entertainment

9 Celebs You Never Knew Were in Open Relationships

Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green
Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green have a half-open relationship. This means that Megan is free to date other men, while Brian must remain exclusive to Megan.
Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green The pair married in 2010 and has two sons.
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith Jada and Will don't have an open relationship in the true sense of the phrase, but Jada explains that Will is free to live his life as he wishes.
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith She states, "Will and I both can do whatever we want, because we trust each other to do so. This does not mean we have an open relationship...
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith this means we have a grown one."
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith Many question her statement, as Will has frolicked with his share of women in the open over the last 15 years.
Dolly Parton and Carl Thomas Dean
Dolly Parton and Carl Thomas Dean Married nearly 50 years, Dolly Parton and Carl Thomas Dean might be proof that the 'open-door' policy might actually work.
Dolly Parton and Carl Thomas Dean Parton has been quoted as saying, "If we cheat, we don't know it, so if we do cheat, it's very good for both of us.
Dolly Parton and Carl Thomas Dean I don't want to know if he's cheating on me. If I'm cheating on him, he wouldn't want to know it." Whatever works, Dolly.
Pitbull
Pitbull As of 2014, Pitbull isn't in a relationship, but in the past, he has referenced preferring to have his relationships open and honest.
Pitbull In fact, he claims to live by the saying, "What the eyes don't see, the heart doesn't feel." This may be the reason he has three baby mamas.
Tilda Swinton and John Byrne
Tilda Swinton and John Byrne Tilda Swinton openly keeps company with two men in her life; they are her husband, John Byrne, and her boyfriend, Sandro Kopp.
Tilda Swinton and John Byrne She refers to her agreement as "sane" and "happy."
Mo'Nique and Sidney Hicks
Mo'Nique and Sidney Hicks Actress Mo'Nique and her husband, Sidney, have an understanding when it comes to sex outside of the marriage.
Mo'Nique and Sidney Hicks As of 2013, Mo'Nique has not engaged in an extramarital relationship, but she will not speak on behalf of her husband.
Mo'Nique and Sidney Hicks
Mo'Nique and Sidney Hicks She says that, "Ending a marriage will not happen just because someone has sex outside of the marriage.
Mo'Nique and Sidney Hicks "
Larry King and Shawn Southwick
Larry King and Shawn Southwick Although the couple has been together for nearly two decades, they have both had external relationships throughout the duration of their marriage.
Larry King and Shawn Southwick Shawn is Larry's seventh wife.
Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale
Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale The rocker couple consisting of Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale is always on the rocks. Gwen claims their relationship is not open, but it is likely that Gavin's bisexuality causes his heart to wander.
Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale
Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale The pair has been together since 1997 and has three sons together.
Rachael Ray and John Cusimano
Rachael Ray and John Cusimano Under the spotlight for openly attending swinger clubs, John makes it difficult to deny that he and Rachael are in an open relationship.
Rachael Ray and John Cusimano They have denied rumors in the past, but the speculation remains intact.
T-Pain and Amber Najm
T-Pain and Amber Najm T-Pain, on several occasions, has mentioned that he and his wife, Amber engage in sexual activities with other women.
T-Pain and Amber Najm He states they are not swingers and do not have actual relationships outside of their marriage.

Licensed therapist and relationship expert

In Romantic

Essential Dating Tips for Maintaining an Open Relationship

An open relationship is one where partners date and sleep with people other than their spouse. This is a good way to fulfill sexual needs without cheating on your spouse; it a…lso allows couples to experience excitement and fulfillment. That said, open relationships are difficult to maintain; dating another person leads to many problems between you and your spouse.Most people enter open relationships in order to fulfill sexual fantasies or needs. This does not include finding new dating relationships or love with a person other than your spouse. In order to be fair and honest when dating in an open relationship, it is important for you to tell all dates that you are not interested in anything other than a sexual relationship and that you are not looking for love.Often, open relationships benefit from a nonsexual meeting of all the partners involved. Allowing a meeting reassures all parties about the new date's personality. Meeting the person your spouse is going to date allows you to feel comfortable with the relationship and assures you that your spouse is safe during his dates.If you begin to have romantic feelings for your date, it is best to end the relationship. Since open relationships involve allowing couples to explore their sexual sides while maintaining a relationship, feelings for a third party are disastrous to a marriage. It is best to end the relationship with the person you are dating than with your spouse; in order to do this, any romantic feelings you have must be dealt with.If you feel that the open relationship is not working for you anymore, it is best to inform your spouse immediately. This allows you to decide how best to proceed with your relationship and addresses any concerns that you feel. It also allows you to address issues without having feelings of anger build-up, causing you to overreact to the situation.An open relationship is very difficult to maintain. Dates must be well-regulated and spouses need to meet potential partners before dating begins. In addition, it is best to be honest with people that you are dating and let them know that you are married. Regarding romantic feelings, it is best to end relationships that threaten your relationship with your spouse. Finally, if you ever feel that an open relationship does not fit your needs any more, it is best to inform your spouse so that you are able to decide how to proceed together.Often an individual enters into or agrees to opening a relationship for fear that the relationship will not continue otherwise. Be honest with yourself; if such an arrangement is not what you truly desire then do not go along with it. Compromising what you want only results in frustration and heartache. (MORE)

