By Jessica Wedemeyer
12:56pm PST, Dec 19, 2019
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-December 2019, starting with one of our favorite Australian actors… There's a new woman in Liam Hemsworth's life! The former star of "The Hunger Games" sparked rumors that he's dating Australian model Gabriella Brooks after he was photographed introducing her to his parents during a group lunch in Australia's Byron Bay on Dec. 13. (See photos here.) The 21-year-old beauty previously romanced The 1975 frontman Matt Healy. Their relationship of four years reportedly came to an end in April. Liam, meanwhile, was linked to "Dynasty" actress Maddison Brown in October following his split from Miley Cyrus.
RELATED: New celeb couples of 2019
Us Weekly reported on Dec. 19 that, according to a source, Channing Tatum and Jessie J "broke up about a month ago" but "are still really close and still good friends." According to a People magazine source, "There wasn't any drama. They just decided to part ways and are still good friends." The People insider added that the former couple of a year "have different priorities and focuses that don't really align." Explained the source, "They had a fun relationship, but it just didn't work out. Channing needs to be in L.A. a lot so he can spend time with [his daughter] Everly. Jessie prefers England. They are still friendly though."
RELATED: Celeb splits of 2019
Did Madonna and backup dancer Ahlamalik Williams — who's reportedly been touring with her since 2015 — recently take their professional relationship to the next level? That's what new photos of the cozy-looking duo seem to suggest. (See them here.) The 26-year-old dancer was snapped getting touchy feely with the 61-year-old superstar on Dec. 14 as they hung out on the balcony at their hotel in Miami with her daughter, Lourdes Leon — who was also seen packing on the PDA with a mystery man, indicating that her relationship of two years with skateboarder Jonathan Puglia has come to an end. According to DailyMail.com, a witness also spied Madonna and Ahlamalik sharing a quick kiss. The pair first sparked romance rumors in June when the chart-topper took to Instagram to share a video of them dancing together. Since then, he's made several casual appearances on her Instagram. In early December, for example, Madonna shared a video that showed her and Ahlamalik boarding a helicopter.
RELATED: Celeb couples with big age gaps
It's official! People magazine reported on Dec. 17 that, according to a source, Teresa Giudice and her estranged husband, Joe Giudice, are free to pursue other romantic interests. "[They] have been separated," said the source. "They discussed their future when Teresa and the girls went to Italy in early November and they agreed that each had to move on. They are doing so amicably and very slowly. … Joe has been out on a few dates, Teresa has not. She has been too busy with [their four] girls, with work obligations and taking care of her father [who has pneumonia]. She is happy for Joe. They have been very friendly with one another and are very supportive of each other's happiness. They still love one another, but as Teresa told Andy Cohen on the 'Watch What Happens Live' special, they are separated by the Atlantic Ocean. Neither is interested in a long-distance relationship." The insider added that in spite of the separation, "there are no plans for divorce." After the breakup news hit the Internet, Joe took to Instagram to reflect: "It's Time To Let Go," he captioned a since-deleted side-by-side of himself and his wife of 20 years.
On Dec. 13, E! News published a statement from a representative for Colin Firth and his wife of 22 years, Livia Giuggioli, announcing that they're calling it quits. "Colin and Livia Firth have separated," said the rep. "They maintain a close friendship and remain united in their love for their children. They kindly ask for privacy. There will be no further comment." The past few years haven't been easy for the duo, who share two teen children: In early 2018, an Italian newspaper revealed that during a 2015 break from their marriage, Livia had a yearlong relationship with Italian journalist Marco Brancaccia, whom she accused of stalking her after she called off the romance to reunite with her husband. Marco then sued Livia for falsely accusing him of a crime, insisting that she made up the stalking claims as a cover for their affair.
E! News reported on Dec. 16 that, according to a source, Kendall Jenner and Ben Simmons recently rekindled their off-and-on romance of a year and a half. According to the insider, the model "has been quietly traveling back and forth to see Ben in Philadelphia," where he plays basketball for the 76ers. "It's new," said the source. "Last week, while she was in New York, she went down to Philadelphia Thursday night to meet up with him after his game in Boston. She came back to Manhattan Friday morning for a work commitment then back to Philly to attend his game Friday night. They are trying to keep things as under the radar as possible for now." The duo sparked reconciliation rumors on Dec. 13 when fans spotted Kendall watching Ben's basketball game from a box suite at the Wells Fargo Center. The duo last called time on their romance in late May.
