Can you date a friend’s ex and stay on good terms? These stars prove you can. From Old Hollywood legends (Elizabeth Taylor and Debbie Reynolds) to present-day girl squads (Taylor Swift, Ellie Goulding, and Selena Gomez), these celebrities show that you don’t have to sacrifice friendships for romance.
Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift — Taylor Lautner
Although Taylor Squared only dated for about three months according to Us Weekly, their relationship made it on the big screen in the rom-com hit, Valentine’s Day. Lautner and Swift ultimately broke up in December 2009.
Gomez and Lautner were also romantically linked in the same year, after they both filmed projects in Vancouver (Ramona and Beezus and The Twilight Saga: New Moon, respectively.) But things ended before they got too serious. Selena partly blamed the paparazzi constantly following them around. “People were getting a little crazy about us,” she told Seventeen.
Today, Gomez and Swift’s friendship stands strong. “I obviously love her so much and I want her to do what she does and she’s killing it,” Selena said of Taylor’s album, Reputation.
Nikki Reed and Nina Dobrev — Ian Somerhalder
Before marrying Reed in 2015, Somerhalder dated Dobrev, his Vampire Diaries costar for three years, before breaking up in 2013. Reed, a mutual friend of Somerhalder and Dobrev’s, became the target of backstabbing rumors in the years that followed.
But last February, Reed finally hit back at the media for building up a fake feud between her and Dobrev. She posted an Instagram photo with Somerhalder and Dobrev and wrote a lengthy caption that included: “So here’s to putting an end to all those fake stories of on set jealousy, betrayal, made-up-friendships lost & women hating women.”
Gwyneth Paltrow and Drew Barrymore — Luke Wilson
Paltrow and Wilson struck up a romance in 2001 after costarring in The Royal Tenenbaums. But prior to that relationship, Barrymore and Wilson dated for almost two years before splitting in 1999, Us Weekly reports. Years later, the actresses remain good friends. Paltrow even invited Barrymore to talk at the Goop summit in January, which Barrymore celebrated with a joint selfie.
Kate Beckinsale and Sarah Silverman — Michael Sheen
Beckinsale and Sheen were together for eight years and welcomed a child before breaking up in 2003. But when Sheen started dating Silverman in 2014, Beckinsale became friends with her, too. “I don’t know why everyone was so surprised. Sarah’s such a fantastic woman, I love her and Michael and I have gotten on for years now,” she told Stylist two years ago.
However, Silverman and Sheen parted ways in February of 2018. Beckinsale even sent her a hilariously awkward gift pre-split.
Elizabeth Taylor and Debbie Reynolds — Eddie Fisher
Reynolds and Taylor started out as good friends as they started their careers together, but later ended up starring in one of Old Hollywood’s biggest love triangles. Reynolds married singer Eddie Fisher in 1955 (and welcomed two children, Carrie and Todd), but he had an affair with Taylor after her husband, producer Mike Todd, died in a plane crash. Fisher went on to marry Liz in 1959, but they separated in 1964, after she had an affair with Cleopatra costar Richard Burton, whom she married soon after.
Reynolds eventually forgave Taylor, after they ran into each other on a ship to London after they’d remarried, according to The Hollywood Reporter. They even costarred in These Old Broads in 2001 and were in close contact before Taylor passed away in 2011.
Cameron Diaz and Kate Hudson — Alex Rodriguez and Justin Timberlake
The actresses appeared to strike up a feud after dating two of the same men. Their spat reportedly began in 2010 when Diaz started dating Alex Rodriguez, who previously dated Hudson. (They broke up in 2009.) However, a source told Us Weekly that Diaz only pursued the A-Rod romance to get back at Hudson for getting with her ex, Justin Timberlake, in 2007, shortly after they broke up.
But they appeared to make up at an Oscars party in 2012, where they “embraced each other warmly,” Us Weekly reported. They were seen at Nicole Richie’s birthday party in 2016, but more recently, they were also both at Gwyneth Paltrow’s engagement party over the weekend in LA.
