By Jessica Wedemeyer
8:35am PST, Feb 13, 2021
Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at the stars who found love, suffered heartbreak or experienced some other major event in their love lives in mid-February 2020, starting with a surprise from this comedy queen… On the Feb. 10 episode of "The Howard Stern Show," Kristen Wiig referred to longtime love Avi Rothman as her husband, confirming recent speculation they secretly tied the knot. "In my home, I'm very lucky about having these two babies and my husband, and they make it all better — it's changed my life," she said while discussing life amid the pandemic. The uber-private pair reportedly got engaged in 2019 and quietly welcomed twins in 2020. Now keep reading for more of the week's biggest celeb love life updates…
RELATED: Notorious celeb cheating scandals
On Feb. 8, People magazine confirmed recent reports that Shailene Woodley and Aaron Rodgers are engaged. "They are very happy together," said a source. "It's not surprising he proposed so fast. When you know, you know, right?" A second source, however, later told People magazine that the whirlwind romance "isn't like Aaron at all." Explained the second source, "He's usually so methodical about everything. I'm not saying he's not a romantic, but he thinks things through. He's analytical. He is very careful. He didn't seem to be the type to get so serious after just a few months of dating, especially after the way things ended with Danica Patrick." (The professional football player and the race-car driver split in early 2020 after two years of coupledom. When he and Shailene were first linked in July, there were reports that Danica actually introduced them to each other.) The second People source went on to say that Aaron and Shailene's relationship took off "so fast that at first, we thought she was just a rebound." Continued the insider, "It was a surprise that they got so close so quickly. … It really felt like one day he was with Danica Patrick, and then suddenly he was with Shailene. It happened super-fast. … [We thought] there was no way this could be so serious. Everyone thought it was a casual thing because that's what he was telling everyone, even when it was clearly not a casual thing. … It's a total whirlwind romance. … I'm sure they'll make [wedding] plans, but they're really being quiet about it for right now. That's why this is such a surprise to everyone." The source concluded by saying that the quarterback is "acting very happy" and that he and his new fiancée are "very content and peaceful." Said a third People source, "All this goes to show that this must be a very special relationship for him and for her."
RELATED: Surprising celebrity couples
Britney Spears' boyfriend of more than four years, Sam Asghari, made headlines on Feb. 9 when — amid the ongoing battle over her conservatorship — he took to his Instagram Story to accuse her father and conservator, Jamie Spears, of "trying to control our relationship and constantly throwing obstacles our way." He also released a statement insisting that he's "always wanted nothing but the best" for Britney and "will continue to support her following her dreams and creating the future she wants and deserves." Added the personal trainer and fitness model, who's sparked engagement rumors with the superstar in the past, "I am looking forward to a normal, amazing future together." The following day, "Entertainment Tonight" reported that, according to a source, Sam finally spoke out about the situation because "he feels like Jamie is far too controlling and adds a layer of trouble" to his relationship with Britney. "Sam has been faithful, loyal and by Britney's side through many difficult ups and downs," said the source, adding that he's "one of the few people who doesn't need a chaperone to be around her." Explained the insider, "There are restrictions on who she can see, and while Jamie lets Sam be with her, she has limited access to people outside her staff and legal team. Jamie sees the men in Britney's life as a possible threat to her career and a distraction. He has never treated Sam as an ally, which has backfired on his relationship with his daughter." An Us Weekly source, meanwhile, said that Sam had to prove himself to Britney's team over the years: "Several people in Britney's life were iffy about Sam in the beginning of their relationship and worried that he was a fame-seeking opportunist and an enabler," said the source. "They kept a very close eye on Britney at first to make sure that was not the case. … Sam has proven to be a solid, dependable man who always has Britney's best interests at heart. He is one of only a handful of people she can say that about." Echoed an E! News source, "Sam is very good to Britney and she's crazy about him. … As long as she's with Sam, she's happy."
RELATED: Britney's exes: Where are they now?
