The Most Bizarre Celebrity Marriage Confessions
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Most celebrities get hitched in glamorous ways. On December 22, 2000, the Queen of Pop, Madonna tied the knot with Guy Ritchie at the Skibo Castle in Scotland. Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra's nuptials took an astounding three days, and "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Teresa Giudice married Luis "Louie" Ruelas in a picturesque 250-guest garden ceremony.
As beautiful as weddings are, the trick lies in making a marriage work. For some couples, that could mean giving up the unconventional. "St. Elsewhere" actor Bonnie Bartlett, who's been married to "Boy Meets World" actor William Daniels for a little over seven decades, had to work around opening up their marriage in their early years together. How did they make it to the other side? You may ask. "We just had to go through all that and still, we loved each other very much and always have. [We] have always been there for each other. That's what matters," Bartlett said in a chat with Fox News.
Even though what happens in every star's marriage should only make sense to them, some celebs have opened bizarre aspects of their relationships to the court of public opinion, just like Daniels and Bartlett. From questionable beginnings, the way they run their households, to unorthodox family ties, read along to find out which confessions set tongues wagging.
Bill Gates took yearly vacations with an ex-girlfriend
Long before billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his ex-wife Melinda French Gates went their separate ways due to a lack of trust, the power couple had a somewhat bizarre arrangement. Every year, Bill was allowed to vacation with his ex-girlfriend Ann Winblad, with whom he was an item during the '80s. The pair would hang-glide, have dune buggy rides, and stroll by the beach at Winblad's island cottage off the North Carolina coast.
"We can play putt-putt while discussing biotechnology," Bill revealed in a 1997 chat with Time, to which Winblad added, "We share our thoughts about the world and ourselves ... And we marvel about how, as two young overachievers, we began a great adventure on the fringes of a little-known industry and it landed us at the center of an amazing universe."
Bill and Winblad ended their romantic relationship in 1987 because the former wasn't ready to walk down the aisle just yet. They however maintained a solid friendship, so much so that Winblad was a consultant when the philanthropist was ready to pop the question to Melinda. "I called Ann and asked for her approval," Bill told Time. Winblad, who gave him a nod, thought Melinda would make a great partner because of her high intellect.
Jada Pinkett Smith had a relationship with August Alsina
Singer August Alsina raised eyebrows when he released the song "Nunya" in March 2019, which showed texts with a love interest named "Koren." Speculations that the person in question was Jada Pinkett Smith were confirmed when Alsina had a sit-down with radio personality Angela Yee in July 2020. "I actually sat down with Will [Smith] and had a conversation due to the transformation from their marriage to life partnership that they've spoken on several times, and, you know, not involving romanticism," Alsina disclosed, in a bid to clear his name over his relationship with Jada. "He gave me his blessing."
Alsina's revelation ignited an internet-wide uproar, which led the Smiths to share their version of the truth on Jada's Facebook Watch show, "Red Table Talk." The couple admitted to having constraints within their marriage that resulted in a split, and subsequently had Jada marching to the beat of her own drum. "I think, from there, you know, as time went on, I got into a different kind of entanglement with August," Jada divulged. The "Gotham" actor also let it be known that Alsina was in no way a homewrecker, and their relationship had come about because she was in an unhappy place.
Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian lived separately
When Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker started making passes at his neighbor, Kourtney Kardashian, she had reservations. "I think I was afraid of anything that could be real, "the "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star disclosed during an appearance on the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast. One thing led to another, and before they knew it, the twosome had not one, but three weddings, and an additional Las Vegas test-run.
Five months after saying I do, Kardashian made a surprising revelation that she and Barker were yet to move in together, despite living one block away from each other. "I think we're in the place where we're figuring out how to blend our households and our kids, and what does life look like now, " she told the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast."We do family dinner every Sunday night with all the kids at his house ... every night he comes over."
The duo was also in the search of a good home at the time and hadn't found one to settle on yet. They reportedly set their sights on a $14.5 million residence that made the perfect fit: a 2,100 square foot, two-bedroom beach house formerly owned by late night talk show host Conan O'Brien.
Michelle Obama 'couldn't stand' Barack for a decade
Although she has a picture-perfect family with former POTUS Barack Obama, Michelle Obama talked candidly about her marriage in an all-girl Revolt chat with singers Gabriella Wilson (H.E.R) and Kelly Rowland, model Winnie Harlow, radio host Angie Martinez and fashion designer-cum-philanthropist Tina Knowles-Lawson. "There were 10 years when I couldn't stand my husband," Michelle said. The one-liner went viral, but the ex-FLOTUS also revealed exactly when years of resentment toward her husband kicked in: "And guess when it happened? When those kids were little."
Navigating careers while paying attention to their children proved to be a Herculean task for the political powerhouses, Michelle shared. All of a sudden, she wasn't so appreciative when Barack opted to unwind by playing golf, and would go as far as assessing how many diapers each of them had changed. Nevertheless, Michele affirmed that 10 unpleasant years out of the 30 they've had was water under the bridge.
