By Jessica Wedemeyer
8:30am PDT, Aug 6, 2023
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Join us as we take a look back at the stars who found love, suffered heartbreak or experienced some other major event in their love lives in late July 2023, starting with these stars…
On July 26 — a few days after a video of Alix Earle purportedly packing on the PDA with a mystery man hit the Internet — E! News reported that, according to a source, she wasn't cheating on her rumored boyfriend, NFL star Braxton Berrios, because they aren't exclusive and "never became official." Said the source, "Alix had stated repeatedly and publicly that she wanted to have a fun summer with her friends and not jump into anything too serious. … [They] have always agreed they were not exclusive or official knowing that Alix wanted to have a fun summer after just graduating [from college] and Braxton would be off at training before the end of the summer." The insider also downplayed the TikTok star's decision to walk the red carpet with the professional football player at the 2023 ESPY Awards, explaining that "Alix was conveniently in L.A. already for work when she decided last minute to attend with Braxton for fun." The duo reportedly "continue to talk and are just enjoying life together whenever there is time to see each other." As for Alix's new mystery man? According to the rumor mill, he's Donna Karan's grandson, Sebastian de Felice.
For anyone who hasn't been keeping count: This is the second cheating scandal that Alix and Braxton have sparked so far this year.
Keep reading for more of the week's biggest celeb love life updates …
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On July 18, People magazine broke the news that Reese Witherspoon's ex-husband, Jim Toth, has a new girlfriend just four months after he and the Oscar winner announced that they were going their separate ways following more than a decade of marriage. According to a source, the former talent agent "looked really happy" while recently vacationing with his new love in Costa Rica. "It was definitely romantic," the source said.
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After TMZ broke the news that Ariana Grande and her "Wicked" co-star Ethan Slater are dating amid her separation from her husband of two years, Dalton Gomez, and the Broadway star's separation from his wife and former high school sweetheart, Lilly Jay, the webloid called into question the timeline of the new romance. On July 26 — the same day Ethan filed for divorce in New York — TMZ reported that Lilly is devastated and heartbroken by the news that Ethan and Ariana are more than friendly colleagues, especially because they all hung out together before things took a turn. She also feels like her estranged husband turned his back on their family. (They just welcomed a son in August 2022.)
A second TMZ source, however, painted a slightly different picture of the situation, saying, "It's understandable that emotions are high and it's hard seeing your ex move on, especially in such a public way, and her friends are trying to protect her. But Ari and Ethan are just trying to lay low and be respectful of their exes as they pursue this new relationship."
Other media outlets have also shared conflicting reports on whether or not Ethan's relationship with Ariana played a role in his split from Lilly. A Page Six source, for example, said that Ariana is the reason the former long-term couple are "suddenly [breaking] up now when nothing appeared wrong between them."
On July 27, DailyMail.com reported that, according to a source, Lilly first learned that Ethan and Ariana were having an affair when she visited him on the London set of "Wicked" in April with their son. The former high school sweethearts tried to "put it behind them and work on their marriage," but Lilly soon discovered that her husband was still seeing the Grammy winner. "[Lilly] thought they were happy. But that did not work out [because Ariana and Ethan] kept the affair going," the source said.
An Us Weekly source previously claimed that Ethan blindsided Lilly with the news about his relationship with Ariana: He reportedly told her "a few days before the news broke about him and Ariana and said that he wanted a divorce." Lilly "never saw it coming" — even though the "Wicked" co-stars "weren't careful" about keeping their on-set romance a secret: "They'd hold hands on set in between takes. They were sloppy and not hiding it," the insider alleged.
A second Us Weekly source, however, insisted that Ethan and Lilly were separated when he started dating Ariana and that "the relationship is recent."
