Celebrities Who Were Rejected By Other Celebrities
If you're obsessed with celebrity relationships like we are at Nicki Swift, you're following the drama of the latest breakups, and stars who found their way back to each other. Of course, everyone loves to celebrate those rare Hollywood unions that have stood the test of time. In this piece, we're taking a closer look at couples that might have been, but never made it out of the gate for one reason or another.
Fame and fortune don't really come into play when it comes to matters of the heart. Former heartthrob Justin Bieber is a perfect example. He was turned down by not one, but two Tinseltown A-listers. Selena Gomez has over 400 million Instagram followers, yet she was rejected by another pop star after she and the Biebs called it quits. Would you believe Lindsay Lohan passed on the chance to hook up with Harry Styles?
We'll tell you why the "Freaky Friday" star didn't get her freak on with the "Watermelon Sugar" singer. In 2016, Rihanna put her body and soul into every performance of her mega hit "Love on the Brain," but she had no interest in getting busy with Chris Rock. "Like, I would have had an easier time f***g Aretha Franklin," the comedian joked in his Netflix special (via NME). So, keep scrolling. We have all the juicy deets about nine celebrities who were rejected by other celebs.
Rihanna dismissed Chris Rock's interest in her
During a 2018 appearance on "The Tonight Show," Chris Rock said the "Lift Me Up" singer shot him down with just the expression on her face. (1:20) "[She looked at me] like I was one of her aunts," the comedian told Jimmy Fallon. "She didn't even register me as a sexual being ... I was in the uncle zone." In 2016, the "SNL" alum mentioned Rihanna rejecting him when he hosted the Oscars, making a crack about Jada Pinkett Smith boycotting the show over the #OscarsSoWhite controversy.
"Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna's panties. I wasn't invited," Rock quipped (via Billboard). "Oh, that's not an invitation I would turn down." As for RiRi's reaction to the "Everybody Hates Chris" star's joke, a Hollywood Life insider said the pop icon was fine with it. "Chris' joke was epic! She laughed her ass off at it," the source dished. "But not only was it funny, it was also true. She'd never invite Chris into her kitchen like that."
Rock, who was married to former publicist Malaak Compton-Rock for twenty years, isn't pining over Rihanna anymore. The four-time Emmy winner is reportedly dating "In a World" star Lake Bell. As for the "We Found Love" hitmaker, she revealed during her Super Bowl 2023 performance she's expecting a second child with partner A$AP Rocky. In a 2021 interview with GQ, the former ladies man shared, "I think when you know, you know. She's the One."
Drake was rejected by Nicki Minaj
As celebrity relationships go, the one between Young Money superstars Drake and Nicki Minaj is a bit of a head-scratcher. In a 2010 interview with MTV's DJ Envy, Drake said he was instantly taken with the "Super Freaky Girl" hit maker. "When I was on tour ... I saw Nicki for the first time and, like, literally fell in love." The "In My Feelings" rapper explained it was hard to break through Minaj's icy exterior to get her to warm up to him.
"I've always really, actually, really had a crush on her, always really loved her, and she's always just looked at me as, like, her little brother," Drizzy shared with MTV. Minaj denied Drake was crushing on her, but in his 2010 hit "Miss Me," the Toronto MC confessed his infatuation with her. "I love Nicki Minaj / I told her I'd admit it / I hope one day we get married just to say we f***g did it."
About a week later, Drake announced the pair were wed. "Please refer to @nickiminaj as Mrs. Aubrey Drake Graham and don't stare at her too long. She's finally mine," he tweeted. Minaj confirmed their marriage on social media. The following day, she did a complete 180, tweeting she and her "Moment 4 Life" collaborator were getting an annulment. Apparently, their union wasn't God's plan. It's more likely it was a publicity stunt, and it worked.
Daniel Radcliffe gave Julianne Hough the brush-off
In her first on-screen role, Julianne Hough was an extra in 2001's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," playing a Hogwarts schoolgirl in the first film of the wizarding franchise. The "Dancing with the Stars" alum, 11 years old at the time, had a crush on a few of the movie's stars. "I was kind of in love, especially with Daniel Radcliffe," Hough shared during a 2012 appearance on "Live With Kelly and Ryan" (via Us Magazine).
