Here’s what seven women have said about splitting up with their partners once he became super famous
Model Gigi Paris and actor Glen Powell
Gigi Paris, who was in a relationship with Glen Powell for three years, shared her perspective on their breakup amid his rising fame. She explained that Powell agreed to play into dating rumors with his co-star Sydney Sweeney for PR, despite her discomfort. “It was just, ‘This is what I have to do for my job,’” Paris said. “I had two options. I could either pretend like I was going along with everything and have everyone wonder, ‘Are they hooking up? Are they not hooking up?’ Or stand up for myself.” She emphasized the need for respect: “Just don’t make a fool out of someone you’ve been with for over three years.” Paris concluded, “What sucked was how it was handled. I felt like I was just fed to the dogs.”
Ethan Slater and Lily Jay
Ethan Slater’s relationship with his high school sweetheart, psychologist Lily Jay, ended after his affair with Ariana Grande. Jay wrote an essay for The Cut, sharing her feelings post-divorce: “I really never thought I would get divorced, especially not just after giving birth to my first child and in the shadow of my husband’s new relationship with a celebrity.” She recounted the delicate balance between her privacy as a therapist and his rising fame: “Days when I can’t escape the promotion of a movie associated with the saddest days of my life are darker.” The breakup was particularly painful as she felt her anonymity, vital for her career, had been compromised.
Chelsea Winstanley and Taika Waititi
Chelsea Winstanley, a Maori filmmaker, described how her marriage to Taika Waititi unraveled as his star rose with Marvel projects. She revealed she refused to be the “dutiful wife” sitting idly while he worked on “Thor” and suspected infidelity: “That probably was the beginning of the unraveling because I wasn’t that pandering, dutiful, get on my knees and whatever you want.” She added, “I didn’t know that until many years later,” hinting at long-held suspicions.
Anna Faris and Chris Pratt
Speculation surrounds Chris Pratt’s rise to fame and its impact on his marriage to Anna Faris. In her memoir “Unqualified,” Faris wrote about the strain: “It can be hard not to have a moment of self-doubt when my husband is acting with young women in big movies.” She also reflected on the pressure Pratt might have felt: “A while back, Chris asked me if I felt a lot of pressure from being in a high-profile relationship, and I told him I did — it was an odd circumstance.”
Justine Musk and Elon Musk
Author Justine Musk, ex-wife of Elon Musk, spoke about their relationship during his rise. She described the financial and emotional imbalance: “Elon’s judgment overruled mine, and he was constantly remarking on the ways he found me lacking. ‘I am your wife,’ I told him, ‘not your employee,’” she recounted. They parted ways shortly after Elon’s engagement to Talulah Riley six weeks post-divorce.
Cynthia Lennon and John Lennon
Cynthia Lennon, John Lennon’s first wife, gave insight into her experience during Beatlemania. She noted she was told to “stay away” and was even blocked from entering hotels where Lennon stayed. Her memoir reveals her awareness of John’s infidelities: “The truth is that if I’d known as a teenager what falling for John would lead to, I would have turned round right then and walked away.”
Mimi Rogers and Tom Cruise
Before Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun” fame, his first wife was actor Mimi Rogers. She accepted her role as the less-famous partner: “I was doing the work that I wanted to do, and if I didn’t have the success Tom had, well, that’s just the luck of the draw.” However, she pointed out the annoyance of tabloids exaggerating their age difference, which made her feel older in the public eye.
Any other high-profile examples come to mind? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
