Sharon Stone has openly confirmed that she once dated rapper Nelly, putting to rest rumors about their brief romantic encounter. The confirmation came during a televised interview on August 17, when the actress discussed the story with Andy Cohen on “Watch What Happens Live.”
During the show, Cohen directly asked Stone if she had ever gone on a date with the “Grillz” rapper, to which she candidly replied, “Yes, I did.” However, she made it clear there was only one date, saying, “No. I did not,” when asked if they went out again. This revelation provides insight into Stone’s past relationships and adds to the list of surprising celebrity romances circulating in Hollywood.
The Brief Encounter Between Sharon Stone and Nelly
While the initial question from Andy Cohen sparked intrigue, Sharon Stone did not share many details about the date or what transpired during their time together. The Rolling Stone actress, now 67, confirmed the encounter with a smile, but declined to elaborate. Nelly, whose birth name is Cornell Haynes Jr., is now 50 years old and has since moved on with his personal life, marrying longtime love Ashanti in 2023 and fathering a 12-month-old son, Kareem.
Stone’s romantic history includes other prominent relationships as well. Before her fleeting date with Nelly, she underwent a divorce from TV producer Michael Greenburg in 1990 and later married actor Phil Bronstein in 1998. The couple had a son, Roan, now 25, before divorcing in 2004. Stone has also expanded her family by adopting two sons, Laird, 20, and Quinn, 19.
Sharon Stone’s Views on Relationships Today
Speaking about her current relationship status and future hopes, Stone appeared optimistic yet realistic. In a January 2024 interview with The Times, she expressed a strong desire for a lasting partnership. She said,
“I’d be absolutely ecstatic to have a relationship,”
emphasizing how much her painting keeps her absorbed, thus making potential partners “pop out of the woodwork” only by coincidence.
Despite her busy life, Stone mentioned she has tried dating platforms like Tinder but approaches dating more thoughtfully now that she is a parent. She explained,
“I think being a parent made me more thoughtful about who I would date. Once you recognize that the decisions that you make impact someone else… This is why I joke about my boyfriends from foreign countries, because I always think it’s one thing if you’re away and having some fun. But then what happens is that person wants to keep dating you. You’re like, OK, well, I’ll date you when I see you in that foreign country.”
—Sharon Stone
Hollywood’s Surprisingly Real Celebrity Couples
The entertainment industry has long been filled with unexpected romances and surprising relationships. Here are some notable celebrity couples who kept their love lives intriguing, from brief encounters to more enduring bonds.
Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis
Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis portrayed doomed lovers on screen twice but shared a warm off-screen romance. Pitt spoke about their relationship in a 1995 Vanity Fair interview, reflecting on their connection with admiration. He said,
“There’s some real genius there. I had a great time with her…It was one of the greatest relationships I’ve ever been in. The problem is, we grow up with this vision that love conquers all, and that’s just not so, is it?”
—Brad Pitt
Winona Ryder and Matt Damon
Once an inseparable couple of the late 1990s, Winona Ryder and Matt Damon dated after an introduction from Gwyneth Paltrow. Their relationship ended in 2000, but both have spoken kindly about each other since. Ryder said in 2009,
“Matt couldn’t be a greater, nicer guy. I’m really lucky that I’m on good terms with him.”
—Winona Ryder
Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake
Their chemistry was evident in 2003, when Diaz presented Timberlake with an award at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. The pair dated for nearly four years before ending their relationship amicably in 2007. Their breakup statement noted they parted,
“mutually and as friends, with continued love and respect for one another.”
—Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake’s representatives
Alec Baldwin and Kristin Davis
Kristin Davis revealed dating Alec Baldwin was part of her past, noting details about an old flame’s financial issues on a 2025 podcast. She clarified it wasn’t Baldwin who asked to borrow money, stating,
“Alec Baldwin was so rich by the time I dated Alec Baldwin, I would have never needed to lend Alec $5,000. Oh my God.”
—Kristin Davis
David Moscow and Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington appeared on the 2005 cover of InStyle Weddings as she was engaged to actor David Moscow, but their relationship ended in 2007.
Madonna and Tupac Shakur
Madonna spoke publicly about her romantic connection with Tupac Shakur, recounting the time during a 2015 discussion with Howard Stern. She revealed,
“I was dating Tupac at the time, and the thing is…he got me all riled up on life in general.”
—Madonna
Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon
The two starred together in the 2007 thriller “Rendition” and dated for a couple of years. Gyllenhaal praised Witherspoon, saying,
“She is, as I would say about most of the women who I’m close friends with or had relationships in my life, one of the smartest, strongest people I’ve ever met.”
Jesse Metcalfe and Scheana Shay
Scheana Shay recalled her mid-2000s romance with Jesse Metcalfe in her 2025 memoir, describing intimate moments filled with shared dinners and serenades. She wrote,
“We would order in dinner with his parents at his house, and—when we were alone—he would play the guitar and serenade me with songs like ‘Hey There Delilah.’ It felt like I was living a real-life fantasy with this guy I’d watched on TV and in movies for years.”