People magazine reported on Dec. 11 that — after more than a year of buzz about why they've yet to get engaged — there's a very important reason why Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are waiting to wed: The No Doubt frontwoman, who's Roman Catholic, wants to have a church wedding when she and the country crooner tie the knot — which means she'll need to have her first marriage to Gavin Rossdale annulled. "Blake was very serious about Gwen right from the start, and early on he thought about proposing," one source told People. "It's definitely headed toward marriage," said a second insider, adding that the longtime couple are certain they've found "the one" in each other and are "very serious" about their relationship. "They fall more and more in love with one another, and their happiness quotient keeps rising," continued the second source. "[Their families are] all very like-minded and comfortable with each other. … Gwen brings this sparkle to the country world. Her love for Blake is clear, and she's been embraced by everyone."
Here's one that should probably be taken with a hefty grain of salt… The Mirror reported on Dec. 14 that American hip-hop producer Jonathan Hay recently sparked rumors that he's dating Adele after he said in an interview that his new girlfriend is a British woman from London whom he met earlier this year at New York City's Quad Recording Studios — where the superstar also happens to be working on new music. "I unexpectedly met the love of my life when I got off the elevator at the legendary Quad Studios," he said. "It was an immediate and galvanizing connection with her right in the heart of Times Square. With a heavy British accent I was hanging on her every word and drawn into her every movement. I've been relentlessly courting her since. It's been magic." He then listed some recent accomplishments and gushed that none of them would've happened if he hadn't met and fallen "in love with this girl from London." When the British tabloid reached out to ask Jonathan if he is, in fact, dating Adele — who was born in London, by the way — he replied, "Thanks for reaching out. I really can't comment at the moment."
There's a new man in Ariel Winter's life: The "Modern Family" actress, who recently split from longtime love Levi Meaden, was seen packing on the PDA with "Life of the Party" actor Luke Benward during a night out with friends in West Hollywood on Dec. 11. The duo have reportedly been friends for years. It's unclear if Luke is the same mystery man with whom Ariel was seen in early October, prompting the Levi breakup reports.
During an interview with The New York Times that hit the Internet on Dec. 14, Caitlyn Jenner's longtime rumored girlfriend, Sophia Hutchins, said that although they "share a life together," they've never dated. "We were never romantically involved," she said, adding that they never cleared up the misconception about their relationship because they decided "we weren't addressing it." Continued the 23 year old, "I don't feel a need to address my sex life, quite frankly, unless I want to." She went on to say that she's actually dating a 30-year-old man who works on Wall Street. Sophia also said that she manages the 70-year-old former Olympian's finances: "I saw nobody was managing her, and there were all these people taking massive advantage," she told The Times. "And I was saying, 'Caitlyn, if I don't step in here and start managing you, you're going to go broke.'"
On the Dec. 15 episode of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," Dennis McKinley said he cheated on his fiancée, Porsha Williams, while she was expecting their daughter because he didn't want to be physically intimate with her while she was pregnant. "We had a rough pregnancy, all the way from start to finish," he told her during a therapy session. "Sex during pregnancy, it's nothing what a man wants to do … and after [our daughter] got here, postpartum was very real. We cried together like every night. That's not a good enough why, but that's the why. … It was a poor decision and it was a selfish decision. … I made a mistake. I cheated. … I've done my best to let Porsha know that I love her and I'm remorseful and apologetic." Responded the reality star, "A mistake, to me, is taking the wrong exit. You don't make a mistake and set up with someone and cheat. … That's not where he needed to be in order for me to heal and move forward. He needs to be in a place in my eyes where he's taking full accountability for his actions — period. No matter how it looks and feels. It insults me when he says 'mistake.'" Adding to Porsha's confusion, Dennis seemingly supported her during the worst parts of her pregnancy: "All the rough stuff that he said that I went through, he was literally by my side. … And that's one of the things that was really difficult," she said. "I'm terribly disappointed and I'm hurt." During the therapy session, which took place in the midst of their summer split, she also admitted that she still loves Dennis but didn't want to tell him because "he didn't deserve to hear that." Said the new mom, "I felt like I was giving you something, but I have to let that go. … 'Oh, he's going to know I forgave him so now he won't be sorry anymore.' … Our daughter is growing up by leaps and bounds every single day. If we're going to be together for her, we're going to have to start working on it. … If you're going to live how you want to live because that's just what your loins want, we can move on with our co-parent life. But if you are really trying to make a commitment over here, that's what I want to know from your heart." Replied Dennis, "I want us to be together and that is not a co-parent situation. I apologize again. … I hope we can get to a place where we start to communicate more and she can give me another chance." Chimed in Porsha, "I am pissed but through all the hurt and the pain, I realize I do want my family. … It's a work in progress. I can't just, like, start trusting you over night. It's not going to work like that … [but] I'm going to try to do it." She later added during a confessional, "Honestly, I do not know how long it's going to take me to forgive Dennis because if we get back together, it has to be real. Because what I'm not going to do is have my daughter be in a house with fake love. Whether it takes six months, whether it takes a year, I'm going to take my time." The pair have since reconciled. Porsha even said in early December that they're officially engaged again.
