Celebs. They’re just like us! And nothing proves that more than a good old-fashioned case of unreturned affection. Just when it feels like our favorite musicians and movie stars are untouchable, celebrity crush rejections remind us that even A-listers deal with heartache, awkward moments, and getting flat-out turned down just like the rest of us.
It’s refreshing to know that some of the biggest A-listers of all time have experienced the pain of unrequited love, yet have still come out of it on top.
So, without further ado, here are 7 examples of celebrity crush rejections where the pursuer was shot down by their crush. (But not all is hopeless- 2 couples on this list ended up married, and are still going strong to this day!)
Rihanna Shot Down Drake
One of the most notable examples of a celebrity who got shot down hard by another star is showcased with Drake and Rihanna. The rapper and the singer have known each other since 2005, and legend has it that Drake has been pining after her ever since.
He even professed his love for the “Desperado” singer in front of millions, while accepting his award for “Hotline Bling” at the MTV VMAs in 2016. “She’s someone I’ve been in love with since I was 22 years old,” Drake professed about Rihanna. “She’s one of my best friends in the world. She’s a living breathing legend in our industry.”
In a 2010 interview with MTV (per Elle), Drake waxed poetic about the “Kiss it Better” songstress, saying she makes him feel like he was Aubrey Graham (his real name) as opposed to the high-profile star we all know as Drake. “[Rihanna] made me feel small; she made me feel nervous,” the rapper confessed. “It just put me back to the Acura in Toronto, feeling like Aubrey Graham, not Drake.”
But as it turns out, his affections were not necessarily reciprocated by Rihanna, since the pair never took their friendship to official boyfriend-girlfriend status. Plus, after Drake gave his speech declaring his love for Rihanna on stage, he leaned in for a kiss, but she swerved away and chose a platonic hug instead. Ouch!
Lana Del Rey Turned Down James Franco
Longtime Lana Del Rey fans will remember the unusual friendship between the “Born To Die” singer and “The Disaster Artist” star. The pair were constantly photographed together, whether cozied up side by side on Coney Island rides, or simply posing for selfies inside each other’s homes. But it all got a bit one-sided and obsessive when James Franco decided to write a book about Lana Del Rey back in 2015. It was called “Real and Imaginary Conversations With Lana Del Rey,” and was met with mixed reviews.
Franco also reportedly said of the “Honeymoon” crooner, “I fell in love with Lana Del Rey, but I wasn’t the kind of man she was looking for.”
Michelle Obama Refused To Date Barack Obama At First
Despite the nonsensical divorce rumors floating around about the former president and first lady, Michelle and Barack Obama are still going strong after decades of marriage. Yet, believe it or not, when they were first getting to know each other, Michelle turned down Barack. Repeatedly. According to the former President of the United States, he told Oprah Magazine that his future wife refused to date him because she was his advisor at the time, and she didn’t want to cross professional lines. It wasn’t until Barack offered to quit his job for just one date with Michelle, that she finally agreed! (Who knew our 44th President was so “The Notebook” coded.)
Fortunately, in their case, the initial romantic rejection wasn’t enough to sever their connection. That was way back in 1988, and they’ve been thriving as a couple ever since.
Jon Cryer Found Out The Hard Way Demi Moore Wasn’t Into Him
“Two and a Half Men” star Jon Cryer was under the impression that Demi Moore was his girlfriend, due to their intimate relationship taking place behind the scenes of their film, “No Small Affair.” But sadly for Cryer, he had to find out the hard way that Moore was already in a relationship with someone else.
The “Pretty in Pink” actor spilled on The Howard Stern Show, “I found out from her housekeeper. Because I showed up at (Demi’s) house, and I was like, ‘Where is She?’ and her housekeeper said, ‘She’s out with her boyfriend.’ And I thought, ‘But I’m her boyfriend.’” He humorously said of the experience, “I was the standard hurt little bunny boy… I was nineteen at the time.” To add to the awkwardness, they still had a month left of shooting to do for their film!
Lea Michele Begged Jonathan Groff To Date Her
Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff starred as love interests in both “Spring Awakening” and “Glee.” Their connection was palpable when acting in scenes together, but in real life, things were a bit more complicated. According to Lea Michele, she was madly in love with Jonathan Groff while they were performing in “Spring Awakening” as a couple. But it wasn’t until the “Glee” actress finally confessed her feelings for her co-star that she realized their love would never take a romantic turn.
She explained in the Documentary “Those You’ve Known,” “Finally, I cornered him at a party, and said, ‘Why don’t you love me? Just love me. Why can’t you love me? Date me. Love me.’” But as she learned, her BFF Groff isn’t attracted to women, thus closing the chapter on her romantic pursuit. Fortunately, the two have remained best friends to this day.
Angela Bassett Thought Courtney B. Vance Was ‘Too Nice’ To Date
Angela Bassett has been with her husband Courtney B. Vance for over three decades now. But believe it or not, the “American Horror Story” actress initially saw no future with Vance, because she worried he was too nice, and that there was a lack of spark.
“Dare I say it wasn’t memorable,” Basset spilled (per People) of her first date with Vance. “He just seemed like a really, really nice guy, which translated to kind of boring. That was it. Wasn’t gonna give him a second thought.”
Fortunately, she decided to give him one more chance despite how much she wanted to cancel that date. Now, they’re very happily in love and have been inspiring us as the ultimate “couple goals” ever since.
Travis Barker Pined After Kim Kardashian Before Falling for Kourtney
In the ultimate twist of fate, former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker was initially head over heels for Kim Kardashian, as he revealed in his memoir. The drummer described himself as being “obsessed” with the Reality TV star, despite being in a relationship with another woman at the time. In fact, his crush on Kim K was so bad, that his then-girlfriend, Shanna, poured a drink all over Kim’s head in an act of jealous rage.
“Shanna caught wind of what was going on,” the drummer wrote. “She poured a drink on Kim at a party thrown by Carmen Electra. I felt terrible,” he said (per Us Weekly.) “Kim and I never touched each other. It just wasn’t meant to be.”
Despite Travis’s unhealthy longing for Kim, she never reciprocated his feelings. Eventually, he moved on to Kim’s older sister, Kourtney. Awkward!!
Simone Torn is a pop culture writer with 10 years of experience. She has written for several entertainment magazines such as Nicki Swift, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Dexerto, and more.
