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The 40 Most Iconic Movie Couples of All Time

Some movies are remembered for their incredible endings and others for their to-die-for costumes. But nothing beats an unforgettable movie couple.

Classics like Titanic, Dirty Dancing and Pretty Woman have introduced us to swoon-worthy romantic leads (and taught us a thing or two about how to navigate our own relationships). Of course, these examples only scratch the surface when it comes to standout on-screen romances. Keep reading for 40 of the best movie couples of all time.

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Vestron Pictures

1. Baby And Johnny (dirty Dancing)

Like we’d ever put these two in a corner…

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2. Tony And Maria (west Side Story)

Their tragic romance always tugs at the heartstrings—but it comes as no surprise, given that their story took inspiration from Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

3. Quincy And Monica (love & Basketball)

Childhood BFFs and aspiring athletes, Quincy (Omar Epps) and Monica (Sanaa Lathan), develop romantic feelings for each other as they grow older and pursue their careers. But even as their success threatens the future of their relationship, it doesn’t change their off-the-charts chemistry.

Lionsgate Films Inc.

4. Katniss And Peeta (the Hunger Games Series)

No disrespect to fans who are #TeamGale, but it’s impossible to watch the films and not see that these two belong together. (Need proof? Watch this scene.)

Loew's Inc.

5. Rhett And Scarlett (gone With The Wind)

We think of their relationship as a sort of Kim-Kanye situation: They’re both kinda kooky, but it works.

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Paramount Pictures

6. Sandy And Danny (grease)

Do we love that Sandy totally changed herself for a guy? No. Can we recreate the entire “You’re the One That I Want” choreo from memory? Proudly.

Touchstone PIctures

7. Vivian And Edward (pretty Woman)

Not including these two would’ve been a big mistake…huge.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

8. Darius And Nina (love Jones)

A chance encounter at a Chicago club leads to a casual fling between these two creatives. It doesn't take long for them to realize that they might have something more.

Act III Communications

9. Westley And Buttercup (the Princess Bride)

Any guy who’s willing to put up with intense duels and torture chambers to win your heart is certainly a keeper. Princess Buttercup knows that all too well.

Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

10. Princess Leia And Han Solo (star Wars)

No lie, these lovebirds shared some of the best scenes in this movie franchise, from Leia's brave profession of love (followed by Han's classic "I know") to that steamy first kiss on the Falcon.

Wild Bunch

11. Adele And Emma (blue Is The Warmest Color)

Think: Young love, with a whole bunch of twists.

Ronald Siemoneit/Sygma/via Getty Images

12. Neo And Trinity (the Matrix)

Get this: Their love for one another was so powerful that they brought each other back to life. If that's not true love, then we don't know what is.

Netflix

13. Peter And Lara Jean (to All The Boys I've Loved Before)

What started as a silly ruse to make an ex jealous turned into a swoon-worthy high-school romance.

Summit Entertainment

14. Edward And Bella (twilight)

Was their romance problematic? Definitely. But admit it, those dreamy romance scenes still gave you all the feels.

Universal Pictures

15. Mark And Bridget (bridget Jones's Diary)

You know it's true love when your partner tries to convince you that your blue-colored soup is cool.

20th Century Fox

16. Gus And Hazel (the Fault In Our Stars)

John Green's got a knack for crafting teen love stories that would make even Nicholas Sparks proud.

17. Lois And Clark (superman)

There would be no Superman without Lois. There, we said it.

Universal Pictures

18. Elizabeth And Mr. Darcy (pride & Prejudice)

Can we agree that some of the best romances can come out of bitter rivalries?

Summit Entertainment

19. Mia And Sebastian (la La Land)

Must they choose between love and their careers? Or is it possible to have it all? La La Land addresses these very questions as two ambitious artists (played by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling) fall in love.

20th Century Fox / Getty

20. Romeo And Juliet (romeo + Juliet)

We know, we know. They both tragically die in the end. But if there’s one thing these star-crossed lovers got right, it’s that first loves can be seriously intense.