—Scheana Shay
Meg Tilly and Colin Firth
Before marrying Livia Giuggioli, Colin Firth had a significant relationship with Meg Tilly that lasted five years and produced their son William Joseph Firth, born in 1990. William later appeared alongside his father in “Bridget Jones’s Baby.”
Mandy Moore and Andy Roddick
Between 2003 and 2004, Mandy Moore and tennis champion Andy Roddick dated, although the romance ultimately did not last. Moore described her youthful heartbreak, saying,
“He broke my heart. I was a kid, he was a kid. I started dating him when I was 18.”
—Mandy Moore
Dave Coulier and Alanis Morissette
One enduring music mystery involves whether Dave Coulier inspired Alanis Morissette’s 1995 hit “You Oughta Know.” While Morissette denied this in a 2021 documentary, speculation continues.
Alanis Morissette and Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds openly adored Morissette’s music during their relationship, joking in 2005,
“Oh yeah, I love her music. It can be awkward when she walks in and I’m listening to it in my underwear dancing.”
—Ryan Reynolds
January Jones and Jason Sudeikis
Jones and Sudeikis briefly dated in 2010, preceding her later relationship with Will Forte by several years.
Minnie Driver and Matt Damon
Though former partners, Damon described their relationship kindly in 1998 and emphasized their lasting friendship. He said,
“I was with Minnie for a while, but we’re not really romantically involved anymore. We’re just really good friends, and I love her dearly….It wasn’t meant to be, you know? And if it’s not meant to be, then it’s not meant to be.”
—Matt Damon
Driver later expressed discomfort when Damon publicly announced their breakup, stating,
“It seemed like a good forum for him to announce to the world that we were no longer together, which I found fantastically inappropriate.”
—Minnie Driver
Helen Mirren and Liam Neeson
Helen Mirren and Liam Neeson met on the set of the 1981 film “Excalibur” and briefly lived together before parting ways in the mid-1980s. Neeson fondly reminisced,
“I should be so lucky and be honored to have spent three or four years with that lady. She’s really something else.”
—Liam Neeson
Jeff Goldblum and Laura Dern
Goldblum and Dern began dating after filming “Jurassic Park” in 1993. Goldblum admitted,
“I was struck, I’d been a big fan of hers. I think she’s an amazing actress, and a spectacular person. I was struck from the beginning. But after the movie we realized we liked each other.”
Although engaged in 1995, they split in 1997. They later reunited for “Jurassic World: Dominion” in 2022.
Gillian Anderson and Peter Morgan
Gillian Anderson was in a relationship with “The Crown” creator Peter Morgan from 2016 to 2020. She received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher during this time.
David Arquette and Ellen Barkin
David Arquette recalled dating Ellen Barkin while working on the 1995 Western “Wild Bill.”
Jeremy Sisto and Reese Witherspoon
Jeremy Sisto confirmed during a 2015 Reddit AMA that he dated Reese Witherspoon early in their careers after starring together in the 1992 TV movie
“Desperate Choices: To Save My Child.”
He reflected,
“She was my first actress girlfriend. We had a long distance relationship for a long time. I was so into her.”
—Jeremy Sisto
Bethenny Frankel and Eric Stonestreet
Bethenny Frankel and Eric Stonestreet were a couple briefly in 2015, as reported by entertainment outlets, but ended their relationship by 2016.
Regina King and Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Before parting ways in 2013, Regina King and Malcolm-Jamal Warner were together for several years.
Kelly Preston and George Clooney
Before Clooney’s Hollywood more public relationships, he dated Kelly Preston from 1987 to 1989. The couple even shared a home with a pet pig named Max.
Val Kilmer and Cher
During the 1980s, following her divorces, Cher and Val Kilmer dated, blending two distinctive Hollywood icons behind the scenes.
Seal and Tyra Banks
Before his marriage to Heidi Klum, Seal had a romance with supermodel Tyra Banks.
Meagan Good and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
The couple briefly dated for six months after meeting on the set of “Brick” in 2005.
Joshua Jackson and Rosario Dawson
The two dated for about a year in 2002, during the early stages of their respective careers.
Chris O’Donnell and Reese Witherspoon
The duo briefly dated in 1993 when Witherspoon first moved to Los Angeles.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey Jr.
Downey cited his struggles with alcohol and drugs as a major reason their relationship with Parker ended. He shared in a 2008 interview,
“I liked to drink, and I had a drug problem, and that didn’t jibe with Sarah Jessica, because it is the furthest thing from what she is. She tried to help me. She was so miffed when I didn’t get my act together.”
—Robert Downey Jr.
Matthew Perry and Heather Graham
Although their fling in 2003 was brief, it remains part of the Hollywood dating lore involving these two actors.
Tom Hiddleston and Kat Dennings
They dated for a short period around 2010, seen together promoting their Marvel film but parting ways before its premiere.
