You might think that getting married would be an obvious part of life for a Hollywood star, but some women decided to do things differently and never wed.
The Hollywood star with no wedding plans
Actor Diane Keaton had relationships with some of Hollywood’s biggest names, including Al Pacino and Warren Beatty. She was also with Woody Allen. But it seems that none of them convinced her to get married.
Keaton said that she wasn’t interested in the ‘compromises’ that came with marriage, although she did want a family. In 1996, Keaton adopted her daughter Dexter, followed by her son Duke in 2001. Keaton remained unmarried until she died in October 2025.
The wedding that never happened
During the 1920s, Hollywood almost had its own version of a royal wedding. Greta Garbo, one of the biggest silent-film stars, was romantically involved with fellow actor John Gilbert. He wanted to get hitched. She wasn’t so enthusiastic.
In fact, she turned him down, although there were stories about their apparent wedding plans for years. She retired from Hollywood altogether in 1941 and spent the rest of her life in New York. She died in 1990, having never married.
The Oscar winner who never wanted a husband
If you ever have the chance to ask Charlize Theron about marriage, she’ll probably give you a fairly straightforward answer. She’s never really wanted it. Theron has had her fair share of serious relationships, including being with Stuart Townsend and Sean Penn.
None of her relationships have ever ended with a wedding, though. In 2019, Theron explained that she’d never really dreamed about getting married, and she wasn’t waiting for the right person to change her mind, either. She raised her two adopted daughters herself.
The actress with very high standards
There seems to be one reason why Winona Ryder has never walked down the aisle. It’s her parents. Yes, the actress’s parents have had a long marriage, and she said their relationship gave her some rather high expectations. She’d rather stay single than face the risk of divorce.
She’s still been in serious relationships, though. In 1990, Ryder was engaged to Johnny Depp, although they split three years later. She has been dating fashion designer Scott Mackinlay Hahn since 2011. There’s been no word on whether we’ll hear wedding bells, though.
The engagement that changed everything
It’s kind of hard to believe that legendary TV host Oprah Winfrey has never been married. There was a time when she was going to get hitched. Yes, in 1993, she was supposed to marry businessman Stedman Graham. They’d been together since 1986, and he proposed in 1992.
But the ceremony simply never happened, and Oprah later said it was because she realized she never actually wanted to get married. She was presenting The Oprah Winfrey Show at the time, and her schedule was quite demanding. Graham also had some expectations about married life that didn’t fit their life at the time. They decided to carry on as partners without getting married.
The family that looks different from childhood plans
Writer Mindy Kaling had a whole future planned out when she was younger. She said she’d marry someone named Josh when she grew up and have five children. But it seems The Office actor changed her mind and went on to say that marriage stopped feeling necessary to her.
She’s had three children and has kept their fathers’ or father’s identities private. Kaling has also kept a close friendship with her ex-boyfriend B.J. Novak, who also appeared in The Office. For someone who was so dead-set on marriage as a child, it’s quite a change.Â
The supermodel who questioned wedding traditions
Tyra Banks might’ve worn a lot of elaborate outfits during her modeling career, yet it seems she’s never worn white. In 2009, Banks said that her parents’ divorce meant she didn’t see marriage in the same way as many other people. She’s not keen on being someone’s wife.
However, Banks did go on to have a son named York, whom she had through surrogacy with photographer Erik Asla. The pair separated in 2017. She’s currently dating businessman Louis Bélanger-Martin and hasn’t said anything about a wedding.
The television star enjoying life on her terms
Tracee Ellis Ross played a married woman raising five children on Black-ish for eight seasons. Her real life was quite different. Ross is the daughter of singer Diana Ross and has never married or had children. But it’s not due to a lack of interest.
No, the Golden Globe-winning actress has previously said that she’s interested in having a partner. She simply doesn’t want to put her life on hold until she finds someone. So, she said she continues to date and build her own career.
The actress who nearly settled down
You probably recognize Allison Janney from The West Wing and Mom. During the early 2000s, she was engaged to actor Richard Jenik, but they eventually called things off. Janney said she was once interested in becoming a wife and mother.
She said in an interview with Drew Barrymore that she might have wanted children if she’d found the right partner, although she wasn’t entirely convinced. Janney said that, as a child, she assumed she’d eventually marry, but life didn’t quite work out that way.
The romance that lasted over a decade
In Parenthood, Peter Krause and Lauren Graham played siblings, but in real life, they were actually dating. The Gilmore Girls actress began her relationship with Krause in 2010, and they were together for over a decade.Â
She said during an interview that they were happy without getting married. Then, in 2021, the pair separated, and Graham later said that they’d had different expectations about certain things.
The pop princess who reconsidered marriage
Pint-size pop star Kylie Minogue did have wedding plans at one point. The Australian singer was engaged to British actor Joshua Sasse in 2016, and they said they wouldn’t get hitched until Australia legalized same-sex marriage. But their relationship ended in February 2017 before they got married.
Minogue spoke about the engagement in later interviews, saying that it had been a little unusual for her because she’d never really dreamed of getting married. She hadn’t pictured herself as a bride either. Minogue has never gotten married.
The singer with three broken engagements
Sheryl Crow’s relationship history involves three engagements, yet not a single wedding. The singer was famously engaged to cyclist Lance Armstrong. They broke up in 2006. Then, she adopted two sons, Wyatt in 2007 and Levi in 2010, without a husband.
Crow revealed in a 2024 interview that she had actually been engaged three times, but had never gone through with a marriage. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t care about love, far from it. She said she’d like to fall for someone again, but marriage itself isn’t so necessary anymore.Â
The rocker who keeps romance private
Rockstar Joan Jett is someone who’s managed to keep most of her love life pretty private. Over the years, she’s avoided numerous questions about her romantic relationships, refusing to share the juicy details.
What we do know is that she’s never married or had children. She’s never publicly explained why, but really, she doesn’t need to. It’s her life, and she deserves to keep it private if she wants to.
The actress who became a single mother
In 2015, Charlie’s Angels star Lucy Liu had a baby. A husband wasn’t part of that plan. She had her son, Rockwell, through surrogacy, and she’s continued to raise him on her own ever since. Liu was previously engaged, though.
She was planning to get married to screenwriter Zac Helm, yet for some reason, they never made it down the aisle. Liu has kept her relationships very private ever since then. But being a mom is something she’s happy to talk about openly.
The actress who might change her mind
Jennifer Hudson was engaged to former wrestler David Otunga for nearly a decade, and the pair ended up having a son together. But the two separated in 2017 before getting married. We might see Hudson walking down the aisle in the future, though.
She’s currently dating rapper Common and said her relationship has made her think seriously about marriage. Previously, she hadn’t particularly wanted it, although she seems more open to the idea now.
The wedding plans that fell apart
Gone Girl actress Rosamund Pike got very close to getting married in 2008. She was engaged to director Joe Wright, whom she’d met while filming Pride & Prejudice in 2005. But he called it off.
Pike later began a relationship with businessman Robie Uniacke, and they now have two sons together, Solo and Atom. She said that her experience of nearly getting married was enough for her and put her off the idea of a wedding. She’d rather just have a family.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
7 women who used marriage for power & 7 who refused marriage entirely
Marriage is a tricky thing, and for some women, it’s a political tool, but for others, it’s something to absolutely avoid at all costs.
7 women who used marriage for power & 7 who refused marriage entirely