Jenny Kronick

Content specialist at Answers.com, jack of all trades, and lover of pop culture. Secretly indulges in throwbacks way earlier than Thursdays.

In Relationships

9 Straight Celebs You Never Knew Had Gay Relationships

Who would have ever guessed that these celebs experimented in the past? Read about their same-sex loves (before they found their significant others) here!Before she married he…r now-husband Brad Pitt, Angelina wasn't necessarily only on the prowl for men. She fell in love with another actress named Jenny Shimizu and has said that she would have married her had she not married her husband. She and Brad Pitt were wed in 2014 and have six children together today.Though the actress recently married much older Hollywood hunk Johnny Depp, she once had eyes for another. From 2008-2011, Amber Heard was in a relationship with female photographer Tasya van Ree. The two were very much in love. Heard was quoted as saying, "I love who I love; it's the person that matters."Drew has been known to have many loves in Hollywood, but this one may surprise you. She was rumored to have once been in a relationship with "Sassy" and "Jane" editor Jane Pratt, as the two were very close friends. Drew has been married to art consultant Will Kopelman since 2012. They share two children together. Prior to this marriage, she wed Jeremy Thomas in 1994 and then comedian Tom Green in 2001.Anne Heche is an American actress. She is presently married to James Tupper. Before that, though, she dated famous talk show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres.This actress got her start in Hollywood at a very young age, but nowadays she's become more famous for her reckless behavior. Though she has an impressive list of Hollywood men she has dated (or at least "known," in the biblical sense), her attractions weren't limited to those of the male persuasion. Lohan dated DJ Samantha Ronson from 2008-2009. Lohan has said about the relationship: "I know I'm straight. I have made out with girls before, and I had a relationship with a girl... I think I was looking for something different." Whatever you say, Linds!Everyone knows that Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale have been happily married for many years. Though he denied it at first, Gavin confirmed in 2010 that he did indeed have a brief love affair with a man prior to his romance with Gwen. Gavin had a relationship with British cross-dressing '80s singer Marilyn, whose real name is Peter Robinson. Before Gavin came clean about the affair, Marilyn had publicly stated that Gavin Rossdale was the love of his life.Megan Fox, Hollywood pinup extraordinaire, has no qualms flaunting her sexuality on the big screen. She married "Beverly Hills 90210" star Brian Austin Green in 2012, and the couple have two children together. Many years prior, back when Megan was 18 years old, she had a relationship with a stripper named Nikita. The actress insists that she is not a lesbian, though--she just happened to fall in love with a girl after her boyfriend broke up with her.This actress actually identifies herself as queer/bisexual, but she married Al Ridenour in 2013. (They separated in late 2014.) She said that they always had an "open" relationship. She also admits to having many relationships with women over the years.Clive Davis, legendary music producer, has had two committed relationships with men over the years. He has also been married twice, to women, and has four children. Davis discusses these homosexual relationships in his autobiography.With a wife like Jada Pinkett, who would have thought Will Smith would choose anyone else? However, there have been rumors circulating for years that Will also has homosexual tendencies. Some of these rumors even pinpoint Duane Martin as the object of his secret affections.Fergie's been on the straight and narrow with Josh Duhamel since 2009, but she's the first to admit that she has also had relationships with women in the past. "I think women are beautiful," she says." I've had a lot of fun with women, and I'm not ashamed of it."Evan Rachel Wood has been linked to male stars like Marilyn Manson and actor Jamie Bell. After she and husband, Jamie, split in 2014, she was reportedly dating female actress Katherine Moenning from "The L Word."Award-winning author Michael Chabon has been married to poet Lollie Groth since 1987 but admits that he has also had homosexual relationships in the past. "I had slept with one man whom I loved and learned to love another man so much that it would never have occurred to me to want to sleep with him."Snooki, of the infamous "Jersey Shore," married Jionni LaValle in 2014, and they have two children together. However, she also admits to having "done stuff" with women in the past. She considers herself bisexual.Anna Paquin has been married to her "True Blood" costar Stephen Moyer since 2010, but in that same year, she also admitted to being attracted to women. (MORE)

