Hollywood has always had its share of relationships with big age gaps, sparking discussions and sometimes criticism. Some of these couples made headlines for the notable difference in their ages. Here’s a look at some well-known examples that grabbed attention.
Milo Ventimiglia and Hayden Panettiere
Milo Ventimiglia and Hayden Panettiere met on the set of Heroes. Ventimiglia, then 29, played Peter Petrelli, and Panettiere, then 17, played Claire Bennet. The pair began dating after Panettiere turned 18 but broke up two years later. Panettiere later said she was drawn to people who challenged her to grow.

Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder
Johnny Depp met Winona Ryder at a movie premiere in 1989. He was 26, and she was 17. The couple officially began dating after Ryder turned 18. They got engaged five months later, and Depp even got a tattoo of her name. After their breakup three years later, he altered the tattoo to read “Wino Forever.”

Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith
Don Johnson met Melanie Griffith in 1972. He was 22, and she was 14. The two became close, and by 15, Griffith had moved in with Johnson. They married when she turned 18 but divorced a year later. They remarried in 1989, welcomed their daughter Dakota Johnson, and divorced again five years later.

Bill Wyman and Mandy Smith
Rolling Stones member Bill Wyman was 47 when he met 13-year-old Mandy Smith. Their relationship became public when she was 16, and they married when she was 18. The marriage ended after two years.

Tyga and Kylie Jenner
Tyga met Kylie Jenner at Kendall Jenner’s Sweet 16 party in 2011. The couple began dating when Kylie turned 17, with their romance confirmed after her 18th birthday. They broke up in 2017, with Kylie stating that she was too young for a serious relationship.

Wilmer Valderrama and Demi Lovato
Wilmer Valderrama met Demi Lovato when she was 17, but they started dating only after she turned 18. Lovato later shared that it was love at first sight when they met on the set of a PSA campaign.

Anthony Kiedis and a Fan
Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers admitted to spending the night with a fan while in his mid-20s. The fan later revealed she was a 14-year-old runaway, and her father, a police chief, was searching for her. Kiedis eventually sent her home but not before spending another night with her.

Charlie Chaplin and Lita Grey
Charlie Chaplin met Lita Grey when she was 8 years old. Years later, they reconnected on the set of The Gold Rush when she was 15. Their relationship led to a secret marriage after Grey became pregnant. They had two sons before divorcing in 1927, with reports of Chaplin being unfaithful.

Ted Nugent and Pele Massa
In 1978, Ted Nugent, then 30, began a relationship with 17-year-old Pele Massa. To work around marriage laws, Nugent claimed he received permission from Massa’s parents to adopt her, though this has been disputed. The relationship lasted seven years.

Claude François and France Gall
Claude François began dating France Gall shortly after her Eurovision win. At the time, François was 25, and Gall was 17. The relationship ended in 1967, two years after it began, amid François’s struggles following a previous marriage.

Zach Braff and Florence Pugh
In 2018, Zach Braff, then 43, reached out to 22-year-old Florence Pugh on social media. Their relationship became public in 2019, and they were frequently seen together. Despite adopting a dog in 2020, the couple split in 2022.

Marvin Gaye and Janis Hunter
Marvin Gaye met 17-year-old Janis Hunter while working on his album Let’s Get it On in 1973. The two married in 1977, when Gaye was 38, and Hunter was 21. Their relationship was turbulent, ending in divorce three years later. Gaye passed away shortly afterward.

These relationships highlight the complexities and public attention that often come with Hollywood age-gap romances.