40+ Famous Gay Couples Who Broke Up That You May Not Have Even Known Dated
Perhaps we’ve forgotten about past LGBTQ couples such as Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi or Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka. That’s right, before Elton John and David Furnish or Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor, there were the queer couples who didn’t make it. Take a trip down memory lane with us as we recall some of the most famous gay couples who have broken up that you may have forgotten about.
Sarah Paulson and Cherry Jones
Sarah Paulson is currently dating Holland Taylor, a fellow actress. Before joining the power couple, Sarah Paulson dated actress Cherry Jones. As you may have noticed, Sarah Paulson has a thing for older women.
Sarah Paulson And Cherry Jones
This gay couple dated from 2004 to 2009 and then broke up amicably. Following her marriage to filmmaker Sophie Huber, Cherry Jones had a child. During the same year, Sarah Paulson started dating Holland Taylor.
Cara Delevingne and Michelle Rodriguez
Cara Delevingne, an English supermodel and actress, makes multiple appearances on this list. The gorgeous actress has been linked to a slew of hot celebrities. One of them was bisexual actress Michelle Rodriguez.
Cara Delevingne And Michelle Rodriguez
Their public dates drew a lot of media attention when they first started dating in 2014. This relationship ended, however, because Delevingne, who was 21 at the time, wanted to party while Rodriguez, who was 35 at the time, wanted to settle down.
Kristen Stewart and Stella Maxwell
One of the celebrities on this list is Kristen Stewart. Model Stella Maxwell also makes a few cameo appearances in the movie. These two were in a long-term relationship from 2016 to 2018, and then again in 2019. Kristen Stewart is bi, and Maxwell is queer.
Kristen Stewart And Stella Maxwell
While bringing up her personal preferences, Kristen Stewart has stated that being a member of the LGBTQ community has had an effect on her career. She admitted that she had been advised not to go out with a girlfriend in public.
Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson
There was a media frenzy when Lindsay Lohan started dating English DJ Samantha Ronson, as with most things she does. After dating for a few years, Lindsay Lohan and Ronson began co-hosting events.
Lindsay Lohan And Samantha Ronson
As Lohan has previously stated, she is not bisexual, and this relationship ended quickly. For his part, Ronson has been classified as bisexual by the news media. Later, the DJ admitted that the intense paparazzi attention had harmed their relationship.
Sara Gilbert and Linda Perry
Sara Gilbert and Linda Perry were married for a brief period of time, but many people are unaware of this fact. She began dating Linda Perry of the 4 Non-Blondes in 2011 after breaking up with a long-term partner.
Sara Gilbert And Linda Perry
This couple had recently married, and their son, Rhodes Emilio Gilbert, was due to be born a few years later. Four years later, Sara Gilbert and Linda Perry filed for legal separation.
Ellen DeGeneres and Anne Heche
One of the most famous gay couples in the world, Ellen DeGeneres dated before marrying Portia de Rossi. Honestly, it’s hard to believe. When Ellen first came out as a lesbian in 1997, she received a great deal of backlash. Her relationship with actress Anne Heche began in the same year.
Ellen DeGeneres And Anne Heche
Apparently, Anne and Ellen were in a three-year relationship before Anne decided to leave Ellen and marry one of DeGeneres’ comedy tour cameramen. Anne Heche, like Lindsay Lohan, has never been in a relationship with anyone else.
Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn Michaels
In 1993, Grammy and Oscar-winning singer Melissa Etheridge came out as a lesbian. Soon after, she married filmmaker Julie Cypher, with whom she had three children. He started dating Tammy Lynn Michaels a few years later after that relationship ended.
Melissa Etheridge And Tammy Lynn Michaels
Melissa and Tammy were married from 2002 to 2010. The couple’s twin sons are Johnnie Rose and Miller Steven. This gay couple split up before getting married, despite having a commitment ceremony in 2003.
