Celebrities who broke up but had to continue working together

The iconic No Doubt album 'Tragic Kingdom' may have sounded very differently if it hadn't been for the love affair within the band! Gwen Stefani and bass player Tony Kanal started dating when the group had been together for six years. That was in 1992, and it lasted until 1995. Many of the songs of 'Tragic Kingdom', including 'Don't Speak', were written by Gwen Stefani and referred to their breakup. Yet, after the rupture and the hit album, both continued to play in 'No Doubt' until it dissolved in 2003.

The two members of The White Stripes married in 1996, founded their rock duo in 1997,  and divorced in 2000. Despite this, they stayed together and had quite the success. Their 'Seven Nation Army' is one of the best known and most sung (or hummed) rock anthems in the world. In 2011, the duo announced that 'The White Stripes' were over, but they had succeeded to work together as exes for a whopping eleven years. Not bad.

They were Lucas Scott and Brooke Penelope in 'One Tree Hill', and behind the screen they became a couple in real life. The two started dating in 2003 and got married in 2005. That lasted only five months, though, and it was all but easy to shoot 'One Tree Hill' in the next four years. By 2009, Murray left the series.

The model and the pop star (real name Abel Tesfaye) got together in 2015 were a couple on-and-off until 2019. In late 2016, after they'd broken things off, the two had to share the stage during the Victoria's Secret fashion show - him singing and her modelling. Bella Hadid told 'E! News' at the time that "there is no awkwardness. He is my best friend, and I am excited because I am walking during his performance."

They met at the Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards and it was love at first sight. Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake started dating in April 2003, but by late 2006 it was over. And not very smoothly: Justin Timberlake confessed less than a month after the break that he was dating Jessica Biel. Who would have thought that in 2011 they would be starring together in 'Bad Teacher'?

Whatever happened to Cameron Diaz?

After nine years of marriage, these two stars are co-parenting their children without a single problem. In addition, Heidi Klum had Seal come in as a guest judge when she was on the panel of 'America's Got Talent.' They also sang a duet together during that 2017 episode.

The case of Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter is curious. Siblings in the series 'Dexter', married in 2008 but divorced in late 2010. Despite this, they had to continue being Dexter and Debra until mid 2013.

These two started dating in the middle of the 'Twilight' hype, in 2009, and they broke up July 2012 due to Stewart's infidelity with director Rupert Sanders. It was painful, because they all had to keep working together to promote the last film in the 'Twilight' saga. Four years later, Kristen Stewart would confess to T-Magazine that her relationship with Robert Pattinson was "a product. They wanted us to be together." If that was the case, then perhaps the last promotion tour had not been so painful after all.

If it's difficult to meet your ex on the street, imagine having to keep working with them after the breakup. That's complicated, even for a celebrity. In this gallery we'll show you examples of stars who handled it wonderfully. The first couple of exes in this list is that of Penn Badgley and Blake Lively. They broke up in 2010 but had to continue working together for two more years on 'Gossip Girl'.

They started dating while shooting 'Transformers' (2007), but their romance lasted only a short while. When the sequel had to be shot in 2009, both actors were professional about it. Fox would not appear in any other 'Transformers' movie, though, but that had nothing to do with Shia LaBeouf. (She had a fallout with the film's director, Michael Bay.)

'The Big Bang Theory' would probably been different if these two exes had not gotten along on set. Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki were a couple between 2007 and 2009. After their breakup, they had to continue playing Penny and Leonard... until 2019! They are still good friends and the series had 12 great seasons.

Charlize Theron and Sean Penn were together from the end of 2013 to mid-2015. Shortly after the break-up, Theron faced Penn as the director of her movie 'The Last Face.'

The relationship between two actors influenced the filming of 'Gossip Girl' in a profound way. Chuck and Vanessa's alter egos maintained an intermittent relationship throughout the shoot, but when it turned out that Jessica Szohr had cheated on Ed Westwick, everything changed. Westwick wanted nothing to do with his ex anymore and the rest of the cast took his side. The standoff led to the decision that the actress had to leave the series in 2011, a year before it ended.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck dated between 1997 and 1999, during which time they filmed 'Shakespeare in Love' and 'Bounce' together. After the shooting of the second film, they did not love each other anymore. What they failed to anticipate was the fact that they still had to travel around the world together to promote the film upon its release.

This couple was in a relationship for nearly two years, between 2016 and 2018. They broke up just after the shooting of 'Gifted', with the added hurdle that they still had to promote the film together.

