“It Broke What Was Left Of Me”: 12 Celeb Couples Who Somehow Managed To Survive Super Public Scandals — And 9 That Dramatically Imploded
I can’t believe I forgot about the public apology that came with number 12 — and they’re still together!
Unfortunately, relationship drama and cheating allegations are a tale as old as time. Though many have tried, there’s still no manual for how a person should navigate such situations. For some, it’s possible to push through infidelity and heartbreak, while for others, it’s a complete dealbreaker.
So, without judgment toward either side, here’s a roundup of some celebrity relationships that were destroyed by public scandals, versus others that managed to stick it out.
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### 1. MADE IT THROUGH: Beyoncé and Jay-Z
If the words “Becky with the good hair” mean anything to you, then you’ll know exactly where this is going.
In 2014, the celeb world was rocked by leaked security footage of Beyoncé’s sister, Solange, attacking her brother-in-law, Jay-Z, in an elevator at the Standard Hotel after the Met Gala. The clip sparked speculation that Solange was confronting Jay over cheating allegations.
The following week, the notoriously private Carters released a rare statement about “the unfortunate incident,” saying that “Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility” for what happened and “have moved forward.”
But the story didn’t end there. Two years later, in 2016, Beyoncé released *Lemonade*, a deeply personal album delving into emotional themes of infidelity, betrayal, and perhaps most crucially, forgiveness. *Lemonade* became a cultural moment.
The following year, Jay-Z confessed to “infidelity,” telling the New York Times Style:
> “Most people walk away, and the divorce rate is like 50 percent or something ’cause most people can’t see themselves. The hardest thing is seeing pain on someone’s face that you caused, and then have to deal with yourself.”
Amid the release of his album, *4:44*, he said that he and Bey used their musical outlets as a “therapy session” to seemingly help reconcile their marriage.
And they’re still together to this day, raising three children.
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### 2. BROKE UP: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver tied the knot in 1986, and during their marriage, Arnold engaged in an affair with a member of his household staff, which led to the birth of a baby in October 1997.
The baby boy, named Joseph, was born just a few days after Maria and Arnold also welcomed the youngest of their four children, Christopher, but the identity of Joseph’s father remained a secret for many years until the resemblance between him and Arnold eventually became too obvious to deny.
In his 2023 Netflix docuseries, Arnold recalled coming clean to Maria during a couples therapy session in 2011, when Joseph was about 13.
> “I thought my heart stopped. And then I told the truth: ‘Yes, Maria, Joseph is my son,’” he remembered, saying that his wife was “obviously crushed.”
The news went public in May 2011, and around the same time, Maria and Arnold announced their separation.
Recalling the end of their marriage in her 2025 memoir, Maria wrote that she was “consumed with grief and wracked with confusion, anger, fear, sadness, and anxiety.”
> “It broke my heart, it broke my spirit, it broke what was left of me,” she wrote. “I was unsure now of who I was, where I belonged. Honestly, it was brutal, and I was terrified.”
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### 3. MADE IT THROUGH: David and Victoria Beckham
David and Victoria Beckham became an instantly iconic couple when they began dating in 1997. About five years into their marriage, the seemingly perfect pair were rattled by highly publicized claims that David had an affair with a former assistant named Rebecca Loos in 2003.
Rebecca sold her story to the UK press in 2004, but despite the media frenzy of it all, Posh and Becks stayed together, and they’re still married to this day.
Notably, the alleged affair which David has denied became a topic of conversation again in 2023 with the release of the soccer icon’s acclaimed Netflix documentary, *Beckham*, in which he said:
> “I don’t know how we got through it, in all honesty.”
> “Victoria is everything to me. To see her hurt was incredibly difficult, but we’re fighters. And at that time, we needed to fight for each other ― we needed to fight for our family. And what we had was worth fighting for,” he recalled.
In the doc, Victoria also described the scandal as a “nightmare,” saying:
> “It was the most unhappy I have ever been in my entire life.”
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### 4. BROKE UP: Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren
Do any other elder Gen-Zers out there weirdly recall the Tiger Woods cheating scandal as a core childhood memory? Because this sure felt like a big deal.
It seemed like Tiger was at the top of his game in the 2000s, both personally and professionally. He married model Elin Nordegren in 2004, and they subsequently welcomed two children together.
However, the picture-perfect image of Tiger’s notoriously private personal life came tumbling down in 2009 when over a dozen women claimed to have had a relationship with him during his marriage to Elin.
In December that year, Tiger confessed to unspecified “transgressions” in his marriage, saying in a statement that he had “not been true to [his] values.” He also checked into a treatment facility for sex addiction.