Ruby Rose and Phoebe Dahl
After coming out as gay at the age of 12, Ruby Rose, a 12-year-old actress, says she is genderfluid. In 2014, she announced her engagement to Phoebe Dahl, a fashion designer. After only a year of planning, the couple decided to call off their wedding.
Ruby Rose And Phoebe Dahl
The granddaughter of Roald Dahl and Patricia Neal, an American actress, is Phoebe Dahl, an English designer. Since her split from Ruby Rose, she has been dating DJ and model Tatiana de Leon.
B.D. Wong and Richie Jackson
B.D. Wong, a Tony Award-winning actor, is now married to Richert John Frederickson Schnorr, but he was previously engaged to talent agent Richie Jackson. This gay couple had a long-term relationship that lasted from 1988 to 2004. Since their divorce, Jackson Foo Wong, the couple’s son, has been co-parented.
B.D. Wong And Richie Jackson
Since then, both B.D. Wong and Richie Jackson have remarried. Jordan Roth, a Broadway producer, married Richie Jackson, with whom he shares a son. When Wong and Jackson’s son, Jackson, were 15 years old, they both came out as gay.
Zachary Quinto and Miles McMillan
Zachary Quinto, a dashing actor, made his public debut in 2011. He started dating model Miles McMillan in 2013, and after a few years, the couple moved into their own Manhattan apartment — how chic! Of course, the celebrities had a home in Upstate New York.
Zachary Quinto And Miles McMillan
This relationship ended in the year 2019. Miles McMillan is dating interior designer Trace Lehnhoff, but Quinto hasn’t been seen with anyone new in quite some time. We’re confident he’ll find someone.
Teddy Geiger and Emily Hampshire
In 2017, American singer Teddy Geiger came out as trans. The star was engaged to Canadian actress Emily Hampshire, but their LGBTQ relationship did not work out. Despite having what appeared to be a very happy relationship on Instagram, these two called it quits just months after getting married.
Teddy Geiger And Emily Hampshire
She’s open to dating anyone, but she hasn’t had a public relationship with anyone yet. When it comes to Teddy Geiger, however, no one has ever seen him with anyone else.
Anderson Cooper and Benjamin Maisani
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper came out as gay in 2012. He is a Vanderbilt descendant. As a result of his efforts, he became the most prominent gay journalist on American television. A romance between Anderson Cooper and Benjamin Maisani, a French nightclub owner, was cut short in 2018.
Anderson Cooper And Benjamin Maisani
While Maisani has said he never wanted to be famous, the couple’s relationship has been kept private since 2014. Since Cooper’s son was born in 2020, Maisani has taken over as Cooper’s co-parent.
Gus Kenworthy and Matt Wilkas
Our next ill-fated (but very attractive) gay couple is Guy Kenworthy, a British actor and YouTuber, and American actor Matt Wilkas. Kenworthy, a professional skier, came out as gay in a 2015 ESPN interview. These two dated for three years between 2015 and 2019.
Gus Kenworthy And Matt Wilkas
Wilkas’ kissing of his then-boyfriend, which was broadcast live during the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, was a watershed moment for LGBTQ athletes. Since their breakup, neither of these dashing gentlemen have been linked to anyone else.
Tessa Thompson and Janelle Monáe
Some may have heard about actress Tessa Thompson’s relationships with director Taika Waititi, singer Rita Ora, and model Zac Stenmark after the release of some intriguing photos online. Prior to that, much speculation swirled around the star’s relationship with singer Janelle Monáe (as well as Lupita Nyong’o and Brie Larson).
Tessa Thompson And Janelle Monae
Neither of them ever admitted to being in a relationship, but they also didn’t try to hide it from anyone else. Thompson famously remarked about Monáe, saying, “We love each other deeply. We’re so close, we vibrate on the same frequency.”
Adam Lambert and Javi Costa Polo
Adam Lambert, a singer-songwriter, has been involved in LGBTQ activism throughout his career. For a long time, he was in a long-term relationship with Finnish television personality Sauli Koskinen, before dating model Javi Costa Polo briefly.