On Dec. 17 — the same day they were seen visiting Disneyland together — Radar Online reported that, according to a source, Kourtney Kardashian's recently rekindled relationship with Younes Bendjima has "no strings attached." Said the alleged insider, "He's head over heels and would get serious again in a heartbeat, but Kourt's no longer there at the moment and just wants to keep things casual. … She enjoys the attention and finds it hard to resist having the occasional booty call when he's so persistent, plus they do still have a bunch of mutual friends in common." The source added that ultimately, the male model is "too intense and controlling" for the mother of three. "[It will] take a very special guy to tie Kourtney down long-term," said the source. The following day, E! News's sources sang a similar tune. According to one insider, the pair have been "low-key hanging out together at Kourtney's house" and "talking non-stop." They're reportedly "interested in seeing where things go" but "are absolutely not back together" yet. "He would love to get back together with her and has expressed how much he misses her," said the source. "Kourtney likes being around him and they have a lot of fun together. Younes is good with the kids and things are easygoing with him. Kourtney isn't ready to be tied down but does have feelings for Younes. They are seeing how it goes for now." Said a second E! source, "Kourtney and Younes are spending more and more time together. … She has feelings for him that have never gone away, nor has the crazy chemistry between them. Younes has been very persistent and doesn't want to let her go. He would love to be back to where they were before but Kourtney isn't so sure. … Kourtney wants to keep it under wraps and casual, but she also wants to do things with Younes when she wants and not have rules. … Kourtney has been single for a while and hasn't found anyone that she connects with like Younes. … She's having fun with him for now and not going to explain it or think too much about it." The insider added that the reconciliation "started as something casual" and involved "seeing each other once in a while" but recently began to "pick up steam."
Us Weekly reported on Dec. 12 that, according to a source, Justin Timberlake asked wife Jessica Biel to visit him on the set of "Palmer" in New Orleans — the scene of his hand-holding scandal with co-star Alisha Wainwright — "so she can see for herself that nothing is going on between him and Alisha." (Coincidentally, Alisha was seen leaving New Orleans for Los Angeles around the same time that Jessica was scheduled to visit The Big Easy.) On Dec. 19, E! News reported that, according to a source, Justin had wrapped the film in Louisiana and was back home in L.A. with his wife and their son. "Justin has spent a lot of time apologizing and acknowledging Jessica's feelings," an insider told E!. "He feels terrible and wishes he could take back the public humiliation and embarrassment he caused. He loves Jessica and being married to her. He will learn from what happened and not let it happen again." The insider added that the couple are "moving on" and that the former "7th Heaven" star is "putting it all aside and focusing on their future together as a family."
On the Dec. 17 episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," Kim Kardashian West weighed in on rumors that Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott recently rekindled their romance — rumors spurred by the former couple's decision to attend Diddy's 50 birthday party together after celebrating Thanksgiving together as a family late last month. "I honestly don't know, but I think that they are just really close friends and co-parenting amazingly," said the makeup mogul's big sis. As for the giant diamond sparkler Kylie's been seen wearing recently, Kim said that as far as she knows, it's not an engagement ring. "Definitely they're not engaged," she said. "I think she's wearing it on a different finger. … I think she bought that herself." Concluded Kim, "But, yeah, I don't know the status if they're together or not. I don't think they are." On Dec. 18, TMZ reported that Kylie and Travis are planning to spend Christmas together as a family with their daughter, Stormi, but in spite of all their recent time spent together, they've yet to reconcile romantically.
