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15 Actor Duos With So Much Chemistry They Had To Play Couples In Multiple Movies

buzzfeed.com 2 days ago

I will watch any movie where Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are being cute onscreen.

A Family Affair dropped on Netflix this past weekend and I, for one, was absolutely living for the rom-com combo that is Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman.

And all the true fans know that this wasn't Zac and Nicole's first movie together...or even their first time playing love interests. The duo first starred opposite each other in the 2012 thriller The Paperboy.

So, here are 15 more celebrity duos that have such great chemistry they've played love interests more than once:

1. Timothée Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan have been in three movies together and played love interests in two: Lady Bird (2017) and Little Women (2019), both directed by Greta Gerwig.

Timothée Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan in scenes from "Lady Bird" (2017) and "Little Women" (2019). In both, they gaze at each other intently
A24 / Columbia Pictures / Everett Collection

“I always knew he was very special. And he was very magnetic as an actor. We’ve always just felt very comfortable with one another,” Saoirse said about Timothée during a 2020 interview. “We’re very different in the way we work and the kind of performances that we give, and that really excites me – how different we both are.”

2. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling have played love interests in all three movies they starred in together: Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011), Gangster Squad (2013), and La La Land (2016).

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in scenes from "Crazy, Stupid, Love" (2010), "Gangster Squad" (2013), and "La La Land" (2016)
Summit Entertainment /©Warner Bros. Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

During a 2018 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Emma said that Ryan is a "dear wonderful friend" and she "can’t even imagine what [her] life would be without Ryan."

3. Amy Adams and Christian Bale played opposite each other as love interests in American Hustle (2013) and Vice (2018).

Top image shows Amy Adams and Christian Bale in "American Hustle" (2013). Bottom image shows Amy Adams and Christian Bale in "Vice" (2018)
Sony Pictures Releasing / Annapurna Pictures / Everett Collection

In a 2022 interview with GQ, Christian explained how he ended up serving as a "mediator" between Amy and American Hustle director David O. Russell. "I did what I felt was appropriate, in very Irv style," he said.

4. Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz played opposite each other in four movies: Jamón, Jamón (1992), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), Loving Pablo (2017), and Everybody Knows (2018).

Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem scenes from Jamón, Jamón (1992), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), Loving Pablo (2017), and Everybody Knows (2018)
Warner Bros. / Millennium Media / Universal / Everett Collection

Javier and Penélope got together in real life after reuniting on the set of Vicki Cristina Barcelona, and they got married in 2010. Penélope has said that she and Javier don't typically try to work together but it does happen sometimes.  "It's not something we plan on doing every two years," she said. "That will be once in a while, if we feel it's right. I don't think it will be too often."

5. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore have played love interests in three movies: The Wedding Singer (1998), 50 First Dates (2004), and Blended (2014).

Three movie stills of Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore: The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates, and Blended
New Line Cinema / Columbia Pictures / Warner Bros. / Everett Collection

During a 2023 panel, Drew said her relationship with Adam is "all based in like, love, admiration and humor." She added that she only did the film Blended because he was doing it with her. "I feel so safe with Adam," she said. 

6. Jennifer Aniston has also starred alongside Adam Sandler in several movies, and they've played love interests three times in the movies Just Go With It (2011), Murder Mystery (2019), and Murder Mystery 2 (2023).

Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler in scenes from "Just Go With It" (2011), "Murder Mystery" (2019), and "Murder Mystery 2" (2023)
Columbia / Netflix / Everett Collection

Jennifer once told Jimmy Kimmel that she considers Adam a part of her family after meeting at a deli in the '90s. "We were friends before Friends," she said. 

7. Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps played love interests in both movies they starred in together: The Wood (1999) and Love & Basketball (2000).

Scenes from "The Wood" (1999) show Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan. Scenes from "Love & Basketball" (2000) show Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan talking
Paramount / New Line Cinema / Everett Collection

Omar has spoken about how he loves that Love & Basketball has had such a lasting impact. He said, "Monica and Quincy had a real friendship, and that’s the basis of every great relationship, which is really hard to do."

8. Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg have starred opposite each other as love interests in three movies: Adventureland (2009), American Ultra (2015), and Café Society (2016).

Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg in scenes from "Adventureland" (2009), "American Ultra" (2015), and "Café Society" (2016).
Miramax / Lionsgate / Everett Collection

"I think we’re both just kind of weirdos," Kristen once said during an interview on the Today Show. "As a team, we’re a little bit less weird, because we get it from each other."

9. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have played love interests in all four movies they've starred in together: Joe Versus the Volcano (1990), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), You've Got Mail (1998), and Ithaca (2015).

Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in scenes from "Joe Versus the Volcano," "Sleepless in Seattle," and "You've Got Mail," and from "Ithaca" (only Meg Ryan in this film)
TriStar Pictures / Warner Bros / Everett Collection / Momentum Pictures

During a 2018 interview, Meg Ryan said she enjoys working with Tom because "he's just so easy." "He listens. He roots for other people," she added. "[Tom] doesn't like there to be drama."

10. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper have been in four movies together, but only played love interests in two: Silver Linings Playbook (2013) and Serena (2014).

Top image: Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in casual clothing from the movie Silver Linings Playbook (2013). Bottom image: Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in formal attire from the movie Serena (2014)
The Weinstein Company / Studio  Canal / Everett Collection

During a 2015 interview with Deadline, Bradley said, "We don’t talk often, but when I showed up in Boston for Joy, then all of a sudden, it was like we never stopped. We just started where we left off, and that’s rare. It’s just easy to look at her and feel like I’m telling the truth."

11. Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson played opposite each other as love interests in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) and Fool's Gold (2008).

Top image: Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" (2003). Bottom image: Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey in "Fool's Gold" (2008)
Paramount Pictures / Warner Bros / Everett Collection

Matthew has previously explained that rom-coms can only work unless the actors have a certain level of chemistry. "We had a really good push and pull," Matthew said in a video posted on his Twitter. “She had a lot of rock 'n' roll and I did too, the way we would parry with each other really worked in [How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days].”

12. Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio have played opposite each other as love interests in Titanic (1997) and Revolutionary Road (2008).

Top: Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet on the Titanic ship, Titanic (1997). Bottom: DiCaprio and Winslet smiling in a room, Revolutionary Road (2008)
20th Century Studios / DreamWorks / Everett Collection

All these years later, the two are still extremely close friends. "He was just very free with himself, and he had this effervescent energy that was really magnetic," she said about working on Titanic with him. "And I remember thinking, Oh, this is gonna be fun. We're definitely gonna get along. And we just really did. We just really did."

13. Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves starred as love interests in three of the four movies they've done together: Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), A Scanner Darkly (2006), and Destination Wedding (2018).

Three stills featuring Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder from different movies: "Bram Stoker's Dracula," "A Scanner Darkly," and "Destination Wedding."
Columbia / Warner Bros / Aviron Pictures / Everett

Keanu shared that they filmed the marriage scene in Bram Stoker's Dracula with a real Romanian priest, so technically they might actually be married IRL. "We did a whole take of a marriage ceremony with real priests," he said. "Winona says we are. [Francis Ford] Coppola says we are. So I guess we're married under the eyes of God." He joked that sometimes he'll even get texts from Winona that say "Hello, husband." 

14. Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara have played a couple in Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and Schitt's Creek (2015–2020).

A compilation of Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara in various roles: Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and Schitt's Creek (2015–2020)
Warner Bros / CTV / Pop / Everett Collection

The two have known each other since the early '70s and worked together several times. "He’s the sweetest man in the world. I don’t want to set the poor man up – he’s human, of course. But he’s one of the good guys," she said about Eugene during an interview with The Guardian. 

15. Finally, Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo play opposite each other as love interests in 13 Going on 30 (2004) and The Adam Project (2022).

"13 Going on 30" scene with Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo sitting together. "The Adam Project" scene with Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo embracing
Columbia / Netflix / Everett Collection

During an interview earlier this year, Mark said that working with Jennifer was ultimately what made him want to do 13 Going on 30. "It was Jen Garner, who is just magical, and we had just a wonderful chemistry together," he said

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