Adam Lambert And Javi Costa Polo
Costa Polo had to return to Spain, where he was born, so the cute couple’s relationship was short-lived. On Instagram, he wrote, “I will always have him and he will always have me. Sadly, I’m not a citizen of the United States.”
Ross Mathews and Salvador Camarena
Dr. Wellington Garcia is currently engaged to Ross Mathews, a TV personality and regular on reality shows. Previously, the openly gay actor was in a 10-year relationship with stylist Salvador Camarena.
Ross Mathews And Salvador Camarena
This gay couple was together from 2008 to 2018. According to Mathews, the breakup was amicable. He said, “As we go forward, each of us feels as if he has a cheerleader in our corner — a family member for life. We are happy. Thank you all for your well wishes and love.”
Sam Smith and Brandon Flynn
In 2014, multi-award-winning English singer and songwriter Sam Smith came out as gay. In 2017, the singer of “Stay With Me” came out as genderqueer, then non-binary. During an interview with Ellen DeGeneres that same year, he revealed that he was dating openly gay actor Brandon Flynn.
Sam Smith And Brandon Flynn
This well-known gay couple only lasted nine months together before calling it quits in 2018. After his breakup with his ex-girlfriend, Sam Smith, like many of us, deleted all of the photos he had taken with her.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Zachary Quinto
We’ve already looked at actor Zachary Quinto’s dating history, but did you know he dated actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson as well? Ferguson is now happily married to lawyer Justin Mikita, but it’s been rumored that he had a brief relationship with Quinto.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson And Zachary Quinto
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, for one, has denied the rumors. “Zachary Quinto and I never dated,” he explained, “but the report makes us happy because we love each other — as friends.” Well, whatever you say!
Megan Rapinoe and Sera Cahoone
Megan Rapinoe, a star soccer player from the United States, came out as a lesbian in college. She later came out again in public, this time revealing her long-term relationship with another soccer player. After that, the pro athlete was in a relationship with Sera Cahoone, a singer-songwriter.
Megan Rapinoe And Sera Cahoone
This couple was serious about each other and announced their engagement in 2015. By 2017, however, the couple had confirmed that their wedding plans had been put on hold. Rapinoe announced her relationship with Sue Bird, a fellow athlete, the same year.
Ashley Benson and Cara Delevingne
It’s time to catch up with Cara Delevingne, the model! We’ve seen the actress with Michele Rodriguez so far, but who else has she dated? From 2018 to 2020, the stunning actress was in a relationship with Ashley Benson of the United States.
Ashley Benson And Cara Delevingne
“It’s so nice to have someone in my life that supports me so much and loves me,” Delevingne said of their relationship. Ashely Benson has been dating American rapper G-Eazy since their breakup.
Heather Matarazzo and Carolyn Murphy
Heather Matazarro, an American actress, announced her engagement to musician Carolyn Murphy in 2008. However, it was reported several years later that the couple had called it quits. Unfortunately, this couple wanted to marry in California, but it wasn’t legal at the time.
Heather Matarazzo And Carolyn Murphy
To avoid California’s laws, the couple relocated to New York, but they tragically divorced before walking down the aisle. Heather Matarazzo has since married Heather Turman, a comedian and writer.
Antoni Porowski and Joey Krietemeyer
Antoni Porowski, a member of the Fab Five, might not have been on your dating radar for a while. Porowski and his co-star Jonathan Van Ness pretended to be dating for a while, posting romantic photos on their joint Instagram account. @jvntoni, on the other hand, turned out to be a prank. What a pity!
Antoni Porowski And Joey Krietemeyer
Antoni Porowski is currently dating businessman Kevin Harrington, but he previously dated Joey Krietemeyer. This was a seven-year relationship that ended in 2018.
T.R. Knight and Mark Cornelsen
When the wonderful George O’Malley, better known as actor T. R. Knight, came out publicly, he had some issues. The actor felt that his decision had a negative impact on his acting career and caused a rift with some of his coworkers.