Yet another Us Weekly source said that Ariana's estranged husband is also "devastated" by the situation. "A separation is not what he's wanted. He wanted the fairy tale, happy ending, and it's not looking that way," the source said. A fourth Us Weekly source claimed that the luxury real estate agent is "really hoping to make things work with Ariana." Said the insider, "Despite the rocky patches they've been through, he isn't ready to give up on their marriage. He saw himself spending the rest of his life with Ariana and will do anything to get past this. … He's not over Ariana and would still love to win her back." The singer-actress, meanwhile, "just wants to move forward and has no hard feelings about their breakup."
MORE: Notorious celeb cheating scandals
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On July 24 — a little more than a month after Tom Brady and Irina Shayk first sparked romance rumors — TMZ broke the news that the former professional football player and the model are dating in the wake of his late 2022 split from Gisele Bundchen. The NFL GOAT and the brunette beauty reportedly spent the night together at his home in Los Angeles on July 21. The following day, the father of three was caught on camera caressing the former Victoria's Secret Angel's face as they rode together in his car before returning to his home for the second day in a row.
Since then, there have been conflicting reports about just how serious things are between them. "They're dating and having fun. … They have a lot of chemistry. They're excited to see where it goes but it's still early days," said a DailyMail.com source, noting that Tom invited Irina to visit him in L.A. after they connected at a mutual friend's wedding in May. "They've been in touch ever since then, trying to line up schedules to meet," the insider added.
A second DailyMail.com source insisted that Irina is "not just a fling" for Tom and that "he really wants to make this work." According to the insider, Tom is "really ecstatic that this is happening" because he feels like he and Irina "totally get each other" and he "finds her extremely interesting" with "a clever sense of humor that really appeals to everything he is all about." Continued the pro-Irina source, "[Tom] always told himself after his divorce that he would only get involved with someone [with whom] a future could be made, someone he could eventually introduce to his kids. He really thinks very highly of [Irina] and where this relationship could go. He has zero worry with her, they seem to get each other and get along quite well."
There have also been conflicting reports about how Gisele feels about the new romance. Similarly, Irina's former long-term partner, Bradley Cooper, is said to be either completely unbothered or a bit "conflicted" over his ex's relationship with the athlete: "He feels that, for the first time, she met someone in Tom that would take her heart away from him forever," one DailyMail.com source said of the Oscar-nominated actor.
MORE: Celeb PDA of 2023
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As Ethan Slater's romance with Ariana Grande made headlines, his estranged wife, Lilly Jay, finally broke her silence: "[Ariana's] the story really. Not a girl's girl," she told Page Six, adding that her family is "just collateral damage" to the singer-actress. She told TMZ, meanwhile, that she's focused on the son she welcomed with the Broadway star in August 2022 and "doing my best to navigate a spotlight I have never wanted or experienced before." She added that she decided to speak out after "watching with horror as stories are published speaking to my experience." Said Lilly, "I am asking for privacy and respect as an individual who is not in the entertainment industry and as a mom. I ask to be left alone to rebuild my life and raise the beautiful boy I gave birth to last year."
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On the July 25 episode of Carlos King's "Reality with The King" podcast, NeNe Leakes revealed that she and Nyonisela Sioh are "taking a break" after nearly two years of coupledom: "[There are] things I'm not happy with, things he's not happy with. It's just not working at the moment," she said, adding that the fashion entrepreneur "is single so if any of the ladies out there want to holla at him, go right ahead."
The former "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star is already looking to the future: "My next relationship will be absolutely private. This was the most public I think I've ever been in any relationship … and I just feel like it's just best to be private," she said, according to People magazine. She also noted that she's "open to all ethnicities" but wants her next boyfriend "to make more money" than she does.
She doesn't think she'll ever find a love like she had with her late husband, Gregg Leakes, though: "My love with Gregg was the ultimate, and I feel like you just don't find love like that. I don't know I'll ever find that again. I just don't. … I think that I'll find a great guy to spend my life with. But Gregg, he was pretty up there. It's going to be hard to get up there. I hope I meet a great guy, though," she said.
