33 Iconic Movie Couples Who Made Us Believe in Love
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In honor of Valentine's Day, we're looking back on all the famous movie couples who have graced the big screen together. Our list is full of Hollywood legends who have teamed up multiple times to play love birds (ahem, Diane Keaton and Woody Allen), as well as the couples whose relationships lasted long after the closing credits (we're looking at you Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell!). Although movie scripts may come and go, these 33 characters and their epic love stories are forever cemented in our hearts.
Maria and Tony in West Side Story
Despite the inevitable tears, we never grow tired of seeing Maria (Natalie Wood) and Tony (Richard Beymer) confess their love for each other on the fire escape. Soon we'll have the upcoming remake of their love story to look forward to.
Vivian and Edward in Pretty Woman
From the moment Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) picks up Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) on Hollywood Boulevard, we were hooked. This one's a true Cinderella story for the ages.
Stella and Winston in How Stella Got Her Groove Back
Stella Payne (Angela Bassett) and Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs) had us all wanting to book a girls' getaway to the Caribbean to get our groove back with a handsome stranger.
Scarlett and Rhett in Gone With the Wind
Frankly, my dear, how could we not include Scarlett O'Hara (Vivian Leigh) and Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) on this list of favorite couples? Their exciting yet complex love story still has us saying, "Ashley, who?"
Kay and Lucky in Swing Shift
Ah, the film that started the 35-year-long relationship between Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. The 1984 war drama finds Kay Walsh (Hawn) falling for the young and attractive Lucky Lockhart (Russell) at the aircraft plant where they both work.
Baby and Johnny in Dirty Dancing
Whether in a ballroom or atop a tree log, Frances "Baby" Houseman (Jennifer Grey) and bad boy Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) danced their way into our hearts in this 1987 flick.
Katie and Hubbell in The Way We Were
Opposites attract when Katie Morosky (Barbra Streisand) and Hubbell Gardiner (Robert Redford) cross paths while attending the same college. Their characters' aspirational love story from the 1973 movie also spawned Babs' hit song, "The Way We Were."
Rose and Jack in Titanic
Did anyone else feel like they were "king of the world" when this unlikely couple found love aboard the "unsinkable" Titanic ship? Not even social differences, frigid temperatures and a floating door could make Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) let go of Rose (Kate Winslet) in this 1997 classic. We're not crying, you're crying.
Nina and Darius in Love Jones
Using poetry to sweep a person off their feet is probably the oldest trick in the dating handbook. Just ask Shakespeare. Still, we can't help but let out a few "awws" when Darius Lovehall (Larenz Tate) dedicates "A Blues for Nina" to freelance photographer Nina Mosley (Nia Long).
Holly and Paul in Breakfast at Tiffany's
Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) finds her Prince Charming, Paul Varjak (George Peppard), right in her very own New York City apartment building. The beloved 1961 film, based on Truman Capote's eponymous novel, gives meaning to the phrase, "love thy neighbor."
Carrie and Mr. Big in Sex and the City: The Movie
Whether in the HBO TV series or the subsequent movies that followed their roller coaster relationship, we can't help rooting for Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mr. Big (Chris Noth). Well, except that one time he left Carrie at the altar in the 2008 film. Not cool, Big. Not cool.
Allie and Noah in The Notebook
What started out as a summer fling for Allie (Rachel McAdams) and Noah (Ryan Gosling) develops into a long-lasting relationship, and we get to bawl our eyes out as the two grow old together.
Francesca and Robert in The Bridges of Madison County
It's easy to get lost in the story of Francesca Johnson (Meryl Streep) and Robert Kincaid (Clint Eastwood) as they spend four amazing days basking in each other's company. The 1995 movie is hailed as one of Streep and Eastwood's best performances.
Annie and Alvy in Annie Hall
Diane Keaton and Woody Allen have starred in eight movies together, but their roles as Annie Hall and Alvy Singer in this 1977 gem will always hold a special place in our hearts. Mainly because we can't stop watching Alvy drive himself crazy figuring out why things didn't work out with Annie.
Sally and Harry in When Harry Met Sally
Um, waiter, we'll have what Sally Albright (Meg Ryan) and Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) are having in this 1979 classic. Also, add a bit of their love on the side.
