#30. Ben Stiller & Christine Taylor
Actor Ben Stiller spent most of his time on camera, but he directed a few movies too. It was on one of those occasions that he met his wife Christine Taylor, a well-known actress that took part in the shows like The Brady Bunch and Hey Dude. She also had a role in a Fox comedy pilot in 1999.
Christine and Ben met while he was producing Heat Vision and Jack, a show that Ben was directing together with Owen Wilson and Jack Black, two amazing actors and Ben's closest friends. This show wasn't a big success and Fox decided to scrap it, but at least Stiller got a girlfriend out of it.
#29. James Cameron & Linda Hamilton
Not all director-celebrity relationships have a happy ending. In the case of James Cameron, he met Linda Hamilton while filming Terminator 2: Judgement Day. James divorced his wife to be with Linda. You may think this is some sort of romantic story, but wait until you see what happens.
James and Linda's relationship got worse and worse. Cameron had an affair with Suzy Amis, a woman who he met while filming Titanic. James soon married Linda, in spite of his affair with Amis. Unfortunately, they divorced only after eight months of marriage and he married Amis, to whom he is still married today.
#28. Billy Wilder & Doris Dowling
One of the most creative directors of all time is Billy Wilder. He directed two great classic noir movies: Sunset Boulevard and Double Indemnity. Same old story: Billy was married when he started an affair with actress Doris Dowling, whom met while filming the movie The Lost Weekend.
Doris was a new girl in Hollywood who made some famous friends, as she was having an affair with two directors at the same time. One of them was Billy, and the another was Elia Kazan. Everybody in town knew about the ongoing situation. In the end, Doris married another man, Artie Shaw. She was the 7th woman to marry Artie, a marriageable man!
#27. Sydney Pollack & Claire Griswold
There is a common belief in society that if you are a celebrity dating your director... well, that's probably the reason why you got the part. People will always judge a book by its cover. However, this is not the case of Sydney Pollack, who has a lovely story of how he met his wife.
Sydney was a teacher in a local theater, long before he became famous for his work. Claire was one of his students in the theater, who would later on succeed in The Dupont Show, The Twilight Zone and Perry Mason. Claire stepped away from acting when she decided to devote her time to her family. Unfortunately, Sydney passed away in 2008.
#26. Robert Altman & Kathryn Reed
Robert Altman is famous for the remarkable films he directed, such as Nashville, Gosford Park and Short Cuts. He directed not only movies, but also well-known TV shows. Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bonanza and Whirlybirds were some of them. It was on the last show that he started dating Kathryn Reed.
Kathryn Reed got a role as a nurse. Allegedly, Robert asked Kathryn "How are your morals?", and she said to him "A little shaky." They had a happy ending, because they got married and spent nine years together. Kathryn used to make jokes about her resignation, saying that she didn't need to work because she dated Robert.
#25. Charlie Chaplin & Lita Grey
What most directors do is choose celebrities they like and are interested in to be part of the movies they direct. This was the case of Charlie Chaplin, who cast Lita Grey in the movie The Gold Rush (1925), and later married her. Their story is not a long one because they divorced three years later, and it was one of the first Hollywood scandals.
It was such a controversial battle in court that it appeared on every newspaper. Lita affirmed that Charlie was "cruel and inhumane". Chaplin then stated that she was a gold-digger. Finally, the court awarded Lita a huge sum of money based on child support. However, she never got back on her career again.
#24. Robert Rodriguez & Rose McGowan
Robert Rodriguez is the director who filmed Sin City and From Dusk Till Dawn. He also directed Planet Terror, where he got the pleasure to meet Rose McGowan, the girl who played a dancer that fights zombies. This couple didn't last long, since they spent only two years together and later decided to split up.
During their short relationship, Rose opened up to Robert about the very difficult past she had to endure, and the two formed a very strong connection. They worked together in a couple of his movies before parting ways. Although they broke up, their split was nothing but friendly and the two remain on good terms.