All is well between Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt, who are likely to cross paths many times in early 2020 due to their mutual Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations. Page Six reported on Dec. 11 that, according to a source, "there won't be any issues" or "tension" between the former couple, who've grown increasingly friendly in recent years. "Brad and Jen are still friends. They speak once in a while, and even though there are these fools who say they're getting back together, of course they're not. But they will always be fond of each other," said the source. Similarly, an Us Weekly insider said that the pair "are friends and occasionally connect" and that "there's no chance that a potential run-in between [them] will be tense or uncomfortable." In fact, Brad was among the roughly 50 guests at Jen's Dec. 14 holiday party at her home in Los Angeles. "He was among the first arrive and the second to last guest to leave at close around 11 p.m.," said an E! News source, adding that the bash "appeared to be a pretty low-key casual affair, a gathering of close friends to celebrate the holidays."
Not-so-friendly exes! Page Six reported on Dec. 11 that when she found out her ex-fiancé, Chris Zylka, was in the area, Paris Hilton asked the door staff at the Miami nightclub where she was scheduled to DJ to deny him entry if he attempted to come into the venue. "It was just in case he showed up," said a source. "She just felt more comfortable." Ultimately, the actor did not attempt to enter the club.
Rose McGowan took to Twitter on Dec. 17 to reveal that she and activist Rain Dove called it quits earlier this year. "Does anyone out there know how to fix a Wikipedia entry? I broke up with my ex 6 months ago and they are still listed as my partner. I would like my name to be cleared of association," the actress tweeted after Rain admitted in a Dec. 15 YouTube video that back in mid-2018, they sold incriminating text message from Asia Argento to TMZ for $10K. In the video, Rain said of the former "Charmed" star, to whom they were first linked in the summer of 2018, "I really loved Rose, and there were times in which I was insecure about whether or not she loved me back. … I accepted that our relationship was probably just for her benefit. It happened during a time in which she was being called out for being transphobic." Rose then responded to Rain's allegations on Instagram: "My horrible, monstrous, con artist ex-partner is a pathological liar," she wrote. "[They] conned me during a period where my brain was breaking. Rain, my disgusting ex, sold a story about Asia Argento to TMZ. … She is a monster. … Rain targeted me as a job for her con artist skills." The actress is now seeing someone new. According to Page Six, she and a mystery man were seen together at a holiday party in New York City on Dec. 17. "Rose seemed super in love and was snuggled up for the holidays," a spy told the New York Post's gossip column.
Robyn Dixon took to Instagram on Dec. 16 to reveal that she and her ex-husband, Juan Dixon, are engaged again. "Sweeter the second time around! Thank you to everyone who loved, supported, rooted and prayed for Juan and I. We truly appreciate all of the love and congratulatory wishes as we embark on #DixonsPartDeux," the star of "The Real Housewives of Potomac" captioned a slideshow of photos depicting the proposal, which reportedly went down three days earlier, and showing off her new engagement ring. "An untraditional relationship calls for a non-traditional ring!" she continued. "I told a little birdie that if Juan ever proposed, I didn't want a diamond ring… that didn't work out too well the first time, lol. I fell in love with the Pink Morganite stone because I wanted something with significance and meaning. Morganite represents unconditional love – something that our relationship exhibits and has relied upon." The duo tied the knot in 2006, welcomed two sons and then divorced in 2012, though they continued living together and ultimately rekindled the romantic aspect of their relationship.
