By Jessica Wedemeyer
8:00am PDT, Aug 9, 2023
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We're taking a look back at the stars who found love, suffered heartbreak or experienced some other major event in their love lives in mid-July 2023, starting with this pair …
Bill Gates' girlfriend, Paula Hurd, recently sparked rumors they're engaged when she stepped out in New York City wearing what appeared to be a diamond engagement ring. On July 18, however, multiple media outlets reported that, according to a rep for the Microsoft founder, the bauble has "belonged to [Paula] for decades" and isn't an engagement ring. Bill and Paula — who's the widow of Oracle boss Mark Hurd, who died in 2019 — have been spending time together since at least early 2022, though it's unclear when exactly they became a couple in the wake of his 2021 split from Melinda French Gates following nearly three decades of marriage.
Keep reading for more big celeb love life updates…
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On July 17, Page Six published a joint statement from Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello announcing that they're going their separate ways after nearly eight years of marriage: "We have made the difficult decision to divorce. As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives," they said.
Two days later, the 46-year-old "True Blood" alum filed for divorce. According to TMZ, he cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split and listed their date of separation as July 2, 2023. He and the 51-year-old "Modern Family" actress reportedly plan to follow the terms of the prenup they signed before they tied the knot in 2015, which will see them walking away from the marriage with the assets they accumulated individually while living as husband and wife. TMZ also reported that Joe's desire to have children played a role in the breakup. (Sofia has an adult son from a previous relationship and isn't interested in having more kids.)
On July 27, Us Weekly reported that although the HBO alum and the "America's Got Talent" judge don't share children, they could still be gearing up for a custody battle as they settle their divorce: "They still have a few issues to figure out, like custody of their dog, Bubbles. But Sofia hopes they can move forward in a calm, fair fashion," a source said. Both stars publicly celebrated their beloved pup's 10th birthday in early July. (They adopted Bubbles together not long after they tied the knot, and she frequently joined them at Hollywood events over the years.)
Keep reading for more on what exactly went wrong between this famous couple…
MORE: Celeb couples with big age gaps
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According to an Us Weekly source, Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello split because "they were living different lives" and "realized that they were rarely on the same page" — while she's "very social," he's "more of a homebody." Explained the insider, "She would rather go out with friends and he would rather stay home, so they wouldn't spend a lot of time together. They've been living separate lives for about a year now, so it was time to call things off." (The source added that "there wasn't cheating or anything like that.")
A DailyMail.com source, meanwhile, pointed out that Joe and Sofia had "different attitudes" that ultimately drove them apart: While "Joe is a big kid" who "chases fun," Sofia is "completely the opposite" and "more concerned with the finer things in life" like "trips, lavish dinners, being a celebrity, and everything that comes with all of that." Explained the source, "[Sofia] has been told her entire life she is super-hot and beautiful. It really has got to her head. She also has a temper and gets upset over stupid things very easily whereas Joe tries to let things bounce off of him and go with the flow. That was not really seen while they were falling in love, but then the true versions of themselves started showing and they just got annoyed with each other, choosing work over hanging out. Then bit by bit, they stopped wanting to be together and stopped hanging out because something so little would often trigger an attitude that would bug them … [which became] extremely draining. … They got to the point where it would be a good day and one thing would be said or done and they would just get upset with each other. It added up to where now it is easier and more relaxing not being together. When people say they will be friendly, they will, but the romance part of things is over. They grew apart from something that could have been really good."
Other DailyMail.com sources shared conflicting takes on whether or not Joe's sobriety had "an impact on their marriage." According to one insider, the actor — who has a problem with alcohol and has been sober for the more than two decades — "was warned about this when he started dating [Sofia] and again before marrying her" but "didn't think about the implications this could have on their marriage."
