The Marvel Cinematic Universe began with Iron Man back in 2008. This was then followed by a series of films that culminated in the union of all our favorite heroes in The Avengers. The franchise turned out to be a huge success and has received a monumentally positive response from critics and audience members alike. The first Avengers film earned more than $1.5 billion in worldwide box office sales, making it the highest-grossing film of 2012 and the third highest-grossing film of all time.
It was followed by three more sequels, with the last film, Avengers: Endgame released in 2019 and earning close to $2.8 billion worldwide. This massive hit broke the first film’s record of being the highest-grossing film of all time. With the workload involved in making all these films, one would think the stars wouldn’t have much time for anything else, including romance. Luckily, that’s not the case at all. Check out these epic pictures of the film’s stars in action and then alongside their off-screen partners.
Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Levin
Robert Downey has had romantic relationships with several high-profile celebrities throughout his career. HIs ex-girlfriend list includes Sarah Jessica Parker, whom he met while filming Firstborn, and Deborah Falconer, with whom he has a son. Due to problems with his drug addiction, these relationships didn’t last long.
In 2003, Downey crossed paths with Susan Levine on the set of Gothika. Levine was Silver Pictures’ executive vice president of production, and despite turning Downey down a couple of times, their relationship eventually blossomed beyond the film’s production. They married in 2005 in New York and have two children together, Avri Roel and Exton Elias.
Mark Ruffalo (aka The Hulk and Sunrise Coigney)
Mark Ruffalo has been acting since the early 1990s. While he was once known for his roles in romantic comedies such as 13 Going on 30 and Just Like Heaven, he has now established himself as having a talent for the thriller genre with films like Shutter Island and Zodiac. Of course, his worldwide fame can be attributed to his role as Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the Avengers franchise.
Despite the complex relationship between The Hulk and Black Widow captivating movie enthusiasts, it’s delightful to know that Ruffalo, in reality, is blissfully married. He tied the knot with Sunrise Coigney in 2000, and they are now proud parents to three children – Keen, Bella, and Odette.
Scarlett Johansson (aka Black Widow) and Colin Jost
Scarlett Johansson has been the highest-paid actress in the world since 2018 and has frequently been part of the Forbes Celebrity 100 list. Her films have grossed more than $14.3 billion in worldwide box office sales, making her the third-highest-grossing star in the box office too.
Johansson dated Josh Harnett for about two years before ending things in 2006. She was also romantically involved with Ryan Reynolds in 2007, and the couple got married in September 2008. Unfortunately, the actress divorced Reynolds in 2011. In 2017, Johansson started dating Saturday Night Live co-head writer Colin Jost, and the two got engaged in 2019.
Benedict Cumberbatch (aka Doctor Strange) and Sophie Hunter
English actor Benedict Cumberbatch is known for films and TV series such as Sherlock Holmes, The Hobbit, and The Parade’s End. Cumberbatch dated his high school sweetheart, Olivia Poulet, and the two even lived in together. Unfortunately, after dating for ten years, the couple split up, citing personal issues.
Cumberbatch is now married to Sophie Hunter, an opera and theater director. The two met on the set of Burlesque Fairytales and reportedly started dating in 2014 before tying the knot a year later. They prefer to keep their relationship out of the limelight and are rarely photographed together by the paparazzi, even when attending events together.
Tom Holland (aka Spiderman) and Zendaya
Tom Holland is a young English actor famous for his role as the web-slinging Spiderman in The Avengers. Prior to his work in films, Holland was a stage actor and appeared as Billy Elliot in the musical at London’s West End. In 2017, he also received a BAFTA Rising Star Award.
Even with his celebrity status, Holland has successfully maintained the privacy of his romantic life, and little information is available regarding his former or existing relationships. His social media platforms are primarily work-oriented, with minimal details about his personal life. Speculations are rife about a potential romantic link between him and Zendaya, his co-actress, yet it is unlikely that he will either substantiate or debunk these claims in the near future.
Chris Hemsworth (aka Thor) and Elsa Pataky
Australian actor Chris Hemsworth started his career by starring in several TV series. He eventually got a break in Hollywood with films like Star Trek and A Perfect Getaway. While most of Hemsworth’s commercial success came from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he has also starred in films like Men in Black: International, Snow White and the Huntsman, and Ghostbusters.
Hemsworth initiated a romantic relationship with Elsa Pataky, a Spanish actress, model, and producer, in 2010, after being introduced by their representatives. They tied the knot within the same year and expanded their family with a daughter in 2012 and twin boys in 2014. Hemsworth relocated his family from Los Angeles to Byron Bay, Australia in 2015.
