This article was originally published on Kueez
Matt Damon married a bartender. Julia Roberts married a cameraman. Amy Schumer went for the chef! What is going on in Hollywood, these days? It seems that more and more celebs are choosing to marry for love outside of the industry. We all hope we can marry our famous crush, and a few people have actually achieved this dream. Every now and then, love beats the odds. We've tracked down the stars who actually chose ordinary folks. Who are these lucky few, and how did they seal the deal? Read on to find out.
1. Margot Robbie and Tom Ackerley
As Margot Robbie shot to superstardom, she didn't know she was about to meet the love of her life. While filming the movie Suite Francais, Robbie met Tom Ackerley, who was a third assistant director. The two developed a fast friendship throughout the filming period and shared a flat in London.
After spending so much time together, Robbie and Ackerley realized they wanted to be more than friends. Their relationship seemed easy because of the close friendship they developed. The couple now lives together in LA, and they even co-founded a production company.
2. Aaron Paul and Lauren Parsekian
While attending the Coachella music festival in 2009, the former Breaking Bad star, Aaron Paul, met Lauren Parsekian. She is the founder of the Kind Campaign, and the pair had an instant connection. A year after they met, they returned to Coachella to share a special moment on the Ferris wheel.
After four years of dating, Paul and Parsekian tied the knot in a breathtaking ceremony, and in 2018 the couple welcomed their first daughter. Although they were used to very different lives, none of that mattered once they met each other.
3. Tina Fey and Jeff Richmond
Saturday Night Live alum and comedian, Tina Fey, met her husband while working at Second City, an improv theatre in Chicago. Jeff Richmond was amazed by the talent of up and comers Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Fey and Richmond began hanging out off-stage and developed feelings for each other.
After Fey moved to NYC to join the cast of SNL, Richmond joined a few years later as the head of the music department. In 2001, they married and have two daughters. In recent years, they have ventured into the world of Broadway with Mean Girls.
4. Karlie Kloss and Josh Kushner
Karlie Kloss was always used to men loving with her because she is a model; however, she wasn't expecting to fall in love any time soon. When she met venture capitalist Josh Kushner, she was head over heels in love. The couple made their public debut in 2012 at the Victoria Secret after-party.
Kloss decided to convert to Judaism for Kushner in 2018 to prepare for their wedding later that year. They exchanged vows in upstate New York in front of their closest family and friends. The couple has been married for two years now, and they are more in love than ever.
5. Kevin Jonas and Danielle Deleasa
Kevin Jonas and his wife Danielle have a fairytale romance that made all Jonas Brothers fans jealous when they first started dating. The New Jersey native hairstylist met Kevin Jonas while vacationing in the Bahamas with their families. The pair bonded over their home state, and she was a big JoBro fan.
Two months after the pair met, Jonas popped the question in 2007. Two years later, the couple got married, and they now reside in New Jersey with their two daughters. Their early married life played out on Married to Jonas but the show got canceled after one season.
6. Kelsey Grammer and Kayte Walsh
If you are an OG fan of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, you will remember watching Kelsey Grammar's marriage to Camille fall apart on camera. The reason for their divorce was because Kelsey was cheating with flight attendant Kayte Walsh.
After divorcing Camille, Kelsey proposed to Walsh and married in 2011. It only took six months for the couple to decide they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. This is Kelsey's fourth wife, and he has three children with Walsh.
7. Patrick Dempsey and Jillian Fink
Paging Dr. McDreamy to the hair salon! The former Grey's Anatomy star stole the heart of Jillian Fink when he into her salon for a haircut. Fink was shocked and thought he was so cute.
Dempsey and Fink hit it off from the start and began dating quickly after the haircut. Their relationship has blossomed over the years, and Demsey is regularly featured on Fink's Instagram.
8. Jimmy Fallon and Nancy Juvonen
While Jimmy Fallon starred in the movie Fever Pitch, he didn't know he would meet his future wife. Drew Barrymore and her friend Nancy Juvonen own the production company that made the film, and Barrymore used her matchmaking skills to set the two up. The filming schedule made it easy for them to spend a lot of time together.
