How Many Relationships The Golden Statuette Has Really Destroyed
- Oscar-nominated male actors are more likely to break up than their female colleagues
- Actresses are more likely to split up with their partner when they win rather than just get nominated for an Academy Award
- German couples therapist recognizes the pattern and explains why actors’ relationships fail
It is a common picture, actors get an Oscar and shortly after their relationships fail. Actresses, in particular, are said to be affected by the so-called “Oscar love curse”. On March 4, this year’s winners in the 24 categories will be announced, and Diana Boettcher, a German psychologist and couples therapist from Berlin (diana-boettcher.com) who has helped many couples from all walks of life improve their relationships, has carried out an analysis to establish whether actors should worry about their relationship if they receive the prestigious award. Her research focuses on those who won “Best Actor in a Leading Role”, “Best Actress in a Leading Role”, “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” or “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” over the past 11 years and analyzes what their relationship status was shortly after winning the awards.
More Men Than Women Saw Their Relationship Hit The Rocks
The research showed that it is a myth that the “Oscar love curse” affects actresses more than their male colleagues. In fact, it is the other way around, and Diana Boettcher knows why. What the data tells us is that actors are four times more likely to break up after winning an Academy Award than their female counterparts.
Over the past 11 years, 36 percent of those winning “Best Actor in a Leading Role” had to watch their relationship fail, which is the highest percentage of all. Among them were Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn. Of those nominated, the figure was still 27 percent, and included James Franco and Ryan Gosling. George Clooney has gone through this three times over the past few years.
Nearly A Third Of All Winning Actresses Faced Break-ups
In the category “Best Actress in a Leading Role”, the winning actresses are most at risk: 27 percent of them separated shortly after lifting the trophy. It happened to Jennifer Lawrence, Sandra Bullock and Kate Winslet. The only actress of those who were nominated but did not win and still ended up with a failed relationship was Michelle Williams.
“Being a high achiever in Hollywood, or indeed in any profession, does not necessarily come with success in relationships. I see that every day in my work as a couples therapist in Berlin,” Diana Boettcher says. “In fact, it is quite the opposite. A successful career often stands in the way of relationship success. Hollywood may be a world of its own but when it comes to relationships, the stars are just like any of us. Partners can tolerate a busy spell at work from time to time but when a partner continues to put their career above their private life, the couple loses the emotional connection.
“Generally speaking, women tend to be the ones who invest more energy into their relationship. They find it easier to sometimes put their career second and their partner first,” according to Diana Boettcher. “That is why they typically find their work-love balance. That is likely to be the reason why more actors than actresses break up after winning an Oscar.”
Winning Best Actor Or Actress In A Supporting Role Does Not Put Relationships At Risk
Those actors and actresses who win an Academy Award for their supporting role do not need to worry so much about their relationship. Over the past 11 years, only one actress separated after winning the award. Of those nominated, nine percent of both actors and actresses broke up.
Relationships End Almost Immediately
Bradley Cooper’s relationship hit the rocks in 2014, just a month after receiving his Oscar. He split from his then-girlfriend Suki Waterhouse. It was a similar story for who also saw their relationships end in 2014, in their cases it was two months after the awards ceremony. And there was, of course, Sandra Bullock’s split from Jesse James in 2010.