#23. Ridley Scott & Giannina Facio
Ridley Scotthad to hide his interest in Giannina Facio, a Costa Rican actress that worked in ten movies that Scott directed, like Robin Hood, Black Hawk Down and Kingdom of Heaven, in order to keep it professional. They started dating during the making of Hannibal, which was a long time ago. They got married in 2015.
What's interesting is that Giannina's romantic interest in Body of Lies and Gladiator, two Scott films, was one of her boyfriend's friend, Russell Crowe. Ridley also chose his friend Crowe to work in five of his movies. He loves having his loved ones with him at work.
#22. Peter Bogdanovich & Cybill Shepherd
Famous directors have famous nicknames, as is the case of Peter Bogdanovich, who is known as the therapist's therapist. It was in one of the first movies he made that he met his girlfriend, Cybill Shepherd. Peter called Cybill to work with him after she appeared on the cover of Glamour magazine.
Cybill was nineteen when she dated Peter, who was 11 years older than her. However, the age gap was not the real problem. The fact that Peter was married when he met Cybill was a bit of a scandal. The couple lived together in his Bel-Air mansion and kept a low profile for seven years until they parted ways.
#21. Mimi Leder & Gary Werntz
It seems that female directors find their soul mates while making movies and have happy endings, as is the case of Mimi Leder. She met her husband, Gary Werntz, a well-known actor who worked with her in some movies that she directed, such as Deep Impact and Pay it Forward.
Mimi Leder also made shows in which Gary participated, like John Doe, The Lefovers and China Beach. When Mimi and Gary first started dating, they worked in Nightingales, a TV show from 1988. Unfortunately, only one episode was aired, and it was later canceled. Despite the show's failure, they are still together after 30 years.
#20. Darren Aronofsky & Jennifer Lawrence
Darren Aronofsky is a well-known director who made Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream. He met Jennifer Lawrence in the set of Mother!, a film he directed in 2017. The successful actress fell for him and they started a romantic relationship.
Jennifer once recognized that she was tired of talking to the press with Darren. She told Variety: > "I’d come back to the hotel, and the last thing I want to talk about or think about is a movie. He comes back from the tour, and that’s all he wants to talk about... I was like, ‘Can I please, for the love of God, not think about Mother! for one second.' "
#19. Martin Scorsese & Illeana Douglas
The famous director Martin Scorsese dated many celebrities he worked with. He first married Isabella Rossellini. When he was casting for New York Stories, he met Illeana Douglas. Despite being married, Martin started a relationship with Douglas. It seems that Martin was so in love with her that she appeared in many Scorsese films.
Illeana appeared in Goodfellas, Cape Fear and Household Saints, all of them directed by Scorsese. They were together for seven years and parted ways in an amicable breakup in 1997.
#18. Vincente Minnelli & Judy Garland
Vincente Minnelli and Judy Garland were both married when they met on the set of Meet Me in St. Louis, but this didn't stop them from falling madly in love with each other. Their Hollywood love was so intense that they left their spouses to start a relationship together. Later on, the famous couple married and had actress, signer and comedian Liza Minnelli.
The Clock and The Pirate were two movies that the couple worked on together. Although they enjoyed a few happy years together, Garland's personal problems took a toll on the relationship and the two parted ways after eleven years together.
#17. Roger Vadim & Brigitte Bardot
Roger Vadim was a well-known director not only for the low budget movies he made, but also for dating many celebrities. In 1956, he directed And God Created Woman, his first movie. Roger met Brigitte Bardot on the making and married her. Unfortunately, they separated because he cheated on her.
And the list of celebrities he dated goes on. Roger met Jane Fonda when making La Ronde. At that time, he was dating Catherine Deneuve, with whom he had a baby. Despite their newborn, he left Catherine and married Jane in 1965. Their marriage lasted for eight years, during which the couple made many films... and babies.
#16. John Carpenter & Adrienne Barbeau
John Carpenter is famous for making some of the best horror films ever made. He directed Someone's Watching Me!, a TV film that he bet on. It was not as successful as he thought it would be, but it brought him something else: the love of his life.
