Celebrity Couples ~ a Worldwide Obsession

There's something wicked and voyeuristic about keeping tabs on Hollywood's hottest couples. You can't swing a dead cat nowadays without hearing about celebrity romances, from "Brangelina" to "TomKat" to "Bennifer, The Sequel." Some celebrities change partners like they change their underwear (if they're wearing any,) but some couples have weathered the harsh demands of Tinseltown and come up shining. Here is a peek into some of Hollywood's smokin' hookups, as well as a tribute to those couples who lasted longer than Omarosa's 15 minutes.

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale.
This stunning couple married on September 14, 2002 in an extravagant London ceremony at St. Paul's Covent Garden. They had a second wedding in L.A. for friends who could not attend in the UK. I am fascinated by their union, and find myself rooting for them as they embark on their next journey… parenthood. Stefani, a fashion icon and lead singer of No Doubt is a perfect complement to Rossdale, front man of Bush. They seem genuinely happy, and if they can make it through DNA tests and former-lovers scandals, they can make it through just about anything.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
Jolie was the "Queen of Denial" for what seemed like eternity about her hookup with the one-time "Sexiest Man Alive." But, with Baby Brangelina's impending arrival and the finalization of Maddox and Zahara's adoption by Pitt, their desire to maintain their privacy is understandable. Paparazzi go absolutely nuts for any details about this international couple. Some have traveled across the globe just for a glimpse of the Jolie-Pitt's new family. Although no wedding date has been set, and some speculate that one will never be set, the gossip magazines are constantly booming with hints that there may be a wedding in the near future. The rest of us will just have to wait and see.

Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise.
For someone claiming that he "can't wait to get married," Cruise sure has a funny way of showing it. It's been almost a year since he proposed to Holmes at the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. What's the holdup? Maybe she's afraid she can't find a couch (for him to jump on at the alter) to match the bridesmaids' gowns. Maybe he's afraid that his Stepford wife-to-be may snap out of her coma and say "no." Holmes, the former cutie pie of "Dawson's Creek" had 40 million reasons to wait… that's the amount of the pre-nup. There was speculation that the couple wanted to wait until after the arrival of "TomKitten." And now that baby Suri has made her debut, the nuptials should soon follow, according to Cruise.

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck.
This Jen/Ben hookup seems to be fairing much better than Affleck's first Jennifer… Ms. Lopez (now Mrs. Marc Anthony.) Garner, star of ABC's Alias, married Affleck in June 2005, and baby Violet made her entrance in December. Hopefully, Garner (who is using her married name of Jennifer Affleck on official documents) has tamed the once-wild Affleck. They make an adorable couple… she, who is sweetness and light, and he, who was once dubbed "box-office poison." Maybe that curse has been broken, now that Affleck has severed ties with J.Lo. One can only hope that any future films Affleck makes with his current wife won't have the same misfortune.

Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks.
This powerhouse couple was married in 1988, an eternity when it comes to Hollywood nuptials. Hanks, who first starred in 1980's Bosom Buddies, has evolved into one of the most popular stars in contemporary American cinema. He became involved with Wilson on the set of 1985's "Volunteers," and the rest, as they say, is history.

Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg.
Named as the most commercially successful filmmaker in Hollywood history, Spielberg met Kate Capshaw when he cast her in 1984's "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom." They married in 1991, after his bitter divorce in 1989 from actress Amy Irving. Spielberg has 3 biological children with Capshaw (Sasha, Sawyer, and Destry,) two adopted children (Theo and Mikaela,) and one stepdaughter (Jessica Capshaw ~ best known from ABC's The Practice.) Not wanting to sound ridiculous by saying, "Gee, I loved E.T." during their first meeting, she opted not to say anything. When their meeting was over, Spielberg got up from his chair and said, "Thanks for not saying anything about E.T., Kate Capshaw." Great minds think alike, I guess.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick.
Carrie Bradshaw weds Ferris Bueller? This talented couple met in 1992, and for Parker, it was love at first sight. They married in 1997 after living together for 5 years and attribute their longevity to laughter. "There isn't one day that goes by that he doesn't make me laugh, really, really hard. There isn't one day," Parker told CBS correspondent Charlie Rose back in 2004. They have one son, James Wilkie, born in 2002, and would like to have more. With her sense of style and his Broadway talent, their children will surely be on the "Best Dressed" and "Most Talented" lists in their high school yearbooks.

Keeping up with celebrity gossip has become an American pastime. In today's world of war, rising gas prices, and political scandals, it's nice to retreat to the world of fame, riches, and red-carpet fashion. Articles about "who's screwing who" in Hollywood seem to be much more influential these days than "who's screwing over who" in Washington. And while most celebrity couples never make it to their first anniversary, some couples have shown that even under the intense scrutiny of Tinseltown, love can, and sometimes does, conquer all.