It took a few months for them to become official, but Fallon could not imaging his life without her. After two years of dating, Fallon and Juvonen tied the knot, and they now have two children. Fallon often talks about his wife and children on his late-night talk show.
9. Gal Gadot and Jaron Varsano
The middle eastern beauty and her husband have been together for more than 12 years now, but their love is not dimming anytime soon. The Wonder Woman star and her Israeli real estate developer husband met when Gal Gadot was 21 at a desert music festival.
After their second date, Varsano told Gadot, "I am going to marry you. I am going to wait two years, but we're going to get married." By 2008, the couple was married. They now have two children, and they are developing movies together.
10. Seth Meyers and Alexi Ashe
Talk show host Seth Meyers and his wife Alexi Ashe met when they both attended Saturday Night Live alum Chris Kattan's wedding. Ashe's sister Ariel was a designer for SNL, and she brought her sister as her plus one for the wedding. Meyers said it was love at first sight for him because he is an emotional guy.
In 2013, Meyers and Ashe got married in Martha's Vineyard, where Brad Paisley surprised them to sing "Then" for their first dance. The couple now has two sons together, and Meyers credits his parents for showing him how to have a long successful marriage.
11. Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth
Reese Witherspoon was used to dating actors before she met Jim Toth. She had been involved with Jake Gyllenhaal and was married to Ryan Phillipe. Toth is a talent agent who was a massive fan of Witherspoon's work.
When the couple met, she forgot about all those big Hollywood names, and they tied the knot in 2012 and had a son in 2012. These two make love look easy, and it probably helps that they don't have to work around two acting schedules.
12. Miranda Kerr and Evan Spiegel
While Evan Spiegel isn't a movie star or singer, he is famous in the tech world. The Snapchat co-founder met his Victoria's Secret wife at a Louis Vitton event at the Museum of Modern Art. She approached him first and they began their whirlwind romance.
A year after they met, the couple got engaged and married in 2017. Everyone could see the love they shared, and many people predicted their marriage. Today, they have three beautiful children, and they manage to make things work with their busy schedules.
13. Lisa Kudrow and Michel Stern
Best known for her role as Pheobe on Friends, Lisa Kudrow had to wait six years after meeting Michel Stern to begin dating him. when they met, Stern was dating Kudrow's roommate, but she had to hide that she liked him. They ran into each other six years later, and finally they were both single.
The began dating and got married in 1995. After two and a half decades of marriage, they are still happily in love, and she says he was worth the wait. Their only son is now all grown up in college.
14. Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves
Although he is not a clubbing kind of guy, on the night he met his wife, Matthew McConaughey was in a club on Sunset Boulevard. As he was sitting with his friends, he spotted Camila Alves walking through the club and couldn't take his eyes off of her. McConaughey knew he had to go talk to this mysteriously beautiful woman.
They chatted for a few hours over the loud music, and McConaughey knew he had to be with this woman. In 2012, the couple got married in a romantic ceremony. They now live in Austin, Texas, with their three stunning children.
15. Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Maroney
In 2018, Jennifer Lawrence's best friend, Laura Simpson, introduced her to Cooke Maroney. At first, the pair tried not to be seen together because of the paparazzi, and they wanted to have a bit of privacy. After a few weeks, they were spotted out on a dinner date, and the rest is history.
The couple got engaged in early 2019, and a few months later, Lawrence and Maroney tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony in Newport, Rhode Island. Most details of the ceremony were kept a secret, but the few photos released show Lawrence in a breathtaking Dior gown.
16. Eva Longoria and Jose Antonio Baston
While Eva Longoria can't help but gush about her husband Jose Baston today, it was not love at first sight. In 2013, the couple was set up on a date by a mutual friend right after they both ended serious relationships. The date was okay, but they didn't feel a connection. After six months, their friend reintroduced the couple, but it was different this time.
Their second meeting was much different, and the connection was instant. In 2016, the couple got married, and they are one big blended family. Baston had three children from his previous marriage, and Longoria gave birth to their son in 2018.
