7 Celebrity Romances That Lasted Way Longer in Your Head

1 Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston

Felt like it lasted: Forever
Really lasted: Seven years

Brad and Jen began dating in 1998 and tied the knot two years later. They ended their marriage in 2005 after Brad fell for his now-wife Angelina Jolie on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith; the split marked the beginning of the "Team Aniston" and "Team Jolie" era, as well as a decade-long debate over whether Jen would "find love again." Sure enough, the former Friends star married Justin Theroux in August 2015.

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2 Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake

Image Source: Getty / Barry King

Felt like it lasted: An eternity
Really lasted: Three years

Justin and Britney's breakup is one that we'll never get over, no matter how much time has passed. They spent their childhood together while working on The Mickey Mouse Club and went on to become pop sensations. They began dating in 1999 though didn't officially confirm the relationship until a year later. In 2002, they parted ways, leaving us with multiple cryptic breakup songs and a pile of tear-stained photos ripped from the pages of Teen People.

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3 Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams

Image Source: Getty / J. Shearer

Felt like it lasted: A lifetime
Really lasted: Four years

Ah, these two. Rachel and Ryan brought their steamy chemistry in The Notebook off screen and embarked on an equally steamy real-life romance. They dated for four years before their 2008 split — and while we'll miss them as a couple, we'll have their epic MTV Movie Awards PDA stunt to look back on forever.

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4 Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez

Image Source: Getty / Tom Kingston

Felt like it lasted: Centuries
Really lasted: 18 months

The first installment of Bennifer was such a huge cultural moment — remember how much self-tanner he used to wear? During their 18-month romance, Jennifer and Ben starred in two films together (Gigli and Jersey Girl) as well as the music video for "Jenny From the Block," which, let's be honest, is timeless.

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5 Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey

Image Source: Getty / Gregg DeGuire

Felt like it lasted: Eons
Really lasted: Six years

Jessica and Nick, the Barbie and Ken of pop music and stars of MTV's Newlyweds, were only together for six years. For reference, Nick's current relationship — with Vanessa Lachey — has lasted longer than he and Jessica did, which is just crazy to think about. Both he and Jessica, who has been with Eric Johnson since 2010, have two kids and seem to be happier than ever.

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6 Kirsten Dunst and Jake Gyllenhaal

Image Source: Getty / Dave M. Benett

Felt like it lasted: In perpetuity
Really lasted: Two years

Kirsten and Jake were the cute little indie darling couple that could. They began dating in 2002 after being introduced by Jake's older sister, Maggie. The couple later shared a $1.7 million home in LA and even adopted a German Shepherd mix puppy together. Alas, they split in 2004, and Jake went on to date more famous blondes, including Reese Witherspoon and Taylor Swift.

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7 Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson

Image Source: Getty / Kevin Mazur

Felt like it lasted: Decades
Really lasted: Three years

Ryan and Scarlett married in a secret ceremony in 2008 and called it quits in 2011. These two kept their relationship so private that they only made one public appearance the whole time they were together. Ryan went on to marry his Green Lantern costar Blake Lively, and Scarlett tied the knot (secretly) with French journalist Romain Dauriac. Both of the actors welcomed baby girls in 2014.

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