From The Straits Times    |

In the wake of Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo’s, as well as Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk’s split, here are the celebrity couples who have been through plenty together and we hope they continue to do so.

Find out who they are and see what you can learn from them too in order to build a better and lasting relationship with your other half.

 

#1 Ada Choi & Max Zhang

The pair had family portraits taken last year, with the couple wearing their wedding outfits!

Remember the old times

Hong Kong actress Ada Choi and her husband Max Zhang wed 10 years ago but it seems, they’ve never lost sight of what’s important to them: the love they have for each other. Earlier this year on Chinese reality program My Dearest Ladies , Ada Choi shared more on their marriage, “We’ve been together for 16 years and have gone through what others might be facing. The most important thing about love is not to hope for the other person to change, but to respect his or her feelings. Men need respect. Women need love. He would know how to love you then.”

Her husband added, ““Quarreling and encountering conflicts are similar to ‘spending money’. During everyday interactions, you’ll need to ‘save up’. Going to the movies, shopping, or eating at home together are like saving up. I really enjoy the process of ‘saving up’, so there would be ‘reserves’ to fall back on whenever a conflict arises. Otherwise, all your memories will be about ‘spending money’; what would you do when you’re ‘broke’?” (Source: Jaynestars)

 

#2 Will Smith & Jada Pinkett-Smith

Trust each other

Will and Jada have remained strong in the face of adversity and been very open about their relationship and addressed any rumours head on through Facebook posts and interviews. But it wasn’t always the case. In a recent interview with People, Jada admitted to nearly walking away 10 years into their marriage. “It just felt like loss,” she told People. “There was too much concentration on what was happening externally, and the family unit itself wasn’t getting the attention and care that I felt we needed.”

The couple is said to be very trusting of each other and that’s probably why their relationship has lasted such a long time. 

“I had to really take time out for me and figure out what I wanted for myself,” she says. “I had to kind of put everyone aside and ask, ‘What would I do every day if it was just Jada?’ I literally had no idea.”

One thing that was clear? She believed she and Will had the tools, and the love, to get to a healthy place and keep the family together.

Jada even once said, “I will throw my career away before I let it break up our marriage. I made it clear to Will. I’d throw it away completely.”

The couple have been married since 1997 and have two kids, Jaden and Willow. 

Photo: EPA

 

#3 George Clooney & Amal Alamuddin

Honour one another

We can’t imagine what it’s like to be married to Hollywood’s former most eligible bachelor but, Amal sure makes it look easy.

Prior to getting married, George dated plenty of actresses and models including Renee Zellweger, Krista Allen and Elisabetta Canalis. However, Amal never allowed insecurities to get to her

Amal makes it a point to attend George’s film premieres and is usually by his side at important events and galas.

George too honours his wife’s accomplishments as an international human rights lawyer (she’s represented Julian Assange and former Ukraine’s prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko), in interviews.

“At 52 I found the love of my life and I’m really happy,” he told Esquire magazine.

Photo: EPA

 

#4 Chrissy Teigen & John Legend

Embrace each other’s quirks

If you’re following Chrissy on Snapchat or Instagram, you’d know how outspoken and quirky she is.

John on the other hand seems a little more reserved and despite how he’s an R&B crooner, he’s perfectly content with letting Chrissy’s winning personality shine.

In an interview with ET, the singer admitted that he fell for Chrissy’s sense of humour and quirks. “We would talk on the phone, and I started to fall in love with how engaging and witty and funny she is.”

Photo: EPA

 

 

 

#5 David Beckham & Victoria Beckham

Never stop saying I love you

As David and Victoria prove, showing your partner you love them doesn’t always have to be verbal.

From sitting front row at all her shows (together with their kids), David makes it a point to remind his wife of just how much he loves her.

The couple first met at a charity football match in 1997 and married two years later in 1999. They have four children.

Photo: EPA

See also: DID VICTORIA BECKHAM JUST DROP A NEW BRIDAL COLLECTION?

 

#6 Barak Obama & Michelle Obama

Go through challenges together

While they might not necessarily be considered a “celebrity couple”, a list such as this wouldn’t be complete without them.

The couple have gone through plenty together (Barack was after all the president of America), but they managed to pull through. So how did the former POTUS know he’d found The One? Here’s one of the points he had to say: 

“Here’s the advice I give everyone about marriage – is she someone you find interesting? You will spend more time with this person than anyone else for the rest of your life, and there is nothing more important than always wanting to hear what she has to say about things.

See also: 10 SWEET RELATIONSHIP LESSONS TO LEARN FROM BARACK AND MICHELLE OBAMA

Photo: EPA

 

#7 Hugh Jackman & Deborra-Lee Furness

Be their best friend

Married since 1995, Hugh and Deborra have managed to keep their marriage low-key and slightly out of the public eye.

Despite hitting it big on the silver screen, the superstar actor admits that his relationship was built on trust and because his wife is his best friend.

“From day one, we were best mates. We just clicked. We were giggling and laughing – we just connected.”

Photo: EPA

 

#8 Sarah Jessica Parker & Matthew Broderick

Communicate

In an interview with Meredith Vieira, Matthew revealed that he and Sarah share an unbreakable friendship.

“We are friends beyond everything else and we talk a lot. Keep talking I guess, I know how cliché that is. Too much silence is definitely not a good idea.” (See also: 7 COMMUNICATION TIPS THAT WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR MARRIAGE)

Photo: EPA

 

#9 Oprah Winfrey & Stedman Graham

Don’t compare your relationship to that of others

When Oprah and Stedman got engaged in 1992 but never went through with a wedding ceremony, rumours circulated that the relationship wasn’t working out.

However, Oprah addressed these rumours and effectively explained her reasons for not wanting to get married, “It’s not because I never had time – if I wanted to get married, I could’ve made the time. I’m not a traditional woman and I haven’t had a traditional life, and I think that had Stedman and I gotten married, we certainly wouldn’t have stayed married.”

Photo: EPA

 

#10 Freddie Prinze Jr. & Sarah Michelle Gellar

Work hard

Relationships are a constant work in progress and Freddie definitely knows that.

The actor told Huffington Post, “We were fortunate enough to be at the right times in our lives where we both wanted something serious and it worked. So we’re lucky, but we also work very hard at it. It’s not just dumb luck, it’s work.”

Photo: EPA

 

#11 Isla Fisher & Sacha Baron Cohen

Have patience

Isla admitted in her interview with Cosmopolitan magazine that being married to Sacha wasn’t conventional.

“You know there have been times in the past with the guerrilla style film making of Borat and Bruno where there were surreal conversations: “How many people are suing us? Are you wanted in any state? “Are you alive?”

However, the actress remained patient and was understanding of her husband.

Photo: EPA

See also: LIN CHI-LING, CHRIS PRATT AND FALA CHEN: 11 CELEBRITIES WHO MARRIED IN 2019

 

This article was first published on Singapore‘s Women Weekly.