History Main / CoupleBomb

* The view of many fans regarding SoapOpera couples that hook up in RealLife at some point. As stated in the page description, love scenes become uncomfortable to view. Conversely, arguments fail to ring true or have any impact on the viewer. And on the handful of occasions where a couple's RealLife breakup coincides with an on-screen one, those arguments get even ''more'' painful to watch.

* Music/{{Cher}} and [[Music/TheAllmanBrothersBand Greg Allman]] released an album together in 1977, ''Two the Hard Way''. It was a spectacular critical and commercial failure, and the tour itself went so badly that Allman [[OffTheWagon fell back into his alcoholism]], which Cher cited was the final straw that broke their marriage.

* ''Film/SuperMarioBros'', helmed by husband-and-wife ''directors'' Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel. They'd recently had two smash hits with ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' and a remake of the 1949 movie ''Film/{{DOA}}'', but the third time proved not to be the charm with ''Mario'' (not helped by how they [[TroubledProduction made the whole thing miserable for the cast and crew]]).

* ''Film/CutthroatIsland'', starring Creator/GeenaDavis and directed by her husband Creator/RennyHarlin, underwent a severely TroubledProduction and became one of the biggest box office bombs in film history. The two released ''Film/TheLongKissGoodnight'' the next year, which was also unsuccessful, if not as spectacularly so, and then divorced a few years after that. (See Aversions below for how one of Davis' previous relationships worked out on screen.)

* ''Film/{{Gigli}}'' is probably the most notorious example. Even though Music/JenniferLopez and Creator/BenAffleck weren't married at the time, they were ''the'' hot couple, and the movie was significantly rewritten during production to capitalize on their relationship. In a twist which surprised no one, Bennifer called it quits shortly after the movie bombed.

* In 1959, Creator/AudreyHepburn starred in ''Green Mansions'', directed by her then-husband Mel Ferrer. It was one of the least successful movies of her career.

* Former [[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] Music/JohnLennon and Music/PaulMcCartney took plenty of flack for the work they recorded with [[YokoOhNo Yoko and Linda]] respectively. Yoko's [[TrueArtIsIncomprehensible incomprehensible conceptual stylings and notoriously weird vocals]] didn't play well with the mainstream Beatles crowd, while Linda wasn't a musician or a singer and by Paul's own admission was in Music/{{Wings}} so that they could tour together and have a good time as a couple. With that said, much of this material has been VindicatedByHistory in one way or another.

* Former [[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] Music/JohnLennon and Music/PaulMcCartney took plenty of flack for the work they recorded with [[YokoOhNo Yoko and Linda]] respectively. Yoko's [[TrueArtIsIncomprehensible incomprehensible conceptual stylings and notoriously weird vocals]] didn't play well with the mainstream Beatles audience, while Linda wasn't a musician or a singer and by Paul's own admission was in Music/{{Wings}} so that they could tour together and have a good time as a couple. With that said, much of this material has been VindicatedByHistory in one way or another.

* Former [[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] Music/JohnLennon and Music/PaulMcCartney took plenty of flack for the work they recorded with [[YokoOhNo Yoko and Linda]] respectively. Yoko's [[TrueArtIsIncomprehensible incomprehensible conceptual stylings and notoriously weird vocals]] didn't play well with the mainstream Beatles audience, while Linda wasn't a musician or a singer and by Paul's admission was in Music/{{Wings}} so that they could tour together and have a good time as a couple. With that said, much of this material has been VindicatedByHistory in one way or another.

* Both Music/JohnLennon and Music/PaulMcCartney took plenty of flack back in the day for the work they recorded with [[YokoOhNo Yoko and Linda]] respectively. Yoko's [[TrueArtIsIncomprehensible incomprehensible conceptual stylings and notoriously weird vocals]] didn't play well with [[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] fans, while Linda wasn't a musician or a singer and by Paul's admission was in Music/{{Wings}} so that they could tour together and have a good time as a couple. With that said, much of this material has been VindicatedByHistory in one way or another.

