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The most iconic power couple the year you were born

Gabbi Shaw   

The most iconic power couple the year you were born
Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt.Vince Bucci/Getty Images
  • We picked the most iconic power couple from every year, starting with 1952.
  • Each couple was matched with the year they were at the peak of their powers — Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton when got married (the first time) or Britney and Justin when they rocked denim on denim.
  • Last year's most "powerful" power couple was J-Rod (Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez).

Power couples have been around since the dawn of time — Cleopatra and Mark Antony anyone? We've rounded up the best power couple from every year since 1952, whether it's a political dream team like the Obamas, or a short-lived but memorable pair like Paul Simon and Carrie Fisher.

These 68 couples were together through the highest points of their careers. Do you remember all of these duos?

1952: Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner

1952: Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner
Sinatra and Gardner.      Keystone/Getty Images

After getting married in 1951, singer Sinatra and actress Gardner enjoyed a huge amount of media attention. By '52, Gardner had begun getting bigger roles in movies, such as Kitty Collins in "The Killers" and Pandora Reynolds in "Pandora and the Flying Dutchman."

And her husband? He was well on his way to cementing his legacy as the greatest singer of the 20th century — though he was going through a bit of a rough patch when they married.

After 12 years of marriage, the couple divorced, but according to "Frank & Ava: In Love and War," they never really got over each other completely. According to the book, Sinatra called Gardner "the only woman I've ever been in love with in my whole life."

1953: Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe

1953: Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe
Monroe and DiMaggio.      AP

The baseball star and the starlet went on their first date in 1952 — and the media was hooked. After a whirlwind courtship lasting all of 1953, DiMaggio and Monroe were married in January 1954 at San Francisco City Hall.

Their marriage was fraught with drama — Monroe accused him of mental cruelty when she filed for divorce in October 1954 — but they remained friends after their break-up. After Monroe's death, DiMaggio sent flowers to her grave several times a week for two decades.

DiMaggio's last words, according to his lawyer Morris Engelberg, were "I'll finally get to see Marilyn."

1954: Mel Ferrer and Audrey Hepburn

1954: Mel Ferrer and Audrey Hepburn
Hepburn and Ferrer.      Ed Feingersh/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

In 1954, Hepburn was riding high off the critical acclaim from her performance in "Roman Holiday," and won a Tony for her performance in "Ondine," which also starred Ferrer. The two actors were married in September of that year after eight months of dating. They also starred in two movies together, "Mayerling" and "War and Peace."

Their son Sean was born in 1960, but their marriage was over by 1968.

1955: Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds

1955: Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds
Fisher and Reynolds with their daughter Carrie Fisher.      AP Photo

Fisher and Reynolds were married in 1955. Fisher was a bona-fide teen idol and hosting his own variety show called "Coke Time with Eddie Fisher," while Reynolds had become a movie star after her role in "Singin' in the Rain." Their daughter, Carrie, would go on to become a star in her own right — and one-half of a power couple herself.

Their romance was short-lived due to Fisher's infidelity with his best friend Mike Todd's widow: Elizabeth Taylor.

1956: Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly

1956: Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly
Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly.      Associated Press

Kelly, an Academy Award-winning actress ("The Country Girl," 1954) left Hollywood behind to become the Princess of Monaco in 1956, after a year-long courtship with Prince Rainier III that ended in "the wedding of the century." Kelly was just one of a few Americans who have married into royalty — she paved the way for a certain former Duchess of Sussex.

She remained married to Prince Rainier III until her untimely death in 1982. The couple shared three children.

1957: Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood

1957: Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood
Wagner and Wood.      AP Photo/Steve Wood

Wood had received three Oscar nominations before the age of 25, and Wagner had become a leading man in his own right in 1953. Wood had been nursing a crush on Wagner since she was 10 and he was 18 — she apparently saw him walking down a hall at 20th Century Fox and told her mother, "I'm going to marry him."

The two married a year after their first date in December 1957 (she was 19), and were continually hounded by the media. Wood remembered that they road-tripped across the country, and radio stations would announce their arrival in small towns throughout the US.

They got divorced in 1962, but reunited 10 years later, eventually marrying each other once more. However, their story has a tragic end: Wood drowned in 1981 under suspicious circumstances.

1958: James Hill and Rita Hayworth

1958: James Hill and Rita Hayworth

Hayworth, an American actress and dancer, was literally known as "The Love Goddess," so it comes as no surprise that her personal relationships were always under scrutiny. Her fifth and final marriage was in 1958 to Hill, a prominent film producer.

They went on to get divorced in 1961, but stayed on good terms throughout their lives. Hill wrote "Rita Hayworth: A Memoir" in 1983. He told the Los Angeles Times, "She had always been ... nifty with me, but I hadn't always been nifty with her. So I wrote this book for her."

