The way celebrities live is so vastly different from the way those of us outside of the entertainment industry do that it makes sense the way they date is too. Of course they're going to want to make sure the person they're with is into them for who they are and not just because they're famous. That's why dating a fellow celeb is what so many of them opt for — and they use their networks to vet the people they date beforehand.
As it turns out, some of our favorite celeb couples are only together today because someone just as famous as they are decided to play matchmaker. It's wild to see which stars are responsible for others living happily ever after, and some of these friendships are pretty surprising.
Most of us know what it's like to be set up with someone by a friend (though it doesn't always work out). But we had no idea this many star-studded romance connections existed in Hollywood — even though some of these celeb couples are no longer together today.
Courteney Cox & Johnny McDaid
Courteney Cox and Snow Patrol rocker Johnny McDaid have been together for a decade, and it all started with their mutual friend, Ed Sheeran.
"I introduced her to my best mate Johnny, who I wrote 'Shape of You' and 'Bad Habits' with," Ed said during a radio interview, via The Mirror. "He's also godfather to [my daughter] Lyra, but yeah I introduced them like nine years ago. She just invited me 'round her house and I just kept going 'round and then one day I brought Johnny and he didn't come home."
Benji Madden & Cameron Diaz
As it turns out, Nicole Richie was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes of her brother-in-law's love life, bringing Benji Madden and Cameron Diaz together.
"I'm going to take responsibility for everything," Nicole — who is married to Joel Madden — told Andy Cohen during an episode of Watch What Happens Live. "I approve of anything that's going to make Benji happy. I am a devoted sister-in-law. I'm happy for anyone who is happy, and I want everyone to be surrounded with love."
Meghan Trainor & Daryl Sabara
Meghan Trainor was not shy about asking friend Chloë Grace Moretz for a hookup — and she totally came through! Early in her relationship with now-husband Daryl Sabara, Meghan told Chelsea Handler the whole story.
"I asked every person I met since day one, 'Find me a boyfriend!' Like, especially new friends, too. Chloë Grace Moretz is a friend of mine, and day one of meeting her I was like, 'You know anybody that I could date? Or love? Whatever.'" And she's like, 'I know the nicest guy in the world, Daryl, and you should meet him.' I was like, 'Daryl? Okay,'" she said.
Sofia Vergara & Joe Manganiello
Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello are married today thanks to one of Sofia's Modern Family costars.
"I've never talked about it. I was waiting for them to say it and then they finally sort of mentioned that I was the one who put them together, so now I will admit that I helped with that," Jesse Tyler Ferguson said during an episode of The Late Late Show With James Corden. "I knew Joe through people, and we had done benefits together, and I knew Sofia from working with her, and we were at a party together and I just introduced them."
At the time, Sofia was still with ex-fiancé Nick Loeb, but as soon as they split, Jesse facilitated the exchange of phone numbers and it was on.
Felicity Blunt & Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci and Felicity Blunt ended up together because of Felicity's sister, Emily Blunt, of course. The couple met at the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada in 2006, when Stanley was still married to Kate Tucci, who died after a battle with breast cancer in 2009. Felicity and Stanley would come face to face again at Emily's wedding to John Krasinski in 2010 and they totally hit it off.
Jimmy Fallon & Nancy Juvonen
Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore have been friends for a long time, so it makes sense that she was instrumental in setting up the late-night host with his wife, Nancy Juvonen. They were running her production company, Flower Films, together when Drew had the opportunity to introduce them when she hosted Saturday Night Live in 2005.
Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta-Jones
The story behind Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones' love connection was pretty legendary. They went out to dinner with Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith, who were the ones to introduce them, and Michael asked if he could sit next to Catherine. The rest is history, and they've been married for more than 20 years.
Jaime King & Kyle Newman
Though Jaime King and Kyle Newman are no longer together, they were married for more than a decade, and it all started with Kristen Bell, who was filming Fanboys with Jaime, which Kyle was directing, at the time.
"Kristen Bell I didn't know at all, but she kept calling me in my hotel room and I was very confused because she was really friendly," Jaime told E! News. "She's a really nice girl but I don't know her at all. She keeps inviting me to hang out, but she was trying to tell us we were supposed to be together."
Hilarie Burton & Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Hilarie Burton and Jeffrey Dean Morgan have been together for years as they raise their children together and finally got married in 2019. But none of that would have happened if it wasn't for Hilarie's One Tree Hill costar Danneel Ackles and her husband, Supernatural star Jensen Ackles.
Hilarie went out with Danneel and Jensen while visiting LA one weekend, and they invited Jeffrey to join them at a pub for a drink. It was love at first sight.
"Hilarie sees this guy get off a bike in slow-motion and take his helmet off and throw his hair, and it was all very surreal. And you walked in, the two of you locked eyes, and that was pretty much the rest of the evening," Jensen said during an episode of Friday Night in With the Morgans.
Dwyane Wade & Gabrielle Union
Patti LaBelle is obviously a legend, but apparently she's a talented matchmaker too, as she set up NBA star Dwyane Wade and actress Gabrielle Union.
"I had a boyfriend when I met him and Dwyane, he's a bit younger than me so it felt like he was 12. He was super shy and quiet," Gabrielle Union told James Corden. "I had brought Patti LaBelle — that was my crew at the time — my day one, my OG. She was like, 'Girl you better drop that zero and get you a hero,' and so it was Ms. Patti that nudged me in the direction."
Scarlett Johansson & Colin Jost
Reportedly, Kate McKinnon was the one to bring her SNL costar Colin Jost together with his now-wife, Scarlett Johansson.
"Scarlett and Kate McKinnon are very close pals," a source told Life & Style. "Kate was the one who played Cupid and pushed Scarlett and Colin to go on their first date."
Portia de Rossi & Ellen DeGeneres
Ed Helms and Portia de Rossi were filming Arrested Development together when he set up her and Ellen DeGeneres.
"We were running lines in Portia's trailer, and this was before you guys were an item, and you came on the television and she said, 'Man, I am so into her.' Cut to two months later and you guys were a thing. I take full credit because I didn't talk her out of it," he said while chatting with Ellen on her talk show.
Jennifer Aniston & Justin Theroux
Things didn't end up working out forever with Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston, but their romance did begin thanks to another A-list celeb: Robert Downey Jr.
"He and Jen fell in a real, legit fashion, and he was willing from the jump to make sacrifices," Robert told Details in 2014 when Jennifer and Justin were still together.
Kat Dennings & Josh Groban
Their relationship only lasted a couple of years, but it was Beth Behrs who brought her 2 Broke Girls costar Kat Dennings together with Josh Groban.
"I always wanted to find him the right girl," Beth told People. "At the time, Kat was in a relationship, so I couldn't. Then they happened to both be single for once at the same time. It didn't take much coaxing for either of them. They're both nerds at heart. But their hearts are in the right place."
Taylor Swift & Jake Gyllenhaal
Without Gwyneth Paltrow, the song "All Too Well" would never have existed. Gwyneth threw a dinner party and invited both Taylor Swift and Jake Gyllenhaal, inadvertently becoming the one to introduce them.
"I've known Jake for a long time and he's a great guy, and [ex-husband Chris Martin] has a friendship with Taylor," Gwyneth told USA Today, via MTV.