MORE: Celeb splits of 2023
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While making a speech at a friend's wedding on July 23, Hulk Hogan announced that he and his girlfriend of a little more than a year, Sky Daily, are engaged. "She was crazy enough to say yes," the wrestling icon said in video the yoga instructor shared on her private Instagram account. He later told TMZ that he popped the question at a restaurant in Tampa, Florida, earlier in the month. It'll be his third marriage. He just confirmed in early 2022 that his second marriage was kaput.
MORE: Celeb engagements of 2023
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On July 22, former CNN boss Jeff Zucker was snapped holding hands with married CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota as they left a party in the Hamptons that his long-term girlfriend, Allison Gollust, was seen leaving alone. (See photos here.) As the apparent PDA made headlines, a Page Six source insisted that Jeff and Alisyn are "just old friends" and that his relationship with Allison is still going strong: "Allison and Jeff have never been happier," the source said, adding that when Jeff and Alisyn left the party hand-in-hand, they were actually "going to meet Allison for coffee." Jeff and Allison resigned from their roles at CNN in early 2022 after he confirmed that he'd failed to disclose their workplace romance. (The affair ended their respective marriages.) Alisyn, meanwhile, has been married to Tim Lewis since 2002. DailyMail.com later reported that some CNN staffers believe the hand-holding incident was a publicity stunt. One source claimed that the "CNN Tonight" host "knew damn well what she was doing would get people talking."
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On July 22, Page Six reported that, according to a source close to Sofia Vergara, in the wake of her recent split from Joe Manganiello, the "Modern Family" actress is "living her best life … after being stifled in a relationship with a largely unsupportive partner." The insider added that Sofia was "always there to take care of Joe," whose "career was never what it was when they met." The source also suggested that the "True Blood" alum was "threatened by her success and joie de vivre." Ouch!
A second Page Six source shut down recent reports that Joe's sobriety played a role in the breakup: "Joe is fully secure and at one with his sobriety, and while sobriety is a continuous practice, his ongoing commitment to being sober was never in any way threatened by being married to someone who drinks responsibly. It's a pathetic attempt to come up with an excuse."
As for what went wrong, the second source noted that Sofia and Joe's relationship was initially fueled by "physical chemistry, though also a lot of loyalty and respect." Said the insider, "Neither of them cheated. They very much did their own thing for large stretches of time and were frequently apart, but they were always able to still feel that passion for each other when they saw each other, but that flame has now gone out."
Continued the insider, "Sofia seems to be doing absolutely fine — she has all the time and the money in the world to do whatever she wants next. Joe seems a little more dejected but also resolute in knowing this was the right way to go. A lot of friends expect that he will ultimately move on to someone far younger and will start a family; he's always wanted kids, and that clearly wasn't going to happen with Sofia." The source concluded by saying that, ultimately, Sofia and Joe will "both be completely fine," but "absolutely no one expects their circles to continue to overlap or for there to be any real continuing friendship."
MORE: Celeb splits of 2023
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On July 21, TMZ published photos of Kevin Costner's estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, vacationing in Hawaii with his friend Josh Connor — a recently divorced (and apparently wealthy) financier who lives near the former couple in Carpinteria, California. As the hangout made headlines, the webloid reported that, according to their sources, although Christine and Josh are very close, there's "absolutely no romantic relationship" between them. "They have been good friends for years," one source said.
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Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann may have called off their divorce on July 7, but they're not out of the woods just yet: On July 24, TMZ reported that the reality stars are "fighting again" and that sources close to them believe they could break up again soon, though they wouldn't necessarily rush to file for divorce the second time around.
An Us Weekly source, meanwhile, said that "every day is an uphill battle" for the duo. "Those close to them think the reconciliation will be short-lived. … There's simply too much bad blood and hatred toward each other. There's a lot of s***-talking, and it's hard to see how this will be resolved amicably. They are also not seeking counseling," the source said. (TMZ previously reported that the volatile pair were "relying on their shared Christian faith" to heal their relationship.)