On Feb. 9, "Entertainment Tonight" reported that, according to a source, Jennifer Lopez is "truly unaffected" by rumors her fiancé, Alex Rodriguez, behaved inappropriately with "Southern Charm" star Madison LeCroy. "[They] are so connected both romantically as a couple and as a family with their kids and these rumors wouldn't break that," said a source. "Jennifer isn't bothered and doesn't care about the Alex and Madison rumors. She thinks it's outside noise and trusts Alex. She's so in love with him. … [She] absolutely still wants to marry Alex and the gossip isn't affecting her at all." According to a second source, the superstar "isn't paying too much attention to the rumors" but "isn't happy" that her relationship is "being called into question over a TV show allegation." Said the second source, "Alex had assured Jennifer that he did nothing wrong and she believes him. The couple is looking forward to when this all blows over." Meanwhile, during an interview with Allure that debuted online on Feb. 9, J.Lo admitted that she and A-Rod "did therapy" last year. "It was really helpful for us in our relationship," she said. She went on to describe canceling their wedding plans twice amid the coronavirus pandemic as "a big deal." Said the singer-actress, "We had been planning for months and months and months, and it was overseas. … Maybe that wasn't the right time."
On Feb. 4, Us Weekly reported that Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly — who sparked engagement rumors in January — aren't actually on the same page about tying the knot. According to a source, the "Transformers" alum — who's still technically married to estranged husband Brian Austin Green — "isn't in any rush to get married again right now," while the actor-musician would "marry her in a heartbeat." Megan is reportedly "enjoying the pace that their relationship is going in and is content with how things are currently." The insider went on to say that the pair are practically inseparable: "They haven't moved in with each other yet, but they do spend a ton of time together," said the source. "[They] might as well move in together. This could be in the deck of cards soon." Said a second Us Weekly source, "MGK thinks Megan is different than the other A-listers he's dated. … He thinks she is a total bombshell in every way and basically worships the ground she walks on." According to the insider, he's "super into" the mother of three and thinks he's "extremely fortunate" and "the luckiest guy in the world" to be with her.
On Feb. 4, Emma Watson sparked engagement rumors when she stepped out with her boyfriend, Leo Robinton, in Los Angeles while wearing what appeared to be a modest sparkler on her ring finger. (See it here.) The former child star has yet to comment on the engagement buzz … and it's unlikely she will! She and the businessman were first linked in the fall of 2019.
On Feb. 8, E! News confirmed speculation that Ashely Benson and G-Eazy called it quits after a little less than a year of coupledom. The duo sparked split speculation when the actress unfollowed the rapper-actor on Instagram. According to an Us Weekly source, "Ashley and G-Eazy fell hard for each other fast. Everything moved very quickly, and they were obsessed with each other. Recently things took a hard turn for the worse. … They were arguing all the time and it wasn't good for either of them. The insider also noted that "Ashley is the one who ended things."
On Feb. 4 — amid rumors they're more than friends and collaborators — Mod Sun debuted a tattoo of Avril Lavigne's name on the back of his neck during a dinner date with the "Sk8er Boi" chart-topper in West Hollywood. According to a TMZ source, the ink is the real deal: The rapper would never get a temporary tattoo. The insider stopped short of confirming Mod and Avril are a couple but noted they're "enjoying each other's company." Indeed, they've been increasingly attached at the hip since dropping their collaboration, "Flames," in early January. On Feb. 5, an "Entertainment Tonight" source said that things between the two did, in fact, turn romantic after they grew close working on "Flames" and Avril's upcoming album, which Mod reportedly co-wrote and co-produced. "Working together has brought them closer and Avril has a history of falling for people that she works with. She falls in love with them for their musical creativity and expression," said the source, noting that Avril's "working relationships often turn romantic." (She was previously married to Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger and to Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley.) "Avril and Mod Sun have been spending a ton of time together and getting to know each other better," added the insider.
Us Weekly reported on Feb. 4 that, according to a source, "the end is near" for Kim Kardashian West and estranged husband Kanye West, who've "been living apart for a year now." Said the source, "They are both clearly going through the hardest part of this separation right now. … There is no communication between them right now. They're living as a divorced couple. Kim's only concern is her kids and her family. Her friends were sure she would file by now. It could happen any moment. There's no way either of them will drag this out through the summer, it's just not sustainable for either of them."
On Feb. 4, Us Weekly confirmed that Kristin Cavallari and her rumored boyfriend, Jeff Dye, are still, in fact, seeing each other: "She's just hanging out with him. They're enjoying each other's company [and] having fun. That's it," said a source. "They're really just getting to know one another and seeing where things go. … If they do decide to one day become official, people will know for sure." The insider went on to say that the long-distance nature of Kristin and Jeff's relationship — she's in Nashville, while he's Los Angeles-based — "makes it difficult" for them to pursue something more serious. "If she goes to L.A., she'll meet up with him," said the source. "But right now, there are no labels. … They're not exclusively dating and aren't boyfriend [and] girlfriend."