MORE: Celeb breakups of 2023
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Take a look back at the stars who found love, suffered heartbreak or experienced some other major event in their love lives in mid-July 2023, starting with this pair…
On July 14 — two days after Shakira and Jimmy Butler were seen on what appeared to be a dinner date at a restaurant in London — Us Weekly reported that, according to a source, the Grammy winner and the NBA star "have been out a few times, but things are very new and it's too early to tell if there's long-term potential there." The source went on to say that the professional basketball player and the singer "have only known each other for a short while" and "just recently started following each other on social media," though he reportedly makes her smile and she "feels happy spending time with him." As for their 13-year age difference? It "doesn't bother" Shakira "whatsoever," the source said. (She's a decade older than her ex, Gerard Piqué.) Back in 2020, Jimmy sparked romance rumors with a different global superstar: Selena Gomez.
MORE: Long-lasting celebrity couples
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After RadarOnline.com reported on July 18 that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are "taking time apart" amid a rough patch in their relationship, a Page Six source insisted that the "trial separation" allegations are "not true" and "literally made up." Royals expert Katie Nicholl, meanwhile, told "Entertainment Tonight" that "there is no evidence" the duo are gearing up for a split as they continue "presenting a very united front" throughout a tumultuous period in their lives during which there's been "a strain on them." She went on to say that Harry and Meghan are "very, very close" and have "a sort of spark between them" that seems "very authentic."
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Goldie Hawn still has to intention of ever marrying her partner of four decades, Kurt Russell. "Why should we get married?" she asked on the July 14 episode of "Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?" Explained the Oscar winner, "I like the idea that I can wake up in the morning and make decisions every day if I want to be here. … Relationships are hard. They're not always easy. There's all kinds of hurdles that we go through. There's things that we believe in, things that we don't believe in, [things that] we agree on. So I think, you know, ultimately staying independent with independent thinking is important so you can hold on to yourself."
She went on to explain that both she and the actor were reticent to marry again after divorcing previous partners with whom they shared children: "We had been married. And when it doesn't work out, it ends up to be big business. Somebody has to own something. It's always ugly. How many divorces are fun? How many divorces actually don't cost money? How many divorces make you even hate the person more than you did before? How many divorces have hurt children?"
She and Kurt asked their kids if they should tie the knot, she said, and "they said no" because "they liked it the way it is." Said Goldie of their four children including actors Kate Hudson, Wyatt Russell and Oliver Hudson, "They've been through divorce. That's not fun for them."
When Chris asked Goldie if she was trying to make a statement by refusing to marry her longtime love, she fired back, "I'd never make a statement like that in my life."
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On July 17, TMZ broke the news that Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez quietly separated in January following less than two years of marriage. According to the webloid, the singer-actress and the luxury real estate agent unsuccessfully attempted to reconcile for two weeks in May and are now "heading for divorce," though they reportedly remain friendly and are still in regular communication.
TMZ later added that the duo, who got together during the coronavirus pandemic, ultimately realized their differences were "alarmingly apparent" and that he wasn't equipped to handle her life in the spotlight — from dodging paparazzi and stepping out with a security detail to making time for each other amid her busy work schedule.
The long-distance nature of their relationship was also "an issue for them," a People magazine source said, adding that "Ari has nothing but kind words to say about Dalton," who was "her No. 1 fan" while they were married. (She's been shooting the upcoming film adaptation of the musical "Wicked" in London since late 2022.) According to a second People source, they've been "quietly and lovingly working on their friendship" in the wake of their breakup.
According to TMZ, Dalton has already started dating other people "over the last few months," which is just fine by the singer-actress, who has also moved on already… More on that next!
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On July 20, TMZ broke the news that Ariana Grande has been dating her "Wicked" co-star Ethan Slater for "several months" now. Like the singer-actress, the Tony-nominated Broadway star is still married to someone else: He reportedly married singer Lilly Jay in 2018, and it's unclear when exactly they called it quits. According to TMZ, Ethan and Lilly were already over when he got together with Ariana. A People magazine source later confirmed that Ethan is "separated from his wife" and "recently began dating" Ariana. Multiple media outlets later alleged that Ariana and Ethan actually had an affair, and on July 26, he officially pulled the plug on his marriage when he filed for divorce.