Elin subsequently divorced him, memorably walking away from the split with a $100 million settlement.
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### 5. MADE IT THROUGH: Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo
Being that Adam was married to Behati Prinsloo and that the couple had just announced that they were expecting a third baby together, Sumner’s TikTok went viral very quickly.
Things only got messier when even more women came forward to claim that they too had exchanged flirty messages with the singer.
Before long, Adam issued a statement in which he denied having an affair but confessed to having “crossed the line.”
> “I used poor judgment in speaking with anyone other than my wife in ANY kind of flirtatious manner,” he wrote.
In the message, the singer said he and Behati would “get through it,” and that they seemingly did.
They welcomed their third child together four months later and remain married today.
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### 6. BROKE UP: Jude Law and Sienna Miller
Another messy 2000s cheating scandal.
Sienna Miller and Jude Law met on a movie set in 2003, began dating, and eventually got engaged on Christmas Day in 2004.
By July 2005, they were well on their way to becoming Hollywood’s next It couple until it was alleged that Jude was cheating on Sienna with his kids’ nanny. (He shares three children with his ex-wife, Sadie Frost.)
The nanny in question, a 26-year-old called Daisy Wright, opened up about her relationship with Jude in an exclusive interview with the *Sunday Mirror* and even publicized excerpts from her personal diary, in which she documented the affair in great detail.
At one point, she described him as “a masterful lover who made my whole body tingle.”
Before long, Jude confessed to the affair in a public apology.
> “I am deeply ashamed and upset that I’ve hurt Sienna and the people most close to us,” he said at the time. “I want to publicly apologize to Sienna and our respective families for the pain that I have caused.”
Unfortunately for Jude, his regret was not enough, and he and Sienna broke up.
She has since described it as “one of the most challenging moments” she’s ever experienced.
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### 7. MADE IT THROUGH: Kevin and Eniko Hart
In September 2017, Kevin Hart admitted to cheating on his then-pregnant wife, Eniko, after someone allegedly threatened to publicize a video of him and another woman.
> “I’m at a place in my life where I feel like I have a target on my back and I should make smart decisions, and recently I didn’t,” he said in an apology video posted to Instagram. “I made a bad error in judgment and put myself in an environment where only bad things can happen, and they did.”
Despite the public nature of the scandal, Kevin and Eniko stayed together and have both since discussed what they went through as a couple.
Notably, in 2020, Kevin called his wife the “strongest person in the world,” and recalled how she held him accountable for his actions.
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### 8. BROKE UP: Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix
The cheating scandal that was SO major, it got its own name.
“Scandoval” rocked the pop culture world in March 2023 when news broke that *Vanderpump Rules* star Tom Sandoval had cheated on his girlfriend of nine years, Ariana Madix, with their friend and fellow VPR castmate, Raquel Leviss.
When Ariana discovered evidence of the seven-month affair, she and Tom broke up.
Sources claimed that they’d been having problems for a while, but, unsurprisingly, his infidelity with their shared friend was the final straw.
The betrayal was so major that the news story broke out of the reality TV world and into the mainstream.
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### 9. MADE IT THROUGH: Geri and Christian Horner
If you’re a Formula 1 fan, you’ll know exactly what I’m about to discuss.
Former Spice Girls star Geri Halliwell is married to Christian Horner, who, until recently, was in charge of the highly successful Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team.
At the helm of Red Bull, Christian had great success, but in 2024, his reputation was tarnished by an alleged sexting scandal centered around accusations of “inappropriate behavior” made against him by a female colleague.
The accusations, which he vehemently denied, rattled the F1 paddock.
After initially being cleared of the charges following an internal investigation, a barrage of WhatsApp messages alleged to be between Christian and the female employee were leaked anonymously, sending the scandal into overdrive.
The validity of the texts was never verified, and Christian continued to deny any wrongdoing.
Through it all, Geri and Christian have maintained a united front, even making an appearance hand-in-hand days after the alleged messages were leaked online.
The alleged victim launched an appeal, and Christian was cleared for a second time; however, his career continued to struggle.
In July this year, he was sacked as the boss of Red Bull Racing (for reasons seemingly unrelated to the “inappropriate behavior” accusations), and in spite of it all, it seems he and Geri have stood firm in their marriage.
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### 10. BROKE UP: Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson
There’s a lot to be said for Tristan Thompson’s cheating, but what’s important to remember is that Khloé did eventually walk away from his messy antics.
Tristan was publicly exposed for cheating on Khloé in 2018 and again in 2019, and after both occasions, she wound up taking him back.
The whole paternity scandal played out in a devastatingly public way. Much to fans’ relief, Khloé left him for the last time. Phew.