On Jan. 31, Sofia Richie was snapped smooching shipping heir Gil Ofer in Miami Beach. (See photos here.) He's not her boyfriend yet, though: "Sofia is currently single despite her rendezvous in Miami," said an E! News source. "She's been seeing a few people and is truly having fun right now. She doesn't want to be tied down in a relationship and is keeping her options open. She's been going on dates with a few people and her friends have been trying to set her up. … Sofia has been hanging out with Gil Ofer while vacationing in Miami, but it's been casual. They've gone on a few dates and she likes him but she truly doesn't want anything serious. Gil and Sofia met through mutual friends and have known each other for a while now."
On Feb. 4, Us Weekly reported that Rebel Wilson broke up with Jacob Busch over text around mid-January, leaving the Anheuser-Busch scion blindsided and heartbroken. "They went to Aspen right before the holidays and had a blast. Then, he left for Florida to be with his family, and he invited her because he really wanted her to meet [them] but she never committed to doing that," said a source. "They talked all throughout the holidays and had excellent communication, but then, all of a sudden, she got really quiet and broke up with him via text message about two or three weeks ago." The insider went on to say that the sudden split was "very hurtful" for Jacob, who's "been crazy about [Rebel] ever since 2019" and is "really upset," though holds "no ill-will towards her." According to a second source, Jacob is looking for "full closure on why she decided to break up with him to begin with." Said the second source, "He's at a loss for words right now. He feels blindsided. He's still taking it in. He really thought she was going to be his life partner. … He was trying to make amends since he received the text, and then [when he saw her breakup announcement on Instagram] … he realized they were officially over."
Peter Weber and Kelly Flanagan, who split in late 2020, sparked reconciliation rumors when they spent time together in Tampa, Florida, over Super Bowl weekend in early February. (The duo were seen together at multiple events.) "Peter and Kelley knew they were both planning to be in Tampa for the Super Bowl and had plans to meet up," said an E! News source. "They have been in touch and are working on their relationship." The insider noted that although they're "not back together" yet, "Peter has been reaching out to Kelley and regrets their breakup." Kelley, meanwhile, "is very hesitant and thinks he's not ready to commit to her but still has feelings for Peter."
In other possible reconciliation news… Vanessa Morgan is sparking rumors that she and her estranged husband, Michael Kopech, have reconciled romantically since welcoming their son, River, on Jan. 29. On Feb. 6, the "Riverdale" actress indicated on her Instagram Story that she and the professional baseball player were spending time together, writing alongside a photo of two champagne glasses, "Baby's asleep, milk pumped, now mom & dad can relax." The following day, she shared photos from a walk in the woods with the athlete. "Happy," she wrote across one serene shot. Of course, it's possible the former couple are simply peacefully co-parenting their newborn baby boy…
In still more possible reconciliation news… During an interview with TMZ that debuted online on Feb. 8, Ray J said that although he filed to divorce wife Princess Love in September, they've "been in a very positive place" and are "in a good place right now." The father of two went on to say that they're "taking it one day at a time" amid a recent move from Los Angeles to Miami. When TMZ asked if that means they're officially back together, Ray replied, "Well, we are together. Are we back together? I think that's just a journey that we gotta take. But I think we are together. I think we love being together. Now it's just figuring out how do we keep it consistent and how do we enjoy life together and be good together. Because I think we're meant to be together."
Lana Del Rey's fiancé, Clayton Johnson, made their relationship Instagram official in honor of his birthday on Feb. 5. "Happy birthday to me," he captioned a mirror selfie the singer snapped as they shared a sweet smooch.
In other social media debut news… JoJo Siwa made her relationship with her new girlfriend "Instagram official" on Feb. 8. "After being my best friend for over a year, January 8th 2021 I got to start calling this exceptional human my Girlfriend… and Since then I've been the happiest I have ever been! She seriously is the most loving, supportive, happiest, protective, and just the most beautiful perfect person in the world. And I get to call her mine! Happy one month to my girl! I love you more and more everyday!" the "Dance Moms" alum captioned a slideshow of photos with her girlfriend, whom she identified only as Kylie.
