We all have that crew of friends that we would do anything for, whether it’s driving them to the airport at 6am or finding matches for them on Ship. It’s just what friends do. Famous people are no different, except that the people in their group chat might also be A-listers. Casual. I don’t know about you, but my Ship crew definitely doesn’t have any Oscar winners in it. Here are some surprising celebrity friendships you might not have known about.
Serena Williams & Kim Kardashian
Serena Williams and Kim Kardashian are two of the most famous women in the world, and they’ve actually known each other for more than 15 years. A few years ago, Kim told Vogue, “Serena’s the girl you can call and say anything to. She’ll never judge you, and she’s never too busy for you.” Obviously Kim has a lot of respect for Serena, and she attended the tennis champion’s New Orleans wedding with other stars like Colton Haynes and Eva Longoria.
Russell Brand & Helen Mirren
Russell Brand and Helen Mirren are 30 years apart, but they both have a great sense of humor, and they love working together. They’ve done a couple of movies together, and Brand even called their relationship“an unconsummated love affair…between a Dame and a vagabond.” I’m not sure I know what he’s talking about, but I’m glad it works for them.
Jennifer Aniston & Robert Downey Jr.
Jen and Robert have been friends since the ‘90s, and she even visited him when he was in prison. Famously, he introduced her to her (now ex) husband Justin Theroux, and made a speech at their wedding. Seriously, how can I get Robert Downey Jr. to be in my Ship crew? I need Iron Man to find me some matches.
50 Cent & Bette Midler
When 50 Cent isn’t busy feuding with the stars of Vanderpump Rules, he spends time with unexpected friends like Meryl Streep and Bette Midler. He and Bette have attended each other’s charity events in the past, and Bette even joked that 50 Cent was going to produce a rap albumfor her. Still waiting to hear Bette Midler rap, but I’m glad these two get along so well.
Gwyneth Paltrow & Jay-Z
Gwyneth and Jay met way back in 2006, and they’ve maintained a close relationship since then. They’ve both spoken publicly about their admiration for one another, and Gwyneth even revealedthat her kids call Jay-Z “Uncle Jay.” Honestly, I’m obsessed.
Kris Jenner & Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence has been public about her obsession with reality shows like The Real Housewives of New York City and Keeping Up With The Kardashians, so she was thrilled to get to know Kris Jenner in real life. A few years ago, Jennifer’s friends threw her a surprise birthday party and invited Kris. When JLaw first met her, she said“it was the closest ever come to losing consciousness. Honestly, I would be the same way.
So there you have it. Just like you and your best friend that you used to hate in middle school, friends can come from unexpected places. Now you’re her bridesmaid, and she’s finding matches for you on Ship, so anything is possible. Now seriously, who do I talk to about Robert Downey Jr. being my matchmaker?
Images: Shutterstock; Giphy (6)
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I think most people would agree that dating can be a total pain in the ass. It can be lonely and tedious trying to wade through everyone out there, just trying to find one good match. But if you’re lucky, you have some ride or die friends that are always trying to help you out. Whether my friends are setting me up with someone they know or helping me evaluate my matches on Ship, I need all the help I can get.
If you’re skeptical about the idea of your friends getting involved in your dating life, I get it. But maybe it’s a good idea to let them help you. Lots of your favorite celebrity couples have been set up through friends, and you might not even realize it. Here are some of our favorite examples:
Nick Jonas & Priyanka Chopra
When Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra first went public with their relationship last year, it seemed super random. Little did we know, there’s one surprising person at the center of their relationship: The Rock. Yes, like Dwayne Johnson. In 2017, Priyanka worked with The Rock on the Baywatch remake, and then Nick worked with him the next year in Jumanji.I’m not sure how much The Rock really played matchmaker here, but he did say that he’ll take credit “if they’re happy.”
Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner
Nick isn’t the only Jonas Brother who got a little romantic help from a friend. In 2016, Joe’s band DNCE did a song with Hailee Steinfeld, who is friends with Sophie Turner. Hailee revealed that Sophie texted her asking about Joe, and she gave her his number and the green light to go for it. Now Sophie is chugging drinks at sporting events and generally seems very happy, so her bold text definitely paid off.
Taylor Swift & Calvin Harris
This relationship wasn’t meant to be, but it was fun while it lasted. Back in 2015, Taylor and Calvin were first introduced by mutual friend (and fellow famous singer) Ellie Goulding. Ellie said that they’re both “really awesome and really tall,” so she thought they would make a great couple. And they did…for a while.
Cameron Diaz & Benji Madden
Cameron Diaz has been married to Benji Madden since 2015, and Nicole Richie happily takes credit for it. Nicole is married to Benji’s brother Joel, and she says that she’s “a devoted sister-in-law.” Someone please tell me how I can get into this family, because I really want to go to Thanksgiving with Nicole and Cameron.
John Krasinski & Emily Blunt
Truly, I think these two are one of the cutest couples in Hollywood. They also work well together, considering I’ve had to sleep with a white noise machine ever since I saw A Quiet Place. Turns out, they were set up on a blind date in 2008 by none other than Anne Hathaway. John said he wasn’t looking for a relationship at the time, but it was love at first sight when he met Emily.
Jennifer Aniston & Justin Theroux
Jennifer Aniston is one of the most famous and beautiful people in the world, but even pretty people can appreciate some help from a friend. Surprisingly, she was introduced to her ex Justin Theroux by Robert Downey Jr. This seems like, very random, but I guess it’s proof that love can happen in literally any way.
Meghan Markle & Prince Harry
This is the setup that made women all over the world question the dedication and loyalty of their friends. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were set up by a mystery mutual friend, and Meghan insists she didn’t really know anything about Harry before meeting him. She’s always said the only thing she asked was “Is he nice?,” which is what my mom asks me when she brings up a guy I went on one date with six months ago.
