Everybody loves a good love story, whether it’s on the big screen or the small screen. These stories get even better when the characters have chemistry so strong, it’s believable. Here are some of my favorite and most memorable on screen romances.
10. Will and Veronica in The Last Song. In this coming to age film, Miley Cyrus plays Ronnie, a rebellious teenager. She was sent to spend time with her dad in the film and there she meets Will, played by Liam Hemsworth. Their on-screen romance was so strong it became real off-screen. They have been together for over two years now and are engaged to be married.
9. Sinclair and Overton in Living Single. This television sitcom chronicled the lives of six individuals living together in New York. Khadijah played by Queen Latifah is the main character. Her cousin Sinclair, played by Kim Coles, is a witty yet optimistic person. She crosses paths with handyman Overton, played by John Henton and they embark on a friendship turned relationship. Their romance was so cute because they complemented each other’s wackiness.
8. Dwayne and Whitley in A Different World. This show was a spinoff of the critically acclaimed show The Cosby Show, which focused on the lives of students attending the fictional historically black college, Hillman College. The focus was on Dwayne Wayne played by Kadeem Hardison and Whitley Gilbert, played by Jasmine Guy. The saying ‘opposites attract’ truly applied to Dwayne and Whitley. When they did get together, they got married which took some getting used to. They prevailed however, showing that you could fall in love with a person you would least expect.
7. Cliff and Claire Huxtable in The Cosby Show. This loving on-screen couple broke barriers in television. Dr.Heathcliff Huxtable played by Bill Cosby and Claire Huxtable played by Phylicia Rashad was a doctor/lawyer duo, who happened to live in an affluent neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. This was the first time that viewers saw African Americans in a positive light. The Huxtables had five children and brought them up in a loving way. The bond between Cliff and Claire was natural and genuine because it showed that you can balance love, family and careers at the same time.
6. Danny and Sandy in Grease. This film is an American classic which two teenagers establish a summer love. The main characters, Danny played by John Travolta and Sandy played by Olivia Newton John epitomize high school sweethearts. The binary between good girl and bad boy makes this movie even better. I loved how these two were able to balance each other out and pursue their love for each other despite what their friends thought.
5. Derwin and Melanie in The Game. This show was centered on the lives of professional football player, Derwin Davis played by Pooch Hall and medical school student Melanie Barnett played by Tia Mowry-Hardrict. Their on-screen romance was so intense because it displayed the positive and negative aspects of a relationship. From infidelity to dishonesty, Melanie and Derwin’s relationship stood the test of time until they finally got married. Their marriage was a rollercoaster because of careers and egos and children. The show ended with Melanie going off to pursue her dream in becoming a full time doctor and Derwin putting his football career on hold to support her. Their relationship stressed the importance of compromise.
4. John and Jane Smith in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie starred in this 2005 blockbuster as John and Jane Smith who are a married couple/ skilled assassins. They on-screen romance was fueled by action packed sequences which added to their already sizzling chemistry. Apparently, they couldn’t get enough of each other and their relationship off camera sparked controversy to Brad’s union with Jennifer Aniston. Seven years later and these two are still going strong and are as happy as can be with their mini Jolie-Pitt clan.
3. Lucky and Justice in Poetic Justice. This film has to be one of the best African American love stories ever. The main character Justice, played by Janet Jackson was in a committed relationship which ended with her boyfriend getting killed in front of her. Being traumatized by that incident, she wasn’t looking to find love again. That would all change when she was convinced to talk to a local mailman who would stop by her job. Lucky was his name and was played by Tupac Shakur. Their relationship starts off rocky because Justice is standoffish when Lucky is trying to find conversation. With tragedies occurring in both of their lives, they are brought together and they establish a loving relationship. Their relationship proved that you never judge a book by its cover.
2. Noah and Allie in The Notebook. The film which takes place in the 1940s, shows a budding relationship between Noah, played by Ryan Gosling and Allie, played by Rachel McAdams. They fall in love at first sight and makes plans to spend their lives together forever. With family issues, it caused a divide between the two. They reunited after Allie read a newspaper which stated that Noah finished a house they promised to live in together. She left her fiancé and came back to Noah. In their old age, Allie developed Alzheimer’s forgetting her memories with Noah. At the end, they loved each other until their last breath, dying in each other’s arms. This was a beautiful love story and it brought me to tears. This film showed me that true love lasts a lifetime.
1 .Martin and Gina in Martin. Martin and Gina had the ideal relationship. Martin Lawrence starred in this self titled sitcom as a radio and tv personality. Gina, played by Tisha Campbell-Martin was his loving girlfriend who later became his wife. These two went through what any other couple would in terms of the rollercoaster of emotions. Through it all, Martin and Gina loved each other despite Martin’s loud and obnoxious ways. Their relationship showed that you can joke around and have fun.