The famous Hollywood exes who act like they never existed

Tom Cruise has had some seriously high profile romantic ties, from Nicole Kidman to Penelope Cruz and Mimi Rogers, but his relationship with (and split from) Katie Holmes is one of the most famous.

The pair reportedly haven’t spoken to one another since they parted ways, not even to discuss daughter Suri of whom Katie has sole custody.

Sandra Bullock and Jesse James tied the knot in 2005, two years after they met at West Coast Choppers. While 2010 marked particular highs in Sandra’s career, including her first Oscar, it was also the year that her personal life took a hit. 

Days after a red carpet appearance together, an interview with a woman claiming to have carried out an affair with Jesse was published. Their marriage soon broke apart, but Sandra proved she was made of stern stuff, going on to adopt two children as a solo parent.

Sophia Bush and Chad Michael Murray were still in their early 20s when they tied the knot, and it seems – for this couple – the decision came a little too early in life. After meeting on the set of One Tree Hill in 2003, they wed in April 2005 and separated five months later. 

Sophia has admitted they were both reluctant to make the jump as they were so young and their lives were entwined personally and professionally. In 2021, she stated she wouldn’t discuss Chad any further, saying he’s “somebody who I don’t even know anymore”. 

Taylor Swift is well-known for taking her heartbreak into the studio, and the most famous example of this is surely the track that came in the wake of her split from John Mayer.

‘Dear John’ didn’t go down well with the ex in question, with Mayer telling Rolling Stone it was a “lousy thing for her to do”. He added: “Because I didn’t deserve it. I’m pretty good at taking accountability now, and I never did anything to deserve that.”

Not many celebrities have faced the level of scrutiny Britney Spears was subjected to, and she’s since taken back control of both her career and the publicity surrounding it. 

In 2022, she criticised Justin Timberlake for his role in her tumultuous day-to-day, suggesting he used her name to sell his debut album Justified in 2002. The post was subsequently deleted.

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert’s love story is worthy of a Hallmark special: the country music duo met while performing a duet and wed six years later in 2011.

Unfortunately, it’s not such a straightforward happy-ever-after, and the couple split in 2015. While there were rumours of cheating, both parties denied the claims. Now, it seems they’ve both moved on, leading completely different lives at a distance.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were once one of Hollywood’s most glamorous couples, forever leaving their mark on pop-culture as Brangelina. They share six children together, including three biological children. 

Since they registered their divorce in 2016, it seems most of the couple’s contact has come with lawyers in tow, with the pair only reaching a final divorce settlement in December 2024.