Underrated TV And Movie Couples No One Is Talking About Vs. Their Real Relationships

Jim and Pam are probably one of my favorite onscreen couples of all time, played by John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer. The way Jim looks at Pam is just breathtaking and makes me a believer in office romances. It took some time for the couple to get their happy ending through miscommunication, Pam’s long engagement, and Jim’s relationship, but they finally got it right. 

Both John and Jenna admitted they had chemistry on set, but their romance never really advanced. Though Jenna made a controversial comment during Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen by saying they were “genuinely in love with each other,” John disagreed, saying that it was taken out of context. In reality, both of them got married to different people in 2010. 

John married Emily Blunt, while Jenna married Lee Kirk after being in a previous marriage with James Gunn. 

Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross proved to be the perfect family couple that screamed the “American Dream.” 

Though I shipped them on the TV screen, Anderson has a wife in real life, Alvina Stewart. However, she did just file for porce from the actor for the second time after 22 years together. Maybe Dre and Bow could work after all!

I truly believe that Elena always loved Damon, but it took her becoming a vampire to figure that one out. Played by Degrassi’s Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder, the pair was a fan-favorite couple over brother, aka nice vampire Stefan (Paul Wesley). But get this: Nina and Ian did date IRL. 

They actually dated during the series and ended up breaking up due to the massive age gap (10 years). They were just in different places. The former pair remain on good terms and have moved on, respectfully. Ian married Nikki Reed, and they have two children, while Nina is with snowboarder Shaun White. 

Amy Poehler and Adam Scott really had me questioning if they were an item. Who knew another career-driven man would take the interests of fully focused Leslie Knope? Watching Leslie and Ben’s relationship play out was truly enjoyable to watch. They really were two peas in a pod. 

The two never dated; Amy was actually married during Parks and Recreation to Will Arnett, and the pair share two boys but porced in 2016. And Adam Scott has been married to Naomi Scott since 2005, leaving no room for Ben and Leslie. 

Of course, Troy and Gabriella are couple goals. I think they still belong together! Played by Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron, Troy and Gabriella made everyone want to sign up for a school musical and fall in love. 

Though the couple did go on to date for a while while the movie series filmed, they did have a public breakup that shocked us all. Vanessa Hudgens went on to have a nearly decade-long relationship with Zoey 101’s Austin Butler, while Zac Efron has been linked to multiple women since then. Vanessa is now dating MLB player Cole Tucker. And Zac Efron is still on the market, ladies!

*SPOILER ALERT*

After binge-watching the latest Brigderton season, I couldn’t help but notice how in tune Anthony and Kate were, played by Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley. The relationship onscreen was an emotional roller coaster until they finally became a couple. I could see the two together totally, but Bailey has been pretty open about his sexuality — he is openly gay. As for Simone Ashley, there is no say on who she is linked to. 

This couple had a bumpy ride, but it was always them in the end. It took Issa a while to realize Lawrence, her college sweetheart, was actually her soulmate. After the messiness of their relationship — the on-and-off hookups, cheating, and scandals — I am convinced their story was a classic separate to be better together case. 

It was always Lawrence and Issa for me, but these two had separate things going on. Issa Rae actually had a sneaky wedding to Louis Diame in 2021, while Jay Ellis has been linked with Nina Senicar. The two share one child together. 

No one really talks about the chemistry between Adonis and Bianca in Creed. I mean, Adonis is literally helping her take down her braids; if that isn’t Black love, then I don’t know what is. Though Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson have never dated, they are super-close friends ever since the beginning of filming the Creed trilogy. Creed III is actually in production, and it’s Michael B. Jordan’s first time directing a movie. 

We do know that Michael B. Jordan is in a very public relationship with Steve Harvey’s stepdaughter, Lori Harvey. The two went IG official in January 2021. There isn’t a say on Tessa Thompson’s current beau, though she has been linked to talented singer Janelle Monáe. She referred to her as her “person.” 

The Notebook is a classic film that shows Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams’ true love for one another, whether they liked it or not. It is true they hated each other when they first started filming but ended up dating briefly. 

Rachel has been linked to Jamie Linden since 2016, while Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling have been together for over a decade. The couple shares two children. 

As toxic and unrelatable as Chuck Bass and Blair Waldorf were, it didn’t stop fans from shipping them. So much that when I hopped on the Gossip Girl wave, I couldn’t stop googling if the onscreen couple had the potential to be more IRL. 

Despite their on-and-off romance on camera, the pair never dated in real life. Though Ed Westwick (Chuck) is still on the market, Leighton Meester married Adam Brody in 2014, and the couple shares one child together. 

