Do celebrities get starstruck and develop crushes on other famous people, just like us normal folk? The short answer is yes, absolutely. Celebrities might live different lives than the rest of us, but at the end of the day they’re still human. Film stars, musicians, athletes, models, and other public figures still experience normal human emotions and desires – including crushes.
There are plenty of examples throughout history of celebrities admitting to crushes they’ve had on other celebs. These crushes have run the gamut from mutual admiration to unrequited longing. While celebrity crushes are usually more high-profile and glamorous than crushes us normal people experience, the underlying feelings are often the same.
Famous Celebrities Who Had Crushes on Other Celebrities
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston
Long before Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston got married (and subsequently divorced), Jen revealed she had been crushing hard on Brad since his early acting days. In a 1999 interview, Aniston admitted she had been harboring a crush on Pitt ever since she first saw him in the 1991 film Thelma & Louise. That’s some serious dedication! Jen’s early crush ultimately resulted in a high-profile celebrity marriage, which just goes to show that sometimes celeb crushes do come true.
Selena Gomez and Cole Sprouse
Back in her Disney Channel days, Selena Gomez starred alongside Cole Sprouse on the series Wizards of Waverly Place from 2007-2012. During their time filming together, Gomez apparently developed a huge crush on her co-star. She has since described 13-year-old Cole as her “first crush.” Cole Sprouse seems to have been a favorite among his Disney Channel peers, as other co-stars like Debby Ryan also counted him as their first big crush.
Rihanna and Shia LaBeouf
In a 2008 interview with MTV News, Barbados-born pop icon Rihanna confessed to having a crush on actor Shia LaBeouf. When asked about her celebrity crushes, RiRi named LaBeouf as well as Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine. Rihanna was quoted as saying Shia is “gorgeous” and she loved his film Disturbia, adding “I just love looking at him.” Sadly, it doesn’t seem like Rihanna’s crush was ever reciprocated.
Miley Cyrus and Justin Timberlake
Back when she was still Hannah Montana, a young Miley Cyrus harbored a crush on none other than Justin Timberlake during his *NSYNC days. Miley’s childhood crush was revealed during a 2009 interview with Seventeen, where Cyrus listed Timberlake as her top celebrity crush. Miley’s sister Brandi was also apparently “obsessed” with JT. During the interview, an embarrassed Miley noted that both she and Brandi had Justin Timberlake posters covering their shared bedroom walls growing up.
Harry Styles and Jennifer Aniston
One Direction heartthrob Harry Styles has never been shy about his crushes on female celebs. Styles revealed Jennifer Aniston has been a massive crush of his for years, ever since he watched along with the world as Aniston and Brad Pitt’s relationship played out in the tabloids in the early 2000s. During a 2013 interview with Alexa Chung, 19-year-old Harry referred to Aniston as his “number one crush.” Considering their significant age gap, Styles acknowledged his crush was “a bit weird.”
Are Celebrity Crushes Mutual?
While there are plenty of examples of celebrities harboring unrequited crushes on their fellow stars, sometimes the attraction and admiration are reciprocated or even turn into full-blown relationships. These mutual Hollywood crushes and celebrity relationships include:
Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes
Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes co-starred together in the 2012 film The Place Beyond the Pines. While filming their scenes, a mutual crush developed between the leading actors. Gosling has described experiencing love at first sight when he first met Mendes at the screen test. The feelings were apparently mutual, as the co-stars began dating soon after filming wrapped. After several years together, Gosling and Mendes are now the parents of two children.
Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin
Long before their 2018 marriage, Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin were friends for years. The two pop culture fixtures have described always quietly harboring crushes on one another, which finally culminated into a relationship and marriage. Bieber and Baldwin casually dated back in 2015 and 2016, before taking a break. They rekindled their romance in June 2018 and were married just months later in September in a New York City courthouse ceremony.
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
In the early 2000s, a mutual admiration led Tom Cruise to basically leap onto Oprah’s couch to proclaim his love for Katie Holmes. Apparently, the action star had had a crush on Holmes for years and finally worked up the nerve to ask Katie out in 2005. Holmes has been open about harboring a crush on Cruise since she was a teenager. After a whirlwind, public romance, Holmes and Cruise were married in 2006. The A-list relationship ultimately ended in divorce in 2012.
Do Crushes Impact Celebrities’ Work?
For most people, having a crush on someone makes it hard to focus on anything else. Does the same thing happen to celebrities when they develop crushes on their fellow stars? There are certainly some instances of celebrities allowing their crushes to distract them at work:
Elvis Presley
As a young heartthrob, Elvis Presley reportedly had trouble concentrating on set whenever his crush Natalie Wood visited him. Elvis and Natalie starred together in the 1961 musical film Blue Hawaii. According to director Norman Taurog, Elvis’ crush would make him so nervous that he would forget his lines whenever Natalie Wood was present watching him film a scene. This crush ultimately didn’t bloom into a relationship, as Wood was married at the time.