John met Adrienne Barbeau, an actress who was famous for her role on Maude. They started dating and later got married. Escape from New York and The Fog are two films that they have worked in. Sadly, their marriage didn't last for too long, because the couple divorced five years after getting married.
#15. Roberto Rossellini & Ingrid Bergman
Director Roberto Rossellini dated Ingrid Bergman and had a baby with her. She was seen as an outsider because her divorce papers weren't ready at the time she met Roberto. The New Yorker stated that the actress “went further—and sacrificed more—than did any other actor, before or since, in order to work with a true cinematic artist, Roberto Rossellini.”
Such a scandal didn't hurt Rossellini's reputation, but it did harm Ingrid's career. A Colorado senator once said that she was "a powerful influence of evil" who "assaulted the institution of marriage." Fortunately, Bergman's career slowly recovered.
#14. Paul Verhoeven & Sharon Stone
Director Paul Verhoeven had a rocky relationship with Sharon Stone. Paul was in a long-lasting marriage with Martine Verhoeven when he met the actress. Once, the famous director spoke with an open heart and told the press that she hated Sharon as much as he loved her.
Paul explains that, while making Basic Instinct, they had a strong connection but they agreed that nothing would happen between them. They couldn't keep this promise for too long and eventually got together, but that didn't last long either.
#13. Steven Spielberg And Kate Capshaw
One of the greatest directors of all time is Steven Spielberg, who met his wife on set. He was married to another woman when he met Kate Capshaw. Most director-celebrity couples split up, but Steven and Kate are still together.
The couple have enjoyed 20 years of marriage and have lovely family with five children. Steven seems head-over-heels when taking about his wife. "The prettiest thing that came out of that film was my future wife. I met Kate, my leading lady. My leading lady is still my leading lady,” he revealed to Entertainment Weekly.
#12. Rupert Sanders & Kristen Stewart
Relationships and affairs between directors and celebrities are quite common in Hollywood. Such was the case of Rupert Sanders, the man who directed Snow White and the Huntsman and Kristen Stewart, who he met on set. But Robert wasn't the only one cheating, since Kristen had a relationship with Robert Pattinson at that time.
Their affair came out thanks to a paparazzi who was spying on them. As a result, Robert and Kristen split up. Rupert, on the contrary, insisted on making things right with his wife. He recognized that he made a big mistake and that the scandal made his life miserable.
#11. Elia Kazan & Barbara Loden
Elia Kazan was once called the best American director ever. He directed several films that won an Oscar, like East of Eden, On the Waterfront and A Streetcar Named Desire. The famous director met his wife, Barbara Loden, on the set of Wild River in 1960.
Elia and Barbara left their spouses to be together. The difference in age didn't matter at all even though Barbara was 22 years younger than Elia. They worked together in the film Splendor in the Grass, which Kazan directed. This story has a happy ending because they got married and stayed together.
#10. Stanley Kubrick & Christiane Susanne Harlan
Another director who started a romantic relationship with a celebrity he was working with is Stanley Kubrick. He met Christiane Susanne Harlan, a famous German actress, when she was playing a role in Paths of Glory, a movie that Kubrick was directing when the couple started dating.
The final scene of the movie was quite heated. In the movie, the actress is taken by the French, who make her sing a song. This part is so emotional that it touched the actors and the director, who married Christian after making the movie. They were married for 40 years.
#9. Len Wiseman & Kate Beckinsale
Kate Beckinsale played a role in Underworld, where he met director Len Wiseman. It seems love knocked on their doors because they both left their spouses to be together. Kate was dating Michael Sheen at the time. Long story short, they started dated and married one year after.
Len and Kate were together for 10 years. During their marriage, they worked together in the remake of Total Recall in 2012. But their relationship later came to an end as the couple filed a petition for divorce, alleging irreconcilable differences. Kate then moved on with comedian Pete Davidson.
#8. David Lynch & Isabella Rossellini
"You could be the daughter of Ingrid Bergman," David Lynch said to Isabella Rossellini in their first encounter. Little did he know that she actually was! With this funny comment, their intense love began. The two worked together on Blue Velvet and quickly fell for each other.
