The Marvel Cinematic Universe began with Iron Man back in 2008. This was then followed by a series of films that culminated in the union of all our favorite heroes in The Avengers. The franchise turned out to be a huge success and has received a monumentally positive response from critics and audience members alike. The first Avengers film earned more than $1.5 billion in worldwide box office sales, making it the highest-grossing film of 2012 and the third highest-grossing film of all time.
It was followed by three more sequels, with the last film, Avengers: Endgame released in 2019 and earning close to $2.8 billion worldwide. This massive hit broke the first film’s record of being the highest-grossing film of all time. With the workload involved in making all these films, one would think the stars wouldn’t have much time for anything else, including romance. Luckily, that’s not the case at all. Check out these epic pictures of the film’s stars in action and then alongside their off-screen partners.
Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Levin
Robert Downey has had romantic relationships with several high-profile celebrities throughout his career. HIs ex-girlfriend list includes Sarah Jessica Parker, whom he met while filming Firstborn, and Deborah Falconer, with whom he has a son. Due to problems with his drug addiction, these relationships didn’t last long.
In 2003, Downey crossed paths with Susan Levine on the set of Gothika. Levine was Silver Pictures’ executive vice president of production, and despite turning Downey down a couple of times, their relationship eventually blossomed beyond the film’s production. They married in 2005 in New York and have two children together, Avri Roel and Exton Elias.
Mark Ruffalo (aka The Hulk and Sunrise Coigney)
Mark Ruffalo has been acting since the early 1990s. While he was once known for his roles in romantic comedies such as 13 Going on 30 and Just Like Heaven, he has now established himself as having a talent for the thriller genre with films like Shutter Island and Zodiac. Of course, his worldwide fame can be attributed to his role as Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the Avengers franchise.
Although fans of the film love to ship The Hulk and Black Widow together, despite their complicated relationship, you’ll be happy to hear that Ruffalo is married in real life and happily so. He married Sunrise Coigney back in 2000 and they now have three children together – Keen, Bella, and Odette.
Scarlett Johansson (aka Black Widow) and Colin Jost
Scarlett Johansson has been the highest-paid actress in the world since 2018 and has frequently been part of the Forbes Celebrity 100 list. Her films have grossed more than $14.3 billion in worldwide box office sales, making her the third-highest-grossing star in the box office too.
Johansson dated Josh Harnett for about two years before ending things in 2006. She was also romantically involved with Ryan Reynolds in 2007, and the couple got married in September 2008. Unfortunately, the actress divorced Reynolds in 2011. In 2017, Johansson started dating Saturday Night Live co-head writer Colin Jost, and the two got engaged in 2019.
Benedict Cumberbatch (aka Doctor Strange) and Sophie Hunter
English actor Benedict Cumberbatch is known for films and TV series such as Sherlock Holmes, The Hobbit, and The Parade’s End. Cumberbatch dated his high school sweetheart, Olivia Poulet, and the two even lived in together. Unfortunately, after dating for ten years, the couple split up, citing personal issues.
Cumberbatch is now married to Sophie Hunter, an opera and theater director. The two met on the set of Burlesque Fairytales and reportedly started dating in 2014 before tying the knot a year later. They prefer to keep their relationship out of the limelight and are rarely photographed together by the paparazzi, even when attending events together.
Tom Holland (aka Spiderman) and Zendaya
Tom Holland is a young English actor famous for his role as the web-slinging Spiderman in The Avengers. Prior to his work in films, Holland was a stage actor and appeared as Billy Elliot in the musical at London’s West End. In 2017, he also received a BAFTA Rising Star Award.
Despite Holland’s fame, he has managed to keep his love life private and little is known about his past and current relationships. His social media accounts are pretty much focused on work-related events rather than his personal life. Rumors abound that he and his co-star, Zendaya, are dating, but we highly doubt he’ll be confirming or denying the reports anytime soon.
Chris Hemsworth (aka Thor) and Elsa Pataky
Australian actor Chris Hemsworth started his career by starring in several TV series. He eventually got a break in Hollywood with films like Star Trek and A Perfect Getaway. While most of Hemsworth’s commercial success came from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he has also starred in films like Men in Black: International, Snow White and the Huntsman, and Ghostbusters.
Hemsworth began dating Elsa Pataky, a Spanish actress, model, and film producer, back in 2010 after the two met through their reps. They got married later the same year and have three children together, a daughter born in 2012 and twin sons born in 2014. In 2015, Hemsworth moved his family from Los Angeles to Byron Bay, Australia.