* Though much of it has been VindicatedByHistory to one degree or another, both Music/JohnLennon and Music/PaulMcCartney took plenty of flack back in the day for the work they recorded with [[YokoOhNo Yoko and Linda]] respectively. Yoko's [[TrueArtIsIncomprehensible incomprehensible conceptual stylings and notoriously weird vocals]] didn't play well with [[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] fans, while Linda wasn't a musician or a singer and by Paul's admission was in Music/{{Wings}} so that they could tour together and have a good time as a couple.

!!Aversions:

[[folder:Arts]]
* Artist Norman Lindsey used his wife Rose as a model in many of his paintings. She was one of his most recognizable models and also helped him with the business side of his art.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* [[Creator/HumphreyBogart Bogart]] and [[Creator/LaurenBacall Bacall]]. They had a RomanceOnTheSet of ''Film/ToHaveAndHaveNot'', their first film together (and Bacall's first film role). They went on to co-star in three more films, ''Film/TheBigSleep'', ''Film/DarkPassage'' and ''Film/KeyLargo''; all of them are well-regarded.
* Creator/EmmaThompson and Creator/KennethBranagh in ''Film/MuchAdoAboutNothing1993'' and ''Film/DeadAgain''. Long after their divorce, they also appeared in the ''Film/HarryPotter'' movies, but not in the same movie (Thompson as Professor Trelawney starting in ''Film/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'', and Branagh as Professor Lockhart in ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'').
* Creator/KevinBacon and Creator/KyraSedgwick in ''Film/TheWoodsman''. Both were playing incredibly troubled characters (a former child molester and an incest survivor, respectively), so the film really focused more on their psychological issues than the romance itself anyway.
* Creator/ElizabethTaylor and Creator/RichardBurton in ''Film/WhosAfraidOfVirginiaWoolf'' and ''Theatre/TheTamingOfTheShrew'' in between the above-mentioned flops.
* Creator/TomCruise and Creator/NicoleKidman in ''Film/EyesWideShut''. Though they had the iron fist of Creator/StanleyKubrick to guide them. (their previous collaboration in ''Far and Away'' was a straight example)
* Creator/MonicaBellucci and Creator/VincentCassel in the likes of ''Film/{{Irreversible}}'', ''L'Appartement'' and ''Dobermann''.
* Mary Healy and Peter Lind Hayes in ''Film/The5000FingersOfDrT''.
* Creator/MelBrooks and Creator/AnneBancroft in ''Film/SilentMovie'' and the remake of ''Film/ToBeOrNotToBe''. They were married from 1961 until her death in 2005.
* Creator/PaulHogan and Linda Kozlowski made the ''Film/CrocodileDundee'' movies together. She divorced her husband to be with Paul after the first one, they were dating during the second one, and by the third, they had been married for a decade.
* Just as Will and Creator/JadenSmith have a straight example with ''Film/AfterEarth'', they also had an aversion before it with ''Film/ThePursuitOfHappyness'', which put Jaden in the map in the first place.
* The two leads in ''Film/{{Monsters|2010}}'' were dating at the time (and have since married). The director wanted to cast a real-life couple because the chemistry between the two was so important. The film ended up making $4 million on a budget of under $500,000.
* Creator/LaurenceOlivier and Creator/VivienLeigh starred in a few successful films together, as well as acting together on the stage.
* Creator/WoodyAllen successfully cast his former partners Creator/DianeKeaton and Creator/MiaFarrow in his films. Heck, ''Film/AnnieHall'' is about his relationship with the former.
* Creator/WarrenBeatty starred opposite his girlfriend Creator/JulieChristie in well-received films - ''Film/McCabeAndMrsMiller'', ''Film/{{Shampoo}}'' and ''Film/HeavenCanWait1978''. ''Film/{{Reds|1981}}'' with his other girlfriend Creator/DianeKeaton was also successful. ''Town and Country'', not so much.
* ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan'' movies showcase genuine and convincing chemistry between Creator/AndrewGarfield and Creator/EmmaStone, who were an off-screen couple for four years and remain friends.
* Creator/JohnKrasinski directed and wrote ''Film/AQuietPlace'', which stars himself and his wife Creator/EmilyBlunt (though a different actress had been approached initially, Blunt asked her husband for the part after reading the script). The film not only was an unexpected smash hit with critics, but the film did very well financially, opening well above initial expectations and serving as a hit that Creator/{{Paramount}} desperately needed.
