10 Celebrity Couples Who Prefer to Keep Their Relationship Out of the Spotlight

The social media age has ushered in a trend among celebrity couples, which is called “performative coupledom” — or posting ostentatious public displays of affection online. And their followers love watching them flaunt their romance, because humans are naturally fascinated by other people’s secrets. But there are some celebrities who’ve decided to keep their relationships away from the public eye. And some of them have even gone to great lengths just to keep that aspect of their lives private.

1. Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn

Paparazzi shots of the Grammy award-winning artist being lovey-dovey with her suitors have always been shared online, but it has been the complete opposite with her current beau. Swift and Alwyn are rarely photographed together, and according to a source close to the singer, the couple wants to keep it that way.

In their early dating days, Swift would fly via a private plane to visit the actor in the United Kingdom. She would also have her passport checked while inside the aircraft to avoid going through the terminals. And when the lovebirds went out on dates, Swift reportedly wore disguises. But it looks like privacy is working well for their relationship since there’s already talk about the couple settling down.

2. Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling

Mendes and Gosling have been together since 2011, and have successfully kept their relationship under wraps since then. They also have 2 daughters, but Mendes has refrained from sharing their faces on social media. “I won’t post their image until they’re old enough to give me consent,” the actress said.

But despite being a notoriously private couple, there are times when they make sweet little public nods to each other. When Gosling accepted his Golden Globe award for La La Land, he thanked his unnamed “lady” for being a great mom. As for Mendes, she gushed over Gosling’s photo while saying, “Look at him, though,” when she was a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

3. Robert Pattinson and Suki Waterhouse

Despite their status as a famous actor and a supermodel, people don’t know much about their special bond. They are rarely seen on the red carpet together, and occasional paparazzi shots of them walking on the street are probably the only visual proof of their togetherness.

In one interview, the Twilight actor explained why he prefers to put some walls up. He said that letting people in may affect the love that they have for each other. “I can’t understand how someone can walk down the street holding hands, and it’s the same as when I do it and a hundred people are taking your photo. The line between when you’re performing and when you’re not will eventually get washed away, and you’ll go completely mad,” he added.

4. Margot Robbie and Tom Ackerley

Robbie met Ackerley, an assistant director and producer, on a film set in 2013. They moved in together as housemates (with 5 of their friends), but eventually fell in love and started dating secretly. They tied the knot through a private wedding ceremony in 2016. “Being married is actually the most fun ever... I have a responsibility being someone’s wife, I want to be better,” says Robbie.

5. Leighton Meester and Adam Brody

The Gossip Girl star and The O.C. actor got married in 2014. They already have 2 kids, and they’ve managed to keep their family life hush-hush. In one article, Brody revealed that Meester is more private than he is, which is the perfect balance since he’s the kind of person who shares a lot. Meanwhile, Meester finds people’s curiosity about her life amusing — “In this world, everyone wants to know everything about you, and I think that’s funny.”

6. Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Maroney

The Hunger Games actress and her art gallerist husband kept their relationship mostly out of the public eye. They welcomed their first baby this year, but Lawrence has made it clear that the world will not be knowing much about her pregnancy or her child. And that she wants to keep boundaries when it comes to their family life.

She was quoted saying “(E)very instinct in my body wants to protect their privacy for the rest of their lives, as much as I can. I don’t want anyone to feel welcome into their existence. And I feel like that just starts with not including them in this part of my work.”

7. Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied

The 2 met on the set of Black Swan, where Millepied worked as a choreographer. And most people are probably not aware that they’ve been married since 2012. Even their wedding was reportedly a very intimate event, held at a private home and attended by family and friends.

Portman places a lot of value on her personal life. “It’s something which comes first, (and) always makes sense,” she said. Although in a fairly recent post, Portman delighted her followers with a rare, candid photo of her and Millepied, which marked their 10^th anniversary as a couple.

8. Emma Stone and Dave McCary

Except for a few date night photos (courtesy of the ever vigilant paparazzi), and their debut red carpet appearance, the La La Land actress and Saturday Night Live writer mainly kept their romance off the radar. But in 2019, they finally indulged their followers with a cute photo of Stone showing off her engagement ring. They welcomed a baby girl in 2021, and sources described their marriage as “strong and respectful,” especially now that they are parents.

9. Tom Holland and Zendaya

Fans shipped the Spider-Man co-stars because of their undeniable chemistry on screen. And they didn’t publicly announce anything, but a source confirmed that the 2 had started dating while they were filming the movie. “They’ve been super careful to keep it private and out of the public eye, but they’ve gone on vacations with each other and try and spend as much time as possible with one another.”

And social media went into a frenzy after a kissing photo of the couple went viral — something that Holland didn’t appreciate. “We sort of felt robbed of our privacy,” he said, and emphasized that, “A moment that you think is between 2 people that love each other very much is now a moment that is shared with the entire world.” Holland also added that since he is already sharing so much of himself as a public figure, he is adamant about keeping his private life out of the limelight.

10. Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson

Martin and Johnson started dating in 2017 — a few years after the Coldplay front man “consciously uncoupled” with his ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow. They’ve kept things quiet, but their relationship seems to be going well. The pair is often seen going on cozy dates and family vacations with Martin and Paltrow’s kids. And they also apparently have the blessing of Johnson’s dad.

They were also spotted attending their friend Barbra Streisand’s birthday party. And sometimes, they give us a peek into their loving union — like when Martin publicly dedicated his song to his girlfriend by saying, “This is about my universe, and she’s here.”

Do you think that relationships benefit from a certain level of privacy? Do you know other celebrities who are also secretive about their relationships?