1959: Eddie Fisher and Liz Taylor

1959: Eddie Fisher and Liz Taylor
Fisher and Taylor.      AP Images

After Taylor's husband Mike Todd died, she sought comfort in the arms of his best friend: Eddie Fisher. Unfortunately, he was still married to Debbie Reynolds. The two carried on a secret affair until Reynolds found out and the couple divorced.

Fisher and Taylor married that same year, in 1959, and while public opinion was not in their favor, they were a hugely popular fixture in the tabloids.

Their marriage was over by 1964, when Taylor left Fisher to marry her third husband, Welsh actor Richard Burton.

1960: Warren Beatty and Joan Collins

1960: Warren Beatty and Joan Collins
Beatty and Collins.      AP Images

The two actors met in 1959, and dated throughout the early '60s, at one point even getting engaged.

They eventually broke up due to Beatty's rumored infidelities, but they also spoke highly of each other. In her autobiography, "Passion for Life," Collins wrote that they "were actually very compatible," but called him a "rebound." She also wrote that they ran into each other at a premiere, where Beatty told Collins' husband that he still loved Collins.

1961: John and Jackie Kennedy

1961: John and Jackie Kennedy
Jackie and John F. Kennedy.      AP

President Kennedy was inaugurated in January 1961, beginning an era called Camelot. The marriage between the president and his stylish first lady is still revered four decades later, and they're commonly cited as one of the greatest political couples of all time — even though their relationship wasn't without scandals thanks to rumored infidelities.

Camelot, and their marriage, came to a tragic end when the president was assassinated in 1963.

1962: Jason Robards and Lauren Bacall

1962: Jason Robards and Lauren Bacall
Bacall and Robards and their son Sam.      William Lovelace/Express/Getty Images

Their 1961 marriage was actress Bacall's second and actor Robards' third. But what made the news was the birth of their son, Sam, in 1962. It seemed that Bacall was moving on from the tragic death of her husband Humphrey Bogart in 1957.

Eventually, they got divorced in 1969, with Bacall explaining, "It didn't work. We were a mismatch. That's all. Simple."

1963: Elliot Gould and Barbra Streisand

1963: Elliot Gould and Barbra Streisand
Streisand and Gould.      AP Images

The musical legend and actor were married in 1963, a month after her debut album was released, and a year after her first Tony nomination for her role in "I Can Get It for You Wholesale," which Gould also starred in. They met during the audition process — Gould called her "beyond brilliant — so amazing."

Their son Jason was born in 1966, and they got divorced in 1971.

1964: Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor

1964: Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor
Taylor and Burton.      William Lovelace/Getty Images

After Taylor divorced Eddie Fisher, she immediately married Burton in 1964. They had starred in "Cleopatra" together the year before, with Taylor in the titular role, and Burton as Marc Antony — another legendary couple.

They went on to star in 11 movies together. They divorced in 1974, remarried in 1975, and divorced again in 1976.

1965: Sonny and Cher

1965: Sonny and Cher
Cher and Sonny.      S O'Meara/Getty Images

Sonny and Cher's first and most well-known hit was released in 1965: "I Got You Babe." They went on to become one of the most famous musical duos of all time, recording five albums together. The pair had one child.

But the couple couldn't make it work. They separated in 1974 while filming their hit variety show, "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour." The show was canceled amid the drama, but it was revived in 1976, with the two as friends. It was canceled again in 1977 — but Sonny and Cher live on forever.

1966: Cary Grant and Dyan Cannon

1966: Cary Grant and Dyan Cannon
Grant and Cannon.      AP Images

By 1966, Grant was already a legend, having starred in "The Philadelphia Story," "His Girl Friday," and "Arsenic and Old Lace." He married Cannon, his fourth wife, in 1965. She gave birth to their daughter Jennifer (Grant's only child) the next year.

Cannon was a successful actress in her own right. She appeared on many TV shows throughout the '60s, including "Hawaiian Eye" and "Bat Masterson."

Cannon and Grant were divorced by 1968, but Grant called his daughter "his best production." Cannon wrote in her autobiography that Grant was "one of the most special people I've known in my life."

1967: Elvis and Priscilla Presley

1967: Elvis and Priscilla Presley
Priscilla and Elvis.      Keystone/Getty Images)

Anyone who married Elvis would have immediately been catapulted to fame. He was a sex symbol, and the most eligible bachelor of the time. Naturally, the media was obsessed with his and Priscilla's relationship: The two even had a press conference directly after their 1967 wedding. Priscilla was 22 at the time, though she had known the singer since she was 14.

Their daughter Lisa Marie was born in February 1968, nine months after their wedding. The marriage was filled with infidelities on both sides, and they divorced in 1972. The divorce was amicable — they left the courthouse after signing the papers holding hands.