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### 11. MADE IT THROUGH: Bill and Hillary Clinton
In 1998, it was uncovered that then-President Bill Clinton had engaged in a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky, a 22-year-old White House intern.
The scandal may have led to his impeachment, but not the end of his marriage to Hillary Clinton, who ultimately chose to forgive him.
As Bill initially denied the affair, Hillary stood by his side, but as the truth unraveled, she was forced to reckon with his “betrayal.”
In her 2003 memoir, she wrote:
> “I could hardly breathe. I was dumbfounded, heartbroken, and outraged that I’d believed him at all.”
Despite the pain, she committed to forgiveness, saying many years later that saving their marriage was the most “gutsy” thing she’s ever done.
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### 12. MADE IT THROUGH: Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel
JT is no stranger to controversy, and his marriage is no exception.
Though there have not been any confirmed cheating allegations against Justin, he was once photographed holding hands with his *Palmer* co-star, Alisha Wainwright, which prompted him to issue a public apology for his “strong lapse in judgment.”
Apologizing to his wife, Jessica, whom he married in 2012, Justin said he “drank way too much” and “should have known better.”
He emphasized that “nothing happened” between him and Alisha, but acknowledged that he’d put Jessica and their family “through such an embarrassing situation.”
> “This is not the example I want to set for my son. I am focused on being the best husband and father I can be,” he wrote.
The following year, he and Jessica welcomed another son, Phineas, and the couple is still together today.
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### 13. BROKE UP: Ariel and Ned Fulmer
Need I remind you of the Try Guys scandal?
In 2022, Ned Fulmer left the YouTube comedy group *The Try Guys* after he was accused of cheating on his wife, Ariel Fulmer, with a female colleague.
The whole thing totally blew up at the time, but for years after, it was unclear whether or not Ned and Ariel had actually broken up.
Fast forward to September 2025, and during his first post-scandal interview, Ned gave an update on his and Ariel’s marriage, describing it as “certainly stronger than it was before.”
This understandably gave fans the indication that they were still together; however, it soon became clear that this was not the case.
The same day Ned’s *People* interview dropped, TMZ published reports that he and Ariel were actually separated.
*People* later confirmed the split with a comment from Ned’s rep.
The following day, the exes appeared together on the first episode of Ned’s new podcast, *Rock Bottom*.
They clarified that they are not together romantically, but have managed to sustain a good coparenting relationship for the benefit of their children.
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### 14. MADE IT THROUGH: Dominic West and Catherine FitzGerald
Dominic West famously played a cheater in *The Crown*, but in 2020, he found himself embroiled in his own apparent infidelity scandal when photographs emerged of him kissing his *Pursuit of Love* co-star, Lily James.
Dominic has been married to Catherine FitzGerald since 2010, and in the steamy pics of him and Lily, it appeared he was not wearing his wedding ring.
Naturally, the PDA pics caused quite the frenzy.
However, Dominic and Catherine firmly shut down any speculation of a divorce, promptly telling the UK press at the time:
> “Our marriage is strong and we’re very much still together. Thank you.”
And, five years later, that seemingly remains true.
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### 15. BROKE UP: Ralph Fiennes and Francesca Annis
Though they were never married, Ralph Fiennes and Francesca Annis’s union was described as “one of the most stable relationships in showbusiness.”
Then, in 2006, a singer named Cornelia Crisan claimed to the *Daily Mail* that she’d been having an affair with Ralph for two years.
Before long, Francesca’s lawyer confirmed that she and Ralph had broken up after 11 years together.
To make matters more interesting, this wasn’t Ralph’s first brush with cheating allegations. His and Francesca’s relationship notably began in 1997 after he left his first wife, Alex Kingston, for her.
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### 16. MADE IT THROUGH: Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen
I know what you’re thinking: Aren’t these two divorced?
Well, yes. They are now.
But it’s worth remembering that Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen were able to overcome a pretty big public scandal that plagued the start of their romance in the 2000s.
Tom and Gisele met in December 2006 — the same month it was reported that he’d ended his three-year relationship with *Sex and the City* star, Bridget Moynahan.
Tom and Gisele went public with their romance in January 2007, and a month later, Bridget revealed that she was expecting Tom’s child.
To be clear, it doesn’t seem that any cheating went on here.
Still, in 2015, Gisele told *CBS This Morning* that Bridget’s pregnancy news was so challenging for her to grapple with that she even considered leaving Tom.
However, she stuck it out and soon embraced being a step-mom to baby Jack, who was born in August 2007.
Tom and Gisele tied the knot in 2009 and stayed together for over 13 years, during which time Gisele helped raise Jack as her “bonus child,” along with her two kids with Tom, born in 2009 and 2012.