* ''Film/AlreadyTomorrowInHongKong'' is a 2015 movie starring husband and wife Bryan Greenberg and Creator/JamieChung as the leads. It was received quite well, with a respectable 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
* ''Film/VickyCristinaBarcelona'' stars husband and wife Creator/JavierBardem and Creator/PenelopeCruz -- playing on-again/off-again lovers to boot -- and was a significant hit for Woody Allen. Penelope Cruz likewise won an Oscar for it. Hilariously, they were going to star in ''Nine'' as well -- which turned out to be a bomb -- but Javier Bardem dropped out.
* Creator/BlakeEdwards directed his wife Creator/JulieAndrews in the hit ''Film/VictorVictoria''. The film ''{{Film/SOB}}'' wasn't well received initially but has become a cult favourite. As noted, their first collaboration together, ''Film/DarlingLili'', was a huge bomb. But they weren't married when that was made.
* Creator/WilliamHMacy and Creator/FelicityHuffman both star in ''Film/{{Cake|2014}}'', which got good reviews and several awards. They're not the leads, however.
* The ''Film/{{Scream}}'' films feature Creator/CourteneyCox and Creator/DavidArquette among the leads - they met while making the first and were married by the third - and were financially successful. The fourth film - during which their marriage fell apart - was ironically the lowest grossing.
* Creator/JeffGoldblum and Creator/GeenaDavis met on the set of ''Transylvania 6-5000'' and were lovers by the time he took on the role of the DoomedProtagonist of ''Film/TheFly1986''. When Creator/DavidCronenberg and company were having trouble finding an actress for the protagonist's lover, Goldblum suggested Davis -- who had been helping him learn his lines and was impressed both with the script and the role -- and ''despite fears of this trope coming to pass'', the filmmakers ultimately chose her because her initial reading was so good. The two by all accounts were '''very''' committed to making their characters' relationship work on screen, with the ultimate result that the film provided BOTH of them {{Star Making Role}}s as a critically-acclaimed box office hit, in an extreme inversion of this trope. They made one more film together, ''Film/EarthGirlsAreEasy'', and were married in the middle of that shoot in 1987. It ended up a BoxOfficeBomb, but that was due more to TroubledProduction and distribution than anything else -- their chemistry together is one of its major assets -- so neither's career suffered, and it garnered a small fanbase via cable/video. They divorced in 1990.
* Creator/JohnnyDepp and Creator/VanessaParadis were together for 14 years (1998-2012). Not even the nightmarish [[TheProductionCurse production curse]] of the first and unfinished version of ''Film/TheManWhoKilledDonQuixote'' in 1999 (which ended up the subject of ''Film/LostInLaMancha'') could tear them apart. It took Depp meeting Creator/AmberHeard on ''Film/TheRumDiary'' to do so, and what followed was much less pretty.
* Creator/KatharineHepburn and Creator/SpencerTracy had a RomanceOnTheSet of ''Film/WomanOfTheYear''. Their chemistry together in the film is often credited as the reason why the film is still well-remembered to this day. They went on to make a total of 9 films together over the course of 26 years, while also having a ([[OpenSecret sort of]]) private relationship for those 26 years (they never married, however, as Tracy had an estranged wife who refused divorce). Their films, which included, ''Film/AdamsRib'' and ''Film/DeskSet'' did very well box-office wise, but critically, some fared better than others, though many were Main/VindicatedByHistory. Their last film, ''Film/GuessWhosComingToDinner'', was finished a mere 17 days before Tracy's death.
* Creator/AlJolson and Ruby Keeler in ''Go into Your Dance'' (1935). Two Broadway musicals also tried to capitalize on their relationship: Ziegfeld's ''Show Girl'' (1929) billed her as Ruby Keeler Jolson and for the first few weeks had Jolson (under contract to a rival producer) singing "Liza" to her from the audience; ''Hold on to Your Hats'' (1940) tried to revive the collapsing Jolson-Keeler marriage by having the two appear on stage together, but this backfired during the tryout, with Keeler leaving the production and divorcing Jolson.