So you might not have A-list movie star friends to set you up on dates with other A-list movie stars, but that’s not really the point. Dating isn’t always fun, and having your friends in the picture can make it a little more enjoyable, and improve your results. Rather than wasting your time (and mental energy) alone on the apps, let your friends in your Ship crew do the heavy lifting for you. Maybe you’ll meet your Prince Harry (if you do, please tell him to slide in my DMs), or at least someone decent who won’t ignore your texts.
Images: Shutterstock; @priyankachopra, @joejonas, @calvinharris, @benjaminmadden, @johnkrasinski, @justintheroux, @kensingtonroyal / Instagram
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Navigating the world of online dating is difficult for me, because there is an essential vetting process involved (so you don’t end up going out to drinks with a serial killer—or worse, someone who works in finance), and yet, I really suck at vetting. The reason being, I have a type when it comes to men, and that type is flaming piles of garbage masquerading as humans. In college, I tended to date preppy frat guys whose idea of showing me a good time involved letting me sub in for their roommates during a beer pong game. Ah, romance! Suffice it to say, I could really use some help in the dating department, and there’s no one who wants to get their hands on my love life more than my friends. For the last seven years, these people have seen me get ghosted, engage in long-term Snapchat relationships with dudes I’ve matched with, and just generally date the real-life equivalent of Dean on Bachelor in Paradise. So I’m willing to give the girls who have seen me ugly cry into a vat of ranch dip a chance at playing matchmaker.
Enter: Ship, Betches’ new dating app which lets your friends find matches for you. It doesn’t matter if they’re single, married, dating, or pretending their dog counts as a significant other (looking right at you, Heather!), they all can help match you tf up. Imagine if that episode of Friends where Rachel Green said “You know what? I just shouldn’t be allowed to make decisions anymore” was your dating reality. Now stop imagining it, because it’s real, and it’s called Ship.
So let your friends do the Lord’s work, because these are the types of the guys they’ll try and set you up with on Ship.
The Business Bro
This is a guy who has an actual career, and I don’t mean as a full-time promoter of his own podcast. I mean he has a solid 9-5 job and can actually afford to cover your tab at the bar. As I mentioned earlier, I tend to fall for guys who are losers works in progress. And while money isn’t everything in a relationship, it certainly f*cking helps if you’re not having to foot the bill (and their cocaine problem) every time you go out. I’ll admit I’m a little intimidated by guys who seem to have their sh*t together, because what if they actually treat me right?? And, like, expect me not to keep them at an emotional arm’s-length away?? How will I stay funny?? Yeah, that’s terrifying. That said, your friends will definitely try and push you toward a guy like this because, like that third shot of tequila they shoved down your throat last Friday night, they know what’s good for you even if it’s a little hard to swallow.
The One Who Has A Dog
Guys with dogs have a 98% success rate with me, because I just assume that if they have a dog then they’re decent human beings. This isn’t always the case. Sometimes, the guys who post dog pics in their dating app bios are just f*ckboys hiding behind a very cute dog, or worse yet, manipulative AF, because they just stole their friend’s dog for a sec and passed it off as their own. This is the world we live in, ladies! Luckily, this is why you have good friends who can see beyond the golden retriever puppy, to the guy holding said puppy, and see if he should actually be allowed to breathe the same air as you. Instead of just “settling for the guy who has a dog” (hi), they’ll set you up with “the guy who has a dog AND a 401(k).” And then they’ll tell you, for the 100th time, what a 401(k) is.
The Guy Who’s Not “Your Type”
This is usually the type of guy my friends will try and set me up with, because as I mentioned earlier, my type is trash. Maybe this means they set me up with someone who actually seems emotionally available or who isn’t, like, actively dating someone else. Wow. That’s wild. I feel like a lot of times, I’m turned off by one attribute in a guy’s profile, like if he says he’s really into the outdoors, or if he wears too much flannel and seems like a hipster, because that’s not *typically* what I go for. But this is why I love my friends! They never hesitate to throw me off the proverbial cliff and into the arms of a guy who might actually be great, despite the fact that he mentioned he puts pineapple on his pizza.
The Guy With A Sick Apartment
Much to my mother’s dismay, I prefer to save my money and rent a space that’s about as legally close as I can get to a trap house without the DEA being called, rather than spend more than half my paycheck on what you may call an “adult apartment.” Obviously, this means I have to be deep into a relationship to invite a guy back to my place. So in the early stages of dating, I need to find a guy whose apartment is more suitable to spend time in than mine (not a high bar, but still). With Ship, my friends are able to suss out eligible bachelors with any of the following: a balcony, a dishwasher, a washer/dryer in-unit, or even the Holy Grail of New York apartments…a door man. In other words, my friends will find what’s best for me, even if I don’t want the best for myself.
The One Who Respects Women
Whether it’s a guy holding a baby girl who he has to specify in his profile is his niece, or a cute posed photo with his mom, there are ways to tell by looking at his profile if a guy might be down for the cause (and the cause to which I am referring is feminism). Someone with strong female influences in his life is probably more likely to tolerate my daily weekly rant about the patriarchy and march alongside me at the next Women’s March. (That’s not a scientific study or anything, just my anecdotal experience.) However, whereas I might see a profile picture of a guy and a super hot girl and immediately swipe left because I feel threatened and possibly lied to, my friends might have the foresight to be like “Wait. Are you sure that’s not his sister?” And then they can have me message him to ask if it’s his sister. That’s what friends are for, am I right? And to think of all the woke baes I’ve let slip through the cracks, just because I’m judgmental!
So if you, like me, are willing to let Jesus your friends take the wheel on your dating life, download Ship and let them start matching for you. You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised with the types of guys they’re able to find.
Images: Giphy (3)