A relationship I never saw coming. Since Cheryl never really cares about anyone but herself, it was intriguing to see her fall in love in Riverdale. 

Vanessa Morgan (Toni) actually married Michael Kopech and had a baby boy, River Kopech. And Madelaine Petsch has been linked to boyfriend Miles Chamley-Watson lately. 

Another toxic and turbulent couple. Cookie and Lucious were viral all over Twitter during the peak of Empire. Played by Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard, the onscreen couple played a true Bonnie and Clyde until one of them did prison time for both of their faults. As crazy as the couple was, their happy ending was never guaranteed. 

The pair actually go way back and have a deep history from filming the 2005 film Hustle and Flow. 

Taraji P. Henson was engaged to former NFL player, Kelvin Hayden but the couple split, saying it didn’t work out. Terrence Howard was freshly porced during the filming of Empire. 

Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston always get mistaken as a couple, so Just Go With It. The two have been friends for over 20 years and initially met when Aniston was dating one of Sandler’s friends when they were 14. The rest was history — Sandler admitted he didn’t know they were going to be the top entertainers of their generation. 

Jennifer Aniston married Brad Pitt in 2005, then Justin Theroux in 2015. They are now porced, while Adam Sandler married Jackie Titone in 2003. They met while he was filming Big Daddy. And since then, Jackie makes an appearance in every one of his Happy Madison films. 

Who knew Justin Timberlake was such a good actor?! One of my favorite movies showed that Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake had tons of chemistry onscreen and offscreen, especially for a film that was so straightforward, Friends with Benefits. The two sparked a ton of dating rumors, but never dated —they were just friends…as the movie says. 

Mila Kunis was actually linked to Home Alone’s Macaulay Culkin during the 2011 film, though their relationship ended that year. Oddly enough, that’s when Demi Moore announced her porce from Ashton Kutcher. And lo and behold, a year later, That ’70s Show had a reunion, with Mila and Ashton beginning to date. They got married in 2015, and are a way better offscreen couple than onscreen. 

Justin Timberlake was dating model Jessica Biel, and the two married in 2012. 

Cory and Topanga’s names are engraved in my memory. Such a classic couple — of course, a noteworthy shoutout is due for these high school sweethearts. 

Danielle Fishel (Topanga) confirmed the two never dated in real life, but they did try. Fishel married twice, Tim Belusko in 2013 (and porced in 2016), and Jensen Karp in 2018. 

Ben Savage (Cory) has never married anyone; maybe it’s always been Topanga for him. 

Med School and the pro football player were the “It” couple until scandalous cheating tore them apart. Even though Hollywood got the best of them, Melanie and Derwin’s innocence during Season 1 of The Game was unmatchable, the perfect college sweethearts. As they did eventually end up together, this Sister, Sister twin has always been off the market. 

She was in a long-term relationship with actor Cory Hardrict before becoming Tia Mowry-Hardrict in 2008. The couple actually met on set for a movie called Hollywood Horror in 1999, which is when they started dating. 

As for Pooch Hall, he’s been married since 1997 and has three children with Linda Hall. Looks like Melanie and Derwin’s relationship was just a “game.” 

These two had chemistry from the first episode, so it was shocking when she chose Luca over Aaron!

Yara Shahidi has remained private about her love life, so there’s no official word on who she has dated. And Trevor Jackson hasn’t been linked to anyone, though he was linked to Zendaya after she starred in his music video. Zendaya promises they were just close friends. 

Who remembers this movie? I am a true fan of Cinderella Story. Selena Gomez and Drew Seeley put their all into that ballroom dance. And I am here for it.

The 2008 film stirred some controversy since Drew Seeley was 26 and Selena Gomez was 16 years old during the film. She was dating Nick Jonas at the time, a fellow Disney star. Then, she went on to have a turbulent on-and-off relationship with Justin Bieber for a while. Currently, she is single after dating singer The Weeknd in 2017. 

Drew Seeley married Amy Paffrath in 2013. 

One of the most underrated couples ever, Betty and Daniel’s (played by America Ferrara and Eric Mabius) onscreen chemistry was undeniable. Though they didn’t realize their true love for one another until the very last episode, their friendship was one of a kind. 

Some fans really wondered if the two ever dated IRL, but in 2010, America was engaged to writer and director Ryan Piers Williams, and Eric was already engaged to be married to his high school sweetheart Ivy Sherman by the time Ugly Betty premiered. 

You cannot deny the flame these two had initially in Season 2 of You. They both were crazy as hell and tried covering the fact that they weren’t crazy, which is ludicrous. 

Penn Badgley is actually married to Domino Kirke, while Victoria Pedretti was spotted with her co-star Dylan Arnold.