Chris Evans (aka Captain America) and Jenny Slate
Chris Evans had some experience in the world of Marvel Comics prior to playing the role of Captain America. In 2005, he gained the attention of the public by playing the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four movie. After his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Evans is now considered one of the highest-paid actors in the world.
Evans met Jenny Slate back in 2015, on the set of the movie Gifted. They dated for about a year after Slate split from her husband. The two went through a series of break-ups but eventually got back together. It seems like things are permanently off for the two though as Slate was reported to be engaged to Ben Shattuck.
Sebastian Stan (aka Winter Soldier) and Margarita Levieva
Sebastian Stan has had a great run on television with roles in Gossip Girl, Political Animals, Kings, and Once Upon a Time. Of course, his star status is credited to his role as Bucky Barnes or Winter Soldier in the Avengers films, first appearing in the 2011 film Captain America: The First Avenger.
Stan has always been private with his love life, although he has been linked with various women such as Gossip Girl co-star Leighton Meester, Diana Agron, and Jennifer Morrison. He was also reportedly dating Margarita Levieva back in 2014, but since then, no news of their relationship has surfaced (good or bad), and no-one is sure if they are still together.
Paul Bettany (aka Vision) and Jennifer Connelly
Paul Bettany is an English-American actor best known for his role as J.A.R.V.I.S. and Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has appeared in a variety of films, including The Da Vinci Code, A Beautiful Mind, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and Wimbledon. Bettany has been married to Jennifer Connelly since 2003.
The two met on the set of A Beautiful Mind but did not become a couple until after production wrapped up since both parties were in relationships at the time. Connelly was Bettany’s childhood crush, having seen her as a teenager in Labyrinth. They now have two children together.
Elizabeth Olsen (aka Scarlet Witch) and Robbie Arnett
Elizabeth Olsen was once known mostly for being the sister of the famous Olsen twins. But she has long-since proven herself to be a bright shining star in her own right. Olsen starred in the 2011 independent thriller drama, Martha Marcy May Marlene which earned her nominations as Best Actress and Best Female Lead from more than one reward body. She rose to international fame after starring as Wanda Maximoff and Scarlet Witch in the MCU franchise.
When it comes to her love life, the actress dated Boyd Holbrook from 2013 to 2015. The couple got engaged in 2014 but broke things off a year later. Olsen is currently dating Milo Greene frontman Robbie Arnett, and the two recently got engaged.
Dave Bautista (aka Drax) and Sarah Jade
Dave Bautista never intended to become a film actor. Prior to becoming a Hollywood star, Bautista was a famous wrestler with the WWE, signing on with the company in 1999. Known as “Batista” in the ring, the wrestler became a six-time world champion after winning the WWE Championship twice and the World Heavyweight Championship four times. He is also the record holder for the longest-reigning World Heavyweight Champion.
Bautista got married in 1990 to Glenda, with whom he had two daughters. They divorced in 1998 and Bautista married his second wife, Angie, soon after. They had a son together. The couple divorced in 2006 and Bautista remarried in 2015, this time to Sarah Jade, a competitive pole dancer. The two separated in 2019.
Chris Pratt (aka Star-Lord) and Katherine Schwarzenegger
Back in 2007, Chris Pratt met Anna Faris on the set of Take Me Home Tonight. Faris played his love interest in the film and by 2008, the two were engaged. The couple got married in 2009 in Bali, Indonesia after eloping on a whim. They have a son who was born in 2012. Despite the couple’s long relationship, they eventually separated in 2017 and divorced in 2018.
The two ended their relationship on amicable terms, and shortly after, Chris Pratt found love again. He started a relationship with Katherine Schwarzenegger, the eldest child of famous actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. They announced their engagement in 2019 and got married the same year in Montecito, California.
Bradley Cooper (aka Rocket Raccoon) and Irina Shayk
Bradley Cooper is an award-winning actor with numerous nominations from the Grammys, BAFTA, Academy Awards, and Tony Awards. In total, his films have earned $11 billion worldwide and earned him a spot on the list of highest-paid actors over the past four years. In 2015, Cooper was also on Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
In 2006, Copper was engaged to Jennifer Esposito and the pair got married the same year. They have been divorced since 2007. He was also rumored to be romantically involved with Renee Zellweger, but the two never confirmed nor denied their relationship. He was later linked to Zoe Saldana and the two did indeed date for two years. Cooper has been in a relationship with Irina Shayk since 2015, but rumors suggest they split sometime in 2019.