"I wrote him a love note. It was Valentine's Day and I got him the Valentino Beanie Baby. I never heard back," she continued. The "Grease Live!" actor noted she never confronted Radcliffe about it, telling Kelly Ripa she's still embarrassed by her childhood crush on the "Harry Potter" star. "I see him sometimes, around, and I just turn the other way and walk away." It's likely all ancient history for the star of "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story."
In 2023, Radcliffe welcomed his first child with his longtime love Erin Darke, whom he met on the set of "Kill Your Darlings." Hough's romantic life, on the other hand, has been more of a mixed bag. After dating Ryan Seacrest for a few years, she ended up marrying former NHL player Brooks Laich, then filing for divorce in 2020. Prior to the split, the "Rock of Ages" actor disclosed to Laich she's "not straight." "I have never felt more like a woman in my life," Hough told People.
Niall Horan was turned down by Katy Perry
Niall Horan and Katy Perry have known each other since 2010. Back then, he was auditioning as a solo artist for "The X Factor UK." She was a judge on the series who made the call to put him through to the next round. Speaking to Orlando Bloom on a 2023 episode of "The Late Late Show with James Corden," the "Slow Hands" singer explained, "Katy kept me in the competition. If it wasn't for her, I definitely would not be here."
In a 2017 radio interview with Nova FM, Perry playfully shaded the One Direction alum. (2:00) "I see [Horan] around all the time, he's always trying to like get my number to, like, maybe flirt with me, but I'm like, 'I could baby-sit you. I'm, like, your mom!" When the hosts played back Perry's comments for Horan, he didn't take it to heart, noting that he just wants to be friends with the "Firework" singer. "She is talking like she is about 55 years older than me," Horan pointed out. "She is not that much older than me."
The two pop stars are actually long-standing collaborators and good friends. In 2017, they performed at "The Voice" Australia's superstar finale, and they appeared alongside Justin Bieber, Coldplay and others at the One Love Manchester Benefit Concert hosted by Ariana Grande. In October of that year, the "This Town" crooner tweeted the photo above and wished his pal, "the loveliest lady," a happy 33rd birthday.
Jennifer Lawrence passed on the chance to 'tap' Justin Bieber
Before he married Hailey Baldwin, Justin Bieber dated more than his share of Hollywood celebs, including Sofia Richie and Selena Gomez. During a 2015 radio interview on Capital FM, the Biebs played a game of "To Bae or Not To Bae." When host Roman Kemp asked if he would bae Jennifer Lawrence, the "Boyfriend" singer replied, "Oh yeah, [she's] bae fasho. 100 percent. She's sooo sexy .... She's unbelievable. She's so cute."
After hearing Bieber's comments about her, "The Hunger Games" star fielded a question from a caller on "Watch What Happens Live" wanting to know if she would ever "tap that." "I'm going to say a hard 'no,"' she replied. It seems Lawrence isn't the only celebrity who abruptly rejected the "What Do You Mean" crooner. In a 2015 Instagram post, JB captioned a pic of himself with Rihanna, explaining when he asked for her number, she simply said, "Nah."
Bieber was 16 when he hit up the 23-year-old pop star, who was sitting next to him at the 2011 NBA All-Star game in Los Angeles. "It didn't go so well, since I'm not with her," he said (via Contact Music). I asked her out and she was basically like, 'You're too young.'" These days, both Lawrence and Bieber are off the market. Justin and Hailey celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in 2022. The "Silver Linings Playbook" actor married art gallerist Cooke Maroney in 2019, and the couple welcomed their son Cy in 2022.
Lindsay Lohan turned down a booty call with Harry Styles
Harry Styles isn't the kind of guy who's used to being shot down. The teen idol from 1D matured into one of the most handsome men in the world. But when the pop star came knocking on Lindsay Lohan's door in the middle of the night, his "late night talking" didn't convince her to invite him in. In a 2016 interview with the U.S. Sun (via People), LiLo explained, "I didn't know it was him ... I said, 'Well, you're very good-looking — can I help you?'"
"He was like, 'I'm Harry .... I was in bed. I was like, 'I'm going to bed but it was nice to meet you,"' Lohan recalled. The "Mean Girls" actor added she had just returned from a 12-step meeting, and wasn't really feeling up for company. Lohan didn't realize who she rejected until she shared the story with her sister the following day. "It didn't click who he was at the time," she said.