1968: Johnny Cash and June Carter

1968: Johnny Cash and June Carter
Cash and Carter.      Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The world fell in love with these two country icons when Cash proposed to Carter on stage in 1968. The two were married soon after, and stayed together for 35 years, until Carter's death in May 2003. Cash would pass away four months later.

The couple collaborated throughout their relationship on songs like "Jackson" and "It Ain't Me Babe." And through it all, their marriage was strong. A love letter he wrote for her was voted the most romantic love letter of all time by a British poll, and contained swoon-worthy lines like, "You still fascinate and inspire me. You influence me for the better. You're the object of my desire, the #1 Earthly reason for my existence."

Their love story was depicted on the big screen in "Walk the Line," with Reese Witherspoon playing Carter and Joaquin Phoenix playing Cash. Witherspoon won her first Academy Award for her performance.

1969: John Lennon and Yoko Ono

1969: John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Ono and Lennon.      AP

If your relationship is credited with being strong enough to break up the most successful band of all time, you're a power couple. Lennon and Ono were married in 1969, and The Beatles were officially done the next year.

But 1969 was the year of Lennon and Ono. They staged their famous "Bed-In for Peace" on March 25, 1969, just a few days after their wedding. The incident led to The Beatles song, "The Ballad of John and Yoko."

1970: Paul and Linda McCartney

1970: Paul and Linda McCartney
Paul and Linda McCartney.      Jones/Daily Express/Getty Images

Paul got married the same year as Lennon, but no one focused on his relationship with Linda, an American musician, until the next year, once The Beatles had broken up.

Paul released his first solo album in 1970, titled "McCartney," after which he and Linda founded rock band Paul McCartney and Wings in 1971, with Linda on the keyboard.

The pair had three children together, and Paul adopted Linda's daughter, Heather, from a previous marriage. They were married for 29 years and collaborated together throughout their relationship, until Linda died in 1998 due to breast cancer.

1971: Donald Sutherland and Jane Fonda

1971: Donald Sutherland and Jane Fonda
Sutherland and Fonda.      AP Images

Sutherland and Fonda starred together in the 1971 movie "Klute," and are said to have started dating while filming — while Fonda was still married to Roger Vadim.

The duo joined forces to take a political vaudeville show on the road across the west coast, called "FTA" or "Free the Army." It was a protest against the Vietnam War. The show was eventually turned into a documentary called "FTA," released in 1972.

Their relationship was short-lived — Sutherland married his third wife, Francine Racette, in 1972, and Fonda remained married to Vadim until 1973.

1972: James Taylor and Carly Simon

1972: James Taylor and Carly Simon
Taylor and Simon.      Carlos Rene Perez/AP Images

Taylor and Simon were two of the biggest pop stars in the world in 1972, which happened to be the year they got married. Simon also appeared on Taylor's 1972 album, "One Man Dog," as a background vocalist.

Their marriage lasted 11 years, and they had two children. Many people speculated that Simon's hit song "You're So Vain" was about Taylor, but she's denied it.

1973: Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw

1973: Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw
MacGraw and McQueen.      National General Pictures

MacGraw was still riding high off the acclaim of her performance in 1970's "Love Story" when she starred in 1972's "The Getaway." Along the way, she fell in love with her co-star, fellow movie star McQueen. The couple were married in August 1973.

MacGraw told People, "He was incredibly attractive most of the time, but there was also danger, there was bad boy there." But their love didn't last forever — the couple divorced in 1977.

1974: Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston

1974: Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston
Nicholson and Huston.      Mario Suriani/AP Images

Nicholson and Huston met in 1973, and by 1974 the two were fully engaged in their decades-long on-and-off relationship.

Actress Huston wasn't hugely popular yet, but Nicholson had already appeared in a couple dozen movies. They were together until 1990, when he told Huston he was expecting a child with another actress, Rebecca Broussard, which is when Huston called it quits for good.

The two have nothing but nice things to say about each other now. Nicholson called their relationship "as good as it gets," and Huston said they had a "hopeless, enduring love."

1975: Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton

1975: Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton
Jones and Lipton.      Barfield/AP Images

The 1974 marriage of Jones, a prolific record producer, and Lipton, one of the members of "The Mod Squad," was a big deal — they had been together for three years, and already had a daughter, Kidada, at the time of their wedding.

In 1975, Lipton was done with "The Mod Squad" and pregnant with their second daughter, Rashida, and the two were very happy together.

Their marriage was over by 1990, but the two were still on good terms all the way until Lipton's death in 2019.

1976: Gregg Allman and Cher

1976: Gregg Allman and Cher
Allman and Cher.      AP Photo

Allman was one-third of The Allman Brothers Band. The group had already released their first number one album, "Brothers and Sisters," when Allman married Cher in 1975. Cher was in the middle of a comeback — in 1975, she hosted her own show called "Cher," and then reunited with her ex-husband for a reboot of their successful show, "The Sonny and Cher Show," in '76.