Leah Tedesco

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In Relationships

8 Celeb Relationships That Literally Go the Distance

Freida Pinto and Dev Patel have been a couple since 2012, and their relationship keeps going strong. They can often be seen together gazing lovingly into each other's eyes and… wrapping them arms around one another. They support each other's careers and have been quoted as saying that everyday is like Valentine's Day for them. They met on the set of "Slumdog Millionaire."These days, it's hard to find couples outside of Hollywood that have been married as long as Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. The couple celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in April of 2013, and their relationship is stronger than ever. In a town where the average marriage lasts only four years, it just goes to show that even in Hollywood, some couples really can go the distance.David and Victoria met in 1997 after they met at a charity football game. They were engaged in 1998 and married in July of 1999. Since then, the couple has had four children, bought a huge home, and are also the proud parents to two bulldogs. Now that David is retired from soccer, the couple sees a lot more of one another and their love of each other and the devotion to their kids keeps their relationship solid.In 2012, Will and Jada celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary. They met during a filming of Will's show "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" in 1990 and were married in 1997. The couple has two children together, Willow and Jaden, and there's seems to be nothing stopping this loving Hollywood power couple.Kelly and Mark met on the set of the long-running soap opera "All My Children" back in 1995. Their off-screen romance heated up as quickly as their on-screen love did, and they dated a year before eloping in Las Vegas. They have been married for 18 years and have three children together.Married in 1996, this power couple met on the set of "Two Much" in 1995. This couple has made it through a lot of trials and tribulations, including Melanie's struggle with drug addiction. Together, they got through it and are now the proud parents of a daughter they named Stella. The couple attributes its success to the fact that they've always been open about their problems.This popular Hollywood couple has enjoyed wedded bliss for more than 20 years. They were married in 1992 after meeting on the set of the 1991 film "Bugsy." They have four children together and when they're not working, both actors spend quality family time together. They say this is the key to a successful relationship.John and Kelly met on the set of the 1987 movie "The Experts." Married in 1991, they went on to have three children together. When asked how her relationship with John has survived when most Hollywood relationships fail, she said, "One thing I've learned is that you really have to keep creating your marriage. You can't let it sort of drift off to be however it will be."There are a lot of famous couples who should really take a look at these relationships to learn the secrets to longevity and happiness even in Hollywood.John Travolta and Kelly Preston had to work exceptionally hard and keeping their marriage together in recent years. In 2009 the couple suffered the worst tragedy imaginable when their son Jett passed away. (MORE)

Laura Freberg

Professor of Psychology at California Polytechnic State University

In Social Psychology

How Can Romantic Relationships Be Maintained?

Psychologists like John Gottman, who study long-term relationships, have identified some behaviors that couples in these types of relationships seem to have in common. Underst… (MORE)

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Mica Akullian

Mica offers holistic and spiritual counseling through his private practice at http://holistichealth-counseling.com

In Emotional Health

Couples Counseling and Healthy Relationships

Most every couple, at one time or another, encounters some form of conflict during the course of their relationship. Addressing these issues before they escalate can be an im…portant aspect of maintaining a healthy relationship dynamic. In addition, studies have shown that those who have the healthiest relationships with their partner, friends, and family, also tend to experience better physical, emotional, and mental health. By taking steps to improve your romantic relationship, you can enrich the quality of you and your partner's life.One of the most effective ways to increase the quality of your relationship is through couples counseling. Counseling can help to increase intimacy, trust, communication, and strengthen the bond between you and your partner. Studies have shown that relationship counseling can reduce conflict and improve the overall quality of the relationship, given that the strategies gained during counseling are maintained beyond the completion of counseling.According to research, the type of couples counseling is not as important as the quality of counseling administered. A 2012 review of over 40 years of research on couples therapy was recently published by UCLA psychologists Lisa Benson, Meghan McGinn, and Andrew Christensen. The results showed that regardless of what theoretical approach was used, if the counselor failed to integrate key elements into the course of treatment, couples generally did not experience an increase in the quality of their relationship.Research points to a few key elements of couples counseling that are critical to the success of treatment. One important aspect is that a counselor help a couple change the way in which they perceive the relationship. This process involves deconstructing beliefs and patterns that couples have developed in terms of how they relate to each other, and view one another. Another critical element is that counselors teach effective strategies for increased communication. Helping couples to identify and voice their feelings to one another without blaming or judging, is essential to healing relationship conflict. In addition, treatment is most effective when counselors emphasize the importance of making behavioral changes within the dynamic of the relationship. Couples are most likely to see positive benefits to counseling when they implement behavioral changes outside of the therapeutic setting. The final key element to successful couples counseling occurs as counselors emphasize couples strengths, rather than focus on their perceived weaknesses. Holding a positive view of the couple, and striving to encourage supportive behaviors and patterns between the couple, is essential for growth and positive change.Often times relationship conflict can seem overwhelming, and couples may be experiencing additional stress by focusing on remedying the situation quickly. It may seem counterintuitive, but spending time alone may be an effective way to relieve the pressure from relationship issues. By taking time for yourself, you can gain perspective on your own needs and feelings. In order for this to be effective, it is necessary for both parties to agree to spending time alone. If one person pulls away without effectively communicating what they are doing, it may only exacerbate the conflict and create more tension.Relationship conflict is often times situational. It can help to differentiate issues of compatibility between partners, versus stressful life situations or temporary challenges that may be creating conflict.Taking the time to address relationship issues as they arise will prevent small conflicts from escalating into unmanageable problems. Couples counseling can help you improve your strategies for relating, and is a proven method for increasing the quality of your relationship. Take the time to find a counselor who has a solid understanding of effective strategies for improving relationships, and a person whom you both trust and feel comfortable with. (MORE)