On Dec. 17, Jewel Harris took to Instagram to seemingly confirm that her husband, J.R. Smith, has been having an affair with "The Flash" star Candice Patton (pictured). The pair were first linked in late October when a video surfaced showing the actress dirty dancing on the NBA free agent at a Halloween party in Las Vegas. In an extremely emotional Instagram video, Jewel prayed for herself, her husband and his new love: "Candice, Lord Father God, she's hurting. I pray for Candice that you please just mend her heart … for her to go out here and seek a married man. I just pray that you give her grace and mercy. Through all of this, I lift her up wherever she is broken to heal her broken heart and let her know at the end of the day, it is you that can fill all voids. … I pray for Candice. … I pray for my enemies — anybody that has come against my marriage and tried to attack my marriage and put their hand on my man, anybody that has never meant me well or my marriage well." J.R. then took to his Instagram Story to respond, writing that the social media platform isn't "a place for relationships." Added the basketball star, "God told me to tell y'all I've been separated for months. He doesn't understand why his child [Jewel] failed to mention that."
In mid-December, "New Amsterdam" star Janet Montgomery revealed on Instagram that she and copywriter Joe Fox quietly tied the knot at the Hermosa Cove Villa Resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on Nov. 29. "On the 29th of November 2019 I made an honest man of my best friend and the love of my life. This was one of the greatest days of my life," the actress captioned a photo of herself and her new hubby with their daughter — Sunday Juno, who was born in March — on their wedding day. "Thank you to everyone who helped make it perfect and intimate, but mostly thank you to Sunday for wearing this headband and leaving it on for at least a couple of photos."
On Dec. 17, Bravo released a trailer for the explosive "The Real Housewives of Orange County" season 14 reunion special. The teaser shows Emily Simpson revealing that she and husband Shane Simpson have discussed legally ending their marriage. "I went to him and said, 'I think maybe we should get divorced,'" she says. In spite of their differences, which have been chronicled on this season of "RHOC," the duo are still going strong.
Alex Kompothecras took to Instagram on Dec. 15 to announce that he and his girlfriend, Alyssa Salerno, are expecting a baby girl together. ("Little princess on the way," he captioned a photo of himself kissing his girlfriend while resting a hand on her burgeoning baby bump.) Not long after the announcement, his ex-girlfriend and "Siesta Key" co-star Juliette Porter dropped a major bombshell on The Morning Toast's Instagram page about the news: "Weird how he cheated on her with me several months ago but ok," Juliette wrote in a since-deleted comment.
During a Dec. 18 interview with Page Six, former "The Real Housewives of Potomoac" star Katie Rost revealed that she and her fiancé of four months, Jesse, are "broken up." Said the reality star, "It wasn't anything too overly dramatic — it was more so like a car running out of gas. … He wanted certain things right away, and I was just, like, I have so many other things that I need to focus on, and so I need to pause." She went on to explain that children were a major issue: He wants kids and she has "to deal with the children I already have." Said the mother of three, who's currently embroiled in an extremely contentious custody battle with her ex-husband, "I can't do that again, so I needed to just wait. … I just don't know if I want to go into straight-up wife mode right now." Katie — who's been living in Los Angeles, where Jesse lives — is expecting a decision in her custody battle in early 2020. Once that's settled, she's planning to relocate to the East Coast to be closer to her kids. She went on to say that it was her decision to end the relationship and that Jesse "didn't want me to leave," though they're on good terms — if not speaking to each other directly — and open to the prospect of reconciliation. "He does speak to me through my mom," said Katie. "He'll send her a message and is like, 'How's Katie doing?' She kind of gives him updates. I feel like if we were to talk, we'd end up right back together." She's also open to the idea of dating someone new: "I think I'm good with .
Lana Del Rey took a major step forward in her relationship with Sgt. Sean "Sticks" Larkin, a real police officer who stars on A&E's "LivePD" franchise: They went Instagram official on Dec. 16. The singer shared a photo of her beau kissing her on the head as they posed together in a dressing room. She captioned the sweet shot with the double-hearts emoji and the peach emoji. The following day, the hot cop — who was first seen with Lana in September — shared a selfie with the chart-topper at a Route 66 gift shop.
Nothing to see here! Despite calling Noah Cyrus her "girlfriend" in a recent YouTube video, Tana Mongeau is not dating the "All Falls Down" singer, with whom she was photographed holding hands in September. "To be real, I think that I might have started the girlfriend stuff with some YouTube title," the YouTube star told "Entertainment Tonight" on Dec. 13. "I just love being around Noah. There's something about her, even before I knew her, that has always inspired me. She's so real, she's so raw. The way she turns her emotions into art and cares about mental health and was born into this life, but turns it into something beautiful, is so inspiring to me. And I love to kick it with her." Continued Tana, "There is no tea. Like, that is the tea on that. … I literally just like to spend time with her and care about her. Everything else just kind of makes it a mess." Bella Thorne's ex-girlfriend "married" fellow YouTube star Jake Paul in July, though she's since confirmed that their marriage isn't legally binding and that their relationship isn't even exclusive.