They had their first and only child together, Elijah Blue, in July 1976. The couple would divorce three years later. When Allman passed away in 2017, Cher attended his funeral and shared her grief on Twitter.

1977: Burt Reynolds and Sally Field

1977: Burt Reynolds and Sally Field
Reynolds and Field.      Perez/AP Images

Reynolds and Field co-starred in "Smokey and the Bandits" in 1977, and started dating while filming. They starred in three more movies together, through 1980.

Both were famous before their relationship began. Field had starred in "Gidget" and "The Flying Nun," and Reynolds starred in "Gunsmoke."

They dated for five years before breaking up. In 2018 though, Reynolds called Field the love of his life, and called their relationship "a wonderful time."

1978: Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall

1978: Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall
Jagger and Hall.      Paul Benoit/AP Images

The Rolling Stones front-man is a notorious ladies man, but his longest relationship was with model Jerry Hall. It lasted from 1977 to 1999, with an unofficial wedding ceremony in 1990. During their relationship, they were frequently spotted at New York City hotspots like Studio 54.

They have four children together. They broke up in 1999, when model Luciana Gimenez came forward to say that she was pregnant with Jagger's baby.

1979: Ryan O'Neal and Farrah Fawcett

1979: Ryan O
Fawcett and O'Neal.      AP Images

Fawcett and O'Neal started dating in 1979, which was the beginning of their movie-esque love story. Fawcett, of "Charlie's Angels" fame, and O'Neal, from "Peyton Place" and "Love Story," were together until 1997 and had one son together.

The two reunited in 2001, and stayed together until Fawcett's death from cancer in 2009. O'Neal was devastated, telling People, "It's a love story. I just don't know how to play this one. I won't know this world without her."

1980: Ronald and Nancy Reagan

1980: Ronald and Nancy Reagan
Ronald and Nancy Reagan.      AP Images

In 1980, Ronald Reagan became president of the United States, ushering in a new era of American politics — and his other half, former actress Nancy Reagan, became just as influential. In fact, she founded the "Just Say No" drug awareness campaign.

They were married in 1952, so by the time they became POTUS and FLOTUS they were already a strong and well-known team. Throughout the two presidential terms served, both captured the hearts of the American people. They had two children together, and remained together until his death in 2004.

1981: Prince Charles and Princess Diana

1981: Prince Charles and Princess Diana
Diana and Charles.      Ron Bell/AP

Princess Diana is still a beloved global icon over 20 years after her death in 1997. She's remembered as a style icon, loving mother, unconventional royal, and champion of charitable causes.

Prince Charles and Diana were married in 1981, after having met in 1977. Their wedding was watched by 750 million people all over the world. Every move they made was dissected, including the dissolution of their marriage in 1996.

1982: Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne

1982: Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne
Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne.      Douglas Pizac/AP Images

Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath married Sharon on July 4, 1982. He has stated that he deliberately married her on Independence Day so he would never forget his anniversary.

The Osbournes are still married to this day, throughout their ups and downs, reality TV, and drug abuse.

1983: Paul Simon and Carrie Fisher

1983: Paul Simon and Carrie Fisher
Fisher and Simon.      AP

Fisher and Simon married in 1983, the same year that "Return of the Jedi," the final installment of the first "Star Wars" trilogy, was released. The world was excited for the wedding of Princess Leia to Simon, who released his album "Hearts and Bones" that year as well.

They divorced a year later, but had an on-and-off relationship that went on for decades.

When Fisher passed away in 2016, Simon shared the statement, "Yesterday was a horrible day. Carrie was a special, wonderful girl. It's too soon."

1984: Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley

1984: Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley
Joel and Brinkley.      Ron Frehm/AP Images

By 1984, Brinkley was already one of the biggest supermodels in the world, and Joel had just released his ninth studio album the year before, "An Innocent Man," which was inspired by her. Brinkley also starred in the music video for "Uptown Girl."

The public was fascinated by their relationship because, on the outside, it didn't make a lot of sense. Joel was seen as dark and brooding, and Brinkley was your typical American sweetheart.

Opposites attract, though, as the two got married in 1985, welcoming their daughter Alexa Ray that same year. They split up in 1994.

1985: Sean Penn and Madonna

1985: Sean Penn and Madonna
Madonna and Penn.      Brenda Chase/Stinger/Getty Images

The "Material Girl" married movie star Penn in August 1985, only six months after meeting him. They went on to star in the critically panned "Shanghai Surprise" together in 1986.

Their relationship was filled with drama: Madonna filed for divorce in December 1987, withdrew the papers, and then re-filed in January 1989 — this time for good.

The couple seems to be on good terms now — when Penn appeared on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," he told the host, "I love my first wife very much."

