Celebrities Who Dated Or Married Their Onscreen Family Members
There's nothing sweeter than actors falling in love on set. With so much chemistry between two stars portraying love interests, these on-screen romances turn into real-life relationships that we simply adore. Take, for instance, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, who fell in love while filming "Swing Shift" in 1984. Though never married, they are considered one of Hollywood's most cherished couples. Then there is star couple Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz. Despite sharing the screen in 1992's "Jamon Jamon," they worked together again and ultimately fell in love in 2007's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."
While the instant attraction between two stars playing a couple on a TV show or movie is expected, a few actors have fallen in love with their on-screen family members. While that might sound awkward, it happened for the couples (or former couples) on this list. Whether they played a nagging brother-sister duo, a mother and son, or even a niece and uncle on screen, these stars below didn't let their fictional characters get in the way of dating in real life off-screen.
Jennifer Aniston and Charlie Schlatter starred as siblings
Jennifer Aniston and Charlie Schlatter starred as siblings on the short-lived 1990's television show "Ferris Bueller," based on the hit movie "Ferris Buller's Day Off." Schlatter starred as the show's title character, while Aniston played his loathing sister Jeannie. The show only produced one season because of poor ratings, and apparently, Aniston and Schlatter's romance off-screen was just as brief.
Fans learned of Aniston and Schlatter's relationship in 2014 when GQ writer Jim Nelson, who worked as a writer's assistant on the show, shared, "GQ can exclusively report that everyone on set thought she was hot, including Schlatter, with whom she had a brief, torrid romance — while playing, it must be said, his older sister." However, their relationship has never been confirmed or denied by either star.
Four years later, Aniston landed the role of Rachel Green on "Friends" and would go on to marry Brad Pitt in 2000 before divorcing in 2005. After short romances with Vince Vaughn and John Mayer, she married Justin Theroux in 2015, but they divorced two years later. Meanwhile, Schlatter found his forever partner in 1994 when he married Colleen Gunderson.
Chris Pratt and Emily VanCamp played brother and sister on Everwood
Before Chris Pratt became leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy or tried to avoid getting eaten by dinosaurs in "Jurassic World," he starred in a little television show some fans might remember called "Everwood" from 2002 to 2006. On set, Pratt met actor Emily VanCamp, and they played siblings Bright and Amy Abbott. The twosome began dating in 2004, with Pratt acknowledging how some fans might have found it a little awkward.
"Yeah, we've pretty much gotten used to the response of 'Ew, that's weird. That's creepy.' The people who know us are happy and probably expected it to happen eventually. But yeah, every once in a while we get that one person that's like, 'That's really creepy. You just kissed your sister,'" Pratt told TV Guide in 2006. The couple wouldn't last long, and broke up in 2007.
Interestingly, after her split with Pratt, VanCamp ended up dating her "Brothers and Sisters" co-star Dave Annable. The pair starred as half-siblings on the show.
Barry Williams had relationships with two women on The Brady Bunch
"The Brady Bunch" ran for five seasons from 1969 to 1974 and followed a widower with three sons who meets and marries a woman with three daughters to become one big happy family. With so many actors working so close together, it may not have been so shocking to hear about a few romances brewing between these on-screen family members.
In 2013, actor Barry Williams, who starred as oldest brother Greg Brady on the sitcom, revealed that he was involved with not one but two of his costars. In an interview for Oprah Winfrey's "Where Are They Now?" series, Williams admitted to having a relationship with on-screen step-sibling Maureen McCormick, who starred as Marcia Brady. Stating that they shared a kiss while filming the show's Hawaii episodes, he added, "We snuck away, it was a full moon, walked on the sand. Well, I knew where that was headed. Of course, I set it up." McCormick later confirmed their romance when she and her former castmates appeared on Andy Cohen's "Watch What Happens Live" in 2019. When asked to rate the kiss on a scale of 1 to 10, McCormick gave it a solid 10.