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During a July 24 Amazon Live, Kyle Richards indicated that she and her estranged husband, Mauricio Umanksy, are still working on their marriage after recently separating. While discussing their decision to release a statement addressing the reports that they'd separated, the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star acknowledged that they've "had a hard year" but "made a point to say divorce is not being discussed." Said the mother of four, "It's weird to have to acknowledge to millions of strangers that you're having problems. It would be nice to be able to work through issues in your life without everybody watching and weighing in on it." She added that she, Mauricio and their four daughters "all felt better" after the news broke "because so many people were speculating and making up stories and it just was getting out of control."
A few days earlier, "Entertainment Tonight" reported that, according to a source, Kyle's relationship with Mauricio is "a work in progress" and the reality star is "taking things day by day." Said the source, "As always, their family is their priority and they are both taking their kids into consideration. They want to keep their family unified no matter what happens. … Regardless of what the future holds, they both want to have a consistently healthy, trustworthy, loving and honest dynamic. Their kids are hoping for the best."
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On July 24, Bethenny Frankel told E! News that she and her fiancé of more than two years, Paul Bernon, may never tie the knot: "I've been engaged for so long. … I don't want to [plan] a wedding. I love my life, I love my fiancé. He's an amazing life partner, and I don't want to sign a contract with someone I love and I don't want to plan a massive wedding for everybody else and not what we want. … I like doing what you want, not what society wants you to do," said the former "The Real Housewives of New York City" star, who spent nearly a decade fighting to divorce her ex-husband, Jason Hoppy.
She went on to share that she sometimes questions why Paul sticks around: "What everyone's thinking is, 'How the hell does this guy deal with this person?' As my publicist said last night, 'He must be the most patient person.' And I said to her, 'I ask him often: Why are you here?' and he'll say to me, 'I choose to be here.' He lives with a clown and he loves comedy, so that's the answer: I'm smart and funny and he enjoys comedy and he gets the front-row seat to this clown show," she said.
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Michelle Yeoh and her long-term partner, former Ferrari CEO Jean Todt, tied the knot in Geneva on July 27 — nearly two decades after they got engaged following a courtship of less than two months. According to their wedding program, which former Ferrari Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa shared on Instagram, the couple met in Shanghai in early June 2004 and got engaged in late July 2004. They wrote that they were "happy to celebrate this special moment" after nearly 7,0000 days together.
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On July 27, actress Talulah Riley took to X — the social media platform previously known as Twitter — to announce that she and her love of two years, actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster, recently got engaged: "Very happy to share that after two years of dating, Thomas Brodie Sangster and I are engaged!" she captioned a photo of herself with the former child star. Her ex-husband, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk — to whom she was married from 2010 to 2012 and again from 2013 to 2016 — took to the comments section on X, which he owns, to share a king message for the happy couple: "Congratulations!" he tweeted alongside a heart emoji.
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On July 25, People magazine broke the news that Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro recently called it quits, reporting that "despite the love and respect the singers have for one another, they have both agreed to end their engagement." (They just announced in March that they were set to wed.)
The following day — amid speculation that cheating played a role in the split — Rauw confirmed the breakup news on his Instagram Story, writing in Spanish, "Yes, a few months ago Rosi and I ended our engagement. There are thousands of problems that can cause a breakup, but in our case, it was not because of third parties or infidelity. Out of respect for her, our families and everything we experienced, I could not remain silent and continue watching how they try to destroy the realest story of love that God has allowed me to live."
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During an interview with People magazine that debuted online on July 26, LaKeith Stanfield and model Kasmere Trice revealed that they recently tied the knot and welcomed their first child together. (The "Get Out" actor has two older daughters from previous relationships.) "I want to spend the rest of my life with her," the "Atlanta" alum gushed of his new missus, adding that they "manifested this beautiful family" together. The actor-musician also said of how they fell for each other after initially connecting as friends, "As love does, it just smacked us out of nowhere. I'm working on my music, writing and writing, and then this person who I was seemingly writing about pops up in my life. It was strange. … I released myself to the love." They got engaged in December 2022.
