15 Famous Women Who Show the Power of Being Single

A behavioral expert suggests that women are much happier when they’re unmarried and childless. This expert even says, “If you’re a man, you should probably get married, if you’re a woman, don’t bother.” This just further proves that people shouldn’t listen to what society says is normal and should just follow their hearts. In addition, there are many celebrity women who remind us of much more important things in our lives than romantic relationships and inspire us to put ourselves first.

We at Bright Side invite you along to celebrate these amazing ladies who prove that having a man doesn’t define our happiness.

1. Jennifer Aniston

Aniston’s romantic life can rival her storyline on Friends, which most of us know and love. First, she went through heartbreak with Brad Pitt in 2005, which made her take her heart off the market for several years. Then, she found love again with Justin Theroux, but their marriage also wasn’t meant to be and ended in 2017. Throughout this time, Jen remained the ultimate inspiration to women everywhere and still seems very happy (just take her successful career, for example).

However, it’s the public attention about her private life that made her snap at one point and make a statement explaining that her happiness isn’t defined by love. As Aniston wrote in a powerful essay: “We are complete with or without a mate, with or without a child... We don’t need to be married or mothers to be complete. We get to determine our own ‘happily ever after’ for ourselves.”

2. Emilia Clarke

Despite being one of the most successful TV actresses of our time, Clarke has kept her love life mostly private. Her relationship with comedian Seth MacFarlane is the only one she’s officially confirmed, but other than that, the Game of Thrones star has mostly been dedicated to her career.

Emilia once explained that she had chosen to focus on herself first and likes it that way: “People keep asking me who I’m dating right now and the truth is... wait for [it]... no one. And that’s OK. I’m figuring out a lot of stuff right now. I think as a woman, it’s in our nature to nurture someone else. Sometimes at the expense of ourselves.”

3. Lady Gaga

The first thing that comes to mind when we think of Lady Gaga is her pop icon status, while her personal life remains a second thought. She was previously engaged to her long-time boyfriend Taylor Kinney (sadly that didn’t work out), but music remains the love of her life. And don’t forget she also won an Oscar for A Star is Born!

Gaga believes that you need to take care of yourself first, before committing to another person: “Some women choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you’re wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn’t love you anymore.”

4. Emma Watson

Everyone’s sweetheart Emma Watson has never publicly confirmed having a boyfriend. Instead, the actress has been keeping busy: she received a degree in English literature from Brown, continued to shine on the big screen, and has grown up into an admirable young lady.

And yet, The Harry Potter star once admitted she didn’t believe in being happy without a boyfriend, but has realized that she was wrong: “I never believed in the whole ‘I’m happy single’ spiel. I was like, ‘This is totally spiel.’ It took me a long time, but I’m very happy [being single]. I call it being self-partnered.”

5. Diane Keaton

The great Diane Keaton can boast several high-profile boyfriends from her past, which include Woody Allen, Warren Beatty, and Al Pacino, but she’s never said, “I do” to any of them. Instead, she’s slayed at being a talented actress (hello, Oscar for Best Actress in Annie Hall) and has over 60 acting credits to her name. Her personal life is also fulfilled as she’s a proud mom to 2 adopted children.

Keaton once shared her thoughts on marriage: “I don’t think that because I’m not married it’s made my life any less. That old maid myth is garbage.”

6. Rihanna

Rihanna doesn’t like to talk about her personal life. She once alluded to being in love, but it looks like her career has always remained a priority. She conquered the music industry by releasing 8 successful studio albums, which brought her 9 Grammys, and now she’s slaying the makeup game. In 2017, she launched the makeup company Fenty Beauty, that’s already a favorite for many women.

There’s no doubt that Rihanna has a lot on her plate, even without a boyfriend to take care of. The singer knows very well how much effort goes into a relationship, and she prefers to keep her focus elsewhere: “Guys need attention. They need that nourishment... I’ll give it to my family, I’ll give it to my work — but I will not give it to a man right now.”

7. Drew Barrymore

The famous actress has been married 3 times in her life, but her marriage with Will Kopelman was the only one that lasted over a year. Will and Drew tied the knot in 2012 and had 2 beautiful daughters, but they couldn’t keep the family together and divorced in 2016. Meanwhile, Barrymore keeps her status as a Hollywood icon: her filmography includes over 70 films and TV shows, and she also managed to launch her own cosmetics brand, FLOWER Beauty.

Being single doesn’t bring Barrymore down, even for a second, as she prefers to focus on the positives in her life: “I have fought my way to a deeper happiness on my own, and I love being independent! It just rules. I am also lucky enough to have 2 young amazing kids and a full-time job, and rad friends. So I’m not sitting around bummed out. I feel stupid grateful.”

8. Susan Sarandon

Stunning Susan Sarandon had her life filled with romance thanks to men like musician David Bowie, and actors Sean Penn and Tim Robbins, among others. Officially, Sarandon has been single since 2015, but she’s been keeping busy with acting. Her impressive acting career includes over 160 credits and one Oscar win. She’s also a mom to 3 children, so her life is filled with plenty of love.

