When Hollywood meets politics: 10 celebs who have dated famous politicians
10 Hollywood celebrities who have dated famous politicians
Celebrities dating each other is nothing new to the public. However, there's always an added layer of intrigue when well-known figures from the entertainment industry strike romantic relationships with politicians as any public incident can severely impact their career and reputation. On that note, let's have a look at 10 Hollywood celebs who didn't shy away from dating politicians.
1. Rosario Dawson and Cory Booker
The 'Luke Cage' actress Rosario Dawson finally acknowledged in March 2019 that she was seeing New Jersey's Democratic Senator Cory Booker, ending months of rumors. Dawson was questioned by TMZ if there was any validity to the rumors that they were dating when she was strolling through Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC. She said, "Yeah, Yes, very much so. So far so wonderful. He’s a wonderful human being. It’s good to spend some time together when we can." In February 2022, PEOPLE Magazine revealed that Booker and Dawson had called it quits on their two-year relationship.
2. Sandra Lee and Andrew Cuomo
Sandra Lee became a household name as the presenter of Food Network's 'Semi-Homemade Cooking With Sandra Lee', which ran for 15 seasons. According to Town and Country magazine, she and former governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, got into a relationship after they met at a Hamptons party in 2005. Although the couple announced that they had broken up in September 2019, Lee told The New York Times in 2020 that she continued to speak with Cuomo daily.
3. Taylor Swift and Conor Kennedy
Pop sensation Taylor Swift briefly dated Conor Kennedy, the son of Robert F Kennedy Jr, around the time of her fourth album, 'Red', which included the well-known song about Ethel Kennedy. During the course of a weekend in July 2012, Swift, then 22, and Kennedy, then 18, were seen hugging and sharing a kiss. Conor's family is said to have adored the 'Lover' throughout their relationship, which lasted till October 2012.
4. Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden
After actress Jane Fonda delivered a speech at a Vietnam War rally in 1971, she quickly became friends with Tom Hayden, who was known for his activism related to civil rights and the anti-war movement. They tied the knot in 1973 and had a son, Troy, a year later. Even though they separated in 1989, the pair continued to work together at Campaign California, according to the Los Angeles Times. Hayden, who was a member of the California State Senate between 1982 and 1992, died in 2016.
5. Kate Mulgrew and Tim Hagan
In 1999, 'Star Trek' actress Kate Mulgrew married Tim Hagan, a Cuyahoga County commissioner. In 2002, he ran for the office of Governor of Ohio but lost to Republican candidate, Robert A Taft III. The politician declared his retirement from public office in 2010. By 2014, he and Mulgrew had divorced. Notably, the actress went on to portray Susan Sher, the chief of staff of Michelle Obama, in the Showtime series 'The First Lady', which premiered on Showtime in April 2022.
6. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver
In 2011, after 25 years of marriage, award-winning news anchor Maria Shriver, daughter of the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver and niece of the late US President John F Kennedy, filed for divorce from the action star and former California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, but not before learning that her husband had fathered a child with their housekeeper. Maria and Arnold met at a charity tennis tournament in 1977 and tied the knot in 1986. The pair shares four children, Christopher, Patrick, Christina, and Katherine.
7. Marilyn Monroe and John F Kennedy
Marilyn Monroe and her alleged relationship with former President John Kennedy had been the subject of speculation before the Hollywood legend's overdose death in 1962 at the age of 36. This was mainly due to her famous "Happy Birthday" performance for President Kennedy's 45th birthday at Madison Square Garden just months before her death.
8. Rita Hayworth and Prince Aly Khan
Aly Khan, a diplomat and UN official, and actress Rita Hayworth were married for four years before divorcing in the 1950s when their daughter Princess Yasmin Aga Khan was just three years old. In honor of her late mother, who died at 68 from complications associated with Alzheimer's disease, Princess Yasmin recalled in a cover story she wrote for PEOPLE Magazine in 1987, "My earliest memories of my mother and father together were when I was eight or nine. There were always good feelings between them, and although their marriage didn’t work, theirs was a truly good relationship."
9. Elizabeth Taylor and John Warner
Elizabeth Taylor and John Warner were married a few months after they first met on a blind date at a bicentennial luncheon held at the British Embassy in honor of Queen Elizabeth in 1976. Following that, Warner was a successful candidate for Congress in 1978, and according to The Washington Post, Taylor attracted sizable audiences to his campaign events. They parted ways in 1982 but remained on good terms.
10. Sheryl Lee Ralph and Vincent Hughes
Known for her roles in 'Moesha', 'Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit', and 'Abbott Elementary', Sheryl Lee Ralph met Vincent Hughes, a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, via a mutual friend, according to PEOPLE Magazine. They have been married since 2005. Hughes told Essence magazine in a 2020 interview, "We believe in each other's mission and each other's work, and we're both very focused on our children and our family."