* The supernatural ''Film/{{Underworld|2003}}'' and ''Film/{{Resident Evil|FilmSeries}}'' film series became vehicles for their female stars (Creator/KateBeckinsale and Creator/MillaJovovich), both of whom married their directors (Creator/LenWiseman and Creator/PaulWSAnderson). Despite middling critical reception, they managed to garner enough of a return to greenlight sequel after sequel, with ''Resident Evil'' ending at film 6 and ''Underworld'' currently on its 5th.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Creator/WilliamDaniels and wife Bonnie Bartlett also avert this trope rather spectacularly. They both won Emmys (in the same year) for their work as a married couple, Mark and Ellen Craig, on ''Series/StElsewhere''. In ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'', Mr. Feeny (Daniels) falls for Dean of Pennbrook Lila Bolander (Bartlett), and it's one of the sweetest arcs in the series.
* How do you get the (sane portion of the) ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' fandom to like Mary Morstan? Why, you cast Creator/AmandaAbbington, real-life partner of John Watson's actor Creator/MartinFreeman. Fans who hated the whole ''concept'' of Mary were ultimately won over by their incredibly natural and lovely chemistry, to the point where some have said that ''only'' Amanda could have made them like the character.
* Creator/TeaLeoni and Creator/TimDaly's RomanceOnTheSet of ''Series/MadamSecretary'' has only enhanced the romantic intimacy and chemistry between HappilyMarried OfficialCouple Elizabeth and Henry [=McCord=].
* Creator/JohnCleese and Connie Booth acted and wrote together on ''Series/FawltyTowers'' both while they were married and [[WorkingWithTheEx after they divorced]], and the show was one of the most popular TV comedies of all time.
* ''Series/{{Primeval}}'''s third season featured Ben Miller's real-life wife Belinda Stewart Wilson joining the cast - playing his ArchEnemy. Although it had a ChannelHop after the season, it stayed on the air for two more years. Hilariously enough producers didn't even realise they were married until Belinda had been cast.
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'' has Jon Snow and Ygritte played by two actors who eventually married, and showcases a brilliant chemistry on-screen.
* ''Series/TheWalkingDead'''s tenth season finale [[{{Recap/TheWalkingDeadS10E22HeresNegan}} "Here’s Negan"]] has us finally seeing Negan's full backstory, and we get to see his wife Lucille. She's played by [[Creator/HilarieBurton Hilarie Burton Morgan]], real-life wife of Creator/JeffreyDeanMorgan, by his own request. The brilliant chemistry between the real-life couple successfully carried over to Negan and Lucille. The end result is one of the most well-received episodes in the show's run, receiving a 9.3 rating on IMDB and perfect scores from other critics.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
* The world of UsefulNotes/ProfessionalWrestling is often prone to aversions when real-life couples acknowledge their relationships on screen -- because it does add some realism to the pairings.
** Wrestling/MissElizabeth was a manager to her husband Wrestling/RandySavage and is just as fondly remembered as he is. When they separated in real life, Elizabeth simply left the company.
** {{Wrestling/Sable}}'s career exploded in popularity when she was put into a storyline with her real husband Marc Mero. Before she was just a {{Fanservice}} valet, but the angle led to her becoming a huge star and resurrecting the women's division. Mero's career didn't do as well, however.
** Wrestling/TripleH and Wrestling/StephanieMcMahon were initially just a {{kayfabe}} couple but became a real one behind the scenes. They kayfabe split up in 2002 and would occasionally tease at revealing the real marriage before they finally did so in the late 2000s. Widely seen as a successful power couple, they are one of the most famous examples in wrestling today.
** Wrestling/MattHardy and Wrestling/{{Lita}} acknowledging their real-life relationship didn't affect the popularity or success of Team Xtreme.
** Wrestling/NatalyaNeidhart and Wrestling/TysonKidd have been together since they were teenagers and when they were put together in the Hart Dynasty they eventually became tag team champions. In fact, neither did particularly well when the stable was split up, but Tyson enjoyed a second wind in 2014 when they used a storyline that he resented his wife's success - that led to the two forming another tag team. Said team was shaping up to be successful until a neck injury derailed his momentum.
** Wrestling/JohnMorrison and {{Wrestling/Melina}}'s relationship didn't affect MNM being a top tag team.
