25 Celebrity Marriages That Were Short and Sometimes Sweet
Couples typically make it to the seven-year mark before ending their marriage, but in Hollywood, that’s an eternity.
25 Celebrity Marriages That Were Short and Sometimes Sweet
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Once seen as a union of families and wealth, marriage is now a symbol of love and dedication. But even marriages that are entered into with the best intentions can end — in fact, a whopping 50 percent of all marriages in the U.S. lead to divorce.
On average, couples typically make it to the seven-year mark before going their separate ways, but in Hollywood, that’s an eternity. Instead, some celebrity couples chose to split before a year, month or even a week of wedded bliss had passed. These are 25 of Hollywood’s shortest-lasting celebrity marriages, listed from longest to shortest — a mere 55 hours.
Jeremy Renner and Sonni Pacheco
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Length of Marriage: 10 months
Jeremy Renner is known for his acting roles in films like “The Hurt Locker” and “The Avengers.” His ex-wife, Sonni Pacheco, is a Canadian actress and model. The two met on the set of "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol" in 2011.
What Happened
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Despite their short-lived wedded bliss, the couple dated for a few years, and share a daughter, Ava. According to divorce papers, irreconcilable differences led to the demise of the marriage.
The couple has made their way in and out of the headlines as they continue to work out custody agreements.
Jennifer Lopez and Cris Judd
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Length of Marriage: 8 months
Jennifer Lopez, aka J. Lo, can do it all. The award-winning actress, singer, dancer, fashion designer and businesswoman is an inspiration to many. Her former husband, Judd, who said it was love at first sight, was no different. After being engaged for just a month, the backup dancer and superstar wed on a mountaintop in September 2001.
What Happened
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Not even a year later, the couple called it quits. While Judd has spoken with members of the press about the stress the intense media focus had on their relationship, he said it ultimately didn't work out.
The pair went their separate ways, and each remarried. Despite both still working in Hollywood, Judd says their paths rarely cross.
Fred Armisen and Elisabeth Moss
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Length of Marriage: 8 months
Before she won Golden Globe and Emmy awards, Elisabeth Moss met funnyman Fred Armisen on the set of “Saturday Night Live” and was swept up in a whirlwind romance. The pair started dating shortly after that 2008 meet-cute and were engaged just three months later.
What Happened
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The two, who have a 16-year age difference, tied the knot a year after they met. But eight months later, Moss filed for divorce. While she didn't initially speak out about it, the actress said in 2014 that the relationship was "extremely traumatic and awful and horrible."
And even Armisen has admitted to being a bad boyfriend and husband in numerous interviews.
Renee Zellweger and Kenny Chesney
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Length of Marriage: 7.5 months
Actress Renee Zellweger and country singer Kenny Chesney were an unlikely couple. The duo met at the 2005 “Concert of Hope" tsunami aid telethon. They managed to keep their entanglement out of the press for months and wed shortly after during a small ceremony in the Virgin Islands.
What Happened
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Even though their entire relationship didn't make it a year, Chesney allegedly had a crush on the Oscar-winning actress for quite some time and wasn't shy about sharing his feelings for her in the press. Just four months after their wedding, Zellweger filed for an annulment.
The couple eventually released a statement that said, "the miscommunication of the objective of their marriage at the start is the only reason for this annulment. Renee and Kenny value and respect each other and are saddened that their different objectives prevent the success of this marriage."
Colin Farrell and Amelia Warner
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Length of Marriage: 6 months
Irish actor Colin Farrell said, "I do" in what we now know was a mostly symbolic marriage ceremony to British actress Amelia Warner. The couple started dating in 2000, and the following July, they were getting married on the island of Bora Bora.
What Happened
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He was just 25, and Warner was only 19 at the time of the marriage, which Farrell has described as "too fast, too young."
While the marriage only lasted a matter of months, Warner told media outlets many years later that she doesn't think the wedding was legally binding. "I think we've been too polite to deny it," she said. "It was just a thing we did on holiday."
