The Biggest Celebrity Couples Of 2021
I'm a forever sap. I admit it, and that's probably not changing. And while I don't think love and relationships should be the sole focus of one's happiness, I do think it's OK to celebrate them when they're done healthily and happily! This year quite a few breakups had social media buzzing, but there was also an outpouring of love. From public first dates to relationship do-overs, we've seen it all. And some of our favorites were the celebrity couples showcasing it.
Check out this list of five of the biggest celebrity couples of 2021. And let us know if there is a couple we missed!
Lori Harvey and Michael B. Jordan
JOCE/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
Of course, this couple had to make the list! Michael B. Jordan is one of the biggest talents of our time and the affection women have for him is indescribable. Yet, the 32-year-old Black Panther star was never previously tied to anyone publicly. I mean sure, we've seen a few photos pop up throughout the years, but he has always remained private about his personal life. So, it was so surprising when he shared an Instagram post smiling from ear to ear with none other than, model and influencer Lori "Living her Best Life" Harvey.
Women have applauded Lori for living her twenties fully by dating, securing the bag, and supporting her family. And it's been so nice to watch from the social sidelines as they share extravagant date nights and special moments, while genuinely appearing happy and fulfilled. Lori tells The Real:
"We really balance each other and I really do believe in the statement when you know, you know. And I think that really applies to our situation."
I enjoy watching them continue to flourish creatively as individuals while still showing Black love in such a beautiful, and I mean beautiful way.
Megan Thee Stallion and Pardison Fontaine
Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET
"I never said hot girls couldn't have boyfriends," the Body rapper dropped a gem with this one when she replied to a fan during an Instagram Live. Because, for some reason, some people feel like you can't enjoy life, be about your coin, and still maintain a happy relationship, and I love how the rappers boldly defy that idea. Now, I'll admit Megan Thee Stallion and Pardison Fontaine should not technically be on the list since they released a one-year video that shows they were dating before 2021. However, the item didn't share their relationship with us until the beginning of the year, and we've watched happily ever since.
From baecation photos to heartfelt messages, they love each other out loud and we love to see it. In an interview with Taraji P. Henson for her Facebook Watch series, Peace of Mind With Taraji, Megan described their relationship wonderfully, "He moves me. He inspires me. We just feel like a real team. He feels like a partner."
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck
Stefania D'Alessandro/Getty Images
(Sings) "If you love something let it go, and if it comes back then that's how you know." Y'all remember that song from the IMX days? Well, that's what plays in my head whenever I come across pictures of "Bennifer 2.0." As a reminder, actor Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez were previously engaged and ended up calling it off in 2003. But, after Lopez's recent split with Alex Rodriguez, the two were seen spending time together pretty shortly after. And, hey, true love never dies. Because since that time, they've been spotted together romantically on multiple occasions and even made things Instagram official over the summer.
A source close to Lopez told People, "They want to do everything they can to make this work."
Adele and Rich Paul
Adele/Instagram
It seems like sitting courtside at the games is some sort of rite of passage for celebrity couples. And the latest to accept the challenge is none other than the amazingly talented singer Adele and her business bae Rich Paul, LeBron James's agent. When they arrived at the game together, blogs and social media went crazy. But, many people were wondering if they could just simply be friends enjoying a game.
However, Adele ended all the speculation when she made it Instagram-official with a collage of photos, the final one being a picture of them together – captioned with a heart (see above).
I'm here for this couple and I can't wait to hear the "happy relationship music" that I'm betting will be on the album.
Zoe Kravitz and Channing Tatum
James Devaney/GC Images
I've always heard it's not good to mix work and play. But I mean, maybe if you're Channing Tatum and Zoe Kravitz, it's OK to bend the rules a little bit. These two connected, one of my favorite ways, through their creative passions. Kravitz first reached out to the Magic Mike star about playing a character in a film she was directing. And it looks like their relationship blossomed and developed from there. A source tells People, "They don't seem to care about hiding their relationship anymore. It's obvious that they are very happy."
Fast forward to the end of summer 2021, the High Fidelity star was seen riding on the back of his motorcycle, holding Tatum tight, giving very much smitten vibes. We get it, girl, we do.