T.R. Knight And Mark Cornelsen
T.R. Knight was in a committed relationship before he married ballet dancer Patrick B. Leahy. Knight was in a two-year relationship with Mark Cornelsen when he decided to adopt a child.
Portia de Rossi and Francesca Gregorini
Portia de Rossi had a love life before marrying Ellen DeGeneres, despite the fact that she is now best known for her famous wife. Between 2001 and 2004, the Australian-American actress dated Italian director Francesca Gregorini, though her family and coworkers were unaware of her lesbian status.
Portia De Rossi And Francesca Gregorini
Francesca Gregorini is the stepdaughter of Ringo Starr and the daughter of actress Barbara Bach. When de Rossi first met Ellen DeGeneres backstage at an awards show, the relationship fell apart.
Ellen DeGeneres and Alexandra Hedison
Ellen DeGeneres, a comedian, and actress, was dating photographer Alexandra Hedison at the time. Between 2000 and 2004, the couple was together until DeGeneres met her future wife.
Ellen DeGeneres And Alexandra Hedison
DeGeneres and de Rossi have been happily married for a long time, as we all know. In the meantime, Alexandra Hedison began dating actress Jodie Foster in 2013, and the two married after only a year together. Everyone involved in this lesbian love square appears to have come out on top in the end.
Lena Waithe and Alana Mayo
Although her ex-wife Alana Mayo had only dated men prior to their relationship, actress and screenwriter Lena Waithe is a lesbian. When asked about it, Waithe said, “I’m the first serious, adult relationship she’s ever had. I don’t think it’s about the fact that I’m a woman; it’s about the fact that she and I connect on a deep, human level.”
Lena Waithe And Alana Mayo
Unfortunately, Lena Waithe and Alana Mayo’s marriage only lasted two months due to circumstances beyond their control. The couple tied the knot in 2019, but they announced their separation by 2020.
Cara Delevingne and St. Vincent
Cara Delevingne’s relationship with American musician St. Vincent is perhaps her most well-known. The Grammy winner has stated that she has no gender identity and believes in “gender fluidity.” From 2014 to 2016, this stunning couple was together.
Cara Delevingne And St. Vincent
This couple lavished praise on each other throughout their relationship. “I’ll love her forever and ever,” St. Vincent said of Cara, calling her “one of the most naturally talented people I’ve ever met.”
Sharon Needles and Alaska
Now for a pair of drag queens who were doomed to fail. Aaron Coady’s stage name is Sharon Needles, and she dated fellow contestant Alaska, also known as Justin Honard, for four years. This couple split up in 2013, but have remained friends since then.
Sharon Needles And Alaska
These two queens formed a band called Haus of Haunt during their time together, and they now both have music careers. Despite the fact that the power couple did not maintain a romantic relationship, they remain supportive of one another.
Miley Cyrus and Kaitlynn Carter
Miley Cyrus, a teen idol turned rockstar, has had a colorful dating life. The singer has been seen with some seriously high-profile other halves, starting with Nick Jonas and then Liam Hemsworth. Miley traveled to Italy with Kaitlynn Carter after her divorce from then-husband Hemsworth.
Miley Cyrus And Kaitlynn Carter
“This was a profound journey of self-discovery,” Carter wrote in an article about the relationship. “For the first time, I listened to myself, forgot about the ‘norm,’ and lived.” This relationship was only a few months long.
Zachary Quinto and Jonathan Groff
And now he’s back! This time, we’re looking back at Zachary Quinto’s relationship with Jonathan Groff, an actor and Broadway star. Between 2010 and 2013, these two were a couple, but their relationship fizzled out.
Zachary Quinto And Jonathan Groff
In fact, after Cory Monteith’s death, Jonathan Groff flew to Los Angeles to console his close friend and co-star Lea Michele. Jonathan Groff has been dating choreographer Corey Baker since his split from Zachary Quinto.
