Whenever we get to see love stories happen on TV, our screen time becomes memorable and extra magical. We’ve seen some of the best and most dashing TV duos over the years, and while not all of the actors who played them went on to live happily ever after in real life, some are still friends, or … lovers, or at least good acquaintances. Since we love nostalgic on screen couples, we’ve rounded up some of the most iconic ones and decided to check in to see what the actors are up to now. Some of what we found was expected, some was heartbreaking, and for many of them, it was totally shocking!
1.Tom Cruise And Kelly McGillis – Then
In 1986’s Top Gun, Tom Cruise and Kelly McGills starred in a memorable couple, and the film completely rocked the box office.In the film, Tom Cruise’s Pete Mitchell first meets Charlie Blackwood (Kelly McGills) in the Naval Fighter Weapons school, which is better known as TopGun, not long after he gets there.e) meets Charlie Blackwood (Kelly McGills) not too long after he arrives in TopGun, the Naval Fighter Weapons school.
When they meet he finds himself instantly smitten, and when they eventually meet again their relationship begins.
2.Tom Cruise And Kelly McGillis – Now
While the TV coupe obviously had tons of chemistry and seemed to be in for the long run, things were kind of shattered for fans during the film’s reprisal. Apparently, only Tom Cruise was asked to reprise his role, while McGills wasn’t even contacted.
In a candid interview she claimed that she wasn’t surprised, since she was in her 60s and unfortunately the industry has a bit of a double standard when it comes to older actors vs actresses.
3.Courtney Cox And Matthew Perry – Then
While Ross and Rachel undeniably got some of the biggest attention from fans in Friends, the type-A Monica Geller (Courtney Cox) and wisecracking Chandler Bing’s (Matthew Perry) love story was definitely iconic.
Though so many of us know their story by heart, for many, the iconic relationship was definitely something we didn’t see coming, but we are glad it became a thing.
4.Courteney Cox And Matthew Perry – Now
It’s safe to say that Friends became one of the most-watched shows in the history of time, with generation after generation spending a lot of time binge-watching the show.
The actors are all doing their thing, with Cox having recently opened an Instagram account that is booming, and Perry, who has gone through some rough times over the years, but seems to be completely recovered.
5.David Hasselhoff And Pamela Anderson – Then
Back in the day, almost no one hadn’t heard about Baywatch. The series was a sort of phenomenon back then, but you might be surprised to know that if David Hasselhoff had his way, Pamela Anderson may have not been part of the cast.
Apparently back then, Hasselhoff wasn’t convinced that all of the attention around Anderson at the time would be beneficial to the show. In the end, everything worked out though.
6.David Hasselhoff And Pamela Anderson – Now
Recently, during the premiere of Zac Efron and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s own version of Baywatch, fans got to catch up with Hasselhoff and Anderson and to got to learn about whether or not the pair is still in touch.
Both sides have nothing but good things to say about each other, and apparently, they still meet every once in a while at different Hollywood functions.
7.Michelle Pfeiffer And Mel Gibson – Then
Dale “Mac” McKussic (Mel Gibson) and Jo-Ann Vallenari (Michelle Pfeiffer) are the smiting love couple in Tequila Sunrise. In the film, Mac is a former drug dealer who is trying to get his life back together.
Vallenari is a stylish restaurant owner who starts a relationship with Nick Frescia, played by Kurt Russel, but eventually, the two break up, and Vallenari ends up starting a love affair with Mac.
8.Michelle Pfeiffer And Mel Gibson – Then
Both Michelle Pfeiffer and Mel Gibson went on to excel in their careers, eventually becoming some of the most renowned and admired actors in Hollywood.
Gibson continued to star in several films, although he has been involved in some controversies over the year, and is now married to screenwriter Rosalind Ross. Pfeiffer has been married to David E. Kelley for over two decades now.
9.Michael Douglas And Sharon Stone – Then
Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone were co-stars and TV lovers in the 1992 erotic thriller Basic Instinct. In the film, Douglas plays the role of Nick Curran who, in the middle of a murder investigation, ends up meeting an enigmatic writer named Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone).
Throughout the movie, we see both of them engaging in a sort of cat-and-mouse relationship that became one of Hollywood’s most torrid character affairs.