1986: Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn

1986: Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn
Hawn and Russell.      Albert Ortega/Stringer/Getty Images

Actors Russell and Hawn have been together since 1984, but they really reached peak fame in the mid-'80s. They starred in "Swing Shift" together in '84, and appeared in cult classic "Overboard" in '87.

Now, in 2020, they've become one of Hollywood's longest-lasting couples. They've never married, and have one son together, Wyatt. Russell considers Hawn's kids, Oliver and Kate Hudson, to be his own as well. They even call him "Pa."

1987: Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet

1987: Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet
Bonet and Kravitz in 2015.      Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Images

The relationship between former "Cosby Show" star Bonet and rock star Kravitz caused a stir. Bonet, age 20 when they married in 1987, was starring on "A Different World" as her "Cosby" character, Denise.

Cosby himself wasn't thrilled with their relationship — Bonet left "A Different World" at the end of season one due to her pregnancy in 1988. The couple stayed together until 1993, when they divorced amid rumors of infidelity.

They're close friends now though. They walked the Met Gala red carpet together in 2015, and Kravitz said of his ex-wife, "Zoë's mom and I now are best friends. That's how the relationship started. It makes you feel really good when you can do that."

1988: Bruce Willis and Demi Moore

1988: Bruce Willis and Demi Moore
Willis and Moore.      Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Moore and Willis were still enjoying their honeymoon phase in 1988 after their wedding in November of the previous year. Their first daughter, Rumer, was born in August 1988.

And most importantly, Willis starred in "Die Hard" that year, which became his most notable role to date. It spawned four sequels.

The couple had two more daughters, but ultimately divorced in 2000. They're a pair of very friendly exes — Moore even surprised her ex-husband at his Comedy Central Roast in 2018. And during the coronavirus pandemic, Willis quarantined with his ex-wife and their daughters for a few months.

1989: Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick

1989: Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick
Sedgwick and Bacon.      Fred Prouser/Reuters

Sedgwick and Bacon were married towards the end of 1988, but the next year starred in blockbuster "Born on the Fourth of July" and critically lauded comedy "The Big Picture," respectively.

They also welcomed their first child, Travis, in June of 1989. The two stars are still together in 2020, and are one of the longest-lasting celebrity marriages — even though they found out in a 2011 episode of "Finding Your Roots" that they are 10th cousins, once removed. Talk about Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

1990: Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder

1990: Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder
Depp and Ryder in "Edward Scissorhands."      Twentieth Century Fox

Who hasn't thought about Depp and Ryder getting back together? These two were one of the most iconic couples of the edgy, grungy '90s.

The two met in 1989, and were engaged after only a few months of dating (she was 19, he was 27). During their engagement, Depp got a tattoo that said "Winona Forever," and they starred in "Edward Scissorhands" in 1990.

Ryder also lost her virginity to him, which she confirmed a decade later.

They broke up in 1993, and Depp was forced to change his tattoo from "Winona Forever" to "Wino Forever."

1991: Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan

1991: Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan
Quaid and Ryan.      Albert Ortega/Online USA/Getty Images

Quaid and Ryan, both rom-com legends in their own right, were married on Valentine's Day in 1991, after falling in love on the set of their new movie, "D.O.A."

They had one son together, Jack, in 1992. They divorced in 2001 — allegedly due to Ryan's affair with co-star Russell Crowe. Ryan claims differently though, saying, "My marriage was broken — nobody else broke it up."

1992: David Bowie and Iman

1992: David Bowie and Iman
Iman and Bowie.      Jeff Christensen/Reuters

A model and a rock star — a tale as old as time. They met on a blind date in 1990, and were married by 1992. Ziggy Stardust himself knew it was love at first sight. "I'd never gone after anything in my life with such passion in all my life. I just knew she was the one," he said.

They had a daughter, Alexandria, in 2000. They were married for over 23 years, until Bowie passed away from cancer in 2016.

1993: Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love

1993: Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love
Cobain and Love, with their daughter Frances.      Fred Prouser/Reuters

Both Cobain and Love were '90s grunge icons. The lead singers of Nirvana and Hole? Of course they got married.

They met at a club in 1990 and were married two years later. Their daughter, Frances Bean, was also born in 1992 — so when the little family would step out in 1993, the media was all over it. Nirvana also released its third and final album, "In Utero," in 1993.

They were married until Cobain's suicide in 1994.

1994: Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson

1994: Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson
Hanks and Wilson.      Chris Pizzello/AP Images

Everyone has a celebrity couple that makes them believe in love, and whose break-up would devastate them. For many people, that's Hanks and Wilson. They married in 1988 after meeting seven years earlier on the set of the show "Bosom Buddies."