17. Paul Rudd and Julie Yaeger
Antman star, Paul Rudd, first found widespread fame after appearing in the '90s flick, Clueless. He was looking for a new publicist because of his newfound fame when he met Julie Yaeger. She was working in PR at the time, and she offered to take his luggage to an apartment so he could make it to an audition.
The private couple got married in 2003 after eight years of dating. Despite his successful career, the couple has managed to stay out of the tabloids, besides their announcements for their children's births. Yaeger has since left her job to focus on her family and Rudd's career.
18. Lea Michele and Zandy Reich
After grieving the loss of her former boyfriend, Cory Monteith, Lea Michele didn't think she was ready to put herself on the market again. However, at her best friend's wedding, Michele sat next to Zandy Reich, and the two talked throughout the night. They had mutual friends, so they saw each other often after that night.
After crossing paths many times, the couple eventually began to date and got engaged in 2018. Michele and Reich have been through so many things together, and the couple welcomed their first child in August 2020.
19. Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied
While working together on the set of Black Swan, Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied struck up a relationship. He was choreographing and performing in the movie alongside her, and she couldn't stop gushing over him once the movie was over.
In 2010, the dancing duo got engaged and celebrated their big day two years later. Their secret ceremony was very private, and they only invited their closest family members. They have two children together and made LA their home after living in Paris for a while.
20. Amy Schumer and Chris Fischer
Amy Schumer was a rising star when she met her husband. Her assistant Sarah had a single brother who was also an award-winning chef. Schumer's assistant said that Chris Fischer should come and cook at her vacation home. As Schumer and Fisher were planning a friend's birthday, things started heating up.
After speaking to her assistant to see if it would be okay, Schumer and Fischer began dating. After a few months of dating, the pair got engaged, and within a few days, Schumer planned a small secret wedding. They now have an adorable son.
21. Chris O'Donnell and Caroline Fentress
While living in the same building as Caroline Fentress's brother, NCIS: Los Angeles star, Chris O'Donnell shared a kiss with Caroline. The pair didn't see each other for three years after that until O'Donnel was out with her brother. He asked him to call her, and she was confused, but they began talking more often.
The couple eventually began to date, and they got married three years later. O'Donnell couldn't get the kiss with Fentress out of his mind and knew they were going to spend their lives together. The couple now has five children, and they are happier than ever.
22. Julia Roberts and Danny Moder
Danny Moder was working as a cinematographer for the movie The Mexican when he met Julia Roberts. She was one of the biggest names in Hollywood, and Moder was already a fan. The pair connected and they fell for each other quickly.
Two years later, they got married and had three children. They keep their relationship low profile, but the couple is going on 18 years of marriage. Occasionally, they share loved-up snaps on Instagram, which fills fans with relationship envy.
23. Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman
While attending a frat party at the University of Pennsylvania, Max Handelman spotted Elizabeth Banks. The house ran out of beer, so everyone started to leave, but Handleman didn't want to miss the opportunity to talk to Banks. Shortly after meeting, the couple began their relationship.
After just six months of dating, Handleman and Banks got married. The power couple joined forces to produce some of the biggest movies in Hollywood like Pitch Perfect and the Charlie's Angels reboot. After over two decades of marriage, they make their relationship look easy.
24. Jeff Bridges and Susan Geston
While filming Rancho Deluxe, Jeff Bridges met actress and producer Susan Geston. The crew was shooting a scene in Chico Hot springs where Geston worked as a waitress to pay for college. Bridges said it was love at first sight for him, and he couldn't stop looking at her.
The pair ran into each other a few nights later at a local bar, and they danced and talked all night. It took years for Bridges to warm up to the idea of marriage, but he finally popped the question. Five days after he proposed, the couple got married in June 1977.
25. Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley
New Jersey natives Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea Hurley met in high school before Bon Jovi became an international sensation. Although they dated throughout high school, it wasn't until several years later that they finally tied the knot. Jon became known as the "long-married rock star" because of his successful relationship.
Bon Jovi and Hurley decided to stay in their hometown to raise their four children. Bon Jovi said that his wife had balanced him out all these years, which is why their relationship has been successful. He is the crazy dreamer with wild ideas, and she brought him back down to earth.
