30 TV Couples Who Also Dated in Real Life

Emily VanCamp and Josh Bowman’s on-screen relationship was fraught with deception in “Revenge,” but there appears to be far less drama in their real-life romance. The pair started dating in 2012, got married in December 2018, and welcomed their first child in 2021.

“Gossip Girl“‘s other golden couple, Serena and Dan, had several breakups and makeups over the series’s run, but they ultimately ended up together. Blake Lively and Penn Badgley also fell in love in real life and dated from 2007 to 2010, though their romantic destiny never led them back together.

Felicity (Keri Russell) was always torn between her love interests Noel and Ben on “Felicity,” but in real life, she chose Ben – well, the guy who played him, anyway. Scott Speedman and Russell dated for a spell while the series was airing in the early 2000s, per InStyle, though the exact dates of their relationship are not known.

How sweet is this: not only did Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas play a romantic-sounding couple on TV (Snow White and Prince Charming), but they’re in love in real life, too – they got married and have two kids together! What a fairy-tale ending.

The “House M.D.” costars dated on the show and tied the knot, too. While their real-life counterparts also got engaged, they didn’t make it to the altar and wound up calling it quits in 2007, per People.

As partners on CBS’s “Stalker,” Maggie Q and Dylan McDermott found something far more savory than the crimes they chased on screen: each other. The two stars met on set and announced their engagement in 2015, but eventually split in February 2019, per People.

They were an on-and-off vampire couple in “The Vampire Diaries,” but Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder were together in real life from 2010 to 2013, per Us Weekly. Dobrev may have moved on with Shaun White and Somerhalder may have married Nikki Reed, but we’ll always have Mystic Falls.

We still think of Seth and Summer of “The O.C.” as one of our favorite TV couples, and it was even sweeter when Adam Brody and Rachel Bilson dated in real life from 2003 to 2006. However, the two eventually went their separate ways.

In “2 Broke Girls,” Max and Johnny have a complicated flirtation, though in real life, Kat Dennings and Nick Zano seemed far less complicated. However, they broke up in 2014.

They were passionate high school couple Lucas and Brooke in “One Tree Hill,” and that passion carried over into a romance and eventual marriage for actors Chad Michael Murray and Sophia Bush. But much like their characters on the show, it wasn’t meant to be, and they split up after less than a year of marriage in 2006.

Pete and Beth’s “Mad Men” love story isn’t so romantic – both cheat on their spouses. But in real life, Vincent Kartheiser and Alexis Bledel’s situation seemed to lack the scandalous aspect, and they secretly tied the knot in 2014 and welcomed a child in 2020. However, they split in 2022.

In “Gossip Girl,” Carter Baizen romances both Blair and Serena, but he has more of a legitimate relationship with Serena. However, the real-life legitimate relationship was between Leighton Meester and Sebastian Stan, who dated for a couple of years while the show was still on. The pair eventually split in 2010.

Bill and Sookie’s vampire/human love affair didn’t turn out so well for them in “True Blood,” but outside of Bon Temps, things are going quite well for Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer – the two are married with two kids, per People. I still wonder if he calls her “Sookeh” at home.

“Game of Thrones”‘s Ygritte and Jon Snow fall in love in season three and then break up, “GOT” style – she shoots him full of arrows. In real life, Rose Leslie and Kit Harington dated on and off for a few years before eventually tying the knot in June 2018. They have since welcomed two kids.

After playing onscreen couple John B and Sarah Cameron in Netflix’s “Outer Banks,” Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline eventually became a real couple. After much speculation, the pair confirmed they were dating in June 2020. However, they broke up in November 2021.

After their characters got together in “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” Jaz Sinclair and Ross Lynch started a relationship. Though the two have been private about their romance, they did make their red carpet debut together at the Balmain show in Paris in January 2020. Their last Instagram post together was in October 2022, so the status of their relationship is currently unclear.

During season three of “Riverdale,” Veronica briefly got together with Reggie. At the same time, Camila Mendes and Charles Melton developed a romance offscreen. The pair dated for more than a year before splitting in December 2019.

“Riverdale” may be over, but the legacy of #Bughead remains. Like many good CW stars before them, Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart fell for each other on set. The two dated on and off for three years before ultimately splitting in May 2020.

While starring in “The Big Bang Theory” together, Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki secretly dated for about two years. Though they eventually parted ways in 2009 after over a year together, they have remained close friends.

Jackie and Kelso’s on-and-off relationship in “That ’70s Show” was always fun to watch, but it took a while for the pair to get together after leaving the show. Now, though, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are married with two kids.

In “Entourage,” Turtle doesn’t have the easiest time catching the ladies’ attention – until he starts dating Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who plays herself. After her guest-starring role in 2008, the couple stayed together off screen until 2009, per CNN.

On screen, “Alias” characters Sydney and Michael worked together as part of a top-secret branch of the CIA. There was nothing secret about Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan’s offscreen romance, though – per InStyle, the pair dated for a little over six months in 2003 and split in 2004.

“Arrested Development”s George – aka “Gob” – marries a seal dealer who eventually joins the army to avoid her feelings for Gob’s brother-in-law, Tobias. The quirky duo are played by then-married couple Will Arnett and Amy Poehler, who started dating in 2000, got married in 2003, and announced their separation in September 2012, per People.

In the cult hit “Freaks and Geeks,” Nick – one of the freaks – can’t help but pour all his energy into Lindsay. In real life, Jason Segel and Linda Cardellini ended up dating for six years after the show was canceled, though they called it quits in 2007.

Fans loved the dramatic relationship between Rory and Jess in “Gilmore Girls,” and apparently, there was something real about that onscreen chemistry – Alexis Bledel and Milo Ventimiglia dated for four years between 2002 and 2006.

Their relationship is fraught with espionage and disguises in “The Americans,” but for the couple who play the Jennings duo, Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, things are far simpler. The couple have been quietly dating since 2014 and had a child together in 2016.

In “Gotham,” Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin have a relationship threatened by dastardly villains at every turn. But in real life, they’re blissfully married and have two kids together, per Us Weekly. Baccarin also has a son from a previous relationship.

For two seasons of “Stranger Things,” these two escaped monsters – and their feelings for each other – but by the end of season two, Nancy and Jonathan finally gave their relationship a real shot (sorry Steve). In real life, Charlie Heaton and Natalia Dyer are also going for it – the two stepped out as a couple for their first event in late 2017 and have been together for years now.

While playing love interests in “Supergirl,” Melissa Benoist and Chris Wood developed a romance of their own. Their relationship was confirmed in March 2017, and they have been going strong ever since. In September 2019, they tied the knot, and welcomed their first child in 2020.

The pair played married couple Peggy and Ed Blumquist in “Fargo” beginning in 2015, and were first spotted out together in 2017. They would up getting engaged in 2017, welcomed two kids in 2018 and 2021, and tied the knot in 2022.