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On July 19, "Entertainment Tonight" broke the news that Bella Hadid quietly split from her boyfriend of nearly three years, Marc Kalman, sometime earlier this year. "They were very in love, but the relationship ultimately ran its course and they decided to end things," a source said, adding that the breakup was "amicable." (In the summer of 2022, "ET" reported that the art director was "planning to propose" that fall.)
"ET" also reported on July 19 that the supermodel "has been on medical leave for the past four months and is in daily treatment for Lyme disease." Fans began to speculate that something might be wrong when Bella suddenly went dark on social media.
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On July 18, The Sun reported that Renee Zellweger and her boyfriend of two years, Ant Anstead, are set to wed. "[They] are keeping their plans incredibly private, they're not planning a big public announcement. She has been telling her inner circle about organizing their nuptials, everything will be very low-key. Her relationship with Ant is super strong and they're madly in love, and they can't wait to get hitched," a source said.
But don't rush out to get a wedding present just yet… The same day The Sun reported on the alleged engagement, People magazine threw cold water on the report, noting that while the Oscar winner and the British TV host are not set to wed, they're "very happy and in love."
MORE: Celeb engagements of 2023
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During an interview with "Extra" that debuted online on July 14, Shaun White carefully sidestepped questions about whether or not he and his girlfriend of more than three years, Nina Dobrev, are secretly engaged: "We're just taking our time and seeing what life has to offer right now. But, yeah, we kind of laugh when we see these headlines pop up," the Olympian said of recent rumors they're set to wed… without definitively clarifying whether or not he and the "Vampire Diaries" actress are, in fact, engaged.
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According to Vogue, which published exclusive wedding photos, Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin tied the knot in her native Hungary on July 15. The former child star and the model exchanged vows at the same church in Albertirsa where her parents wed 34 years earlier. They then made things official in a civil ceremony at her parents' estate, Harlekin Birtok — a wedding venue and event space. "It's gonna take some time for me to get used to being called Mrs. Sprouse. Dylan's been calling me his wife for three years now, so there's not a lot of adjusting on his end," said the bride, who's changing her name to Barbara Sprouse. In the fall, she and the actor plan on saying "I do" in front of even more family and friends in California. They got engaged in September 2022.
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On July 15, former "The Real Housewives of Orange County" star Braunwyn Windham-Burke took to Instagram to announce that she proposed to her partner of a year, Jennifer Spinner, on their first anniversary: "She said 'YES!' Happy Anniversary, [Jen], I couldn't imagine a more perfect place than where we first met to ask you to be my wife and spend your life with me! You truly are my person, I love you in all the ways, big and small, and I can't wait to marry you (yes we have a date!!) … I HAVE A FIANCÉE!!!" she captioned a slideshow of photos depicting the proposal, which went down in New York City's Little Island park.
"I've never been happier. Jen is my person. She said to me once, 'How much do you love me?' And I looked at her and said, 'It's not how much I love you. It's how small I love you. I love you on a molecular level.' And that's really it. My DNA was made for her. I'm thrilled to be able to say now, 'This is my fiancée,'" the reality star gushed to People magazine, which published exclusive proposal pics.
The mother of seven went on to explain that she decided to propose now because she finally has "an end date" in her divorce from estranged husband, Sean Burke: "We're about 80 days from it wrapping. Before, the divorce seemed endless, like it would never happen, so we did things like exchange promise rings or have that [non-legally-binding] Vegas wedding with Elvis in efforts to set intentions in our relationship. 'This is what we are promising to each other. This is our commitment to start a life together.' Now, it's different. I proposed today knowing we can actually start planning a wedding. So it feels incredible," Braunwyn explained, adding that they're planning to tie the knot in Nashville in October.