26. Jerry Seinfeld and Jessica Sklar
Back in 1998, Jessica Seinfeld was an author and public relations professional when she met Jerry Seinfeld while working out at the gym. At the time she was married but quickly divorced her former husband for Jerry.
The couple married in 1999 and have three children together. Jessica hasn't always been a fan of being famous, but she used her status to create a charitable organization and write a cookbook.
27. Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Thomas
When Alec Baldwin wandered into Pure Food and Wine on a warm February afternoon, he spotted Hilaria Thomas. Baldwin was chatting with his friends and he decided to walk up to Thomas and say, "I must know you." He tried to be smooth, but she was confused by this line.
Baldwin gave Thomas his card and asked her out on a date. Although they didn't share their first kiss for six weeks, it was clear that Baldwin wanted to be more than friends. After a year and a half of dating, they exchanged vows and have been happily married for eight blissful years.
28. Matt Damon and Luciana Barroso
While living in Miami, Matt Damon met Luciana Barroso, who was an aspiring actress and waitress. Despite being a fan of his, Damon was the one to pursue Barroso. He just couldn't resist the Argentinian-born beauty.
In 2005 Barroso and Damon got married and are still together 15 years later with three children. They are often seen on luxury vacations with their family looking like the vision of romance. She gives us hope that people can win over their celebrity crush.
29. George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin
Many people thought George Clooney would be a bachelor forever until he started dating Amal. In 2013, they met at a charity event, and she instantly stole his heart. Her brains and beauty intrigued the Hollywood actor. Although there is a 17 year age gap, that does not affect their love.
The high-profile relationship was in every tabloid because people wanted to know the details about this woman who stole the heart of the silver fox. After a year of dating, the couple got married, and Amal gave birth to twins in 2017.
30. Meryl Streep and Don Gummer
After losing her serious boyfriend to lung cancer, Meryl Streep was not ready to date anyone. She was kicked out of her apartment, and her brother came to the rescue with his friend Don Gummer. They formed a close bond and married each other six months after meeting.
Together the couple has four children who have all followed in their parent's footsteps in the entertainment industry. Throughout her fantastic career, Gummer has been by Streep's side to support her in every endeavor. They are one of the few long-lasting Hollywood romances.
31. Vince Vaughn and Kyla Weber
While attending a wedding, Vince Vaughn was introduced to Kyla Weber by his movie producer. The couple said it was love at first sight and they instantly struck up a connection. Vaughn was happy that she wasn't famous because those relationships were too difficult.
In 2010, Vaughn and Weber had an intimate ceremony with their closest family and friends to celebrate their marriage. They now have two children together, and they are still going strong.
32. Zoe Saldana and Marco Perego
Sometimes you get a gut feeling when you meet the person you will marry, and that was the case for Zoe Saldana. The couple secretly started dating after she became interested in his art. The couple was first spotted kissing in May 2013, and a few months later they were wearing wedding rings.
Perego and Saldana got married in a secret ceremony, and Perego added Saldana's last name to his. She was worried that he would feel emasculated, but their decision sparked and interesting conversation online. Today they have three children, and they keep their household gender-neutral.
33. Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson and Kelsey Henson
The Icelandic native and Game of Thrones star, Hafthor Julius Bjornsson met his petite wife Kelsey Henson while she was working at a bar in Canada. He was there for the Strongman competition, and she recognized him when he walked in the bar.
In 2018, Henson and Björnsson got married, and they opened up a gym together. They often post workouts together, and they are expecting a baby boy soon. They shared sweet photos from their gender reveal party where they excitedly found out the sex.
34. Lake Bell and Scott Campbell
In A World star, Lake Bell first met her tattoo artist husband in 2011 while filming How To Make It In America. After two years of dating, the couple exchanged vows in a beautiful ceremony in New Orleans.
The pair decided to take their love of pot and start a business selling luxury marijuana. They grow weed in their backyard, and Bell said that their two children help with the farming. It is bizarre to have kids around drugs but to each their own.