Janie and Tea Cake in Their Eyes Were Watching God
In the 2005 TV movie based on Zora Neale Hurston's novel of the same name, Halle Berry plays the hopeless romantic, Janie Starks. After a series of failed marriages, she finally finds love in Tea Cake (Michael Ealy), a man who is enthralled by her carefree spirit.
Kate and Alex in The Lake House
This 2006 offering was a solid deviation from the first film, Speed, that introduced us to the magnetic pairing of Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. Here, Kate Forster (Bullock) and Alex Wyler (Reeves) manage to suspend time with their mutual attraction for each other.
Sandy and Danny in Grease
Blonde beauty Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) was all that bad boy Danny Zuko (John Travolta) wanted in the 1978 musical. And who could blame him?
Princess Leia and Hans Solo in Star Wars
With every viewing, it's clear the force of love was with Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Hans Solo (Harrison Ford) in the Star Wars movie franchise.
Annette and Sebastian in Cruel Intentions
Not only did we get to witness a steamy affair between the naive Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon) and the lothario Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Phillippe) in the 1999 seductive flick. But, we also got to follow the former couple off-screen during their eight-year marriage.
Mia and Sebastian in La La Land
Third time's the charm for Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, considering La La Land is the third movie the singing and dancing duo have starred in as love interests. But unlike the other two offerings, Crazy, Stupid, Love in 2011 and Gangster Squad in 2013, their connection in the 2016 musical is so much more magical.
Birdee and Justin in Hope Floats
When Birdee Pruitt's (Bullock) life starts crumbling around her, we're so grateful Justin Matisse (Harry Connick Jr.) is there to help her pick up the pieces in the 1998 romance.
Jane and Jake Adler in It's Complicated
Although now it's a popular dating status to select on your Facebook account, Streep and Alec Baldwin successfully portrayed what it truly means to be in a complicated relationship as on-and-off again married couple, Jane and Jake Adler. Their inspiring partnership serves as a reminder that it's never too late to fall madly in love.
Cleopatra and Mark Antony in Cleopatra
Similar to their tumultuous relationship off-screen, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's stormy love affair in Cleopatra is one for the history books. Here's to hoping the upcoming reboot captures the drama, lavishness, and doomed romance like the 1963 original.
Andie and Ben in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
All "BS" aside, there have been very few couples who made us love and hate them at the same time like Andie (Kate Hudson) and Ben (Matthew McConaughey) did in this 2003 rom-com.
Westley and Buttercup in The Princess Bride
Three words: As you wish. That's what we keep repeating to ourselves every time we watch this 1987 cult-classic, starring Robin Wright as Buttercup or, officially, The Princess Bride, and Cary Elwes as the farmhand Westley. Westley fights pirates and a giant to find his way back to his true love in this book-to-movie adventure.
Lucy and Henry in 50 First Dates
No strangers to playing romantic interests on the big screen, Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler reunited again in 2004 for 50 First Dates. Every time Sandler's character, Henry Roth, tried to woo his amnesiac girlfriend, Lucy Whitmore, we're reminded of our own first-date memories.
Emma and Adèle in Blue Is the Warmest Color
It's hard not to get emotional when watching Adèle (Adèle Exarchopoulos) and Emma (Léa Seydoux) discover themselves and the love they have for each other. The fact that the 2013 movie puts a lesbian couple's romance front and center is just the icing on the cake.
Anna and William in Notting Hill
Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) is a famous movie star who meets a regular and charming bookshop owner named William Thacker (Hugh Grant) in this 1999 British romantic comedy.
Adrian and Rocky in Rocky
Just like Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) defeated his opponents in the 1976 film franchise, he and Adrian's (Talia Shire) relationship served as proof that against all odds, love conquers all.
Adaline and Ellis in The Age of Adaline
We won't bog you down with theory and scientific details as to why Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) doesn't age in the 2015 fantasy film. But because of her condition, she avoids getting involved in relationships, until she meets the charming Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman). Age really is just a number for these two destined lovers.
Emily and Kumail in The Big Sick
What could be better than witnessing Emily Gordon (Zoe Kazan) and Kumail Nanjiani (Kumail Nanjiani) follow their hearts, in spite of their cultural differences? Perhaps knowing that the 2017 movie is based on the real-life courtship between comedian Nanjiani and writer Gordon.
Lara Jean and Peter in To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Writing love letters made a comeback in 2018, thanks to the blossoming relationship between Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter (Noah Centineo) in this Netflix original.
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