Hollywood's ugliest break-ups

Katy Perry and Russell Brand

When Katy Perry and Russell Brand broke up, it almost seemed staged. Picture this: it's New Year's Eve, you're about to take the stage and your choreo is tight in your head. Your name is already echoing through the wings and then you check your phone. A message from your husband: he wants a divorce. Bam. It really happened to Katy. In her documentary Katy Perry: Part of Me we saw how she looked completely broken.

The two went quickly: after less than four months together, Katy and Russell were already engaged, and in October 2010, they roped in India. But less than a year later, it was over, via the famous message. Still, the pop princess proved herself and performed ‘’just like that’’. She later found love again with Orlando Bloom whom she is now also no longer with.

Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber

When we talk about ugly break-ups, of course we have to talk about Selena and Justin. The two did messy like no other. Because even though delicious music rolled out of them, the relationship was not nearly as Grammy-worthy. When Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber were together, the whole internet sympathised. Jelena was the teenage fairytale and fans were all melting away at it. But behind the scenes, their love turned out to be anything but stable. Break-ups, make-ups and cryptic posts and songs followed each other at a rapid pace. Yet each time, fans hoped things would still work out.

After years of a blinkered relationship, the final blow came in 2018. Shortly after Selena and Justin were spotted together again, things went awry. And not much later, Justin appeared with Hailey Bieber and got married that same year. It was the plottwist no one saw coming. Staying quiet, Selena incorporated her heartbreak into music, with songs that not-so-subtly hinted at the relationship. Selena is now with Benny Blanco who, funnily enough, produces songs for both sides of the story.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt

The relationship between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt is one of the most talked about in Hollywood. The two got to know each other on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, while Brad was married to Jennifer Aniston. A divorce followed and to this day, TikTok's about Brad's betrayal are still massively liked.

For years, Brangelina seemed like the power couple: they formed a large blended family, did a lot of humanitarian work and did joint projects. It seemed like the American dream, but as is usually the case in Hollywood: nothing is what it seems. In 2016, Angelina Jolie filed for divorce that ended in a legal bitchfight. This fight was over the children (three adopted and three biological) and other joint possessions, such as a beautiful vineyard. The split left deep marks; for instance, several children chose to renounce their father's surname.

Amber Heard and Johnny Depp

Amber Heard and Johnny Depp also met on set, typical showbiz. They married in 2015, but their relationship quickly grew into one of the most explosive break-ups ever. After just over a year, Amber put the divorce papers on the table, along with allegations that dominated headlines worldwide. The marriage had allegedly suffered from domestic violence and addiction issues, making their break-up anything but quiet.

What followed was a trial that felt like a reality series: emotional testimonies, viral videos and millions of viewers watching live. Meanwhile, Amber seems to have distanced herself from that merciless period and built a quieter life in Spain, where she focuses on her family. As far away from the media circus as possible.

Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise

Nicole and Tom also met on set: Days of Thunder. They married that same year and were the couple in their 90s together. But after 12 years of marriage, news came unexpectedly that Tom Cruise had filed for divorce. The announcement hit like an atomic bomb. Speculation abounded about the impact of his faith, career choices and the pressures of their public life. Nicole Kidman and he had adopted two children together, which made the split extra complicated. But it is where the extraordinarily good quote ’‘Well, I can wear heels now’’ comes from. And we can only thank the couple for that. Nicole, meanwhile, went through another divorce from Keith Urban.