According to TMZ, Christina Hendricks officially filed to divorce Geoffrey Arend in Los Angeles on Dec. 13 — nearly two months after the longtime couple announced that they're calling it quits following a decade of marriage. The former "Mad Men" star reportedly listed their date of separation as April 19, 2019, and indicated that neither she nor the actor should pay spousal support.
Kehlani and YG took off like wildfire in September. The following month, however, it seemed as though they'd called it quits. On Oct. 31, The Shade Room published a video of the rapper apparently kissing a mystery woman outside a Hollywood nightclub. His spokesperson released a statement saying, "He was drunk, got carried away and it was very regretful for putting himself in that situation and hurting Kehlani. He has no romantic connection to the girl, just a drunken moment carried away." But YG later denied the whole thing on his Instagram Story: "I love Kehlani. I would never [cheat]," he wrote. Nonetheless, the singer deleted all traces of the "Go Loko" chart-topper from her Instagram. Then in mid-December — after Tory Lanez sparked rumors that he and Kehlani are an item by posting a photo of them hanging out in a club together — she took to Twitter to insist that she and Tory are "absolutely not" dating and that she's currently single. "Because i keep seeing this. i'm addressing it. absolutely not. we made a song for my album. i am single. and focused," she wrote in a since-deleted tweet. But then, YG seemingly hinted on his Instagram Story that he and Kehlani are simply on a break while working through their issues. "Don't get shot tryna comfort my [girl] while we goin thru it," he wrote.
According to Us Weekly, Niecy Nash filed to divorce Jay Tucker in Los Angeles on Dec. 12 — a month and a half after they first announced that they're calling it quits.
We're officially on engagement watch! During a Dec. 13 interview with Us Weekly, Heather Rae Young said that she's thinking marriage for the first time because of her boyfriend of less than a year, Tarek El Moussa. "I've never envisioned my wedding because I never met anyone that I wanted to get married to until Tarek," she said. "But I have fallen in love with Italy and I would love to maybe [get married] in Italy. … I'm not one of those girls that have thought about it their whole life. I'm just really excited to see what happens in the future. … Until that day happens, I'm not gonna really dive in and overthink anything. It's a decision that we'll make together and with our families and what makes the most sense." Chimed in the father of two, "I'm excited about this relationship with her. I'm excited about raising our kids together. I'm excited about getting married one day. I'm excited about filming shows one day. I'm excited about traveling the world and growing old and retiring together." In early November, Tarek admitted that he and Heather have "definitely talked about" getting engaged.
Erin Foster is one step closer to marrying her fiancée, Simon Tikhman, on New Year's Eve: She and some girlfriends jetted off to Aspen, Colorado, on Dec. 13 for her bachelorette party. The weekend bash included dinner, dancing, plenty of drinking and temporary tattoos featuring Simon's face. The bride-to-be's sister, Sara Foster, got a special treat during a daytime outing to one local hotspot: As she attempted to duck down in a booth, a fellow patron dumped a bottle of champagne over her head. (Check out a hilarious video of the champagne assault here.)
TMZ reported on Dec. 18 that Ian Ziering's divorce from his estranged missus, Erin Ludwig, has taken a nasty turn. In new legal paperwork, the former teen idol says he's willing to pay "reasonable spousal support for a limited period of time" to his ex, though he expects her to eventually fend for herself — he's asked for "an order that [she] become self-supporting." He's also requested joint legal and physical custody of their two children, though Erin previously requested sole custody. They also disagree on their date of separation: She says they split on Oct. 31, while he listed Oct. 14 as their date of separation.