Despite a prolific career, 1994 Hanks is potentially peak Hanks. He had just starred in "Sleepless in Seattle" and "Philadelphia" the year before, and a little movie called "Forrest Gump" was released that summer. When explaining his character Forrest Gump's relationship to Jenny, he said of his wife, "Without my connection with Rita, I don't know how I would've been able to connect with what Forrest was going through."

1995: Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen

1995: Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen
Danson and Steenburgen.      Ho New/Reuters

Danson, fresh off 11 seasons of "Cheers," married movie star Steenburgen in 1995, after meeting on the set of "Pontiac Moon" in 1993.

The two are still married 25 years later, and frequently make fun of themselves and their relationship on "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

"We like each other a lot, we laugh a lot. It's simple," said Danson in 2018.

1996: Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa

1996: Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa
Ripa and Consuelos.      Walter Weissman/AP Images

Talk show host and then-soap star Ripa eloped with her "All My Children" co-star Consuelos in 1996. They had only gotten engaged the day before, over a pizza dinner.

The duo have three children together — their son Michael appeared as young Hiram Lodge (played by Consuelos) in a flashback episode of "Riverdale."

1997: John Stamos and Rebecca Romijn

1997: John Stamos and Rebecca Romijn
Romijn and Stamos.      Brenda Chase/Getty Images

Talk about a photogenic couple. The "Full House" star, previously the world's most eligible bachelor, started dating the supermodel in 1994, and proposed on Christmas Eve in 1997.

They were married until 2004. "We just both woke up one day and it had run its course," Stamos said of their split.

1998: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith

1998: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith
Pinkett Smith and Smith.      Rose Prouser/Reuters

Smith and Pinkett Smith were newlyweds in 1998 — they also welcomed their son, Jaden, that year. Smith had recently appeared in the smash hit "Men in Black," and Pinkett Smith had snagged a role in slasher film "Scream 2."

These two are still posting adorable photos of each other on Instagram over 20 years later, and have produced two of the biggest stars of the next generation of Hollywood — Jaden and Willow Smith.

Recently, the two went viral for appearing on an episode of Pinkett Smith's Facebook Watch show, "Red Table Talk," to discuss a rough patch in their marriage, during which Pinkett Smith had an "entanglement" with R&B singer August Alsina. The two worked through it, and are stronger than ever, in their own words.

1999: David and Victoria Beckham

1999: David and Victoria Beckham
Victoria and David Beckham.      Str Old/Reuters

After meeting in 1997, the Spice Girl and soccer superstar were married in July 1999, four months after the birth of their first son, Brooklyn.

They have weathered cheating scandals, divorce rumors, three more babies, and a trans-Atlantic move to Los Angeles, and are still a power couple in our books.

Victoria wrote a letter to her younger self in the September 2016 issue of British Vogue, where she tells young Posh Spice that "love at first sight does exist. It will happen to you in the Manchester United players' lounge — although you will get a little drunk, so exact details are hazy."

2000: Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston

2000: Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston
Aniston and Pitt.      Evan Agostini/Getty Images

These two were Hollywood's golden couple — literally. They were both so tan and blonde, they constantly looked like they were returning from a tropical vacation.

Aniston and Pitt met in 1998, and were married in July 2000. "Friends" was consistently one of the top shows on TV, and Pitt was a bona-fide movie star and sex symbol after his roles in "Fight Club," "Interview with a Vampire," and "Thelma and Louise."

As much as their marriage and wedded bliss was covered by the media, it was nothing compared to their shocking divorce in 2005, which was rumored to have been caused by an extramarital affair with Pitt's "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" co-star (and future wife/ex-wife) Angelia Jolie.

2001: Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears

2001: Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears
Spears and Timberlake.      Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo

2001 was the year of the denim outfits. Need we say more?

That year was also the release of Timberlake's boy band *NSYNC's final album, "Celebrity," and Spears' third album, "Britney." Their relationship was a match made in pop heaven.

While the two broke up in 2002, their break-up resulted in two of the best break-up songs of the new millennium: "Cry Me a River" (Timberlake) and "Everytime" (Spears).

2002: Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon

2002: Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon
Witherspoon and Phillippe.      Kevin Winter/ImageDirect/Getty Images

Witherspoon was famous before 2001's "Legally Blonde," but she was officially A-list after it came out. This meant that her marriage to "Cruel Intentions" co-star Phillippe was suddenly tabloid fodder.

In 2002, the two had one daughter, Ava. They had their son, Deacon, a year later. Witherspoon appeared in two movies that year, "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "Sweet Home Alabama, and Phillippe starred in "Igby Goes Down."

The pair announced their separation in 2006, amid rumors that Phillippe had an affair with his co-star Abbie Cornish.

2003: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez

2003: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez
Lopez and Affleck.      Jeff Christensen/Reuters

Who could forget the original Bennifer? The couple met on the set of notorious flop "Gigli" in 2002, and by the next year they were a full-blown — and engaged — super-couple. Affleck even starred in the 2002 music video for "Jenny from the Block."

