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Once upon a time, a pop star and a politician fell in love. She had just been on a star-studded space trip, released a not-so-successful comeback album, and ended her relationship with a dashing actor. He, meanwhile, had just been pressured into resigning from his role as Prime Minister of Canada. A more unlikely pair was never seen. They were, one might say, star-crossed. A Romeo and Juliet of the modern age. It's the stuff the very worst Hallmark movies are made of — and, naturally, we are all utterly obsessed.
If you haven't yet cottoned on, I am, of course, talking about the relationship of Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau. And yes, apparently, shockingly, it appears to be a real thing. After they were photographed dining in Canada ahead of Perry's Montreal shows in July, the unlikely pair took their romance to the seas, spending time getting close on Perry's yacht off the coast of Santa Barbara. Perry added fuel to the rumours when, during her London show on 13 October, she responded to a fan sign, saying suggestively, “You heard I was single? That's interesting.”
Cue flabbergasted fans everywhere. “I’m kind of obsessed with this Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau dating situation, like it’s so weird, but I’m kinda locked in,” wrote one on X. “Kinda obsessed with Katy and Justin Trudeau. I need to know how they met...” another wrote.
The people are obsessed. And who can blame them? The pop star-slash-fake-astronaut and the ex-Canadian Prime Minister. It's just so completely wild. So wholly bizarre. So perfectly unlikely.
Of course, the phenomenon of the unlikely celebrity couple is nothing new. And nor is our obsession with it.
There are plenty of other recent examples of unlikely duos that have captured the public's imagination.
There was the unexpected love story of prestige actor Timothée Chalamet and reality star Kylie Jenner. There was the news of country singer Billy Rae Cyrus and model-actor Liz Hurley – not to mention the romance between Baywatch's Pamela Anderson and Taken's Liam Neeson.
Here's a rather celeb-heavy rundown…
Then there are the couples who are not only unexpected, but who get together in the wildest of ways. Take Ariana Grande, professional pop star, and Ethan Slater, professional… SpongeBob (?)… who met on the set of Wicked and had a very theatre kid-coded romance. There was also Meryl Streep, iconic Oscar-winner and “serious” actor, and Martin Short, iconic comedian and not-so-serious actor, who were friends for literal decades before (allegedly) beginning a relationship around the time they worked together on Only Murders in the Building.
It's also worth noting that the unlikely celebrity couple is hardly a new phenomenon. Humans have been fascinated by odd famous romances for centuries. Just take Madonna and Tupac. Tom Cruise and Cher. Going back further, there was Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco. Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller. Going back much, much further, we could even look to Anthony and Cleopatra. Helen of Troy and Paris.
It's safe to say that since the concept of fame was introduced, we have been gripped by the unlikely celebrity couple. Why? Well, it serves up the perfect cocktail of celebrity gossip, parasocial intrigue and life-affirming romance.
On one hand, it's some of the best gossip going. There's nothing quite like the slightly slimy thrill of leaning over to a friend and sharing a “have you heard” story in a conspiratorial whisper. And gossiping about celebrity couples is safer, kinder, and more removed, than gossiping about friends.
Then there's the fact that we tend to know a fair bit about our favourite celebs. In fact, sometimes, we may even have some level of parasocial relationship with them. They feel like our friends. And so, seeing them hitch up with someone completely unexpected can feel just as shocking, just as thrilling, or, in some cases, just as offensive, as seeing a friend date someone we don't expect them to.
And finally, there's the more wholesome side of the appeal of the unlikely celebrity couple – it can remind us of the power of love. “They challenge the idea that love has a type or formula — it’s chemistry over category,” explains therapist and relationship specialist Shelly Dar. “Seeing opposites attract taps into something deeply human: we all want to believe that love can surprise us. These pairings reflect our own longing for acceptance: that we can be fully ourselves and still be chosen, even if we don’t fit the mould.”
She sums it up: “It’s a reminder that connection isn’t always logical, and maybe that’s why it feels so magical.”
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