During an interview with E! News that hit the Internet on Dec. 16, Chris Harrison shed some light on why Hannah Brown makes a surprise appearance on the upcoming 24th season of "The Bachelor," which is headlined by Peter Weber, who vied for her affections on season 15 of "The Bachelorette" earlier this year. "I think it's something that needed to be dealt with, the relationship," said the longtime Bachelor Nation host. "I think it's a relationship that didn't have a clean, clear break. I think there were and maybe are feelings there — and some underlying feelings that maybe they thought they had both dealt with, but I knew once they saw each other, they probably hadn't really dealt with them all. So I think it's a hurdle that we needed to clear before we moved forward. … I think it was important that she was a part of this because she was a big part of Peter's life. I think they did love each other very much on her season, and I think that was a very tough decision for Hannah to make not to end up with Peter — and one that she's probably thought a lot about, and I think it was something that needed to be done, and a conversation that needed to be had."
During an interview with the Daily Beast that hit the Internet on Dec. 16, Harry Hamlin revealed that when his wife, Lisa Rinna, first told him she was considering signing on for "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," he told her, "I have my divorce lawyer on speed dial." Added the actor, "I said to Lisa, 'You can't do this. Everybody who does that show gets divorced. It's a horrible, horrible thing, to do that show.'" Ultimately, Bethenny Frankel convinced him "it would be a good thing to do" from a business standpoint. Seven seasons later, he and Lisa are still going strong. "We listen to each other. Really listen to each other," he said of his relationship with the actress. "The thing about listening is that it's not something that comes innately to human beings. Normally we have a tape playing in our heads all the time. It can be hard to allow what other people are saying actually in. That's what Lisa and I do — we listen. And she's smart, she's the smartest person I have ever met. She's smart as a whip. Our favorite thing is to hang out."
In a trailer for his upcoming Netflix docuseries that hit the Internet on Dec. 16, Kevin Hart's wife, Eniko Parrish, briefly opened up about his 2017 cheating scandal, which went down while she was pregnant with their son, Kenzo. "You publicly humiliated me," she says. "I just kept saying, 'How the f— did you let that happen?'" Eniko famously stood by the comedian in the wake of the scandal.
During an interview with Health magazine that hit the Internet on Dec. 16, Nikki Bella said that she has one major regret about her breakup from John Cena: sharing it on her reality show, "Total Bellas," without giving the wrestler-actor the opportunity to share his side of the story. "The one thing I really regret about showcasing the breakup is that no one got to hear his voice, and it just seemed so one-sided," she said. "I felt like that wasn't fair to him because he was on this journey with us from the beginning. What people don't realize is that John never took one paycheck from 'Total Bellas.' It was beautiful — he was fully there to support me. I'll never forget his support and his love. That's what made me sad — I don't want to say it became the Nikki show, but in a way it did because you didn't get to see John anymore." She then heaped even more praise on her ex: "My family loves John. I love John — he's such an amazing person. The timing was off." Nikki's sister, Brie Bella, then chimed in to say that she thought her twin "made a big mistake" by ending the relationship. She's since changed her tune: "I [thought it was a mistake] for a long time because they were just such a lovely couple, and I thought they were such a perfect match. Because I'm married, I felt like there are ups and downs in relationships, and you work on things — you don't just give up. But then, after the breakup, I started seeing that they both wanted different things. So then I approved of the breakup."
During her interview with Health magazine, Nikki Bella also gushed about her current love, Artem Chigvintsev. "In past relationships, I feel like I was always trying to be perfect and was walking on eggshells because I didn't want to upset that other person or make them leave me. Artem is the first person I've been with where I feel like I can be Nicole and never fear he's going to leave me for it," she said. "We all have a little crazy in us, and he loves my crazy. He's also the first person I've communicated everything I feel with. Brie was saying I'm almost too honest with him. But I'd rather him know everything."
And finally, during her interview with Health magazine, Brie Bella opened up about falling in love with her husband, Daniel Bryan. "We were dating, and as it got serious, I just knew [he was the one]," she said. "I was head-over-heels in love with him, but could look past that puppy-love thing and just know that he would make me the happiest wife and be the best dad. He's the nicest person who has ever walked this earth, and he treats me like a queen. Even now, there have definitely been times when Bryan and I have had some downs, but because we talk to each other like friends and don't say mean things, we work it out. … Before we got married, we asked each other, 'Can you marry my flaws?' I was fiery. He fought depression. And I feel like, because we took that into our marriage, we both knew what we were going into and how to deal with it."