Colton Haynes and Jeff Leatham
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Length of Marriage: 6 Months
“Arrow” star Colton Haynes and famous floral designer Jeff Leatham's romance was with celebrities from the beginning. Leatham's proposal even included a personalized video message from Cher. The couple tied the knot in Palm Springs, California, among their celebrity friends, including Kris Jenner, who officiated.
What Happened
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Hollywood reporters noticed trouble was brewing when Haynes deleted several photos of him and his beau from Instagram. Days later, he filed for divorce in May 2018. Their marriage lasted just six months.
The pair, who have a 17-year age difference, was speculated to have reunited around their first wedding anniversary due to Instagram posts from both celebrating the day. They haven't officially gotten back together, though.
Drew Barrymore and Tom Green
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Length of Marriage: 166 days
Drew Barrymore appears on this list twice, but the longer of her two short-lasting marriages was to comic Tom Green. "I want our kids to have someone to roll their eyes with when Mom and Dad are being totally lame and goofy," she told media outlets at the time.
What Happened
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Drew Barrymore arrives on the red carpet for the 24th Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, March 19, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)Sadly, their marriage in 2001 only lasted about five months. Green described the romance as a whirlwind.
He filed for divorce but always wished the actress well even in his statement at the time of the split. "Drew is a wonderful woman. I love her very much. I wish our marriage could have worked out. I wish her much happiness," he said.
Sophia Bush and Chad Michael Murray
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Length of Marriage: 163 days
Actors Sophia Bush and Chad Michael Murray will forever be known as Lucas and Brooke to superfans of “One Tree Hill.” The onscreen couple eventually became a real-life couple and married in April 2005.
What Happened
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While the marriage was short at just five months, their nuptials were still written about in glossy magazines more than a decade later.
Bush has said she was "a really naive kid" and felt pressured to marry her co-star. She was just 22, and Murray was only 23 when they tied the knot.
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Esposito
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Length of Marriage: 130 days
Before his much-talked-about “Shallow” performance with Lady Gaga at the 2019 Oscars, Bradley Cooper had a quiet romance with actress Jennifer Esposito. They kept their love affair out of the public eye until their engagement in 2006.
What Happened
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Bradley Cooper arrives at the world premiere of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at the Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)When Esposito was spotted shopping for a wedding dress, the stars were both reasonably unknown at the time. Before closing out the year, the pair tied the knot in the South of France on Dec. 21, 2006.
Just four months later, Esposito filed for divorce on May 1, citing irreconcilable differences. At the time, media reports suggested the pair had separated for "quite a while" before the filing was official.
Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock
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Length of Marriage: 122 days
Anderson takes the record for shortest marriages, appearing on this list not once, not twice but three times. She’s been married a total of five times, and her marriage to musician Kid Rock was her second. The musician and actress met at a "VH1 Divas" concert in 2001.
What Happened
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They were briefly engaged in 2002 before splitting up. When they got back together, they married on a yacht near Saint-Tropez, France, in 2006.
The actress filed for divorce about four months later. According to Sacha Baron Cohen, his movie "Borat" spurred the breakup. Cohen said Kid Rock didn't like Anderson's role in the film.
Aaliyah and R. Kelly
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Length of Marriage: 114 days
Before his sexual assault charges, the world of music brought R&B singers R. Kelly and Aaliyah together for a marriage that lasted 114 days. The late singer was his protégée, and the age difference should have been a red flag to everyone who knew the couple. He was 27 years old, and she was only 15 when they tied the knot.
What Happened
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Nearly three decades later, the 1994 wedding made headlines again when federal prosecutors in New York accused Kelly of bribing a public official in Illinois to create a fake I.D. to be used by Aaliyah for their wedding.
Aaliyah reportedly filed to have the marriage annulled and, a few years later, filed to have it expunged from her record.
Nicolas Cage and Lisa Marie Presley
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Length of Marriage: 108 days
Actor Nicolas Cage and singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley met at a party thrown by Ramones guitarist Johnny Ramone. They tied the knot on the big island of Hawaii at sunset in an intimate ceremony.
What Happened
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The two were married for 108 days (3.5 months) in 2002. This was his second of four marriages, but marrying the daughter of Elvis is likely the one that made the most headlines.