Chris Evans and Jenny Slate
Chris Evans and Jenny Slate were co-stars in the 2017 indie film Gifted. During filming, the two developed crushes on each other which quickly flourished into a relationship. Both actors have said they found it difficult to film intimate scenes together with such strong mutual crushes, to the point of giggling and forgetting lines. While their relationship sadly didn’t last, it’s a good example of mutual celebrity admiration derailing work focus a bit.
Timothée Chalamet and Lily-Rose Depp
Young stars Timothée Chalamet and Lily-Rose Depp reportedly had trouble focusing during rehearsals for their 2019 film The King because of the crushes they developed on one another. According to sources from the set, the co-stars would often get distracted making eyes at one another and break into giggles instead of rehearsing. Since filming wrapped, Chalamet and Depp’s admirations have developed into a public relationship.
Why Do Celebrities Develop Crushes?
We all know crushes can strike unexpectedly, even in celebrities. But there are some common reasons famous people tend to admiringly crush on their fellow stars:
Working Closely Together
When celebrities work together closely on set, whether it’s making a movie or TV show, this quality bonding time can allow crushes to bloom. Being together constantly and sharing intimate scenes can blur professional lines and create admiration or attraction where it didn’t previously exist.
Pressures of Fame
Being a celebrity can be isolating. Famous people are sometimes viewed differently and kept at arm’s length, understandably making it harder to find love. Celebrities crushing on fellow stars they already relate to and understand can be a natural response to the pressures of fame.
Public Image
Highly publicized relationships between two beloved celebrities are good PR. Fans love when their celebrity crushes get together in real life. While celeb relationships shouldn’t be viewed as publicity stunts, image and public perception can contribute to Hollywood crushes and pairings.
Glamor of Celeb Lifestyle
The glitz and glamor of Hollywood can play its part in celeb admiration. Celebrities likely view their fellow stars as highly successful, talented, beautiful people. Their lavish lifestyles and jet-setting careers can add to their appeal and allure.
Regular People Too
At the end of the day though, celebrities are regular people just like all of us. Crushes are normal human responses when meeting someone with qualities we admire. Celeb or not, having crushes is simply human nature at work.
Do Celeb Crushes Cause Drama?
Celebrity relationships and the media attention they garner can definitely stir up drama, both on set and in the tabloids. Some examples of celeb crushes causing tensions include:
Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston
One of the biggest tabloid dramas ever was the love triangle between Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston. While filming the 2005 movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Pitt and Jolie developed crushes and fell in love, while Pitt was still married to Jen. The affair led to his divorce and years of splashy headlines.
Kristen Stewart and Rupert Sanders
Twilight co-stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson were a hugely popular celeb couple, until Kristen’s crush on director Rupert Sanders broke them apart. Stewart and Sanders shared an affair in 2012 while filming Snow White and the Huntsman, which exploded in the media and caused drama in both couples’ relationships.
Debbie Reynolds, Eddie Fisher and Elizabeth Taylor
Old Hollywood saw major romantic upheaval when Eddie Fisher left wife Debbie Reynolds for Elizabeth Taylor in 1959. Reynolds and Taylor had been close friends, but Fisher and Taylor began an affair while filming and fell hard for each other. The scandal made major waves at the time and soured public perception of Taylor.
Do Celebrity Crushes Last?
Celebrity relationships garner tons of press attention and public scrutiny, which can either strengthen bonds or increase pressure on Hollywood couples. Do famous couples who connect over mutual crushes manage to go the distance? Sometimes celebrity crushes can stand the test of time:
Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell
After meeting on set in 1983, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell developed an instant mutual crush. Nearly 40 years later, the couple is still going strong and one of Hollywood’s longest-lasting romances. They famously have never felt the need to marry. Hawn and Russell prove celebrity admirations can absolutely last a lifetime.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z
Music icon Beyoncé has shared that she always quietly crushed on rap legend Jay-Z before finally working up the courage to approach him. After many years of friendship, Bey and Jay began dating and later married in 2008. Over a decade later, the musical power couple have three kids together and remain devoted partners.
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend
Model Chrissy Teigen first met musician John Legend on the set of his 2007 music video. They felt crushes develop, and over a decade later are now married with two kids. Teigen and Legend show that celebrity relationships based on mutual admiration can transition into stable family lives.
Conclusion
In the end, celebrities really are just like everyone else when it comes to developing intense admirations and butterflies in the stomach. Famous people across the entertainment industry have experienced the excitement of crushing on their talented peers throughout Hollywood history. While celebrity relationships face unique challenges, many star couples manage to make it work long-term. So while their glamorous lives seem unattainable to the rest of us, at least we can relate to the universally giddy experience of harboring a crush.