Addressing the social media mayhem that followed her remark on a Netflix special with Oprah Winfrey for her book "The Light We Carry," Michelle highlighted the fact that the internet has contributed toward placing public figures such has herself on a pedestal, at the expense of real life. "That's because social media is anything but real," she commented. "Young people can't imagine being unhappy for a minute, let alone for ten years."
Sherri Shepherd had a NSFW reason for getting married
Right before former "The View" host Sherri Shepherd got married to Lamar Sally back in 2011, she took her Twitter audience through the motions in a series of posts. "What happens when you are in your wedding dress and you have to tinkle? Uh-oh!" One tweet read. Shepherd had expressed that her mood was a bit dull, and she couldn't bear the risk of the groom seeing her in a wedding dress while he was in a photo session. The duo eventually began a new life of marital bliss at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago, Shepherd's home. On her eight-person bridesmaid line-up was her ex-co host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and "Reno 911!" actor Niecy Nash, who'd introduced Shepherd to Sally.
Looking back at the day during an appearance on "The DL Hughley Show," Shepherd revealed that she got married for all the wrong reasons. First, she was worried that she was getting older. Secondly, her Christian upbringing meant that she was sexually starved. "I was also raised in the church. You can't have sex before you get married. I was horny!" Shepherd quipped. It didn't help that those around Shepherd hadn't warmed up to her spouse. Needless to say, the couple got tangled in a messy divorce.
Gabrielle Union cheated because she was a breadwinner
In her first marriage to Chris Howard, "Being Mary Jane" actor Gabrielle Union and the former Jacksonville Jaguars running back weren't entirely focused on making it work. "Neither one of us felt like the marriage should get in the way of our dating," Union revealed in an interview with the "Armchair Expert" podcast. Union was on a quest to catch up to Howard's string of affairs, and had another deep-seated reason for cheating: she earned more money. "I just felt entitled to it as well. I was paying all the bills, I was working my a** off and I felt like that's what comes, the spoils of riches," Union remarked. "And, like my dad before me, whoever has the most gets to do whatever the hell they want, is what I thought."
Years after the couple split and Union had moved on with retired NBA star Dwyane Wade, she came under fire for disclosing that they both contributed 50% each toward their bills. Wade appeared on "Club Shay Shay," where he confirmed that Union indeed put up 50% on their house because he'd previously referred to a former residence as his. The couple also equally takes care of their daughter, Kaavia James, and individually tackle Black tax, per Wade.
Jane Fonda's ex-husband brought a sex worker home
In her memoir, "My Life So Far," activist Jane Fonda detailed the wild side of being married to the late French screenwriter and filmmaker Roger Vadim. Vadim apparently invited an unexpected third party into the couple's marital bed. "Then one night, he brought home a beautiful red-haired woman and took her into our bed with me. She was a high-class call girl employed by the well-known Madame Claude," Fonda wrote, also revealing that she subsequently rose to the occasion. "I took my cues from him and threw myself into the threesome with the skill and enthusiasm of the actress that I am."
Ironically, before the pair's 1973 divorce, Fonda delved into the world of escorts when she was conducting research for the 1972 film "Klute." Speaking to People, Fonda revealed that the assignment included being a fly on the wall when they purchased cocaine and camping with them at afterhours joints. A common trait she observed in those she interacted with was that they all had mental health struggles. Fonda nearly quit the job, but weathered it enough to earn an Academy Award for her portrayal of Bree Daniels.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
Full baths are a foreign concept in the Kutcher-Kunis household
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis stirred an entire debate when they admitted to not being big fans of soapy showers during an appearance on the "Armchair Expert" podcast." "I don't wash my body with soap everyday ... I wash my slits and tits," Kunis said, to which Kutcher added, "I wash my armpits and my crotch daily and nothing else ever." Kunis confessed that her habit began in childhood, since their home had little water supply. The arrival of Kutcher and Kunis' children, Wyatt Isabelle and Dimitri Portwood didn't warrant a change, either. "I also didn't wash them everyday. Like, I wasn't the parent that bathed my newborns," the "Bad Moms" actor acknowledged.
As long as dirt is invisible, cleaning is optional, Kutcher implied. Obviously, it isn't because of a hot water problem in the Kutcher-Kunis household, if Forbes' report of Kunis' $11 million 2013 earnings and Kutcher's $26 million income as of 2014 is anything to go by. In an interview with "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," Kunis clarified that their children are in fact in contact with water almost daily. "Sometimes it's the pool, Sometimes it's a sprinkler ... It's COVID, who showered in COVID?"
Mary Cosby married her step-grandfather
"The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" alum Mary Cosby's union with Robert Cosby Sr. has stood the test of time by clocking over two decades. However, there's a bizarre aspect of the couple's relationship, one that swirled around as a rumor until Mary herself confirmed it — they are distant relatives. "So my grandmother, in her will, she wanted me to take her place," Mary detailed in a chat with her co-star, Heather Gay on an episode of the show.