Alice Evans is still hurting in the wake of her recent split from Ioan Gruffudd. "I never thought this would happen to us. I am still fighting against it, because I love our kids, and I still love him, but something has happened inside his head and whatever it is, I don't see him coming back to us," she wrote on Instagram on Feb. 4. "The pain is excruciating but I am stronger than an ox, and though I weep all day when my kids aren't looking, at night I add up figures and plan futures for us and you know what? I will do those two angels right if it's all I ever do." Two days later, she addressed critics of her transparency about the breakup in the caption of a selfie with the former "Fantastic Four" star, "We are indeed discussing legal separation, but we are still friends. You can say what you want about me being an attention seeker but you know it's not true. You just want a reason to put me down. Please – go ahead. I'm impenetrable."
On Feb. 5, E! News confirmed speculation that Karrueche Tran and Victor Cruz called it quits after three years of coupledom. "There are no hard feelings. This is just a case of two people moving forward in life separately. … They will always wish the best for each other," said a source, noting that the "Claws" actress and the professional football player are "focused on continuing to grow their successful careers." The duo reportedly hit a speed bump when they were forced to quarantine separately amid the coronavirus pandemic: She's based on the West Coast, while he quarantined in New Jersey with his 9-year-old daughter, Kennedy.
DaniLeigh announced on her Instagram Story on Feb. 7 that she's "officially single," indicating that her relationship with DaBaby had come to an end. The duo, who just confirmed they were an item in December, first sparked romance rumors — which they initially denied — in early 2020 when it appeared they were quarantining together amid the coronavirus pandemic.
On Feb. 10, Adam Rippon announced on Instagram that he and his boyfriend of about three years, Jussi-Pekka Kajaala, are engaged. "JP and I didn't get to see each other for almost all of 2020 because of the pandemic. When there was finally a chance for me to go and see him in Finland, I jumped at it. I was there for a little over two months. While I was there … we bought ourselves some rings and said that magic word.. 'duh!' We got engaged," he captioned a slideshow of photos. The Olympian later told People magazine that he and his beau proposed to each other simultaneously: "We did it at the same time so we both got to be the one who proposed!" he said. "We did everything together. We bought the rings together and picked them up at the same time. I really wanted us to have rings from Finland. I thought it would be fun to have a little piece of Finland with us all the time as JP is getting ready to move to Los Angeles hopefully by the end of the year. … The engagement was something we had talked about earlier, so when I was finally able to get to Finland this November, we felt like it would be the perfect time." Adam also gushed of his new fiancé, "I'm excited to marry JP because he's just the best. He's kind, he's funny, and he's just as beautiful on the inside as he is on the out (which is a lot). He's my cheerleader and I'm his. I just love him a lot." He noted that they plan to have a courthouse wedding because "it'll be pretty hard to get both of our families together in the same place."
During an interview with People magazine that debuted online on Feb. 8, Laverne Cox revealed that her new boyfriend is 20 years younger than her. "That's a whole thing. I always date younger men," she said, adding that her mystery man is "so insanely hot" and has a "beautiful soul." Gushed the actress, "He's just so kind and funny, and we've laughed and had just the best time. He's not playing any games. He's just himself, and he's kind and sweet and real and funny and awesome." She went on to say that they're taking things "day by day" in their relationship: "I don't know what's going to happen in the future, so we're just staying present, and we're having fun for now. We're just going to see where it goes. And I love that we're approaching it this way," said the "Orange Is the New Black" alum, noting that she plans to keep her beau's identity under wraps. "I definitely have no plans on being public with this one," she said. "With my last relationship, it just felt organic. But I think I don't want to do that this time, for a lot of different reasons. So you will not be seeing photos of him on Instagram!" As for her that previous relationship… "After my last relationship ended, I was heartbroken and devastated," admitted Laverne. "It's beautiful that you can love again, that you can heal that grief with time, and then move on to something else, something that's an even better situation for me and even more fulfilling. … What I learned in [my] last relationship is that I can combine a really great physical connection with an emotional connection, because they had been not always fully combined in past relationships. I can have this great physical thing with love and these things can come together. I learned that I can be vulnerable in every aspect of myself. I'm taking that into the new relationship."