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According to TMZ, Beyonce and Solange Knowles' mother, Tina Knowles, filed to divorce her husband of nearly a decade, Richard Lawson, on July 26. She reportedly listed the previous day as their official date of separation, cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split and indicated that neither she nor the "All My Children" alum should pay spousal support to the other. The former couple tied the knot in 2015 following a courtship of two years.
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On July 25, Chase Chrisley took to his Instagram Story to announce that he and Emmy Medders recently called off their engagement and went their separate ways. "Everybody has been asking a lot of questions regarding Emmy and myself. We both agreed to part ways and move on with our lives separately. Thank you for respecting our privacy," the "Chrisley Knows Best" star wrote after fans noticed that he and Emmy had deleted photos of each other from their respective social media accounts.
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On July 15 — a month after Normani and DK Metcalf first sparked romance rumors with a dinner date in Santa Monica, California — the singer and the professional football player made their relationship Instagram official: The former Fifth Harmony member took to her Instagram Story to share a sweet snap of the Seattle Seahawks player pecking her on the cheek at a wedding they attended together.
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Alana Thompson is taking a major step forward with her long-term boyfriend, Dralin Carswell: They're planning to move in together when they relocate from Georgia to Denver in the fall. "I think it'll be good for us. … I think it will be fun," the erstwhile Honey Boo Boo — who plans to study nursing at Colorado's Regis University — told "Entertainment Tonight" in an interview that hit the Internet on July 20. When asked if her beau of nearly three years is "The One," she replied, "I can't say that because I don't know what life holds, but I hope [he is]."
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During an interview with The Washington Post that debuted online on July 20, Tiffany Haddish shut down Common's previous assessment that their 2021 breakup was mutual: "It was more him saying, 'I think this relationship has run its course.' And I was like, 'OK. Like, you gonna be a 50-year-old single man. OK?'" she recalled, adding that she knew they were headed toward a split when he stopped inviting her to events including his own birthday party. Ultimately, she claimed, he dumped her over the phone.
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On July 15, "One Life to Live" and "General Hospital" actress Kristen Alderson got engaged to her boyfriend of two years, singer-actor Taylor Crousore, at Pier 84 at Hudson River Park in New York City, where they had their first date in 2021. The blonde beauty shared the happy news on Instagram five days later, captioning a slideshow of proposal pics, "Taylor, you are everything I ever dreamed of and more! I feel like I've been with you for a lifetime and almost can't remember life before you. When I think I can't possibly love you more, I somehow feel giddier EVERY DAY that I have the honor of being yours. Thank you for making me feel the MOST special and loved and taken care of. … You make all of my dreams come true and I cannot wait to spend forever with you!"
Taylor, meanwhile, captioned his own slideshow of proposal pics, "When I had my first date with @krisalderson on this pier, from the moment we first sat on that bench and kissed, I knew I was going to ask her to marry me. I just figured I'd give it a reasonable two years to ask so I didn't sound even crazier after telling you 'I love you' on the first date. Kristen, there is no one else I could ever even imagine spending forever with. Your love, kindness, optimism, strength, goofiness and passion make me want to be a better person every day."
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On July 20 — three days after "Love Is Blind" and "Perfect Match" star Bartise Bowden debuted his new girlfriend, Cait Vanderberry, on Instagram — People magazine reported that, according to a source, the reality star is "so happy" with his new love, who may be "it for him." It's unclear how long exactly they've been an item.
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Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury — who first connected on the fifth season of the British version of "Love Island" in 2019 — got engaged on July 23, they revealed on Instagram. "Forever," they captioned a video depicting the proposal. They also shared a photo of themselves kissing while posing with their daughter and showing off the bride-to-be's new engagement ring: "To my perfect fiancé… forever wouldn't be long enough to call you mine," they wrote in the caption.
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Anne de Paula and Joel Embiid tied the knot in Southampton, New York, on July 22, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue model announced on Instagram a few days later, captioning a slideshow of wedding photos with the Philadelphia 76ers player, "You and me forever. We're made for each other." The couple, who share a son, first connected in 2018.