In Celebs

10 Celebs You Never Knew Had Ties to Real-Life Royalty

Though you would think that some people are from royalty just by the way they act, there are some celebs that actually do have royal blood. Of course, most of the royal blood …is from many generations past.Though considered Hollywood royalty already, actor Tom Hanks actually does have royalty in his blood. Tom Hanks is a descendant of King John of England, who reigned from 1199 to 1216. He is also the 24th cousin to the current monarch of England, Queen Elizabeth II.A-list actor Hugh Grant is another celebrity with two genetic lines to royalty. Grant is a descendant of Henry VII through his mother's side of the family, and he also has King James IV of Scotland as an ancestor. Of the two, King Henry VII is the most famous. King Henry VII is the first monarch of the Tudor dynasty, after seizing the crown of England from Richard III in 1485.With her regal good looks, actress Uma Thurman definitely looks as though she is related to royalty. Thurman is a direct descendent of Edward Longshanks, also known as King Edward I of England. Longshanks fathered many children, and through this genetic line, Thurman is the 21st cousin, once removed, of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.Consistently voted the 'Sexiest Man Alive'. Johnny Depp can credit his royal lineage for his devastating good looks. Depp is the 20th cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and the two share a great grandfather, with a traceable line that goes back 19 generations. Depp can also claim Margaret Percy, the daughter of the 3rd Earl of Northumberland, and Sir William Gascoigne, as relatives as well.Toy dog loving, party girl socialite, Paris Hilton can act like royalty because in all reality, she is. Hilton is the 20th cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, through a line on her father Rick's side of the family. The shared ancestor is Henry II who married Eleanor of Aquitaine.The Douglas family is another well-known celebrity name considered to be Hollywood royalty. Douglas is also the 19th cousin, once removed, of Queen Elizabeth II through King Edward III of England. King Edward III appears quite often on this list because he had 8 legitimate sons, each who had their own children that formed the Tudors, the Lancaster's, and the York's. He also had 6 daughters that married royalty as well.Sibling actors Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal are relatives to royalty through their father's lineage. They are relatives of Edward III, King of England from 1327 until his death in 1377. Since their relationship is through their father's side of the family, that makes them 19th cousins to the current queen of England, Elizabeth II too. Maggie and Jake are also descendants of the Swedish house Gyllenhaal.Daytime talk show queen Ellen DeGeneres carries some royalty in her bloodline. Ellen is the 15th cousin to Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. This genetic link comes from none other than Edward III of England. Ellen can also claim a relationship as 19th cousin, twice removed, of Queen Elizabeth II. Ellen learned of her relationship to Middleton prior to her marriage to Prince William, and offered her assistance in planning the wedding.Actress Brooke Shields is one very royal lady. Shields apparently found out her noble ancestry on the TV show 'Who Do You Think You Are?' and was quite surprised who she is related to. Shields shares a bloodline with Blanche, the French wife of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster and son of England's Edward III. She is also possibly related to Catherine de Medici and Lucrezia Borgia.Hilary Duff, dubbed the 'Most Royal' US star as of 2014, appears to have the highest lineage count. She is the 18th cousin of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. Her ancestral connection to the Queen is through Alexander Spotswood. Spotswood was an officer in the British Army, a Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, and the 1st great-grandson of Edward III. Hilary Duff is also believed to be a descendant of Catherine Car, who is the illegitimate daughter of Henry VIII. (MORE)

Patrick Conlin

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