During an interview with Us Weekly that debuted online on Feb. 4, Elena Samodanova said that she's "moving forward" with her divorce from her estranged husband, Gleb Savchenko. "He's been served the final paperwork and there's no looking back," she said. "As I've been saying all along, my only concern and focus right now is the happiness and safety of my daughters. I wish Gleb and all his girlfriends well." The mother of two has accused the "Dancing With the Stars" pro of having "multiple affairs" during their marriage.
Back in December, JoJo Fletcher said that she and Jordan Rodgers will tie the knot in May 2021 whether or not the coronavirus pandemic forces them to cancel their big wedding plans again. But during an interview with Us Weekly that debuted online on Feb. 10, the former "The Bachelorette" couple said that's no longer the plan: "We just got a call saying our venue is still at a 10-person capacity, including staff actually," explained the bride-to-be. "We could roll the dice and hope that by May things will open up. But I just don't feel comfortable with that. I want everyone to feel safe and comfortable and excited to travel." Chimed in Jordan, "What's a few more months? … We're gonna set the record for the longest engagement in reality TV history. We're gonna have the wedding that we originally wanted to have and safely and so everyone can be there." JoJo also revealed that "one of the reasons why" she and Jordan "stayed together in the beginning" following their time on "The Bachelorette" is that they didn't want to disappoint fans. "There were so many reasons why we thought we should not be together," she admitted. "I think, subconsciously for me, and for him, there was this pressure, not only from people that watch the show but, like, our family and our friends. … Obviously, we're far past that, but I think in the beginning, there is that sense of pressure."
In other Bachelor Nation news… Nick Viall posted about his girlfriend, Natalie Joy, on Instagram for the first time on Feb. 9. "Ladies and gentlemen… Her," he captioned a video of the dressed-down and makeup-free beauty with her hair in a towel while reading a book on the sofa. In the cute clip, which features the applause sound effect, the former star of "The Bachelor" flips the camera to show himself smiling and looking quite smitten. On the Feb. 8 episode of his "The Viall Files" podcast, Nick revealed that Natalie almost walked away from the relationship when he wouldn't get serious with her: "We kind of kept hanging out, and she finally got a point where she was like, 'I want to date,' and I was kind of like, 'I don't know.' … She just was like, 'OK, this is what I want. It's fine — no big deal. But I'm gonna go do my thing,' and she did. … She went and showed me exactly what I'd be missing," he recalled, noting that they first met when she slid into his DMs. He also gushed of the relationship, "It's fun. It's great. I'm super-happy. … It sounds so cheesy … but she does make me want to be better." A few days earlier, Us Weekly reported that, according to a source, Nick and Natalie are "pretty much inseparable." Said the source, "Their relationship is very real. They've been dating since the beginning of COVID but have just started going public. … You can say she practically lives with him because she's at his house that much."
During an appearance on the Feb. 10 episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," Anderson Cooper revealed that he and his ex-boyfriend, Benjamin Maisani, are still living together while co-parenting their son, Wyatt. "We actually still live in the same house because we get along really well," he said. "It's weird, but it works out. It was interesting because he wasn't really sure he wanted to have a kid, which was one of the reasons we probably broke up. But then he came around on the idea, and now he is just such a great parent." That doesn't mean they're headed for a romantic reconciliation, though: "No. It's not going to happen," said the journalist.
On the Feb. 4 episode of "The Late Show," Tiffany Haddish revealed that she initially turned down her boyfriend, Common, when he attempted to take their relationship to the next level. "He was trying to holler, and I was like, 'No, I'm not really interested. Nah, I'm good. My eyes are set on other things. I'm interested in somebody else — I'm sorry. But you seem like a nice person,'" she recalled. She then admitted what was really on her mind at the time: "Well, I know too many people that dated [him] — let's be honest," she said.
During an interview with "Extra" that debuted online on Feb. 4, Theresa Caputo revealed she's finally "dating" again following her 2018 divorce from Larry Caputo after nearly three decades of marriage. "I am in an exclusive relationship. It's very different from when I originally started dating, oh my God, over 30 years ago," said the "Long Island Medium" star, who kept her new beau's identity under wraps.
"The Challenge" alum Jessica McCain married professional baseball player J.P. France at The Barn at Love Farms in Kiln, Mississippi, on Feb. 6. The bride took to her Instagram Story to share a photo of herself wearing a wedding dress while smiling with her new husband. She added an animated banner reading "just married" to the sweet snap.