To much surprise, Williams also admitted to having a relationship with Florence Henderson, who starred as mom Carol Brady on the show. Despite being twice his age, Williams stated that he had a crush on Henderson and that the two bonded over music. They even shared a kiss when he took her out on a date!
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson starred as siblings after they were already married
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have been married for over thirty years, and the acting duo is one of Hollywood's most favorite couples. In fact, they met on the set of the sitcom "Bosom Buddies" in 1981, where Wilson starred in one episode. However, sparks flew when they got to work more intimately in 1985's "Volunteers" as love interests, despite Hanks being married to his college sweetheart Samantha Lewes at the time. Hanks later told GQ (via People) that their on-screen chemistry was indisputable, "Rita and I just looked at each other and — kaboing — that was that. I asked Rita if it was the real thing for her, and it just couldn't be denied."
Hanks and Wilson publicly came out as a couple in 1986, before Hanks' divorce from Lewes was official. They tied the knot in 1988 and starred in their second movie together in 1993. And, while you'd guess that the pair would play lovers yet again as they did in "Volunteers," they instead portrayed siblings Sam and Suzy in the romantic comedy "Sleepless in Seattle." Of course, fans of the classic film know that actor Meg Ryan starred as Hanks' character's love interest in the movie.
Lauren Graham and Peter Krause co-starred as siblings on Parenthood
"Gilmore Girls" actor Lauren Graham and "Six Feet Under" star Peter Krause's real-life relationship began when they played siblings Adam and Sarah Braverman in the 2010 comedy-drama "Parenthood." For her part, Graham told Redbook that same year that keeping their off-screen romance under wraps was the best thing they could do. "Nobody knew about it for a while because we like to be at home, cooking and not going out. I've also been really protective of it because it's important that you can buy us as brother and sister on the show," she shared.
In the same interview, Graham detailed the plus side to portraying siblings and spending time with Krause off camera. "You can be dismissive and obnoxious to them and no one can blame you — but you can only get away with that on camera. You know, one of the things that's been so fun [about this relationship] is that it's so easy. And it's a lot to work with somebody and then spend time [at home] with them too."
Graham and Krause continued to costar as siblings on "Parenthood" until the final sixth season in 2015. Unfortunately, the couple called it quits on their real-life relationship in 2021.
Ian Somerhalder and Maggie Grace played stepsiblings
Both Ian Somerhalder and Maggie Grace starred in 2004's "Lost," portraying step-siblings Boone Carlyle and Shannon Rutherford, respectively, before (spoiler) both of their characters were eventually killed off. The actors reportedly began an off-screen romance after they left the series in 2006, despite Grace telling Glamour that year that it wasn't anything serious: "Ian's great, I adore him, although I'm only 22 — far too young to even think about having a serious relationship." Their relationship was also short-lived and ended the following year.
Despite their split, Grace and Somerhalder appeared to be on good terms when they reunited for the 10th anniversary of "Lost" in 2014. The pair posed for photos on the red carpet and were all smiles. The "Fear the Walking Dead" star even confirmed their status as friendly exes when she shared in an issue for New You in 2015, "I haven't dated too many actors. I did when I was really young, for a couple of years ... but it's nothing against actors. Ian Somerhalder and I are still very good friends. You can certainly reconcile schedules with actors but it takes some doing, and I just don't have that energy."
John Travolta and Diana Hyland starred as mother and son
In 1976, actor John Travolta starred in the television movie "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" opposite Diana Hyland, who portrayed his mother. Despite the acting duo having a nearly 20-year age gap between them and playing a mother and son on screen, they could not ignore the chemistry happening off-screen.
In an interview with People in 1977, Travolta revealed that he and Hyland had an instant connection on the set of their film. However, their relationship was short-lived after Hyland died of breast cancer that March. "I have never been more in love with anyone in my life. I thought I was in love before, but I wasn't. From the moment I met her, I was attracted. We were like two maniacs talking all the time on the set of 'Bubble.' After a month it became romantic," he said, adding that he even thought of marriage before her untimely death.
