When two celebrities get together, their collective command over the world of entertainment is explosive. From Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, to Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen, we take a look into the world of the Hollywood power couples.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, otherwise known as 'Brangelina', are the gold standard for Hollywood power couples. What makes Brad and Angelina so powerful? They have both had their fair share of on-screen success, with Brad starring in hits such as 'Ocean's 11' and 'Troy', and Angelina in 'Salt' and 'Changeling'. The also have a solid partnership at home as part of a family of 8, including adopted children Maddox, Zahara, and Pax, and biological children Shiloh, Knox and Viviene.
Brangelina have also overcome their fair share of scandal: In 2005, whilst filming Mr and Mrs Smith together, they were at the centre of a media scandal when it was claimed that the two began a relationship whilst Brad was still married to then wife Jennifer Aniston. Angelina denied this, saying: "To be intimate with a married man, when my own father cheated on my mother, is not something I could forgive. I could not look at myself in the morning if I did that. I wouldn't be attracted to a man who would cheat on his wife."
Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen, the genetically gifted Jumper costars, started seeing each other in 2007, and have always remained notoriously tight lipped about their romance. The couple have endured a rocky relationship, with Rachel flashing an engagement ring less than two years into their relationship, only to call it off last summer. A source close to the couple claimed that the actress was busy with her career and looking to "move forward."
A couple of months later and the couple were back on the road to romance, and their romance looks to be stronger than ever. Rachel recently told USA today "Our relationship is not a secret, I just don't talk about it. If you're in a relationship for a long time and you grow together, I think that's the goal. So it's definitely at a different level, and I think that's how love should be, and it should always grow."
Moving on to Jay-Z and Beyonce, who are not only rich, but the talented twosome have influence across the board, in movies, music, fashion and high-profile endorsement deals. Clinical psychologist and celebrity researcher Jim Houran explains to Forbes.com that "naturally powerful people tend to gravitate toward other powerful peope." This is certainly the case for the hugely successful duo: Jay-Z is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, and Beyonce has won a total of 16 Grammy Awards—13 as a solo artist and 3 as a member of Destiny's Child.
The secret to their success as a couple? The pair generally avoid discussing their relationship. Knowles has stated that she believes that not publicly discussing each other has helped them, with Jay-Z adding "We don't play with our relationship."
Other Hollywood power couples include Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck: It’s no surprise that after the media circus that enveloped his doomed-from-the-start relationship with Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck settled down with much lower key and equally beautiful Jennifer Garner. Despite the pair having a huge star status, the couple is rarely a target for paparazzi, who have let them raise their daughters Violet and Seraphina in peace.
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, dubbed TomKat, are also worth a mention. Tom Cruise’s first stab at power-couple-dom with Nicole Kidman didn’t work out so well, so it was no surprise when his second marriage to a fellow celebrity came under scrutiny. Lately, though, the couple look happier than ever, probably thanks in part to the ray of sunshine that is Suri Cruise and Tom’s resurgent movie career.
Few men on planet earth are more envied than Russell Brand, husband of gorgeous pop princess Katy Perry. The couple fell in love after a chance encounter at an awards show and the rest, as they say, is history. They’ve been owning red carpets ever since and definitey deserve a mention amongst Hollywood's power couples.
Despite recent rumours circulating regarding the state of Demi Moore's marriage to Ashton Kutcher, 15 years her junior, the couple are still a force to be reckoned with. Demi has previously said of her actor toy-boy: "The love he has for me makes me a better person." We wonder whether Demi and Ashton will make it onto Hollywood's power couple list this time next year but, for now, they conclude our list of A-List couplings.