Drew Barrymore and Kristen Wiig — Fabrizio Moretti
The SNL alum started dating The Strokes’ drummer Moretti in 2012, despite his romantic history with her good friend, Barrymore. (They dated for five years, from 2002 to 2007.) But the Santa Clarita Diet star was totally supportive of Wiig’s relationship with her ex. “It seems fitting that they would find each other. I was like, ‘Right, of course, that makes perfect sense,’” she told Allure in 2012. Wiig and Moretti eventually broke up in 2013.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston — Brad Pitt
Aniston and Pitt had started dating in 1998, were engaged by 1999, married in 2000, and split in 2005; years later, some fans are still waiting for a reunion. But before this fan-favorite romance kicked off, Paltrow previously dated the actor from 1994 to 1997, and was even engaged to him in 1996.
Jen had high praise for Paltrow’s style and personality in a 2014 interview with Allure: “I’ve known her a long time. That woman has got style to the moon and back. Chic, effortless, gorgeous. This sums us up. Look, I’m in a T-shirt, jeans, and 400-year-old shoes, and this one is just, like, to a T. She’s always been sweet to me.”
The actress was one of the many stars attending Paltrow’s engagement party (to Brad Falchuk) this weekend in LA.
Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox — Adam Duritz
Yes, the Friends costars shared a love interest off-screen. Aniston and Cox both dated Adam Duritz, lead singer of Counting Crows, in the ‘90s. Aniston and the musician were briefly seeing each other in 1995, and then he and Cox dated in 1997, according to PopSugar.
Gigi Hadid and Taylor Swift — Joe Jonas
Hadid is a well-known member of Swift’s #GirlSquad, so it seems having a common ex hasn’t gotten in the way of their friendship. Though the two haven’t been seen out together in recent months, the model reminded her followers that she and Swift are still on good terms when she wished her happy birthday in December, calling her “an incredible friend, a brilliant mind, a huge heart.”
There was plenty of time between both relationships and neither seemed to be too serious. After all, Jonas did break up with Swift over a 27-second phone call after they dated from July to October 2008. Years later, Gigi and Joe dated for a few months before breaking up in November 2015.
Cameron Diaz and Sienna Miller — Jude Law
Diaz was rumored to date her The Holiday costar in 2007 after reportedly being seen on a dinner date. But things were more serious between Law and Miller, who were engaged in 2004 but broke things off in 2006 after he reportedly had an affair with their nanny. They even reunited in 2009 but split in again in 2011, according to E!.
In 2007, after Miller and Law’s first breakup, the actress and Diaz were seen flashing smiles together at a Chanel event. Miller had flattering words for Diaz’s outfit years later. “[Cameron] looks so foxy with her black hair. She’s such a minx with those pins,” she told Allure in 2017.
Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz — P. Diddy
Years after dating J.Lo from 1999 to 2001, Diddy dated Diaz from 2008 to 2012. And though tabloids expected Lopez and Diaz to cat fight on the set of their film together, What to Expect When You’re Expecting (2012), the actresses directly shut down the gossip.
“They made [rumors] up about us on this movie,” Diaz said when she and Lopez appeared on Ellen in 2012. “The fact that we wouldn’t talk to each other and there were all these cat fights.” J. Lo added, “I was like, I haven’t even seen her yet… give us a chance to get in the room.”
And then, Lopez had a several year off-and-on relationship with Diaz’s former fling, A-Rod.
Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus — Nick Jonas
After Nick and Miley broke up in 2007, he and Selena dated for a few months the following year, sending fans to question whether Gomez and Cyrus were on bad terms. But Gomez clarified to W magazine in 2016, “We never feuded. We both liked the same guy when we were 16.”