Seth and Summer were the most beloved couple on TV for years. To the delight of 'The O.C.' fans, Rachel Bilson and Adam Brody also got together off the set. They dated from 2003 to 2006. After they broke up, the actors remained a couple in fiction. That must have been awkward.

The love was born with Abba's music in the background, and the couple fell in love shooting 'Mamma Mia' in 2008. They lasted two years and each went their own way, until in 2018 the film's sequel brought them together again - as colleagues only.

They were together for more than 10 years, had two children, and ended up divorced in 2014. In spite of this, the couple was professional enough to make an album together in 2016. Curiously, it included a duet that covered the song 'Olvídame y pega la vuelta' ('Forget about me and turn around') from the Argentinean duo Pimpinela.

They met during the filming of 'Abduction' in 2011 and were a couple until 2012. A week before the film's release it was over, though, and they had to pretend to be in love so as not to overshadow the premiere.

We have to go back to 1985 for the beginning of Laura Dern and Kyle MacLachlan's relationship. It was during the filming of David Lynch's cult classic 'Blue Velvet.' The couple hit it off and stayed together for several years. Who would have guessed that more than 30 years later, in 2017, they would be reunited by David Lynch in 'Twin Peaks'?

They started dating in 2006, and in 2007 they launched the Kardashian family reality show. Scott Disick adapted beautifully to fame, but the couple ended in 2015. In spite of this, they have continued to include the popular Disick in their reality shows without any problems. So much so, that they are a great example of good character for their children.

See how the Kardashian family changed over time

Pacey and Joey were the ideal couple in 'Dawson's Creek.' Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson turned their fictional love into reality in 1998. The actress later described it as "incredible and indescribable," but it turned out to be finite. Despite the breakup, the two stars were able to continue filming without problems until the series ended in 2003. The harmony between them is so good that in 2016 there was talk of a reconciliation. It did not materialize, though.

From December 2002 to June 2006, Rory and Jess took their love beyond the screen. Ten years later, in 2016, the couple had to go back to their iconic characters in 'Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.' It showed that they have a great relationship, but as friends.

These two icons of the new generation met while shooting 'X-Men: First Generation' in 2010. They were a couple until 2014, and the aftermath of the breakup was painful and unexpected. A bunch of private photos and videos were stolen from Lawrence's iCloud and published by a hacker. They were photos and videos that Jennifer Lawrence had made specifically for Nicholas Hoult. In 2016, the former couple coincided again when they shot 'X-Men: Apocalypse'. They had a friendly relationship, because it is reportedly impossible not to get along with Jennifer Lawrence.

They were a couple between 2018 and 2019. After ending their relationship, they continued to play Veronica and Reggie in 'Riverdale' with total normality.

These two actors go a long way back. They met in college and got married in 1997. Ten years later the marriage ended, but The Rock and Garcia have been examples of good friendship. On the one hand, they co-parent their daughter Simone Alexandra, and on the other, they run the production company 'Seven Bucks' together.

They started dating on the set of 'He's just not that into you' in 2009. After a year, it was over for Drew Barrymore and Justin Long. However, they could not avoid each other in the Hollywood scene. They starred together in 'Going the Distance' in 2010.

They were Elle and Noah in 'The Kissing Booth' and they continued to kiss off set. The year was 2018 and their love lasted a little more than a year. Unfortunately, or perhaps not, the movie was so successful that they were asked to shoot the sequel together. And they did.

Sydney and Michael jumped from television to real life and maintained a relationship between the summer of 2003 and that of 2004. However, 'Alias', the series that brought them together, had seasons until 2006, so it is possible that some uncomfortable moments occurred on set.

Yes, besides Alexis Bledel in 'Gilmore Girls,' Milo Ventimiglia had another romance on set with a fellow cast member. The lucky woman was Hayden Panettiere and they were filming 'Heroes.' After breaking up in February 2009, the two actors had to continuing their performances of  Peter Petrelli and Claire Bennett in the series.

The couple brought Dr. Chase and Dr. Cameron to life in the legendary series 'House M.D.' In 2004, they began dating and in 2007 they got engaged. However, weeks before the wedding, the 'House M.D.' couple broke it off. They had to continue filming together though, because Jennifer Morrison was part of the series until 2010.

Whatever happened to the cast from 'House, M.D.'?

They formed one of the most solid couples in Hollywood, until they called it quits. Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber were a set between 2005 and 2016. As fate wanted it, in 2016 they were working together as the protagonists of 'The Bleeder'.