Cara Delevingne took to Instagram on Dec. 18 to gush over her girlfriend, Ashley Benson, in honor of the former "Pretty Little Liars" star's 30th birthday: "Happy birthday @ashleybenson There is so much I could say but something I love and cherish most about us is that I don't need to because YOU KNOW and that's all that matters. It's you and me which is my favourite. My safe place. You let me be silly, you let me be wild, you keep me free, secure and curious. I feel like I've known you my entire life and I am so proud of watching you grow into the woman that you always dreamt of being. I love you beyond words," she captioned a slideshow of photos of the actress.
Another typically private star who took to Instagram to gush about his lady love on her birthday? Penn Badgley, who married singer-turned-doula Domino Kirke in early 2017. "Happy birthday, Dom. A super-brief review of your invisible qualities: A truly radiant soul, you seem to spark alight almost everyone you meet, like a 99% success rate. It's really impressive, and quite mysterious. You encourage others to be honest, and brave, and gentle, and expansive. Your great capacity for empathy is obvious, something anyone can get warm by like a glowing stove. Your desire to be of service to others is miraculous. It is in your DNA. In pictures as a very young child, you exude it — a great care and sweetness; an invitation. You make others happy by you. For me, it is a joy to witness you when you are happy. For you, I always hope to be a source of joy. I'm really glad we're married," he captioned a Dec. 17 slideshow.
Scarlett Johansson gave her fiancé, Colin Jost, a special shout-out at the end of her opening monologue on the Dec. 15 episode of "Saturday Night Live." Gushed the actress, who's now hosted the sketch comedy series six times, "I just want to say that this place means so much to me. I have so many friends here, and I met the love of my life here." She and her husband-to-be then shared several sweet smooches for the live studio audience — as well as the millions of viewers watching at home. The couple debuted their romance at an "SNL" afterparty in May 2017.
On the Dec. 16 episode of "The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky," Hugh Grant said he regrets not settling down sooner. "It was very nice getting married. It was another thing I put off too many decades. Very nice. Very nice being married," said the English actor, who wed Anna Eberstein, the mother of three of his five children, in May 2018. "I was just plain wrong," he added of waiting to wed later in life. "I was wrong. And children, you know, I used to roll my eyes. People would say, 'Oh, Hugh, you don't understand it,' but they were right."
On the Dec. 15 episode of Jana Kramer and Mike Caussin's "Whine Down" podcast, Dean McDermott opened up about his 2013 cheating scandal and how shooting the 2014 reality show "True Tori" with wife Tori Spelling actually helped them move forward. "Looking at it now, sort of solving your problems in the town square — there's a price to it," he said. "Everyone can chime in. We were doing it with the thought of getting through it ourselves but also helping others. But with that, we weren't thinking of all the backlash and the haters and all the naysayers. We were really positive about it, you know, considering how negative what I did was." He went on to say that shooting the docuseries "expedited" the healing process for him and his missus. Now, he said, "things are stronger and better than ever." He also acknowledged that Tori struggled with fans questioning how she could stay with someone who'd been unfaithful. "She's so strong," said the father of five. "Now a lot of people say, 'We're so glad you stayed together. You're a great example.'" Jana agreed, calling Tori and Dean "a beacon of hope" for her and her husband, who've faced a cheating scandal of their own.
During a Dec. 16 appearance on the U.K.'s Capital FM, Selena Gomez dished on how she prefers to be approached by potential suitors: "I like group situations. … That's what makes me comfortable — if they're someone maybe I know of someone I know," she said. The currently single star then revealed what she looks for in a man: "I love genuine," she said. "I feel like in the first five seconds I can tell if I'm meeting someone that just wants one thing, and then I can tell when it's a good group of guys and they're cool. I love funny. I don't like arrogant. I don't like, you know, show-offy. I love playful, adventurous, but really down-to-earth and cool. So I tend to like to be approached in a natural, organic way. And I hope that whoever's doing that is actually interested in me and not really my name. … It's hard."
During a Dec. 12 interview with Us Weekly, Harry Connick Jr. dished on the secret to his marriage of 25 years with Jill Goodacre: "I married my best friend and I married a woman who I look up to infinitely," he said. "We have the same values so it's easy for us to try and impart those on our [three] children."
