Relationships can be fun and romantic, but we all know that not every relationship is meant to go the distance. The end of a relationship is always hard, even for the biggest celebrities. In the best-case scenario, both people treat each other with respect and kindness and everyone is able to move on, maybe just a little sadder and a little wiser. But sometimes relationships end, and one person gets emotionally stuck and stays hung up on their ex for way too long.
Being hung up on an ex isn't the same thing as wanting to get back together with that person, though that definitely happens sometimes too (right, Ben Affleck?). It's more about the feeling of not quite being over that person, of still having unfinished business, or of having some big feelings to process.
For celebrities, this can take the form of snarky comments in interviews, cryptic comments on social media, or — if one is Taylor Swift — writing epic and awesome 10-minute songs about their ex being a manipulative jerk with a penchant for younger women (shout-out to Jake Gyllenhaal for making "All Too Well" possible!).
Here, we've rounded up 15 celebs who still seem hung up on their ex — much to the delight of those of us who love some messy celeb drama!
Kanye West
Kanye West has never been shy about letting people know what he thinks (just ask Taylor Swift), but he's been especially vocal about his desire to get back together with ex-wife Kim Kardashian. Unfortunately, he's edged into almost scary territory with what seem like threats against her current boyfriend, Pete Davidson, and we hope he'll figure out how to move on soon.
Ben Affleck
Yes, we know they are together again, but isn't that really the ultimate sign that Ben Affleck is still hung up on his ex (and current) fiancée, Jennifer Lopez? Getting back together after 20 years (and multiple marriages between them) is clearly a sign he wasn't ready to move on!
Sean Penn
Sean Penn has been married three times, but he seems like he's still the most hung up on his most recent ex-wife. He revealed in an interview that he is still in love with her. "There's a woman who I'm so in love with, Leila George, who I only see on a day-to-day basis now, because I f—ed up the marriage," he said.
Shanna Moakler
Shanna Moakler and Travis Barker have been divorced for more than a decade and have both moved on to other romantic partners — but it sure feels like Shanna isn't quite as over Travis as she might want to be. Or maybe she's just jealous of his high-profile love with Kourtney Kardashian? Either way, Shanna hasn't been shy about shading the lovebirds on her social media accounts since the two got together, including saying, "Unlike some people, my relationship status isn't based on social media posting." Ouch!
Future
Rapper Future seems to have a very hard time letting go of his relationship with Ciara and accepting that she is very much married and making a beautiful blended family with Russell Wilson. How can we tell? Well, Future can't seem to keep her name out of his mouth and is known for saying some awfully petty things about Russell. In 2022, Ciara and Russell were spotted leaving a Super Bowl party when they realized Future was about to perform, so it looks like things are still pretty tense.
Selena Gomez & Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez were on-again and off-again for years, and although Justin has been married to Hailey Baldwin since 2018, it seems like it took the two exes a long time to get over each other. Selena wrote her song "Lose You To Love Me" allegedly about Justin and she also publicly accused him of cheating on her with Hailey. He also made snarky comments about her on social media and some think he wrote the song "Ghosts" about her.
Blac Chyna
Being hung up on an ex doesn't necessarily mean that a person wants to get back together with them. It can just mean that they still have a feeling of having unfinished business. We're guessing Blac Chyna feels that way about Rob Kardashian now that her lawsuit against him and his family has made it to a courtroom. Perhaps a hefty settlement might be the thing she needs to fully move on!
Justin Timberlake
When Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears were together, they were pop music's biggest couple. When they broke up, it was messy for years, largely because Justin was all too happy to spill the beans about their sex life, to cast a Britney look-alike in his infamous "Cry Me a River" video, and to basically use her to promote his solo career. Now, more than 20 years later, he wasn't even able to muster a congratulations when hearing she's expecting her third child. Shady!
Johnny Depp
A relationship that seems to have some major unfinished business is the hot mess between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. The two were in another court battle in 2022 with both of them suing the other for defamation. He's suing her for $50 million and she's suing him for $100 million.
Jason Oppenheim
One of the major pieces of gossip from the show Selling Sunset is that stars Jason Oppenheim and Chrishell Stause had fallen in love. After season five finished filming, the pair broke up. Jason revealed in an interview that his time with the former soap actress was "the most real relationship I've ever had" and that he "thinks about her every day." Hmm, maybe they'll get back together in time for season six?
Scott Disick
Scott Disick is basically the poster child for being hung up on an ex. It is so obvious to all that he really did assume that he and Kourtney Kardashian would someday end up together for good, as he basically revealed in the first episode of the inaugural season of The Kardashians.
Prince Charles
If Scott Disick is the modern-day poster child for being hung up on an ex, Prince Charles is the old-school example. He never got over his ex Camilla Parker Bowles, as anyone who knows anything about royal gossip knows. It seems likely that he never stopped loving her, and the two have now been married for 17 years.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato and Wilmer Valderrama dated for six years, and the relationship clearly had a big impact on the singer. "I'm pretty sure that I'm not going to meet anybody that compares to him, but I'm trying to keep an open heart and open mind when it comes to that," Demi said in 2017.
Mindy Kaling & BJ Novak
Will Mindy Kaling and best bud BJ Novak get back together someday? Honestly, we kind of hope so! It seems like there are still a lot of feelings between the two of them. She made him the godfather to her kids, and he told NPR that Mindy is "one of the closest or the closest person of my life to this day."
John Mayer
John Mayer is a messy ex-boyfriend! He seems to struggle to move on or to at least stop talking about his many exes. He embarrassed Jessica Simpson by graphically talking about their sex life after they broke up, he publicly pouted about Taylor Swift hurting his feelings by writing a song about him, and he basically called Jen Aniston old. Rude!