Isabella and David's relationship lasted four years. They worked together on the film Wild at Heart. Prior to this love story, Isabella dated another well-known director. She was married to Martin Scorsese, who she divorced after three years of marriage. The film industry joined them as one, but then split them up.
#7. Paul W.S. Anderson & Milla Jovovich
Behind a good zombie movie there's always a great director. Paul W.S. Anderson directed Resident Evil, during the making of which he met actress Milla Jovovich. Milla's first husband was Luc Besson, another famous director, who she met on the making of The Fifth Element.
Milla and Paul started dating while making Resident Evil and got engaged. Unfortunately, they later ended the relationship. But it was not the end of the story. After some time, the couple restarted their relationship and had a child named Ever Gabo. Finally, they got married and had a second baby, Dashiel Edan.
#6. Paul Thomas Anderson And Maya Rudolph
Paul Thomas Anderson is the director of great movies like The Phanton Thread and There Will Be Blood. What people may not know is that he has been in a long relationship with Saturday Night Live comedian Maya Rudolph. To be more specific, they have been together for almost twenty years. Quite a lot of time.
The couple doesn't open up to the public that much, so we aren't 100% sure of how they met. Most people believe that their first encounter was in one of the SNL shorts that Paul directed. Maya once told the press that Anderson was her favorite director. She is lovely, isn't she?
#5. Taylor Hackford & Helen Mirren
Hellen Mirren and her director husband Taylor Hackford have been together for over 20 years. Interestingly enough, even though the two love each other very much, they only got married for reasons other than love.
Taylor and Helen got married after a twelve-year relationship. Helen confessed to AARP Magazine that she decided to tie the knot for two reasons (no, feelings wasn't one of them). Helen believed that it was more practical for them to be under the institution of marriage. She added that she wanted to please her family, too.
#4. Joel Coen & Frances McDormand
Joel Coen and Franes McDormand are one of people's favorite Hollywood couple. They met when Frances was casting for the film Blood Simple, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. She was in a relationship at that time and missed her callback because she attended her boyfriend's TV debut on a show.
Surprisingly, the Coens choose Frances to play the role in their film, after which she and Joel started dating. They decided to get married and she appeared in several Coen Brothers movies. One of the most successful films was Fargo. The couple has been married for more than 30 years.
#3. Charles Vidor & Evelyn Keyes
Charles Vidor was an outstanding director in the golden age of the film industry. He worked with the greatest actresses of that time, such as Doris Day, Grace Kelly and Rita Hayworth. But Charles was interested in one woman, Evelyn Keyes. They met while filming Ladies in Retirement and The Desperadoes.
Evelyn is a well-known actress who appeared on Gone with the Wind. She studied at UCLA, which was not common at that time. “Since Charles Vidor had told me that my type of beauty would fade by the time I was 30. I figured I’d better become an intellectual as soon as possible,” she expressed.
#2. Danny Boyle & Rosario Dawson
Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting and 127 Hours are all great movies, all of them directed by Danny Boyle. Danny met Rosario Dawson on the set of Trance, a thriller he directed in 2013. The fun fact in this story is that the press conferences for the movie lasted more than the relationship itself.
Danny and Rosario dated just for some months. It is believed that they were together while making the film, but once it was released they were no longer a couple. The press would ask the couple how the relationship ended and whether they remain friends or not. Both Danny and Rosario showed no resentment at all, instead, they said pretty nice compliments about each other.
#1. Tim Burton And Helena Bonham Carter
Tim Burton had countless relationships with different celebrities he worked with. We wouldn't have time to mention all, but the most important and long-lasting one was with Helena Bonham Carter. Tim and Helena met while making Planet of the Apes, one of the greatest works that Burton has ever directed.
Rumor has it that Tim once said to her "I can really see you in an ape mask." Certainly, Helena fell for it, and they had a very long relationship. They were together for 13 years, but they later divorced. While being together, they made Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland and Sweeney Todd together. Such great films!