The entire year of 2003 was full of speculation about their wedding plans, if they were going to start a family, and if they would star in another movie together. But just four days before their September 2003 nuptials, they postponed the wedding due to "excessive media attention."

They called it quits a few months later, in January 2004.

2004: Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow

2004: Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow
Martin and Paltrow.      Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Entertainment Industry Foundation

The Coldplay front-man and the "Shakespeare in Love" actress were married in December 2003. Their daughter, Apple, was born the next year to much ado about her unusual name. Their son Moses was born two years later.

Even though these two were certainly a power couple — number one albums and successful movies abound — their 2014 break-up might be more iconic, as it brought the phrase "conscious uncoupling" into the world's vocabulary.

2005: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

2005: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
Pitt and Jolie.      Fred Prouser/Reuters

Just a few months after his divorce from Jennifer Aniston, Pitt started dating his "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" co-star, Jolie (fueling rumors of infidelity). A photo shoot of the two of them came so soon after, Aniston said that her ex-husband was missing a "sensitivity chip."

On the outside, the two couldn't be more different. Pitt was Hollywood's golden boy, while Jolie was mainly known for wearing a vial of her then-husband Billy Bob Thornton's blood around her neck. But the two connected over a mutual love of charity and giving back to the world.

Throughout their 12-year relationship (and two-year marriage), they created a blended family of six adopted and biological children, supported each other through both public and private struggles, and starred in another movie together ("By the Sea").

Brangelina announced their separation in 2016, and are still in the middle of what's turned out to be a nasty divorce.

2006: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

2006: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
Holmes and Cruise.      Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

The aughts were big on relationship portmanteaus — Bennifer, Brangelina, and ... TomKat. Cruise's antics during their relationship are the stuff of legend. Will there ever be another moment as memorable as his mid-interview couch jump on "Oprah?"

From the borderline weird admission that Holmes had a poster of Cruise in her childhood bedroom to all the speculation about their "religious" beliefs, there hasn't been a relationship quite as captivating since.

In 2006, their daughter Suri was born, and they got married in a lavish ceremony at a 15th-century Italian castle.

But, since nothing gold can stay, the "Dawson's Creek" star filed for divorce from the "Mission Impossible" actor in 2012.

2007: David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris

2007: David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris
Burtka and Harris.      Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

In 2007, "How I Met Your Mother" was truly beginning to hit its stride, and Harris was on the verge of becoming its break-out star. He had also just come out as gay in 2006.

Harris and his fiancé (and soon-to-be husband) Burtka, an actor and chef, made their red carpet debut at the 2007 Emmys — even though they had been together since 2004.

They welcomed twins via surrogate in 2010, and were married in Italy in 2014.

2008: Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi

2008: Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi
DeGeneres and de Rossi.      Getty/Christopher Polk

Comedian and talk show host DeGeneres had been out of the closet since 1997, and involved in a high-profile relationship with Ann Heche before marrying "Arrested Development" actress de Rossi in 2008.

Now, the two are relationship goals. It's always a treat when de Rossi appears on "Ellen," and their vacation Instagrams are always envy-worthy.

2009: Barack and Michelle Obama

2009: Barack and Michelle Obama
Michelle and Barack Obama.      Mark Wilson/Getty Images

After many heartwarming displays of public affection throughout the presidential campaign in 2008, Americans knew they were in for four years of sweet gestures when Barack became president in 2009.

"It has to be a true partnership, and you have to really, really like and respect the person you're married to," said Michelle of their relationship. And Barack? "Obviously I couldn't have done anything that I've done without Michelle ... not only has she been a great first lady, she is just my rock," he said. "I count on her in so many ways every single day."

2010: Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman

2010: Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman
Kidman and Urban.      Danny Moloshok/Reuters

The actress and the country star have been married since 2006, and had their first daughter in 2008. By 2010, both were positioned comfortably on Hollywood's A-list, and had their second daughter via surrogate in December.

They both shared sweet snaps on Instagram in June 2018 for their 12th anniversary, with Kidman posting a video from their wedding day, and Urban posting a photo of the two, captioned "12 years of celestial synergized soul dancing."

2011: Jay-Z and Beyonce

2011: Jay-Z and Beyonce
Jay-Z and Beyonce.      Tom Ford/Getty Images

Technically, these two are a power couple every single year, but 2011 was the year that the singer announced her pregnancy during her performance of "Love on Top" during the VMAs. Instantly legendary.

The Carters have been together since 2001 and married since 2008. Their relationship has been full of iconic musical collaborations ("Crazy in Love," "Drunk in Love," the entire album "Everything is Love"), controversies (the elevator, "Lemonade," "4:44"), three kids, and two hugely successful combined tours. Need we say more?

