Here’s the “Oscars love curse” in a nutshell:
It basically just means that after someone wins an Oscar, typically for “Best Actress” (but still possible amongst “Best Actor” winners as well) their significant other will cheat on them soon after, resulting in a breakup or divorce.
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Although, we can’t say for sure why these couples broke up, for the sake of this argument, let’s say it was due to being cheated on. It’s a common enough reason.
If you’re not superstitious and think that this is all a coincidence, then sit back, and allow me to show you all the evidence proving otherwise.
I can think of one main reason why a man might be more likely to cheat after his wife wins an Academy Award: insecurity.
Is it possible that the person in the relationship who didn’t win an Oscar feels threatened or intimidated by the success of their significant other, and either reaches for validation by seeking attention outside of the relationship or simply chooses to end the relationship out of frustration?
Food for thought.
Reese Witherspoon.
Reese and her ex-husband, Ryan Philippe, blamed their divorce on the fact that they got married too young.
But it also just-so-happen to be the same year that Reese took home an Oscar for her performance in Walk The Line .
Coincidence? I think not.
Angelina Jolie.
“Best Supporting Actress” winners are not exempt from the love curse , unfortunately.
Angelina and her husband, Billy Bob Thornton, split due to his infidelity just three years after she took home the award.
Halle Berry.
Amid countless cheating allegations directed at her then-husband, the two filed for divorce in 2003, just one year after Halle won an Oscar.
To this day, Halle Berry is the only black female actress to win an Academy Award for “Best Actress”.
That can definitely be intimidating.
Not that that’s any excuse to cheat on your partner, but it could be the subconscious motive, perhaps?
To be fair, Halle Berry has been married three times.
First to David Justice in 1993, then Eric Benét in 2001, then Olivier Martinez in 2013, and then got divorced again.
And that might not even be the end of it, she still has time to get remarried.
Kate Winslet.
One year after Kate won an Oscar for her role in The Reader in 2009, she and her then-husband, Sam Mendes, called it quits on their marriage , and separated for good.
Hilary Swank.
Hilary and her husband patched things up in the end, and survived the curse.
But shortly after she won an Oscar for her role in Million Dollar Baby , the two split up momentarily.
Jane Fonda.
Leading lady from the beloved classic Grace & Frankie , Jane Fonda, won an Academy Award for the movie Klute .
Just one year later, her and her first husband, Roger Vadim, split.
Kathy Bates.
After taking home an Oscar for her performance in Misery , Kathy and her longtime boyfriend, Tony Campisi, split just a few years later.
Why they broke up was never exactly revealed, but it still happened not long after she won her Academy Award, so it makes the list!
Geena Davis.
Geena’s marriage to Jeff Goldblum only lasted three short years, and ended one year after she won an Academy Award for the film The Accidental Tourist , due to “irreconcilable differences”.
Rachel Weisz.
Rachel Weisz and her then-fiancé Darren Aronofsky, Jennifer Lawrence’s ex boyfriend , split in 2006, just a few years after she won an Oscar for her role in The Constant Gardener .
Bradley Cooper.
Bradley Cooper and his model girlfriend, Suki Waterhouse, split up one year after Bradley took home an Academy Award for his incredible performance in American Hustle .
Casey Affleck.
Casey Affleck filed for divorce from his then-wife, Summer Phoenix, just a few months after winning an Oscar for his role in Manchester By The Sea .
Jennifer Hudson.
After winning an Oscar for her beautiful performance of Effie White in Dream Girls , Jennifer Hudson and her then-boyfriend James Payton split that same year.
Elizabeth Taylor.
Again, to be fair , Elizabeth Taylor had a knack for getting married and getting divorced.
In her lifetime, she had eight husbands. So, we could blame the curse, but I think it’s probably more likely that she just wasn’t the commitment type.
She won an Oscar for Butterfield in 1961, and split from her husband (at the time), Eddie Fisher, three years later.
Elizabeth Taylor again.
Liza won another Oscar for the film_Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?_, and split from her second husband, Richard Burton a few years later.
The two ended up getting back together, and breaking up again in 1976.
Goldie Hawn.
Goldie won an Oscar for her role in Cactus Flower , and surprise-surprise , it was not long after that she and her then-husband, Gus Trikonis, split.
I mean, it was three years later. But it still counts.
Helen Hunt.
In 1999, just one year after Helen won an Oscar for her role in As Good As It Gets , she and her then-boyfriend Hank Azaria, broke up after many years of dating.
The two didn’t even have a chance to tie the knot before the curse got to them.
Liza Minnelli.
Liza Minnelli won an Academy Award for “Best Actress” in 1973 for her role in Cabaret , and one year later, she and Peter Allen were history.
Barbra Streisand.
Barbra won an Oscar for her performance in the movie Funny Girl in 1961, and, you probably guessed it: Split from her husband, Elliott Gould two years later.
Sandra Bullock.
Last, but certainly not least, Sandra Bullock and her then-husband, Jesse James, split in 2010, the same year that she won an oscar for “Best Actress” in Blind Side .
I think we can all agree that this one was a giant bummer.
Sandra and Jesse were a really well-liked couple that we expected to stay together.
But the Oscar love curse doesn’t spare anyone.
So, there you have it. All of these people won an Academy Award, and their relationships and marriages all imploded shortly afterwards.
I guess it could be just a coincidence. What do you think?