Despite the romance, the couple each had demands from their careers that drew them apart. Their split was amicable by Hollywood standards, and following their divorce, Presley was calling her former partner a friend.
Milla Jovovich and Shawn Andrew
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Length of Marriage: 2-3 months
“Resident Evil” star, model and musician Milica Jovovich married fellow actor Shawn Andrews for just a few months when she was only 16 years old to prove a point to her mother.
What Happened
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The model explained to reporters that she had been working and living as an adult for many years by that time, but her mother still refused her access to her funds.
"I was a big girl as far as I was concerned, and I wanted to establish myself as an adult, as I was working like one and being treated like one by everyone else. It wasn't about being in love, but when you're 16, you have to take three rights to make a left," she said.
The romance with her co-star from the film “Dazed and Confused” didn't last long, and the marriage was annulled.
Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries
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Length of Marriage: 72 days
Before making headlines with her current husband, Kanye West, and after her marriage to music producer Damon Thomas, reality-television star Kim Kardashian had a short marriage to Kris Humphries. The couple enjoyed wedded bliss for a little over two months, or 72 days to be exact.
What Happened
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Despite the short-lived romance, the couple had an expensive wedding, even by celebrity standards. Media reports estimated the cost of the wedding was around $10 million.
They tied the knot on Aug. 20, 2011, at a private estate, but the ceremony was featured on Kardashian's reality show. Some of the 450 guests in attendance included Demi Lovato, Serena Williams, and Scottie Pippen.
Lena Waithe and Alana Mayo
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Length of Marriage: 60 days
Movie studio executive Alana Mayo and actress, writer and producer Lena Waithe dated for three years before having an impromptu marriage ceremony. The couple was engaged when they drove past San Francisco City Hall, and Mayo suggested the couple say "I do" then and there.
What Happened
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Waithe agreed, and the pair had an intimate, low-key wedding at the California building that is famous for its role in LGBTQ history. But just two months later, the couple announced their split.
"After careful thought and consideration, we have decided to part ways," the couple told People. "We have nothing but support for one another and ask that you respect our privacy during this time."
Pamela Anderson and Rick Salomon
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Length of Marriage: 60 days
Some celebrities get married a few times, and some even marry the same person a few times. That was certainly the case for Pamela Anderson and poker player Rick Salomon, who wed for the first time in October 2007 after nearly two decades of friendship.
What Happened
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They got the marriage annulled just two months later — but it didn’t last.
They said "I do" again in January 2014, but even the second time wasn’t the charm. Anderson filed for divorce about six months later in July 2014. When asked if she would get married again, Anderson said, "I don't know. Who knows? It's the romantic notion. You never know!"
Drew Barrymore and Jeremy Thomas
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Length of Marriage: 30 days
Barrymore’s first and shortest marriage happened when she was 19, marrying British bartender Jeremy Thomas, 31, in 1994. The actress had been spending a lot of time partying at her beau's bar and ended up saying "I do" at 5:30 a.m. after a night of shenanigans.
What Happened
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"I realized my mistake on the day I married him," the actress told reporters.
Barrymore left to film a movie almost immediately following their wedding ceremony. Their relationship ended up not even surviving more than a month.
Axl Rose and Erin Everly
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Length of Marriage: 26 Days
Axl Rose has led the band Guns N' Roses since 1985, and like many rock bands of that time, his life often made headlines. His marriage to his longtime girlfriend (at the time) Erin Everly was no different. The couple tied the knot at the Cupid's Inn Chapel in Las Vegas in April 1990.
What Happened
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It was reported that Everly knew she wanted an annulment just two days after the couple wed, but they made it nearly a month before Rose filed for divorce. The couple reunited again but called it quits for good after 10 months.
The relationship was violent, and the abuse made many headlines at the time. "I always believed things would get better," Everly told reporters. "My life was taking care of Axl."
Sinead O'Connor and Barry Herridge
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Length of Marriage: 18 days
Irish musician Sinead O'Connor met Barry Herridge, a drug counselor, online after she penned a plea asking potential romantic partners to reach out to her. Herridge responded, and their romance began to blossom in 2011.