10. Michael Douglas And Sharon Stone – Now
Though fame continued to be a prevalent characteristic of both actors’ lives, it didn’t come without some pretty difficult consequences. Scandal, drama, and scrutiny constantly followed both actors, but they both pushed through them in their individual lives.
Most recently, Douglas was in the news for being diagnosed with a tumor on his tongue, but thankfully, he beat it and is now healthy.
11.Charlie Sheen And Valeria Golino – Then
Hot Shots! was an American comedy film released in 1991, telling the story of Topper Harley (Charlie Sheen), who is sent on a top-secret mission named Operation Sleepy Weasel, commanded by his incompetent colleague.
When Harley begins showing some signs of having psychological problems, his therapist, Ramada (Valeria Golino) does her best to keep him from flying again, but they eventually start a passionate romance.
12. Charlie Sheen And Valeria Golino – Now
Among many other negative things, Charlie Sheen continued to be in the eyes of the public for decades, either for his interesting choice in (many) women, his rage issues, or his substance abuse.
Valeria Golino on the other hand continued to act and to focus on her career, winning several awards, including an Italian Golden Globe award, and the Best Actress award at the Venice film festival.
13.John Stamos And Lori Loughlin – Then
John Stamos and Lori Loughlin played one of TV’s most beloved couples in Full House, and since then, they have been both loved by fans, especially recently.
Back in the ’80s though, they were Hollywood’s sweethearts, rising to fame almost at the same time especially in the soap opera circuit. Though they did date for a while back then, their relationship was more fruitful on-screen.
14. John Stamos And Lori Loughlin – Now
After eight successful seasons, Full House ended and the on-screen couple met again to reprise their roles in the series’ sequel in 2016.
They did remain friends throughout all of these years, and Lori went on to marry fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, with whom she has two daughters and over 20 years of marriage. Stamos is also happily married to Caitlin McHugh with whom he has a son.
15.Linda Kozlowski And Paul Hogan – Then
If you know a little bit about Crocodile Dundee’s humble beginnings, you’ll probably know that Paul Hogan once rightly predicted that the film would become a big success, and it did!
He ended up playing the role of Michael J. in the film (and the two sequels), a character that was completely in love with Sue Charlton, played by Linda Kozlowski.
16.Linda Kozlowski And Paul Hogan – Now
What is probably a dream come true for fans happened back in the 1990s when the co-stars tied the knot after Hogan divorced his then-wife. The couple was together for over two decades and had one child together, but unfortunately, they eventually divorced in 2013.
According to Hogan, the couple had “irreconcilable differences”, and Kozlowski went on to remarry while moving away from the acting industry.
17.Hugh Grant And Andie MacDowell – Then
Four Weddings and a Funeral was released in 1994 and starred Hugh Grant as Charles and Andie MacDowell as Carrie.
The British romantic comedy was the first of several films from known screenwriter Richard Curtis and follows the life of a number of characters, but the unmarried best man Charles and his love interest, Carrie, steal the show’s entire cheesy love story.
18.Hugh Grant And Andie MacDowell – Now
Since the film, Grant has continued to star in a ton of movies, including most recently, The Gentlemen (2019) and The Undoing (2020). He is also happily married since 2018. MacDowell, on the other hand, lives a quieter life away from Hollywood, mostly spending time in other work fields and with her children.
She once shared in an interview that although she has now decided to stop acting, she wishes she had been less cautious when she was a young actress.
19.Ted Danson And Shelley Long – Then
Sam Malon (Ted Danson) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) were the iconic couples from one of the most well-known sitcoms in the history of television, Cheers. It’s curious though that the co-stars and on-screen couple were rumored to not like each other at all for years.
The happy, solid TV family was apparently not so solid in real life, though both actors have often denied the existence of the on-set tension.
20. Ted Danson And Shelley Long – Now
Danson has married three times and is still often seen in the acting business doing his thing. Long, on the other hand, has put an end to her filming days in showbiz and has pursued other interests mainly away from the public.
Either way, they will forever be remembered for the iconic bartender and proprietor of Cheers and the academic and sophisticated graduate student from Boston University.