Nearly 10 years after getting caught in a Disney love triangle, the two former teen stars seem to be on good terms. In November 2017, Cyrus wished Gomez good luck ahead of her AMAs performance with a sweet shoutout and throwback photos.
Niall Horan and Ed Sheeran — Ellie Goulding
Goulding has denied previously being in a relationship with Sheeran, especially after photos of them holding hands at the 2013 VMAs led to dating speculation. The singer promptly shut that down. But she has admitted to briefly dating former One Directioner Niall Horan in 2013.
There was a long-running fan theory that Sheeran’s song “Don’t” was about Goulding cheating on him with Horan, but the singer never publicly confirmed it. However, he had reportedly forgiven both parties—or whoever the song really is about—over the alleged incident. Sheeran and Horan were spotted partying together in Vegas in 2015. In 2017, the former 1D-er praised the Brit singer-songwriter over his hit, “Castle on a Hill.”
Nick Jonas and Justin Bieber — Selena Gomez
Whereas Jonas and Gomez dated briefly in 2008 (and still remain on friendly terms), Bieber and the actress/singer have been on and off since 2010. But the two teen heartthrobs seem to have kept in touch in spite of their common love interest. In 2016, Jonas posted an Instagram pic with Bieber, sending fans into a straight-up frenzy.
Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber — Hailey Baldwin
Bieber first heard about Mendes in 2015, as the latter was on the come-up of pop stardom, and since then, he’s given his fellow Canadian singer a lot of love on social media. There was an initial shoutout in 2015, then he promoted Mendes’ album Illuminate (and gushed over his voice) in 2016, and called him a “legend” on Instagram in 2017.
Mendes is now rumored to be dating model Hailey Baldwin (they’ve apparently gone Instagram official), who previously dated in Bieber in 2016. (Remember all of those vacation pics?)
Taylor Swift and Ellie Goulding — Calvin Harris
It’s still unconfirmed whether Goulding and Harris actually dated, but dating rumors circulated in 2013 and 2014 (especially after that PDA-filled “I Need Your Love” music video). But the British singer was actually the one who introduced Calvin and Taylor in 2015, thinking they’d make a great match.
Later that year, Swift and Harris were already dating by the time Swift’s “Bad Blood” music video premiered, which featured Goulding as a guest star along with countless other celebs. Goulding went on to make an appearance during Swift’s 1989 tour in 2016. The two just haven’t been seen together recently on social media or in public.
Nikki Reed and Ashley Greene — Ryan Phillippe
The Twilight costars have both been rumored to be linked with Phillippe in the past. In 2007, he and Reed turned heads when she was seen in the actor’s car (she was only 18 at the time). Years later, Phillippe and Greene sparked romance rumors in 2013, after they were seen out in Hollywood together.
Greene and Reed clearly didn’t let the shared romantic history affect their relationship. They reunited in 2017 at the Elle Women in Hollywood event, where they were seen hugging it out.
Emma Roberts and Diana Agron — Alex Pettyfer
Agron and Pettyfer ended things in 2011 after dating for less than a year (news of their separation arrived shortly after engagement rumors circulated), People reports. Years earlier, he met Emma Roberts on the set of Wild Child in 2007 and dated her for a year, according to Bustle. Pettyfer reportedly even got a tattoo of her initials.
They were last seen out together at a presentation for These Girls in NYC in 2013, where they appeared arm in arm on the red carpet. Two years prior, they were also seen hanging out at a Met Gala afterparty.
Nick Lachey and Nick Cannon — Kim Kardashian
Before becoming an uber-famous reality star (married to rap icon, Kanye West), Kim Kardashian had her share of boyfriends. They included Nick Lachey, who was linked to the TV star in 2006 (though he claims she used him “to get famous”), and Nick Cannon, who she dated from 2006-2007. (He says he ended things after she reportedly “lied” about her sex tape.)
Though it’s unclear if the guys are friends now, they looked pretty friendly together at a GM Style event in 2007 (pictured above), after they had both dated Kim.