** Wrestling/{{Maryse}}'s career would be a forgotten footnote in WWE history if she hadn't returned in 2016 to become The Miz's manager. She was widely RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap and helped guide her husband to the Intercontinental Championship.
** Brie Bella was seen as the LesserStar of the Wrestling/BellaTwins until they finally acknowledged her marriage to Wrestling/DanielBryan. A storyline where Brie quit in order to save her husband's championship reign led to her main eventing Raw and getting a high profile match against Stephanie (yes [[{{Irony}} the one above]]) at ''Summerslam''.
** It took a while for Wrestling/JohnCena and Nikki Bella's relationship to be acknowledged - presumably because John was the biggest babyface in the company and Nikki normally played an AlphaBitch heel. But when it did, it led to the two having a match at ''Wrestling/WrestleMania''.
** Wrestling/MariaKanellis earned a lot of respect among smarks when she began managing her husband Mike Bennett. The two even returned to WWE (though Maria had to leave sooner than expected due to a sudden pregnancy).
** Wrestling/EnzoAndCass were initially a straight example when they added {{Wrestling/Carmella}} to their ranks (she was dating Big Cass) - as many fans felt she didn't fit in with their act. However, she was soon RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap.
** Wrestling/BookerT finally became a WWE Champion when he had his wife Sharmell Sullivan managing him.
** Wrestling/KateyHarvey and Phil Boyd rarely acknowledge their relationship in Ireland but have won intergender tag titles abroad.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Radio]]
* Fibber [=McGee=] and Molly on radio were great together.
* Same goes for Creator/GeorgeBurns and Creator/GracieAllen.
* And also for Creator/JackBenny and Mary Livingstone.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sports]]
* In the world of sports, it's believed that the tendency of Russian and Chinese pairs skaters/ice dancers to marry enhances the beauty of their performances.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* Creator/JudiDench and her hubby Michael Williams earned rave reviews for their multiple onstage pairings at the Creator/RoyalShakespeareCompany and later went on to star in heartbreakingly lovely romantic sitcom ''Series/AFineRomance''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Videos]]
* In ''WebVideo/TheGumdrops'' boyfriend and girlfriend Robbie and Laura are played by real-life couple Corey Patton and Rebecca Rose Flynn (who have acted alongside each other many times previously). WordOfGod is that he was unsure about casting a real couple due to this trope, but when Robbie's [[TheOtherDarrin original actor dropped out]], saw it as a sign and gave Corey the part. This results in a very natural chemistry on-screen.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' voice actor Creator/DanCastellaneta and his wife Deb Lacusta have written several ''Simpsons'' episodes together.
** InUniverse, when Homer, Barney, Lenny, and Carl form a barbershop quartet, Barney gets himself a girlfriend (a parody of [[YokoOhNo Yoko Ono]].) Barney and his girlfriend, like Lennon and Ono, break off from the group to work on their own projects together. One of them is a recording of her saying "Number Eight," followed by Barney belching into the microphone, over and over again.
* The official voice actors for Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Creator/WayneAllwine and Creator/RussiTaylor, married in 1991. They remained married and kept the roles in virtually ALL [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/Disney Disney]] productions until their deaths in 2009 (Allwine) and 2019 (Taylor).
[[/folder]]

For whatever reason, when married couples (or even just couples who are known for being together) make a movie, it rarely works. Who knows why? In some cases, it's public backlash against the couple. Sometimes the couple's RealLife chemistry just doesn't show up on-screen (or it does, and it becomes somewhat unsettling when you realize you're watching an ''actual'' couple during a love scene). Sometimes, it's just a VanityProject with no real direction. In any case, even though Couple Bombs have a track record of not succeeding, they somehow still get made anyway.

* ''Film/DirtyLove'', written by and starring Creator/JennyMcCarthy and directed by her then-husband [[Creator/JohnAsher Mallory Asher]]. They divorced shortly before it went down in flames.

* ''Film/DirtyLove'', written by and starring Creator/JennyMcCarthy and directed by her then-husband John Mallory Asher. They divorced shortly before it went down in flames.