Luke Evans and Jon Kortajarena
Luke Evans, a Welsh actor, and singer, is very private about his personal life. People frequently tell the actor that they can’t believe he’s gay, though he prefers not to discuss his personal life with the press. As a result, it’s unclear how long he was in a relationship with Spanish model Jon Kortajarena.
Luke Evans And Jon Kortajarena
There have even been rumors that this gay celebrity couple has rekindled their relationship. In 2019, the model shared and then deleted some Instagram stories featuring the couple together. Interesting!
Amandla Stenberg and King Princess
Amandla Stenberg, an actress and LGBTQ activist, identifies as non-binary. The actress, who came out as pansexual at one point, has since come out as gay. Stenberg dated Mikaela Mullaney Straus, also known as King Princess, in 2018.
Amandla Stenberg And King Princess
The couple was seen hanging out in recording studios, and King Princess is gay and genderqueer. This couple, however, did not last long, as they struggled to keep up with their hectic schedules. Since then, King Princess has been dating Whitney Wilson, Lizzo’s creative director.
Brad Walsh and Christian Siriano
Sadly, our next gay celebrity couple’s relationship did not last past the altar. For his remixes of songs by Britney Spears and Lady Gaga, among others, singer-producer Brad Walsh is well-known. After dating for over a decade, he got engaged to fashion designer Christian Siriano in 2016.
Brad Walsh And Christian Siriano
Unfortunately, just two years later, the producer announced that he and his husband, Siriano, had decided to call it quits. Christian Siriano has been dating Kyle Smith since then.
Miley Cyrus and Stella Maxwell
We’re back with Miley, this time to talk about her relationship with Stella Maxwell, a Belgian-born Northern Irish-New Zealand model. Stella was previously associated to actress Kristen Stewart, but she was previously linked to Miley Cyrus.
Miley Cyrus And Stella Maxwell
In 2015, Miley Cyrus and Victoria’s Secret model Stella Maxwell had a brief relationship. They met through a mutual friend, Cheyne Thomas, and hit it off, according to reports. Stella Maxwell, who has been linked to Lily-Rose Depp and Bella Hadid, identifies as queer and fluid.
Rosie O’Donnell and Kelli Carpenter
Rosie O’Donnell, an outspoken comedian, and TV personality, came out in public in 2002 at a charity comedy event. The actress has long been outspoken about her beliefs, especially when it comes to LGBTQ adoption. While she was still single, she adopted her first child.
Rosie O’Donnell And Kelli Carpenter
Rosie O’Donnell later met with Kelli Carpenter, a marketing executive. Carpenter also adopted her son after the couple married in 2004. This couple is the parents of four children. In 2009, Rosie O’Donnell divorced her husband. She remarried after that.
Ireland Baldwin and Angel Haze
Ireland Baldwin has always been in the spotlight as the daughter of actors Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin. In 2014, the model and actress dated rapper Angel Haze, who dedicated the song “Candlxs” to her then-girlfriend. When Baldwin’s cousin introduced them at New York Fashion Week, they hit it off.
Ireland Baldwin And Angel Haze
Angel Haze, aka Raykeea Raeen-Roes Wilson, is an agender musician from the United States. This relationship didn’t last long, and Baldwin checked herself into a treatment center for emotional abuse after calling it quits.
Ricky Martin and Carlos Gonzalez Abella
Ricky Martin is now happily married to Syrian-Swedish painter Jwan Yosef, and it’s difficult to imagine him with anyone else. In 2010, the celebrity came out publicly, revealing that he previously believed he was bi.
Ricky Martin And Carlos Gonzalez Abella
Ricky Martin was in a long-term relationship with economist Carlos Gonzalez Abella, which ended in 2014. Martin met Yosef two years later, and they married the following year. They now have four children, two of whom are Martin’s sons from before the relationship.
Kristen Stewart and Alicia Cargile
Kristen Stewart had an on-again, off-again relationship with visual effects producer Alicia Cargile before dating model Stella Maxwell. Stewart expressed his love for his girlfriend at the time, saying, “Right now, I’m just really in love with my girlfriend.”
