I’m not sure I could ever be a celebrity, because having my personal business splashed all over the internet sounds like my worst nightmare — especially if it involved a cheating scandal. Imagine trying to process everything in private while the whole world is reading about your personal life, dissecting every detail, and making memes before you’ve even had a chance to collect your thoughts.
I genuinely can’t imagine opening Instagram only to see my personal life trending, but I guess that’s part of the territory when you’re a celebrity — here are 17 celebrity cheating scandals that were impossible to ignore when they happened, but have since faded from the conversation:
1.
When news broke that Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater were dating in 2023, the internet had a lot to say. Their relationship quickly became one of the year’s biggest celebrity controversies after reports surfaced that both had recently separated from their spouses and that the pair had met while filming Wicked.
Months later, Ariana addressed the public scrutiny in an interview with Vanity Fair, disappointed that people believed “the worst version of it” and adding that “there couldn’t be a less accurate depiction of a human being than the one that the tabloids spread.” While the headlines eventually died down, the relationship remains one of the most talked-about celebrity scandals of 2023.
2.
The fact that Jordyn and Kylie eventually found their way back to each other is honestly my favorite part of this story. In 2019, Tristan Thompson and Jordyn Woods became the center of a massive celebrity scandal after reports surfaced that the two had kissed at a party while Tristan was in a relationship with Khloé Kardashian. The controversy made headlines worldwide, in part because Jordyn was Kylie Jenner’s longtime best friend.
Hoping to tell her side of the story, Jordyn appeared on Red Table Talk, where she denied being the reason Khloé and Tristan’s relationship ended, saying, “I’m no homewrecker, and I would never try to hurt someone’s home.” The fallout played out on Keeping Up With the Kardashians and across social media, but years later, the scandal has largely been overshadowed by the many other headlines involving Tristan’s personal life.
3.
In 2017, Kevin Hart found himself at the center of a major controversy after reports surfaced that he had allegedly been involved with Montia Sabbag while married to his wife, Eniko Parrish.
After the story dominated entertainment headlines, Hart publicly apologized in an Instagram video, saying, “I made a bad error in judgement and I put myself in a bad environment where only bad things can happen, and they did.” He also apologized to his wife and children, adding, “I just simply have got to do better.” While the scandal was impossible to escape at the time, it has largely faded from the spotlight.
4.
Paparazzi photos of Kristen Stewart kissing Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders sent shockwaves through Hollywood in 2012. At the time, Stewart was dating her Twilight costar Robert Pattinson, while Sanders had been married to model Liberty Ross for nearly a decade.
Stewart later issued a public apology, saying, “I’m deeply sorry for the hurt and embarrassment I’ve caused to those close to me and everyone this has affected.” She also described the incident as “a momentary indiscretion” and added, “I love him, I love him, I’m so sorry.” Although Stewart and Pattinson briefly reconciled, they eventually split.
5.
What was supposed to be Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore’s sixth wedding anniversary ended up becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest celebrity scandals. In 2011, reports surfaced that Kutcher had allegedly spent the night with Sara Leal while he was still married to Moore, fueling months of headlines before the couple ultimately divorced.
In her 2019 memoir Inside Out, Moore reflected on the betrayal, writing, “Because we’d brought a third party into our relationship, Ashton said that blurred the lines and, to some extent, justified what he’d done.”
6.
Not many celebrity affairs end in a lasting marriage, but LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian’s did. The pair met while filming the Lifetime movie Northern Lights in 2009, when they were both married to other people. Their relationship ultimately led to the end of both marriages before they married each other in 2011.
Looking back on the controversy, Rimes admitted to ABC News, “I know I didn’t do it the right way,” while also acknowledging the pain the situation caused.
7.
Few celebrity relationships sparked as much backlash in the early 2000s as Billy Crudup and Claire Danes. The pair met while filming Stage Beauty and began dating after Crudup split from actress Mary-Louise Parker, who was seven months pregnant with their son.
Years later, Danes reflected on the relationship in an interview with Howard Stern, admitting, “It was really hard … I was just in love with him and needed to explore that and was 24. Didn’t quite know what those consequences might be.”
8.
One of Hollywood’s most surprising celebrity breakups involved Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale after reports surfaced that Rossdale had allegedly had an affair with the family’s nanny, Mindy Mann.