Chris Evans (aka Captain America) and Jenny Slate
Chris Evans had some experience in the world of Marvel Comics prior to playing the role of Captain America. In 2005, he gained the attention of the public by playing the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four movie. After his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Evans is now considered one of the highest-paid actors in the world.
Evans met Jenny Slate back in 2015, on the set of the movie Gifted. They dated for about a year after Slate split from her husband. The two went through a series of break-ups but eventually got back together. It seems like things are permanently off for the two though as Slate was reported to be engaged to Ben Shattuck.
Sebastian Stan (aka Winter Soldier) and Margarita Levieva
Sebastian Stan has had a great run on television with roles in Gossip Girl, Political Animals, Kings, and Once Upon a Time. Of course, his star status is credited to his role as Bucky Barnes or Winter Soldier in the Avengers films, first appearing in the 2011 film Captain America: The First Avenger.
Stan has always been private with his love life, although he has been linked with various women such as Gossip Girl co-star Leighton Meester, Diana Agron, and Jennifer Morrison. He was also reportedly dating Margarita Levieva back in 2014, but since then, no news of their relationship has surfaced (good or bad), and no-one is sure if they are still together.
Paul Bettany (aka Vision) and Jennifer Connelly
Paul Bettany is an English-American actor best known for his role as J.A.R.V.I.S. and Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has appeared in a variety of films, including The Da Vinci Code, A Beautiful Mind, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and Wimbledon. Bettany has been married to Jennifer Connelly since 2003.
The two met on the set of A Beautiful Mind but did not become a couple until after production wrapped up since both parties were in relationships at the time. Connelly was Bettany’s childhood crush, having seen her as a teenager in Labyrinth. They now have two children together.
Elizabeth Olsen (aka Scarlet Witch) and Robbie Arnett
Elizabeth Olsen was once known mostly for being the sister of the famous Olsen twins. But she has long-since proven herself to be a bright shining star in her own right. Olsen starred in the 2011 independent thriller drama, Martha Marcy May Marlene which earned her nominations as Best Actress and Best Female Lead from more than one reward body. She rose to international fame after starring as Wanda Maximoff and Scarlet Witch in the MCU franchise.
The actress had a romantic relationship with Boyd Holbrook from 2013 until 2015. They were engaged in 2014, however, they ended their relationship a year later. At present, Olsen is in a relationship with Robbie Arnett, the lead singer of Milo Greene, with whom she recently got engaged.
Dave Bautista (aka Drax) and Sarah Jade
Dave Bautista didn’t originally plan on stepping into the world of filmmaking. Before his emergence as a renowned Hollywood actor, he was widely recognized as a celebrated wrestler under the banner of WWE, signing his contract in 1999. Better known in the wrestling circuit as “Batista,” he earned the title of a six-time world champion, securing the WWE Championship title twice and the World Heavyweight Championship four times. His record for the longest reign as the World Heavyweight Champion still remains unbeaten.
In 1990, Bautista tied the knot with Glenda and they were blessed with two daughters. Unfortunately, their marriage ended in divorce in 1998. Shortly thereafter, Bautista wedded his second wife, Angie, and they had a son. Their marriage also ended in divorce in 2006. Bautista took a third trip down the aisle in 2015, this time marrying Sarah Jade, a professional pole dancer. However, their union too didn’t last and they parted ways in 2019.
Chris Pratt (aka Star-Lord) and Katherine Schwarzenegger
Back in 2007, Chris Pratt met Anna Faris on the set of Take Me Home Tonight. Faris played his love interest in the film and by 2008, the two were engaged. The couple got married in 2009 in Bali, Indonesia after eloping on a whim. They have a son who was born in 2012. Despite the couple’s long relationship, they eventually separated in 2017 and divorced in 2018.
The relationship between the two concluded on friendly grounds, and soon after, Chris Pratt discovered love once more. He began dating Katherine Schwarzenegger, the firstborn of renowned actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 2019, they made public their engagement and tied the knot within the same year in Montecito, California.
Bradley Cooper (aka Rocket Raccoon) and Irina Shayk
Bradley Cooper is an award-winning actor with numerous nominations from the Grammys, BAFTA, Academy Awards, and Tony Awards. In total, his films have earned $11 billion worldwide and earned him a spot on the list of highest-paid actors over the past four years. In 2015, Cooper was also on Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Copper tied the knot with Jennifer Esposito in 2006, however, their marriage ended in divorce the following year, 2007. There were also whispers about a possible romantic association with Renee Zellweger, although neither publically admitted or refuted these claims. Copper later dated Zoe Saldana for two years. He has been partnered with Irina Shayk from 2015, but there are suggestions that the two may have separated in 2019.