2012: Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez

2012: Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez
Gomez and Bieber.      Craig Barritt/Getty Images

It took Bieber getting married to someone else to finally convince us that these two are done for good. While they did break up at the end of 2012 (the first time), they still dominated headlines, whether it be about a reconciliation, cheating rumors, paternity accusations, and musical references.

These two are truly the Britney and Justin of this generation.

2013: Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel

2013: Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel
Timberlake and Biel.      Regis Duvignau/Reuters

After years of back and forth, the "Seventh Heaven" actress and the "Can't Stop the Feeling" crooner finally tied the knot in 2012. The next year, he was pivoting into more serious acting roles, with a part in "Inside Llewyn Davis," while Biel starred in the remake of 1990 film "Total Recall."

"Every once in a while I can catch a glimpse of her when she doesn't see me looking, and I have this moment where I'm like, 'If you never make a good decision... if you only make bad decisions for the rest of your life, you made one really good decision,'" Timberlake told Ellen DeGeneres.

The two welcomed their son, Silas, in 2015. They welcomed their second child in July 2020, after a secret pregnancy, according to the Daily Mail.

2014: Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis

2014: Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis
Kunis and Kutcher.      Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

All of our "That '70s Show" dreams came true when it was confirmed that the two former co-stars were engaged in early 2014 — and when they shared an adorable kiss-cam moment at an LA Clippers game.

The two were married in 2015, and have two kids together. During the press tour for Kunis' movie "The Spy Who Dumped Me," she revealed some long-wondered about facts regarding the beginning of their relationship, including that they started out as friends with benefits, and that they originally hooked up when Kutcher tried to set her up on a blind date — but the date never showed.

2015: Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston

2015: Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston
Theroux and Aniston.      Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

People around the world had been waiting for America's sweetheart to finally get her happy ending after the acrimonious end to her marriage to Brad Pitt — and with Theroux, it seemed to finally be happening. They started dating in 2011, and were engaged by 2012.

Three years later they surprised the world — and their guests — by getting married in August 2015. Their friends and family thought they were attending Theroux's birthday party.

He explained that their marriage worked because "We appreciate each other's sense of humor, we respect one another, and we get along." Unfortunately, the pair announced their separation in February 2018.

2016: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian

2016: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian
West and Kardashian.      Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

It's hard to decide when the official year of Kimye was, but by 2016, they were married, had two children, and were rock solid as a pair. Until a little song called "Famous" was released.

West immediately received backlash for the controversial lyrics that insinuated that Taylor Swift had him to thank for her success, which reignited a feud between the two (remember the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards?). But Kardashian proved that she was truly ride-or-die by leaking a phone conversation between her husband and Swift that allegedly proved that Swift knew that West was going to be referencing her in the song — though, in 2020, that fact was called into question.

These receipts truly jump started a wave of negativity thrown towards Swift, and caused her to essentially drop off the face of the Earth for a year — if that's not power, what is?

2017: John Legend and Chrissy Teigen

2017: John Legend and Chrissy Teigen
Teigen and Legend.      Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Despite meeting on the set of Legend's 2007 music video for "Stereo," and getting married in 2013, Teigen and Legend really came into their own in 2017.

Everyone finally realized that the model-turned-cookbook-author's Twitter feed is the best place on the internet, and that their daughter Luna might be the cutest child on the planet, only rivaled by her brother, Miles.

Teigen announced that she was pregnant with their second baby in November 2017, captioning an Instagram video of Luna pointing to her stomach, "It's John's!" Their son Miles was born in May 2018.

"We just enjoy each other's company," Legend said.

2018: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

2018: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Meghan and Harry on their wedding day.      Paul Ellis/WPA Pool/Getty Images

Was this even a question? All of 2018 was dominated with headlines of America's very own princess, as "Suits" actress Markle married Prince Harry, England's most eligible bachelor, in the wedding of the year in May 2018. They welcomed their son, Archie, in 2019.

These two have always been a bit unconventional by royal standards, so their shaking up of stuffy royal tradition has been garnering headlines left and right. In fact, in January 2020, they announced they were leaving England behind and renouncing their royal titles.

2019: Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez

2019: Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez.      Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images/Getty Images

The defining characteristic of this couple is easily "power," and in 2019, they took it to another level. They got engaged in March 2019 after two years of dating — Rodriguez proposed with a million-dollar ring. After they got engaged, Rodriguez appeared on an episode of "The Tonight Show," during which Jimmy Fallon pulled up a clip from 22 years ago, showing A-Rod calling Lopez his "dream date." Apparently, manifesting your destiny can work.

Also in 2019? Lopez starred in "Hustlers" to critical acclaim, with many people, including her ex Ben Affleck, calling for an Oscar nomination (which she didn't receive), and she turned 50 while still looking like she could pass for 29. It had never been a better year to be a "J-Rod" fan.

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