The allegations emerged in 2015 after nearly 13 years of marriage and quickly became one of the biggest entertainment stories of the year. Reflecting on that chapter of her life, Stefani told Harper’s Bazaar, “My dreams were shattered.” She also described feeling like she had been through “like six, seven, eight months of torture.”
9.
Tiger Woods’ 2009 cheating scandal became international news after reports revealed he had engaged in multiple extramarital affairs during his marriage to Elin Nordegren.
The fallout dominated headlines for months, led to the end of his marriage, and prompted Woods to step away from professional golf. During a televised public apology in 2010, Woods admitted, “I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated.” He also told the public, “I was wrong. I was foolish.”
10.
Jude Law and Sienna Miller relationship got a little rocky after a highly publicized cheating scandal in 2005. After reports emerged that Law had an affair with his children’s nanny, Daisy Wright, he issued a public statement saying, “I just want to say I am deeply ashamed that I have hurt Sienna and the people most close to us.”
He continued, “There is no defense for my actions which I sincerely regret. I ask that you respect our privacy.”
11.
David Boreanaz made headlines in 2010 after admitting to an affair while married to actress Jaime Bergman. The affair was rumoured to be with Rachel Uchitel, which she later denied. But then, the scandal drew even more attention because Uchitel had already been linked to Tiger Woods’ highly publicized cheating scandal earlier that year.
Boreanaz later acknowledged his actions. “Our marriage has been tainted with my infidelities,” he told People. “I just want to be open and honest. I was irresponsible.” Although the story generated plenty of buzz at the time, his movies and TV show projects take the spotlight now.
12.
Sandra Bullock’s 2010 Oscar season took an unexpected turn when multiple women came forward claiming they had affairs with her then-husband, Jesse James, including Michelle “Bombshell” McGee.
The revelations came just days after Bullock won the Academy Award for The Blind Side. James later issued a public apology, saying, “There is only one person to blame for this whole situation, and that is me.” He added, “This has caused my wife and children pain and embarrassment beyond comprehension.”
13.
Long before The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills turned Camille Grammer into a reality TV star, her split from Kelsey Grammer was already dominating entertainment headlines. The controversy began after Kelsey started a relationship with Kayte Walsh while he was still married to Camille, leading to a very public split that played out alongside the first season of RHOBH.
Addressing the backlash surrounding the beginning of their relationship, Kayte admitted, “I’m not proud of the way we started out,” adding, “Because he was in a marriage.”
14.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s marriage to Maria Shriver came to an end in 2011 after he revealed that he had fathered a child with the family’s longtime housekeeper, Mildred Baena, years earlier. The reveal came shortly after he left office as California governor and quickly became one of the biggest celebrity scandals of the year.
In a statement, Schwarzenegger addressed the fallout, saying, “There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused.” He also added, “I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry.”
15.
John Edwards and Rielle Hunter were at the center of one of the biggest controversies of the late 2000s. The former presidential candidate faced intense backlash after his affair with Hunter was revealed while he was married to Elizabeth Edwards, who was battling cancer at the time.
After initially denying reports, Edwards eventually admitted to the affair and released a public statement saying, “I made a serious error in judgment and conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core beliefs.” He also added, “I was and am ashamed of my conduct and choices.” The scandal had a lasting impact on Edwards’ political career and remains one of the most damaging controversies of his public life.
16.
In 1995, Hugh Grant was arrested after being caught with Divine Brown while he was dating actress Elizabeth Hurley, a scandal that dominated entertainment news.
Shortly after the incident, Grant appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where he addressed the controversy, saying, “I think you know in life, pretty much, what’s a good thing to do and what’s a bad thing, and I did a bad thing…and there you have it.”
17.
Reality TV fans watched Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott’s marriage unravel in real time after reports surfaced in 2013 that McDermott had been unfaithful with Emily Goodhand during a trip to Canada. The aftermath later played out on the couple’s reality series True Tori.
Reflecting on the affair, McDermott admitted, “My worst nightmare is what I did. Absolutely, I cheated on my wife.” He also said, “I wasn’t attracted to her. It was just like a warm body.”
Well…that was a lot to unpack. If there’s one thing I learned from putting this list together, it’s that the internet never forgets…until it suddenly does. Which of these celebrity cheating scandals completely slipped your mind? Let me know in the comments!
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