Now that her thwarted booty-call with Styles is in the rearview mirror, the "Liz & Dick" star added, "I saw him in LA recently. I think it's probably awkward on both our parts now." Lohan won't be expecting random hotel room guests anytime soon. In 2022, she tied the knot with financier Bader Shammas, and they're expecting their first child together in 2023. As for the self-described "too-flirty" Styles, following his high-profile split from Olivia Wilde, he is rumored to be dating Emily Ratajkowski.
Selena Gomez was ghosted by George Shelley
After Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber called it quits, the "Come & Get It" singer set her sights on another teenage heartthrob. In a video message to George Shelly that was played in front of his Union J bandmates, Gomez said, "Hey, George, it's Selena. I was in London for a bit and I'm bummed I missed you, so next time give me call." Speaking to The Mirror, the 18-year-old musician said he was shocked the Hollywood star was interested in him.
"Selena's one of those massive celebrities who doesn't even know you exist, so I was gob-smacked," he admitted. According to a source for The U.S. Sun (via Metro), the "Hands to Myself" hit maker later hired the band for her show in Portugal, and things got steamy between the two pop stars after their gig. While the source claimed the pair spent the night together after partying with the band and her entourage, Shelley has a different account of what happened.
In an interview with Now Magazine (via Capital FM), he insisted it was nothing like that. "We just chatted – all of us were there," the "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!" alum explained. "We were a bit shocked it got into the papers." As it turns out, Shelley never called the "Only Murders in the Building" star, but there is a likely explanation for that. In 2018, the "Murder in Successville" actor revealed to Gay Times he prefers the company of men.
Emma Watson said Tom Felton 'broke my heart'
In the early days of filming "Harry Potter," Emma Watson, who plays Hermione Granger, had a serious crush on Tom Felton, the villainous Draco Malfoy. Even though he knew about Watson's feelings, Felton dismissed her anyway. "The thing is that he'd tell everyone, 'I see her in a younger, sisterly way,'" Watson shared during a 2012 appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show. "It just broke my heart. It still does."
Watson was nine years old and Felton was 12 when they were cast in what became a $9.6 billion franchise. In his 2022 memoir, "Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard" (via Insider), the "Origin" actor revealed there were two cliques in the young cast. On one occasion, Watson put together a dance show for the cast, and Felton and cast mate Josh Herdman mocked her. "We sniggered our way down to Emma's show, and the sniggers grew louder as she danced," Felton wrote.
"I did feel like a bit of a d***k, and rightly so," he added. In spite of their childhood spats, Watson and Felton have been close friends for years, but could it be more than that? In the foreword to his memoir, she referred to her former co-star as her "soulmate." In a joint 2022 interview with ET, Felton admitted, "Emma and I have always loved each other, really." But Watson insisted they've never been romantically involved. "We just love each other. That's all I can say about that."
Blake Lively ignored a series of texts from Aziz Ansari
In 2011, Aziz Ansari ran into Blake Lively at an event and started chatting her up. "She was really into food, and I'm really into food, and so we started talking about that and about stuff ... and we exchanged phone numbers," the Parks and Recreation" actor told Howard Stern's SiriusXM radio show in 2014. Knowing Lively was a fan, Ansari started communicating with the "Gossip Girl" star via text, ending the message with, "Are you going to the Met Ball?" After not hearing back, the "Master of None" star spotted Lively at the event a few days later.
"I see her there, I'm like, 'Hey, it's me,'" the comedian recalled. "And she's bopping around to all these parties and she's with Karl Lagerfeld." Later that night, Ansari was determined to find out where she went. "I text her again and say, 'Hey, it's Aziz. Please tell Karl he needs to call me, it's been too long since we bro'd out.'" The "Funny People" actor made one last attempt to track Lively down, letting her know he was headed to the Boom Boom Room afterparty.
That's when she finally responded. "Hey, maybe I'll see you," she wrote. "So weird, Karl was just saying how bummed he was to miss you." Lively, who was expecting her first child, didn't reply after that. Ansari, however, mined the whole cringeworthy exchange for a laugh. "So crazy that my text to Blake Lively on @sternshow got her pregnant. Congrats boo," he tweeted.