Susan once shared her insights on being on her own: “[Single life] has been a lot of different things. It’s traumatic and exhilarating. The one thing that’s been really clear to me is that you have to think of your own life and your relationship and everything as a living organism. It’s constantly moving, changing, growing.”

9. Elisabeth Moss

It’s sometimes funny how a career can go upward after a failed marriage, and Elisabeth Moss is a prime example. When Moss was married to Fred Armisen from 2009 to 2011, her role in the famous series Mad Men was the only big credit to her name. Since then, however, she landed the hit show The Handmaid’s Tale, which is still in full swing, and starred in several feature films, and won 2 Golden Globes.

Overall, Moss said she loved the freedom that came with being single and it looks like it truly was the inspiration she needed: “It’s fun to go out at night and not know what’s going to happen. I’m addicted and obsessed with my freedom in that sense. I’m having fun!”

10. Charlize Theron

Like many other successful actresses on our list, Theron has had several high-profile relationships, but has never been married. Instead, she won an Oscar for Monster (2003), starred in over 60 films, and is actively producing many projects. But most importantly, Charlize is a mom. She adopted 2 kids in 2012 and 2015 and raises them as a single mom.

Theron explained her stance on being single in 2014: “I’m sure there are a lot of aspects to my life that a lot of people wouldn’t want... Just personal choice things, like the fact that I’m single at 38. That’s not necessarily what a lot of women want... But I’m just saying, a life is good if it’s the life that you want... But I work at that, you know?”

11. Kim Cattrall

Similarly to her character on Sex and the City, Kim Cattrall is her own woman and doesn’t need a man to complete her. But she hasn’t always been like that. Cattrall has been married 3 times in her life, but she always put herself first. Her last marriage ended in 2004 and since then she’s been living for herself: Kim frequently pops up on TV and the big screen and returned to her role as Samantha Jones twice for movie adaptations of the famous show Sex and the City.

Cattrall once discussed the ups and downs of being on her own: “It’s amazing freedom you have with [being single] and then the thought of someone invading your space... I guess there’re those moments where you think, ’If I’m having a bad day, who do I call?’ There are lonely moments, but I have to tell you honestly, that for myself, so many women in relationships are very loving, but also lonely too.”

12. Mindy Kaling

The star of The Office takes the crown for being the most private about her romantic life. In 2017, Kaling gave birth to a baby girl, but to this day the identity of her father is unknown. We didn’t expect this from someone who’s written 2 honest memoirs and given herself numerous boyfriends on her show The Mindy Project, but we salute Mindy for wanting privacy.

Kaling said that the wisdom of single life came to her with age: “It’s funny, I used to freak out about being single much more in my twenties. I’ve noticed that the more professional success I have, or the more happy I am professionally, the less I worry about that, because I have a great deal of professional confidence... I love being by myself. I think that if I was in the wrong relationship, which I have been in several, that would be so much worse than the feeling of autonomy I feel right now.”

13. Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda has been single since 2001 when she divorced her third husband and she doesn’t miss it. The best things she got from her marriages were her children: she had a daughter with her first husband, a son and an unofficially adopted girl with her second. Becoming permanently single allowed Fonda to return to acting (she took a hiatus from 1990 to 2005) and retain her status as a Hollywood icon. As Jane once said: “I’m single, which makes me very happy.”

She also wrote about her daily life as a single gal: “...the fact is that I spend a lot of time alone and cherish that...I am alone a lot. I read a lot. I meditate. I love solitude. It’s different than loneliness.”

14. Nicki Minaj

Aside from being a rap legend and one of the most successful female performers in a male-dominated industry, Minaj is a woman who’s been in love a few times. But what’s interesting is that she used to think she can’t be complete without a man. Nicki craved a relationship, but it was when she realized she’s her own independent woman, that she was able to find love and get married.

Minaj shared her epiphany: “As soon as I realized that I could actually live and breathe, and eat and sleep, and walk and talk without having a boyfriend, something clicked in me. Becoming single was one of the things that made me feel strong and powerful. The fact that I am a young woman who doesn’t need a man for money.”

15. Cher

Cher is someone who doesn’t need any introduction, but let us remind you of her achievements: she’s released 26 studio albums as a solo artist, received 141 awards, which also includes an Oscar for Moonstruck (1987), and starred in over 60 movies and shows. It’s no wonder her last marriage ended in 1979, who’s got time for men when you have the entire world to conquer! Cher also has 2 kids, so she’s always had her hands full.

The singer once shared wise words we should all live by: “A man is absolutely not a necessity... [But] I love men! I think men are the coolest. But you don’t really need them to live.”

What do you think about women proudly embracing being single? Is the role of a romantic relationship in our lives overrated?

After keeping fans guessing for nearly a year, Rihanna has finally revealed the name of her baby son as ’RZA Athelston.’ The name pays homage to the esteemed rapper and producer RZA, leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. Rihanna and her partner A$AP Rocky, who shares the middle name Athelston with their son, had previously dropped subtle hints about the name. The revelation comes amidst Rihanna’s second pregnancy, which she announced during a Super Bowl halftime performance.