The couple eventually divorced in 2022, but it’s fair to say that they overcame the scandal and came out stronger on the other side.
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### 17. BROKE UP: Eddie Cibrian and Brandi Glanville
My *Real Housewives* fans will certainly know what’s up with this one.
Back in 2002, Eddie Cibrian married Brandi Glanville, and in the years that followed, they welcomed two sons together.
In 2009, Eddie was working with LeAnn Rimes on the Lifetime movie *Northern Lights*, and the two hit it off, leading Brandi to suspect they were having an affair.
Before long, security footage of Eddie and LeAnn kissing at a restaurant confirmed as much.
In 2013, Brandi detailed the aftermath of Eddie’s affair with LeAnn, revealing that she slashed the tires of his Harley Davidson motorbikes.
> “That night when Eddie got home, I said, ‘I’m going to move into a hotel for a week, and you need to get out of this house,’” she recalled.
To make matters messier, LeAnn was also married at the time to Dean Sheremet.
She and Eddie both got divorced from their respective partners and married each other in 2011.
Fast forward to today, and they’re still together.
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### 18. MADE IT THROUGH: David Letterman and Regina Lasko
Now, this one is wild.
David Letterman and his wife, Regina Lasko, have been together since 1986. They tied the knot in 2009 after welcoming a son together in 2003.
However, a few months after they got married, David was forced to confess to having had sexual relationships with women who worked for him on *The Late Show.*
Speaking to the audience during a taping of the talk show in October 2009, David revealed that he was being blackmailed by someone who knew about his affairs and was threatening to take “all this terrible stuff he knows about my life and put it in a movie unless I give him some money.”
In his initial confession, David did not mention Regina.
However, while discussing the infidelities for a second time on-air, he apologized directly to his wife and said that he was committed to righting his wrongs—and that he seemingly did.
They’re still together to this day.
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### 19. BROKE UP: Sandra Bullock and Jesse James
Sandra Bullock and Jesse James got married in 2005.
In March 2010, they were in the process of trying to adopt a child when multiple women came forward with claims that they’d had affairs with Jesse.
After the accusations came to light, the TV host issued a statement in which he apologized to his wife, saying:
> “There is only one person to blame for this whole situation, and that is me. It’s because of my poor judgment that I deserve everything bad that is coming my way.”
At the time, he denied the “vast majority of the allegations,” but later admitted to cheating.
By April, Sandra had filed for divorce from Jesse.
And the silver lining in all this? She went on to adopt a child anyway.
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### 20. MADE IT THROUGH: Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley
Again, like Tom and Gisele, these two did eventually break up, but that’s not to say that their relationship didn’t withstand a pretty major scandal—and I’m sure you know the one I’m referring to.
In 1995, Hugh Grant was arrested for “lewd conduct” in a public place after receiving oral sex from a sex worker in a car on LA’s Sunset Strip.
What made the situation all the more shocking at the time was the fact that he’d been in a high-profile relationship with Elizabeth Hurley since 1987.
In a statement of regret addressing the arrest, Hugh acknowledged that his actions had “hurt” people he loved.
> “I am more sorry than I can ever possibly say,” he expressed.
The actor was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and attend an AIDS class.
Fortunately, his relationship with Elizabeth remained intact. They stayed together for another five years after this, which suggests that the sex scandal was probably not to blame for their eventual split in 2000.
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### 21. MADE IT THROUGH: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith
Let’s talk entanglements.
In 2020, Jada confirmed that she had a romantic relationship with singer August Alsina while she and Will were married.
This confession came after August’s claim that Will gave the relationship his “blessing,” which Jada denied—although she did say that she and Will were separated at the time.
Whether it constituted infidelity or not, the news was pretty major. It only got more confusing in 2023 when Jada revealed that she and Will had actually been living “completely separate lives” since 2016.
> “We were just exhausted with trying,” she said during an interview with Hoda Kotb. “I think we were both kind of just still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be.”
Between this and the “entanglement” with August, most people interpreted this as Will and Jada’s breakup announcement.
However, it soon became clear that an actual split was not on the cards for these two, no matter what.
> “We are working very hard at bringing our relationship together, back to a life partnership,” Jada told Hoda in a follow-up interview, explaining that she and Will are “really concentrating on healing the relationship.”
Well, it’s been two years, and by all accounts, these two still appear to be working at it.
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**OK, now for your take.**
Would you have stayed with your partner after any of these? Or would you have been out of there quicker than you can say “Tristan Thompson?” Let me know in the comments!
https://www.buzzfeed.com/ellendurney/celebrity-couples-who-survived-scandals-vs-broke-up
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