The obsession with real life celebrity love triangles never seems to fade.

Whether it’s comic book characters Archie, Betty and Veronica or the eccentric vamp-human-wolf trio from Twilight, the audiences’ fascination with racy love triangles involving tears, catfights, dramatic makeups and breakups, never ends. A plethora of films and books have elevated this obsession to new heights spurring off reality shows like “Cheaters” where a hidden camera documents people suspected of cheating and a US-based game show “Love Triangle” hosted by Wendy Williams featuring people caught in a love triangle who need help choosing the right mate. But when the love triangle takes place in real life to our beloved celebrities, the intrigue of the public is inexhaustible.

We decided to countdown the top four celebrity love triangles that have continued to amuse and bemuse us.

No. 4: Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and Eddie Fisher

Taylor’s real life love triangle played out nothing less than a Greek tragedy. It started with crooner Fisher marrying actor Debbie Reynolds in 1955 but leaving Reynolds for rising star Taylor. However, soon after, Taylor who played Cleopatra had a scorching affair with her co-star Richard Burton who was Marc Antony in the film. Taylor was still married to Fisher when all this triangular trouble was brewing.

Fast forward: Taylor went on to marry other men; Fisher went back to his ex-wife Reynolds.

No. 3: Lady Diana, Prince Charles and ‘The Rottweiler’

Prince Charles always carried a torch for the married Camilla Parker-Bowles (don’t ask us why). On his mother’s insistence, he married the beautiful, yet unsuspecting Diana Spencer. However, none of this stopped him from pursuing Bowles whom Diana — after discovering the truth nicknamed — ‘The Rottweiler’.

Fast forward: Diana went on to a better place — heaven. Charles grew older and Parker-Bowles made her way into the royal family after Diana’s death

No. 2: Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie

This triangle never seems to lose its steam to this day. There they were the golden couple Aniston and Pitt in 2000. In came Jolie, pouting her way into Pitt’s heart during the shooting of Mr & Mrs Smith in 2005. Once Aniston discovered Pitt’s dirty laundry, she was visibly devastated but handled the public humiliation well. To this day, heartbreaker Pitt refuses to fess up to the fact that he had an affair with Jolie while married to Aniston.

Fast forward: Aniston has moved on with Justin Theroux, Jolie adopted a billion babies with Pitt but comparisons between the two lovely ladies continues till today.

No. 1: Jaya Bachchan, Rekha and Amitabh Bachchan

At Rishi Kapoor’s wedding, Rekha turned up wearing sindoor, mangalsutra and two rings on her fingers allegedly gifted to her by Bachchan. Despite the news of the affair flying around everywhere, Jaya was not one to howl in public. Instead, she invited Rekha for dinner and revealed that she wasn’t ever planning to leave Bachchan. Soon enough, juicy titbits like Jaya catching the couple at a hotel and slapping Rekha made for great tabloid fodder. Although the affair was never admitted, Jaya said that ‘Bachchan’s conscience will eventually straighten him out’. And it did, as soon after, Bachchan, under severe media and family pressure, decided to call quits on his affair.

Fast forward: Mr and Mrs Bachchan are busy cashing in on their larger than life public image. Whereas Rekha does fewer films and guards her private life like a hawk.

(With additional information from INDIATARGET.COM and GLAMOUR.COM)

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2011.