Sadly, Travolta's wife, Kelly Preston, who he married in 1991, also died of breast cancer. The "Grease" actor shared the news with his followers on Instagram in July 2020. "It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my beautiful wife Kelly has lost her two-year battle with breast cancer. She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many," Travolta touchingly shared.
Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia starred as family members on Heroes
Actors Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia first met on the set of 2006's "Heroes." Panettiere starred as high school cheerleader Claire Bennet while Ventimiglia portrayed her uncle, Peter Petrelli. In real life, the two stars had a 12-year age difference. However, their on-screen family ties didn't stop them from having a real romance off-screen.
The two actors began their relationship in 2007, when Panettiere was 18 and Ventimiglia was 29. Although they kept most of their relationship under wraps, they often attended red-carpet events together, including the 2007 Spike TV Scream Awards and several events dedicated to their "Heroes" TV show, where they posed for pictures. Unfortunately, their romance burnt out by 2009, with People reporting that their age difference played a factor. "She still has growing up to do and he's very low-key," a source shared.
In 2017, Ventimiglia opened up to Mr. Porter about his brief romance with a much younger Panettiere and what he learned from it. "Never do it again. There are things that happen to you in your life that shape who you are. Everything I've been through, from jobs to friendships to partnerships, everything has built me to who I am. You learn from it. You learn a better way of doing things," he said, adding, "It wasn't until my mid to late twenties that the job wears on you, relationships wear on you. But I wouldn't change a thing. When you get knocked over the head in life, it builds your perspective."
Matthew Broderick and Jennifer Grey starred as brother and sister before becoming romantic
It seems Jennifer Aniston and Charlie Schlatter followed in the original Bueller siblings' footsteps! While portraying siblings Ferris and Jeanie Bueller in the classic "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," actors Jennifer Grey and Matthew Broderick hit it off when the cameras weren't rolling. Much of their relationship was kept under wraps, with People reporting that they were engaged for two of the four years they were together. However, in 1987, their romance was put on full display when they were involved in a tragic car crash while vacationing in Ireland that killed two women and left Broderick in serious condition and Grey having survivor's guilt. The following year, they ended their relationship.
Several years after their split, Grey told People when discussing her memoir, "Out of the Corner," that Madonna's iconic song, "Express Yourself," was allegedly about her breakup with Broderick. "She played it for me in her car. I was in my log cabin with Johnny [Depp] and she said, 'Come into my car.' And I got in her Mercedes where she had a really good sound system and she was like, 'Listen to this song I just did. It's about you,'" Grey said.
Since her breakup with Broderick, Grey went on to date stars like Johnny Depp and Michael J. Fox. In 2001, she wed Clark Gregg, but the couple divorced in 2020. As for "The Producers" star, he married Sarah Jessica Parker in 1997.
Carrie Preston portrayed Michael Emerson's mom on Lost
Actors Michael Emerson and Carrie Preston have been married since 1998 and have worked together on several projects. The couple was featured in the comedies "Straight-Jacket" and "Ready? OK!" At the same time, Preston also appeared in many episodes of Emerson's TV show "Person of Interest," starring as her husband's character, Harold Finch's former fiance.
So, while the real-life couple has played love interests on-screen, Preston also got to portray Emerson's mother in one episode of "Lost" all because of a joke. In Season 3, Episode 20, titled "The Man Behind the Curtain," viewers saw a flashback of Emerson's character, Ben Linus' younger self, which included scenes with his mother, Emily.
Preston got to portray that role, and recalled to Entertainment Weekly how it allowed her to spend more time with her husband as he was away filming in Hawaii; she said, "I used to joke, 'Wouldn't it be hilarious if I played your mom in a flashback?' Michael shared that joke [with] producers, and the next week, there was a phone call to my agents: 'Can Carrie play Michael's mother in a flashback [on a Season 3 episode]?' We were howling. We thought, 'This is insane and a little freaky, but the fans are gonna love it.'"