Featured image by Johnny Nunez/WireImage via Getty Images
Kirby Carroll grew up in VA but now calls Atlanta, GA home. She has a passion for creating content and helping brands grow through storytelling and public relations. When not immersed in work, you can find her sipping a mimosa at brunch or bingeing a new TV drama on Netflix. Keep up with her on social media at @askKirbyCarroll.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Another season of Love Is Blind has come to a close, and almost two months later we’re still unpacking the drama that is Clay and AD. The finale, reunion, and post-interviews with Clay and AD after season six of Love Is Blind left millions of people wondering - why couldn’t AD see the signs? Clay told her he had a fear of marriage, his parents experienced infidelity, and he seemed to have many doubts about saying, "I do."
After changing his mind at the altar and hearing AD question why she feels like she’s never enough, I was finished watching. I didn’t need to hear anything else because, at that moment, I realized this wasn’t about Clay; this was about AD feeling inadequate before she ever met Clay.
If I’m honest, I don’t watch much dating television. TikTok keeps me updated with the clips that I need to see in order to be kept in the loop, but it’s difficult for me to watch an entire season of dating TV because seeing Black women settle for less and questioning their beauty is a trigger for me. In many ways, there were points in my life where I was AD, settling and ignoring red flags because I wanted to be loved.
Now, on the other side, it doesn’t feel good to see Black women lower their standards on national television. There have been many hot takes on this couple and who was in the wrong. Did Clay play in AD’s face or did she not listen to the truth of what he told her from day one? Was his reason for joining the show to promote his business and not to find the one?
We’ll never know the truth, but what we can do is learn tactics to better our self-worth. Founder and CEO of The Self Love Organization Denise Francis shared her expertise with xoNecole on what tangible steps to take to improve feelings of worthiness. “Self-love blooms in a garden where self-worth is planted, nourished, and whole. However, when your self-worth is challenged, displaced, or broken, it could be difficult to rebuild," Denise explains.
How To Rebuild Self-Worth
During her self-love coaching sessions, Denise likes to walk her clients through the cornerstones of rebuilding self-worth: grace and self-compassion. To her, self-worth is never lost, it's only displaced, so practicing self-compassion and giving yourself grace is a must. "We tend to place our self-worth in entities and people of ourselves such as relationship status, physical appearance, material possessions, social media followings, what others think of us, and more. Self-worth is not something to be measured by anyone or anything outside of ourselves because we all innately hold value and worth.
"Self-worth is not something to be measured by anyone or anything outside of ourselves because we all innately hold value and worth."
"When we place our value into people or things, we tend to feel that we are not enough, worth it, special, or important when relationship status, job titles, friendships, and physical appearances are lost or changed. We then tend to feel lost within ourselves because we’ve placed our value outside of ourselves. Using grace and compassion, you can rebuild your self-worth by returning home to who you are at your core," she concludes.
How To Return Home To Yourself
Denise advises taking a step back and using self-reflection through journaling by answering the following journaling prompts:
First, ask yourself, "What do you tend to attach your self-worth to and why?"
Is it your relationships, your job title, your finances, your appearance, etc.? Why do you think you place so much emphasis on external status? How does it make you feel when you are defining yourself through these entities and/or people outside of yourself?
Then, ask yourself, "Without these things, who am I?"
Once you have your answers, show yourself kindness, remove the shame, and, as Denise says, "Redefine yourself by detaching your value from the things and people you have no control over and no longer serve you. Challenge yourself to define yourself outside of titles and societal values."
"By returning home to your core, you find value in who you are as a person. You begin to find value in the way you love instead of your relationship status, your compassion instead of your popularity, your drive instead of your income/job title, and your heart instead of your physical appearance," she adds.
"By returning home to your core, you find value in who you are as a person."
"Be intentional with healing your self-worth by leaning into the people and things that nourish your core values. Surround yourself with the people who love and cherish you, they will always remind you just how valuable you truly are."
It all goes back to self-compassion and grace. As Denise explains, leading with those two things as you heal and rebuild your self-worth allows you to reduce negative self-talk that might come up for you. "This weakens thoughts like, 'I am not enough... why am I never enough?'" she shares, "And 'I don't deserve this while strengthening thoughts like 'I deserve better,' 'I am enough,' and 'I am worth it.'"
Denise continues, "Once you return home and remember the irreplaceable person you are, you can rebuild your self-worth by placing it back where it belongs. It belongs to you."
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Featured image by LaylaBird/Getty Images