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According to People magazine, "The Real Housewives of Dallas" alum Kary Brittingham got engaged to her boyfriend of less than a year, injury lawyer Mark A. Anderson, while vacationing in Tuscany on July 11. "I still can't believe it, I am over the moon. Even now, all these days later, I'm sitting here, like, shocked that it happened. I feel like I'm in a dream!" said the bride-to-be, who just finalized her divorce from her second husband, Eduardo Brittingham, in June. She went on to gush of her beau, who popped the question with a massive 12-carat diamond ring, "It really feels like I found a needle in a haystack. If I could have put on paper all the things I was looking for in somebody, it's him. I'm madly in love and just feel so grateful. He says to me all the time, 'Oh my god, how did I get so lucky?' And I'm like, 'How did I get so lucky?' We're both very lucky. It's very sweet." The couple met on Match.com in July 2022.
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On July 16, "Sister Wives" star Gwendlyn Brown took to Instagram to announce that she and Beatriz Queiroz tied the knot in Flagstaff, Arizona. "Say hello to Mrs. (x2) Queiroz," she captioned a photo of herself kissing her new missus, who popped the question in late 2022 following a courtship of about seven months. Gwendlyn's parents are "Sister Wives" patriarch Kody Brown and his ex-wife, Christine Brown.
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On July 17, country music duo Kat & Alex — Kat Luna and Alex Georgia — took to Instagram to share a joint statement announcing that they're going their separate ways following more than two years of marriage: "As we are writing this, our hearts are heavy to have to make this announcement. After four years of love and music, we have mutually decided to part ways both musically and romantically. We are so incredibly grateful for the time God has given us together with not only each other, but with y'all. Life isn't always a perfectly straight road, and we are learning every day how to navigate it. We hold nothing but love for each other in our hearts and ask only for your support and understanding throughout this process," wrote the "American Idol" alums.
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On July 11, Lori Harvey and Quavo were seen leaving a restaurant in West Hollywood around the same time as each other. The timing sparked rumors they're dating. The following day, however, the model took to TikTok to set the record straight, explaining in the comments section of a video depicting the purported lunch date that she was actually "having lunch with my besties who are right behind me." (The other women could, in fact, be seen walking behind her.) On July 15, Lori took to her Instagram Story to prove that she and her boyfriend of several months, Damson Idris, are still going strong: She shared a sweet video of herself showing some PDA to the "Snowfall" actor as they had lunch together. Quavo, meanwhile, has been linked to gymnast Erica Fontaine since the spring.
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On July 15, "The Real Housewives of Miami" star Marysol Patton and her husband of a little more than two years, Steve McNamara, renewed their vows at Ardgowan Castle in Glasgow. "My mom predicted I would get married again and again and again. So I am — to Steve! We are already planning the next one, and it's going to be fabulous," the reality star said, according to People magazine.
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On July 19, Melissa Joan Hart took to Instagram to publicly celebrate her 20th wedding anniversary with Mark Wilkerson: "20 years ago I said I do, and I would do it all over again! To infinity and beyond!" she captioned a video from their 2003 nuptials.
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On July 20, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita took to Instagram to publicly celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary. "Happy 10th Anniversary @justinmikita. I love you so very, very much and am so happy I get to call you my huzzzzzzbin," the "Modern Family" alum captioned a slideshow of photos and videos with his hubby. Justin, meanwhile, captioned a slideshow of two photos of himself and the actor en route to a celebratory dinner at Don Angie in New York City, "10 YEARS! Here's to 50 more. Happy anniversary, @jessetyler. Loved celebrating my favorite wedding with my favorite guy in my favorite city at my favorite restaurant."
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According to People magazine, which published exclusive wedding photos, country music singer and HGTV Canada star Kortney Wilson married Ryan Vella at the Paradisus Playa Del Carmen resort in Mexico on July 9. "I believe in second chances and that staying true to who you are means something. And it means that I am enough. Just as I am, Ryan loves me and I'm in love with loving him for the rest of my life," the bride gushed. She and her new hubby met on a dating app in 2020 after she split from her "Masters of Flip" co-host Dave Wilson following nearly two decades of marriage.
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According to People magazine, Faith Evans and Stevie J. finalized their divorce on July 13 — nearly two years after the music producer first filed to legally end the marriage. The duo tied the knot in July 2018.
