Celeb Couples: From Denial to Breakup

Madonna and Ritchie's split was a long time coming for the couple, whose apparent differences fueled their breakup in 2008. "There were times when I felt incarcerated," the singer has said. "I wasn't really allowed to be myself. It doesn't mean that marriage is a bad thing. But if you're an artist, you've got to find someone who accepts who you are."

From denial to split: 1 year
When stories popped up in 2010 that Kutcher had cheated on his A-list wife, the couple took to Twitter to declare the tales "fiction" and stepped up their PDA at events. New reports that Kutcher had been unfaithful surfaced in 2011, and by mid-November 2011, Moore decided to file for divorce. Even more telling? She dumped her MrsKutcher Twitter handle in May 2012 for JustDemi.

From denial to split: 9 months
In January 2010, Arquette admitted that there were issues in his marriage to Scream costar Courteney Cox, but was adamant that their relationship was strong. "You know, it's weird, because it turns up in the tabloids, and your friends start calling you like there's a problem," he complained. In October that same year, however, the couple separated, with both stars filing for divorce in June.

From denial to split: 6 months
When PEOPLE first reported Depp's road to breakup with the French actress in January, Paradis was the first to call the reports false. Then in May, the actor chimed in, saying, "No matter what I say about this, people believe the opposite. I can't say enough about it not being over." A month later, Depp's publicist announced that the couple of nearly 14 years – who have two children together – "have amicably separated."

From denial to split: 5 months
Though former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol was dogged from the get-go by gossip that her fiancé, Levi Johnston, was less than enthusiastic about becoming a permanent part of the Palin clan, both sides insisted it was true love even months after the 2008 elections. But by March 2009, the young Alaskans had split for good, before giving love another shot and quickly parting ways a year later.

From denial to split: 1 month
What a difference a month makes! On Nov. 31, 2011, the singer playfully denied that she and her comedian husband of a year were calling it quits. "First I'm pregnant amp then I'm divorced. What am I All My Children?!" she joked on Twitter. Only four weeks later, the two had stopped wearing their wedding rings and remained awkwardly silent about their marriage as they spent the holidays separately. By Dec. 30, 2011? Yep, you guessed it: Brand filed for divorce.

From denial to split: 25 days
The former Newlyweds denied rumors in October 2005 that there were problems in reality-show paradise, claiming "everything's perfect" as their third wedding anniversary approached. But things were less than perfect, and a month later, Lachey and Simpson split for real. "This is the mutual decision of two people with an enormous amount of respect and admiration for each other," they said of their divorce in a statement.

From denial to split: 2 days
Only weeks into their marriage, Kardashian and her basketball-playing husband fended off rumors that things were already falling apart. "Something I really prepared Kris for [was] to let him know that no matter what we do, there's going to be rumors," she said at a Halloween bash on Oct. 29. Hit the fast-forward button – ever so lightly – and only two days later, Kardashian was already filing for divorce from her husband of 72 days.

From denial to split: 1 day
When a publication reported in November 2010 that the NBA player had filed for divorce from his Desperate Housewife in a Texas courthouse in the wake of infidelity reports, Longoria's rep vehemently pooh-poohed the story. It was only a matter of hours before the impending split – if not the specific details – were proved true, as Longoria filed for divorce in L.A. the next day.