Cobie Smulders (aka Maria Hill) and Taran Killam
Canadian actress Cobie Smulders is known for her role as Robin Scherbatsky in the popular CBS sitcom, How I Met Your Mother. She has also played the role of Agent Maria Hill in six films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with her character first appearing in the Avengers film released in 2012. Smulders was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2015 but went into remission in 2019.
Smulders became engaged to Taran Killam, an American actor and comedian best known for his work on Saturday Night Live and Mad TV, in 2009. They got married in 2012 in Solvang, California. The couple has two daughters together and the whole family now lives in New York.
Karen Gillan (aka Nebula) and Patrick Green
Karen Gillan is a Scottish actress known for her role as Amy Pond in the BBC One series, Doctor Who. She is also played the role of Ruby Roundhouse in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level. She is now internationally recognized thanks to her character, Nebula, one of the antagonists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Since 2006, Gillan and Patrick Green have been in a relationship and it’s said that they reside together in London. Although they’ve been seen together in public, they choose to maintain their privacy and not discuss their relationship openly. There were rumors in 2012 that they had parted ways, but it’s unclear if Gillan is currently in a relationship with anyone.
Jeremy Renner (aka Hawkeye) and Sonni Pacheco
Jeremy Renner started his acting career by appearing in several indie films. He went on to play supporting roles in bigger films including 28 Weeks Later and S.W.A.T. He earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance in The Hurt Locker and is considered as one of the highest-grossing stars in the world with more than $9.8 billion from worldwide box office sales.
Renner tied the knot with Canadian model, Sonni Pacheco, in 2014. The couple had welcomed their daughter, Ava, in 2013 but chose to part ways in 2015 due to unresolved disputes. Although they are no longer together, they maintain a friendly relationship and co-parent their daughter.
Josh Brolin (aka Thanos) and Kathryn Boyd
Josh Brolin has established himself as a mainstay of Hollywood with films like Hollow Man, Deadpool 2, Mimic, and No Country For Old Men. He is also known for playing the supervillain role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the power-hungry, gauntlet wearing Thanos.
Brolin tied the knot with Alice Adair in 1988 and they had two kids before parting ways in 1994. He was set to wed Minnie Driver and they were engaged for half a year, but they never made it down the aisle. In 2004, he walked down the aisle once more with Diane Lane, but they wound up divorcing in 2013. Brolin is now wedded to Kathryn Boyd, who used to be his assistant, and they became parents for the first time in 2018.
Zoe Saldana (aka Gamora) and Marco Perego
Prior to making her screen debut, Zoe Saldana performed with the theater group Faces. She became known for her work in sci-fi films such as Avatar and Star Trek, and of course in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thanos’ adopted daughter, Gamora. Her films have earned over $11 billion worldwide in gross sales, making her the second-highest-grossing film actress of all time in 2019.
From 2000, Saldana was involved in a relationship with Keith Britton for 11 years and in 2010, they got engaged. However, they broke up the following year. Saldana began a relationship with Italian artist, Marco Perego in 2013. Later that year, they tied the knot in a private ceremony held in London. The couple is blessed with three boys.
Brie Larson (aka Captain Marvel) and Alex Greenwald
Brie Larson is known for her supporting roles in various comedy films back when she was a teenager. Since then, she has broadened her horizons to include leading roles not just in independent dramas but in film franchises too, one of which is playing the role of Captain Marvel in the MCU. In 2019, Larson was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Larson started dating Alex Greenwald, the lead vocalist of Phantom Planet, in 2013. They got engaged in 2016 and resided in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles. However, they decided to end their engagement in 2019. Despite this, Greenwald has been acknowledged by Larson for encouraging her to be more daring.
Tom Hiddleston (aka Loki) and Taylor Swift
Tom Hiddleston was born in London, England and started his acting career by playing roles in stage plays. He won an Olivier award for Best Newcomer in a Play for his role in the 2007 production of Cymbeline in London’s West End. He came into public attention for playing the role of Loki in the MCU, first appearing in the 2011 Thor film.
Hiddleston was previously linked with Susannah Fielding, an actress who appeared alongside him in a 2008 episode of Wallander. Their relationship ended in 2011, and Hiddleston moved on to date singer and songwriter Taylor Swift for several months in 2016.