Celebrity Couples Who Kept Their Separations A Secret

There's been some seriously devastating and messy celebrity breakups over the years, from Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. It seems like a happily ever after is getting harder to come by, with even more celeb couples breaking up in 2023, like Britney Spears and Sam Asghari or Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello. It's hard not to become invested in the romantic relationships of the rich and famous when they seem to have it all; money, fame, looks, and the perfect partner. What could they possibly have to be unhappy about?

But, according to an expert on parasocial relationships (those we have with celebrities, in which we feel a form of attachment to someone who doesn't know we exist), there's more to it. Sally Theran, Ph.D., explained to Harper's Bazaar in 2022, "When you have a parasocial relationship with someone, you look up to them and idealize them in some way. As a result, you really want that person to be happy and successful in every way possible. ... Your hope for their relationship to work out is a manifestation of a kind of wish fulfillment for yourself."

What can be even more surprising than your favorite celebrity couple splitting up, though, is to hear that they've been broken up for some time before announcing it to the world. From Meryl Streep's seemingly perfect relationship to Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki's romance, here are the celebrity couples who kept their separations a secret.

It's nearly impossible to picture the "Sophie's Choice" actor without her longtime husband by her side. Meryl Streep and Don Gummer, a sculptor, had known each other for less than six months when they got married in 1978, following her breakout role "The Deer Hunter." He was by the actor's side when she won her first Oscar for "Kramer vs. Kramer," and she thanked Gummer while accepting her latest Academy Award in 2012 for "The Iron Lady." The couple had four children over the years, Henry, Mamie, Grace, and Louisa, and Streep has at times credited Gummer for being a great father.

In 2018, after four decades of marriage, the couple made their last public appearance together at the Oscars. Then, in October of 2023, a representative for Streep announced that she and Gummer hadn't been together for many years. The statement written for NBC News read, "Don Gummer and Meryl Streep have been separated for more than 6 years, and while they will always care for each other, they have chosen lives apart." While the actor and sculptor made very rare comments about their relationship, it was still shocking that they were able to hide their separation from the public for so many years, given Streep's notoriety in the film industry.

The late "Friends" alum divulged several intimate details about his past relationships when he released his memoir "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing" in 2022. Matthew Perry's longest relationship had been with "Mean Girls" star Lizzy Caplan, who was 13 years his junior. Although he doesn't mention her by name in his book, the timeline matches up to their six-year relationship; they had spent the first two years as friends with benefits and, after making it official, Perry almost proposed.

He backed out at the last minute and, in 2012, they quietly broke up. Perry wrote about the regret he felt afterward in his memoir, stating, "I often think if I'd asked [her to marry me], now we'd have two kids and a house. Instead, I'm some schmuck who's alone in his house at 53."

Speaking with GQ in October 2022, Perry explained that ending great relationships became a self-destructive pattern of his. "I break up with them because I'm deathly afraid that they will find out that I'm not enough, that I don't matter, and that I'm too needy, and they'll break up with me and that will annihilate me and I'll have to take drugs and that will kill me. That's why I break up with these wonderful women that have crossed my path," he remarked. Tragically, given Perry's death in October 2023, we will never know if he would have eventually found the one.

Known for his iconic portrayal of Morpheus in the "Matrix" franchise, Laurence Fishburne has been in the industry for decades and was often spotted on the red carpet standing next to his wife, Gina Torres. An actor herself, the couple have co-starred in several films, including "The Matrix Reloaded," "The Matrix Revolutions," "Five Fingers," and 2014's TV series "Hannibal." Contrary to popular belief, Fishburne and Torres didn't meet on the set of the classic sci-fi film, as they had already become engaged by 2001. The celebrity couple tied the knot in New York City in 2002 and, five years later, had their daughter Delilah.

Sadly, after 14 years of marriage, Torres announced in 2017 that she and Fishburne had been separated for over a year, and the public had been none the wiser about the actors' split. In a statement released to People, she explained, "With heavy hearts, Laurence and I quietly separated and began the dissolution of our marriage in the early fall of last year. There are no bad guys here. Only a love story with a different ending than either one of us had expected."

Perhaps one of the most unique and unconventional relationships in Hollywood was the one between actor Helena Bonham Carter and director Tim Burton. The two initially met in the year 2000 when she auditioned for "Planet of the Apes," which he directed, but because they were each in romantic relationships already, it supposedly took some time before they got together. Finally, in 2001, Bonham Carter and Burton made their official red carpet debut as a couple.

Throughout their relationship, they collaborated on several films, including "Corpse Bride," "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street," and "Alice in Wonderland." Although they never married, Bonham Carter and Burton had two children in their 13 years together, Billy Raymond and Nell, but they weren't your average family of four. In 2008, it was revealed that the actor and director lived in two separate houses that were connected by only a hallway.

Then, in December 2014, a representative for Bonham Carter announced that the couple had separated earlier in the year, but would continue to co-parent their children. In speaking about the breakup, the actor told Red Magazine the following year, "Our relationship was always somewhat special, and I think it'll always remain special. We did find each other. And really, the mark of a successful relationship shouldn't be whether you're there forever after. Sometimes you're not meant to be forever together. Sometimes you have to come to terms with the fact that that was it."

Back in 2017, "The Umbrella Academy" star Elliot Page and dancer Emma Portner struck up a relationship. It was just a few years after the actor had come out to the world as gay, and fans were supportive of their relationship. Page announced that they had tied the knot in January 2018 and he gushed openly about his love for Portner, telling Net-a-Porter the following year, "I'm so in love. I love being married."

Page again made headlines in December 2019 when he came out as transgender, and his wife was his number one supporter, as she shared a touching tribute on Instagram. "Trans, queer and non-binary people are a gift to this world. I also ask for patience & privacy but that you join me in the fervent support of trans life every single day. Elliot's existence is a gift in and of itself. Shine on sweet E. Love you so much," it read.

Unfortunately, all wasn't well within their relationship, and after three years of marriage, Page and Portner released a joint statement to CNN about their decision to split. "After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce following our separation last summer. We have the utmost respect for each other and remain close friends."