"Basically, my grandmother passed everything on to me and — literally — she wanted me to also marry her second husband, which was my step grandfather," She expounded afterward, also revealing that it wasn't a marriage she was happy with. Her nuptial with Robert was a condition required to take over her grandmother's mega church. At the time of filming, the couple was sleeping in separate rooms.
Asked what they thought of Mary's confession during an episode of "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," her co-stars Lisa Barlow and her ex-bestie Meredith Marks were of the opinion that, as long as the couple was okay with the arrangement, there was no cause for alarm.
John Krasinski 'stalked' Emily Blunt
In the past, celebrities have had spine-chilling experiences with stalkers. Taylor Swift opened up about her house being broken into in an Elle essay, Ariana Grande imposed a five-year protective ban against 23-year-old Aharon Brown, who still forced himself into her house afterward, and in fatal unfortunate circumstances, stars have died in the hands of their fans.
It's not often that celebrities marry their stalkers, but in the case of British actress Emily Blunt, that's just what happened. In 2010, Blunt and Krasinski tied the knot in a low-key Italy wedding after a year of being engaged. Before the pair got together, however, Krasinski may have overindulged in researching his future wife. "I was full stalker status," the "Aloha" actor confessed on "The Graham Norton Show."
"I was just like 'Hey, you wanna go on a date with me?'" he joked, while positioning his hands to mimic a pair of binoculars. Asked the frequency with which he had seen "The Devil Wears Prada," he answered, "I mean, give or take, seventy two [times]." Blunt portrays the character Emily Charlton in the movie. Krasinski's antics obviously worked, since the duo has been inseparable since.
Bo and John Derek eloped to escape statutory rape charges
At the time romcom actor Bo Derek met her late husband John Derek, she was in her mid teens. John was in his third marriage to Linda Evans. Evans and John went their separate ways. Their split, Evans said in a conversation with Oprah, was abrupt. Evans had gotten so used to their lives functioning as a couple, that being thrust headfirst into singlehood was confusing. "I remember going to the supermarket and I didn't know what to buy for myself. It was as if my whole world had been around making him and us happy," Evans said.
On his part, John was content with his life with Evans, but there was a pull toward Bo that he couldn't resist, as he shared with The Washington Post. The couple's thirty-year age gap loomed over their heads and eventually forced them to move to Germany. "In the United States you have statutory rape and the Mann Act to contend with," John told the publication, adding that Evans played a part in fact-finding. When Bo came of age, they were married until his death in 1998. Bo has since remarried her longtime boyfriend John Corbett, who broke the news during an episode of "The Talk."
Justin Bieber's marriage to Hailey was 'definitely an arranged marriage'
Hailey Bieber may have vehemently denied being a staunch Justin Bieber fan prior to being a couple during a joint Vogue interview, but the model's father, Stephen Baldwin's account of events disagreed. Stephen, who happened to be great friends with Justin's mother Pattie Mallette, may have cooperatively hatched a plan to have Justin meet his mega fan on the set of "Today" back in 2009.
Justin outlined the details of their first meeting on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." Speaking to fellow singer Demi Lovato, who was a guest host, he revealed that Hailey wasn't so enthusiastic about leaving home at the crack of dawn. "I'm pretty sure she didn't wanna be there. Her dad dragged her out of bed in the morning," Justin said. As he put pieces of their story together, the "Mistletoe" singer realized they had likely been tricked.
"Looking back, now I'm like, it was definitely an arranged marriage, like, they set this whole thing up." According to the "Sorry" songster, Hailey's dad had given her a pitch about what great Christian upbringing Justin had. However, the duo didn't bond immediately because they were in their teens. They would later run into each other at the same church and nurture a friendship of their own.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo have an open marriage
Country singer Jelly Roll and his wife Bunnie Xo double as business partners. When they're not cooking their next money move, the duo is adding spice to their bedroom life the best way they know how: inviting other girls to join in. In an interview with 247HH, Jelly Roll said, "It's our relationship. It's kind of a thing. It's just, whatever, right? And I think it's cool because we're like beauty and the beast anyways. I'm like this super fat, ugly dude, she's like this bombshell blonde." Bunnie Xo went into the NSFW unwritten rules of their kind of relationship in a long chat with "Sofia with an F," at the center of which is prioritizing fun and avoiding emotional attachment.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo are only a drop in the big ocean of celeb couples who don't subscribe to monogamy. "Younger" actor Nico Tortorella and their partner Bethany C. Meyers admitted to opening up their marriage, too, in a polyamorous setting.[2:50] Tortorella explained the choice in an interview with ABC, saying, "It's the ability to create space for more than one person at any given point." With that, the couple places themselves at risk of jealousy, but Tortorella's partner said they were a free-spirited, non-jealous kind of person, while Meyers had to work through the vice.