Georgia Moffett portrayed David Tennant's daughter on Doctor Who
Married actors David Tennant and Georgia Moffett have a pretty incredible history. They first met when Tennant was starring as the tenth Doctor on the popular series "Doctor Who." Moffett appeared in a Season 4 episode from 2008 titled "The Doctor's Daughter," starring as Tennant's character's genetically cloned grown-up daughter Jenny. Putting their fictional character's father/daughter relationship aside, the twosome struck up a real-life romance that same year.
Oddly enough, Moffett's father, actor Peter Davison, starred as the fifth Doctor from 1981 to 1984. In 2020, Tennant dished on Gaby Roslin's BBC podcast (via Independent) that it was strange to marry Moffett because her father had also played a Doctor. "Because 'Doctor Who' had run through my life like a stick of rock, to end up marrying the daughter of one of the doctors, it all felt a bit stupid — there were a lot of things against it," he shared.
Knowing how he felt, Moffett admitted that she aggressively pursued Tennant. It clearly worked out, as the couple wed in 2011 and have since welcomed four children, with the "Hamlet" actor also adopting Moffett's first son, Ty, from a previous relationship.
Amy Poehler and Will Arnett were already married when they starred as siblings
Amy Poehler and Will Arnett's relationship history dates back to 1996 when Arnett saw the "Saturday Night Live" star perform in New York City. However, they didn't develop a romantic relationship until four years later, and wed in 2003. The following year, Poehler joined her husband for five episodes of "Arrested Development," starring as Arnett's character G.O.B. Bluth's wife. In turn, Arnett joined Poehler on Season 2 of "Parks and Recreation," where he starred as an MRI technician going on a blind date with Poehler's character, Leslie Knope.
The married pair decided to work together again, but this time as the brother and sister ice skating duo Stranz and Fairchild Van Waldenberg in the 2007 comedy "Blades of Glory." The actors joked about portraying siblings but were happy to get a chance to work together. "We had the opportunity to work together every day, so that was kind of great. It was a lot of fun, and obviously, to play brother and sister was kind of ... " Arnett told Collider, with Poehler finishing the sentence: "creepy."
Before the couple split in 2012, they had also worked together in the animated film "Horton Hears a Who!"
Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter work together as siblings despite their real-life divorce
Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter were cast as siblings Dexter and Debra Morgan in the 2006 psychological thriller series "Dexter." There was no denying that this fictional brother-sister duo had great chemistry on-screen thanks to a real romantic relationship.
Hall and Carpenter began to date soon after they met on the show and eloped on New Year's Eve in 2008. However, they divorced two years later but had to continue to work together on "Dexter" until the end of the show in 2013. Despite this, the exes have always remained on friendly terms and maintained respect for one another. Talking to "Today" about working with her ex-husband, Carpenter shared, "Has it changed anything? Yes. [But] I mean, he is and always will be one of my best friends in the world. And just because the marriage ended doesn't mean the love isn't still there. We take very good care of each other and our cast, we always have, and I'm just really lucky."
In 2021, Hall and Carpenter returned as Dexter and Debra Morgan for the show's revival "Dexter: New Blood."
Shane West and Evan Rachel Wood reunited years later after playing brother and sister
Actor Shane West starred as older brother Eli Sammler to Evan Rachel Wood's character Jessie in the 1999 drama series "Once and Again." West was 21, and Wood was only 12 when they starred in the show. However, West and Wood didn't become an item until nine years later.
The former co-stars reportedly dated when they were spotted holding hands and leaving together at the "A Walk to Remember" actor's 31st birthday celebration in 2009. That same year, the duo was seen attending the "Whatever Works" premiere, which starred Wood. She seemed to confirm their romance when she shared at the time (via Just Jared), "I think you can put two and two together. I won't confirm or deny it but I don't think I have to. I have a celebrity crush on Shane West." However, their relationship didn't seem to last very long.