Kristen Stewart And Alicia Cargile
Between 2014 and 2016, this couple was together for two years. Kristen Stewart seemed to enjoy this relationship because it was less publicized than her high-profile relationships with co-star Robert Pattinson and married director Rupert Sanders.
Ruby Rose and Jessica Origliasso
So far, we’ve learned that Ruby Rose, an Australian actress, is engaged to Phoebe Dahl, a fashion designer. After that relationship ended in 2015, the actress began dating fellow Australian Jessica Origliasso, one half of the musical duo The Veronicas.
Ruby Rose And Jessica Origliasso
Ruby Rose and Jessica Origliasso dated from 2008 to 2016, and then from 2016 to 2018. The Veronicas singer is an outspoken supporter of same-gender marriage and despises being classified based on her sexual orientation. Musicians Billy Corgan and Josh Katz have also dated Jessica Origliasso.
Jane Lynch and Lara Embry
Jane Lynch, an award-winning comedic actress, was in a long-term relationship with clinical psychologist Lara Embry. The couple met at a charity event and married the following year. Jane Lynch became the stepmother of Embry’s daughter, Haden, after they married.
Jane Lynch And Lara Embry
Unfortunately, the couple’s divorce was finalized in 2014. Lara Embry was said to have walked away with a large sum of money. “California is a half-and-half state, as it should be, so that’s fine,” Jane Lynch simply stated.
Cheyenne Jackson and Monte Lapka
Cheyenne Jackson, a Broadway star, and his relationship with physicist Monte Lapka are next on the list. This couple began dating in 2000 and married in New York City over a decade later. The couple announced the end of their marriage just two years later.
Cheyenne Jackson And Monte Lapka
Cheyenne Jackson has since moved on from actor Jason Landau. In fact, in 2014, he married for the second time. Jackson and Landau have twins, Ethan and Willow, who they share.
Angelina Jolie and Jenny Shimizu
We’re sure you forgot about it! Angelina Jolie, who is better known for her associations with Brad Pitt and Billy Bob Thornton, has dated a variety of men. Jenny Shimizu, a model and actress, dated the actress before she married British actor Jonny Lee Miller.
Angelina Jolie And Jenny Shimizu
Shimizu claims that they were in a long-term relationship that continued even after Angie began dating other people. Upon being asked about whether or not she was bisexual, Jolie replied, “Of course […] Absolutely! Yes!” She continued, “I would probably have married Jenny if I hadn’t married my husband.”
Maria Bello and Mariska Hargitay
Maria Bello, an American actress, and writer, has been on our screens for quite some time. When she fell in love with her ex-partner, Clare Munn, the actress revealed her sexual orientation. Prior to that, the star was rumored to have dated actress and director Mariska Hargitay.
Maria Bello And Mariska Hargitay
It’s unclear when these two started dating, but suffice it to say, it didn’t last. Maria Bello is engaged to French chef Dominique Crenn, and Mariska Hargitay married co-star Peter Hermann.
Troye Sivan and Jacob Bixenman
Troye Sivan, an Australian Youtuber, came out as gay on his channel in 2013. Years before that, the actor had revealed his sexual orientation to his family. Sivan began dating American model Jacob Bixenman in 2016. Jacob Bixenman can even be seen in the music video for Troye Sivan’s song “Heaven.”
Troye Sivan And Jacob Bixenman
This adorable couple had been together for four years when news of their breakup broke in 2020. These two returned to their respective home continents during the global quarantine.
Jillian Michaels and Heidi Rhoades
Finally, we look at Jillian Michaels, a personal trainer, and her doomed relationship with ex-fiancée Heidi Rhoades. They had two children together before calling it quits in 2018.
Jillian Michaels And Heidi Rhoades
Michaels has stated that her preferences are as follows: “”Let’s just say I believe in healthy love. If I fall in love with a woman, that’s awesome. If I fall in love with a man, that’s awesome. As long as you fall in love.” Deshanna Marie Minuto, a designer, is currently dating the TV personality.