35. Christian Bale and Sibi Blažić
For a long time, Christian Bale had no plans of ever getting married until he met Sibi Blazic. When they met, she was Winona Ryder's personal assistant. She played matchmaker and thought the two would make a cute couple. It worked out for the two because they got engaged shortly after dating.
The couple married in 2000, and he has thanked her numerous times for grounding him when he goes into extreme bouts of method acting. They now have two children together, and Blazic is thankful for the job that helped her find the love of her life.
36. Julia Stiles and Preston Cook
While working on the film Go With Me, Julia Stiles met camera assistant Preston Cook. While she has spent her career in front of the camera, he preferred to stay behind the scenes. Although they have kept most of their relationship private, in 2015, they announced their engagement.
Instead of having an elaborate wedding, Stiles and Cook decided to elope in a surprise ceremony. At the time, she was pregnant with their first child. She joked that the pregnancy was the reason they had such a small, quick ceremony, but the two are deeply in love.
37. Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman
After breaking up with her boyfriend because of his arrest, Anne Hathaway found herself single for the first time in four years. Hathaway met Shulman at Palm Springs Film Festival in 2008 through a mutual friend. Shortly after meeting Hathaway told her friend that she was going to marry this man.
Six weeks after they met, the pair went on their first date, and there was immediate chemistry. The couple got married in 2012 and sold their first wedding photo for charity. The couple now has two children together.
38. Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery
The longtime Grey's Anatomy star, Ellen Pompeo's love life, has always been the center of attention for her character, but in real life, her marriage is relatively private. Pompeo and Chris Ivery met while grocery shopping in 2003, and they both grew up in the Boston suburbs.
Pompeo almost passed up on the romance because he reminded her of the life in Boston that she tried to leave behind. However, the pair ran into each other two days later and became friends. After six months, they started dating, and they got married in 2007. They now have three children together.
39. Marcia Cross and Tom Mahoney
Desperate Housewives star, Marcia Cross, and her stockbroker husband Tom Mahoney met at a flower shop in LA. It was like a scene out of a movie, and the spark was instant. The couple married in 2006 in a lovely ceremony, but their relationship hasn't always been smooth sailing.
First, Mohoney was diagnosed with throat cancer, and Cross stood by his side through the whole process. Later in 2018, Cross was diagnosed with anal cancer, and it was a struggle for their entire family. Luckily, they are both cancer-free and healthy today.
40. Julianna Margulies and Keith Lieberthal
When Julianna Margulies was going to a dinner party to meet with a possible agent, she met her future husband, Keith Lieberthal who was friends with the agent. Although Margulies didn't sign with the agent, she got lucky enough to find the man of her dreams.
Margulies knew right away that Lieberthal was the perfect man for her. She made sure that he wasn't an actor because she wasn't interested in dating someone in the industry. They got married after dating for some time, and they have one son together.
41. Cynthia Nixon and Christine Mariononi
Cynthia Nixon is best known for her role as Miranda Hobbes on Sex and the City. She became a big name in the LGBTQ+ community when she came out in 2004. Nixon began dating education activist Christine Mariononi in 2004 after she came out, even though they met in 2001.
When the pair met, Nixon was still married to her husband until they split in 2003. After a long engagement, the couple got married in 2012. They waited until same-sex marriage was legal and had their ceremony on a city rooftop. In 2011, they welcomed their son Max.
42. Terry Crews and Rebecca King
While attending West Michigan University, Terry Crews met his wife, Rebecca King. He almost got stuck in the friendzone because he was too nice to King. However, the sparks started flying, and they developed a close bond. In 1990 they got married in a small ceremony and shared five children.
After Crews retired from football, he had to work on himself to make their marriage work. King has said many times that the key to their successful marriage was marrying her best friend. Crews said that their relationship involves open communication and freedom.
43. Jon Stewart and Tracey McShane
After working on the movie Wishful Thinking, Jon Stewart was matched up by a production assistant with Tracey McShane. After two years of dating, Stewart proposed with a crossword puzzle from The New York Times.
The pair exchanged vows shortly after, and the rest is history. Everyone who has met the couple says they are "the real deal" because their love is so genuine and pure. The pair have two children who are all grown up now.