Cobie Smulders (aka Maria Hill) and Taran Killam
Canadian actress Cobie Smulders is known for her role as Robin Scherbatsky in the popular CBS sitcom, How I Met Your Mother. She has also played the role of Agent Maria Hill in six films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with her character first appearing in the Avengers film released in 2012. Smulders was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2015 but went into remission in 2019.
Smulders became engaged to Taran Killam, an American actor and comedian best known for his work on Saturday Night Live and Mad TV, in 2009. They got married in 2012 in Solvang, California. The couple has two daughters together and the whole family now lives in New York.
Karen Gillan (aka Nebula) and Patrick Green
Karen Gillan is a Scottish actress known for her role as Amy Pond in the BBC One series, Doctor Who. She is also played the role of Ruby Roundhouse in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level. She is now internationally recognized thanks to her character, Nebula, one of the antagonists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Gillan has been dating Patrick Green since 2006 and the couple was reported to have been living together in London. Although the couple has been spotted in public together, they prefer to keep to themselves and their relationship private. In 2012, reports of their breakup surfaced, and it is unknown if Gillan is currently seeing anyone.
Jeremy Renner (aka Hawkeye) and Sonni Pacheco
Jeremy Renner started his acting career by appearing in several indie films. He went on to play supporting roles in bigger films including 28 Weeks Later and S.W.A.T. He earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance in The Hurt Locker and is considered as one of the highest-grossing stars in the world with more than $9.8 billion from worldwide box office sales.
In 2014, Renner married Sonni Pacheco, a Canadian model. They had their daughter, Ava, in 2013 but divorced a year later, with Pacheco citing irreconcilable differences. Despite now living separate lives, the two are amicable and share custody of their daughter.
Josh Brolin (aka Thanos) and Kathryn Boyd
Josh Brolin has established himself as a mainstay of Hollywood with films like Hollow Man, Deadpool 2, Mimic, and No Country For Old Men. He is also known for playing the supervillain role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the power-hungry, gauntlet wearing Thanos.
In 1988, Brolin married Alice Adair. Though the couple had two children together, they separated in 1994. Brolin was engaged to Minnie Driver for six months but didn’t make it to the altar. He also got married to Diane Lane in 2004 but eventually got divorced in 2013. Currently, Brolin is married to his former assistant, Kathryn Boyd, and the couple had their first child in 2018.
Zoe Saldana (aka Gamora) and Marco Perego
Prior to making her screen debut, Zoe Saldana performed with the theater group Faces. She became known for her work in sci-fi films such as Avatar and Star Trek, and of course in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thanos’ adopted daughter, Gamora. Her films have earned over $11 billion worldwide in gross sales, making her the second-highest-grossing film actress of all time in 2019.
Saldana was in an 11-year relationship with Keith Britton from 2000, with the couple becoming engaged in 2010. However, the two ended their relationship in 2011. In 2013, Saldana started dating Marco Perego, an Italian artist, and the two got married in a secret ceremony in London the same year. The couple has three sons together.
Brie Larson (aka Captain Marvel) and Alex Greenwald
Brie Larson is known for her supporting roles in various comedy films back when she was a teenager. Since then, she has broadened her horizons to include leading roles not just in independent dramas but in film franchises too, one of which is playing the role of Captain Marvel in the MCU. In 2019, Larson was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
In 2013, Larson began dating the lead singer of Phantom Planet, Alex Greenwald. The two were engaged in 2016 and even lived together in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles. Unfortunately, they called their engagement off in 2019. Regardless, Larson credits Greenwald for empowering her to take more risks.
Tom Hiddleston (aka Loki) and Taylor Swift
Tom Hiddleston was born in London, England and started his acting career by playing roles in stage plays. He won an Olivier award for Best Newcomer in a Play for his role in the 2007 production of Cymbeline in London’s West End. He came into public attention for playing the role of Loki in the MCU, first appearing in the 2011 Thor film.
Hiddleston was previously linked with Susannah Fielding, an actress who appeared alongside him in a 2008 episode of Wallander. Their relationship ended in 2011, and Hiddleston moved on to date singer and songwriter Taylor Swift for several months in 2016.