What Happened
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In December of that year, the couple had an intimate wedding ceremony at the famous Little White Chapel in Las Vegas. The couple technically tied the knot in a pink Cadillac at the chapel's drive-thru window.
But just 18 days later, the couple called it quits.
Ali Landry and Mario Lopez
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Length of Marriage: 14 days
Actress, model and Miss USA 1996 Ali Landry married actor Mario Lopez in 2004. Despite dating for six years, their marriage only lasted a few weeks.
What Happened
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At the time of their annulment, there were numerous rumors about Lopez cheating on Landry. The actress said she tapped her new husband's phone and, sadly, found evidence of his extramarital affairs quickly.
Lopez addressed the situation in his memoir, saying, "Once I took responsibility for my feelings, acknowledging how I had so mishandled my decisions, lightning hit me with the truth: I wasn't in love."
The couple went their separate ways, remarried and started their families.
Eddie Murphy and Tracey Edmonds
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Length of Marriage: 14 days
Actor Eddie Murphy and TV producer Tracey Edmonds began dating in fall 2006 and became engaged the following July. While the couple dated for quite some time, their marriage was quick. They tied the knot on a private Tahitian island on New Year's Day in 2008.
What Happened
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While the location was beautiful, guests told reporters it was apparent that there was tension during the wedding activities. Just two weeks after the ceremony, the couple told the press they were calling it off.
"While the recent symbolic union in Bora Bora was representative of our deep love, friendship and respect that we have for one another on a spiritual level, we have decided to remain friends," they said in a joint statement.
Pamela Anderson and Jon Peters
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Length of Marriage: 12 days
Anderson's latest marriage was also her shortest, coming in at just 12 days. The actress met the movie producer and former hairdresser in the 1980s at the Playboy mansion. Fast-forward three decades, and the pair tied the knot in a secret wedding in Malibu, California, in January 2020.
What Happened
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According to media reports, the couple had dated 30 years ago before rekindling their romance. Despite sharing happy images on social media, the pair had second thoughts nearly two weeks later.
They told reporters that they "decided to put off the formalization of our marriage certificate.”
Carmen Electra and Dennis Rodman
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Length of Marriage: 9 days
There's something about Las Vegas that makes people think, "We should get married — NOW," and celebrities are no different. Actress Carmen Electra and basketball player Dennis Rodman were yet another celebrity couple that felt the pull to say "I do" in Sin City.
What Happened
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During the 1997-98 NBA season, the former star of Baywatch started dating Rodman. After partying all night on Nov. 14, 1998, according to media reports at the time, the pair got married.
But just nine days later, Rodman filed for an annulment of the marriage, saying he wasn't of sound mind during the ceremony. The couple attempted to make their relationship work following the annulment filing but ultimately called it quits in April 1999 via divorce.
Nicolas Cage and Erika Koike
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Length of Marriage: 4 days
Another classic Vegas wedding story, Cage married Erika Koike in March 2019. The two had been dating for almost a year when they applied for a marriage license.
What Happened
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Just four days after the wedding, Cage filed for an annulment and requested for a divorce if an annulment was not available.
The actor claimed he was “too intoxicated” to understand his decision to marry the makeup artist.
Britney Spears and Jason Alexander
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Length of Marriage: 55 hours
In the shortest-lasting Hollywood marriage, the "Princess of Pop" married childhood friend Jason Alexander (not to be confused with the “Seinfeld” star) after a New Year's trip to Las Vegas in 2004. "She just came out and asked me," Alexander told ABC News. "She was like, 'Well, let's get married.' And I was like, 'Sure. You know, let's do this.'"
What Happened
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While the marriage came as a shock to the world, Alexander said his relationship with Spears was an on-again, off-again situation that they hid from the press. "I was in love with her. ... I feel like she felt the same way," he said.
Sadly, according to Alexander, when the singer's family and managers found out, they allegedly freaked out. The couple annulled their marriage, and shortly after, Alexander flew back to their home state of Louisiana alone.