Walt Disney Pictures

21. Jasmine And Aladdin (aladdin)

Yes, we’re total suckers for fairytale romances. Especially when they include a feminist hero. *Cue “A Whole New World”*

20th Century Fox

22. Stella And Winston (how Stella Got Her Groove Back)

Angela Bassett’s Stella Payne embarks on a journey of self-discovery as she travels to Jamaica and starts a whirlwind romance with Winston, a young islander who's 20 years younger.

Sony Pictures Classics

23. Oliver And Elio (call Me By Your Name)

In this poignant story about first love, 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) is smitten with a 24-year-old grad student, Oliver (Armie Hammer). If you’ve yet to see it, keep some tissues handy when you watch.

Mirror Releasing

24. Tish And Fonny (if Beale Street Could Talk)

Best friends turned lovebirds Tish (Kiki Layne) and Fonny (Stephan James) are thrown the ultimate curveball when Fonny gets wrongfully convicted of a crime in ’70s New York. Their story will send anyone on a rollercoaster of emotions.

Universal Pictures

25. Queen And Slim (queen & Slim)

Disclaimer: It’s not a run-of-the-mill love story. The two went from having a disastrous first date to bonding while on the run from police, which makes their relationship even more fascinating.

Warner Bros. Pictures

26. Ron And Hermione (harry Potter Series)

We certainly didn’t see this relationship coming (in fact, we were leaning more towards Harry and Hermione). But now that we look back, their romance makes total sense.

Columbia Pictures

27. Mary Jane And Peter (spider-man)

Peter (Tobey Maguire) and Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) will go down in history as the couple who inspired us to try that infamous upside-down kiss.

Warner Bros.

28. Joe And Kathleen (you've Got Mail)

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan star as enemies-turned lovers in this charming tale, where they meet and fall for each other online.

Relativity Media

29. Jane And Jake Adler (it's Complicated)

We’ve seen plenty of examples of how rewarding love can be, but with Jane (Meryl Streep) and Jake’s (Alec Baldwin) on-and-off romance, we’re reminded that it’s often messy and complicated.

Miramax Films

30. Sara And Jonathan (serendipity)

When Sara (Kate Beckinsale) and Jonathan (John Cusack) meet for the first time, sparks fly. But when they part ways, they leave it up to fate to bring them back together.

Columbia PIctures

31. Vada And Thomas J. (my Girl)

We’re not sobbing, you’re sobbing.

Columbia PIctures

32. Sally And Harry (when Harry Met Sally)

Honestly, we were thisclose to going with Marie and Jess.

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20th Century Fox

33. Jane And John (mr. And Mrs. Smith)

R.I.P. Brangelina. Your on-screen chemistry was super hot.

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Warner Bros.

34. Ilsa And Rick (casablanca)

Bogart and Bergman were the heart eyes emoji before the heart eyes emoji existed.

Focus Features

35. Jack And Ennis (brokeback Mountain)

We can’t quit this movie.

Paramount PIctures

36. Jack And Rose (titanic)

We’ll let it slide that there was definitely room for both of them on the door.

MTV Films

37. Sara And Derek (save The Last Dance)

Yes, it’s a predictable teen movie, but you’ll be rooting for Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas the whole damn time.

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New Line Cinema

38. Allie And Noah (the Notebook)

Confession: We watch Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams accepting the award for Best Kiss at the MTV Movie Awards at least once a year.

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Fox Searchlight Pictures

39. Latika And Jamal (slumdog Millionaire)

Movie suspense is only acceptable when the payout is as tear-jerking as this one.

Paramount Pictures

40. Molly And Sam (ghost)


Nakeisha Campbell

Associate Editor, News and Entertainment

Nakeisha has been interviewing celebrities and covering all things entertainment for over 8 years, but she has also written on a wide range of topics, like career...
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Sarah Stiefvater

Wellness Director

Sarah Stiefvater is PureWow's Wellness Director. She's been at PureWow for ten years, and in that time has written and edited stories across all categories, but currently focuses...
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