Co-Stars You Didn't Realize Were Roommates
When you think of celebrity living situations, mansions, villas, glamorous penthouse apartments, and exotic island retreats likely come to mind. To that end, it's easy to forget, but before finding success in the entertainment industry, most of the stars we know and love today were struggling actors looking for their big break. Additionally, serious actors typically move to major cities like Los Angeles, London, or New York for opportunities, but living in a big city apartment does not come cheap, as noted by Numbeo. Until an actor lands a solid gig, chances are that they'll be looking to split costs with roommates.
Other times, living together is simply a question of convenience or wanting some company. The acting profession often involves moving to an unfamiliar city for months at a time, and so who better to share a living space with than co-stars who have the same unconventional schedule and lifestyle?
Many future celebrity friendships have also been formed in college dorm rooms. Whether it was in university before they made it big or simply while working on a series or film together, these are the co-stars that, believe it or not, actually used to be roommates.
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon lived together early on
There are few friendships in Hollywood more famous than Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's bromance. Over the decades since the pair first made it big with "Good Will Hunting," they've collaborated on many projects together (both on and off the screen) including "The Last Duel," "Dogma," and "Project Greenlight." Arguably more famous than their work together, however, is the enduring friendship that has made Affleck and Damon one of the film industry's most iconic platonic pairs.
Considering the massive success they both enjoy, it's strange to think that we might have never heard of Damon or Affleck had they not moved in together. The pair actually met when they were still young kids (Damon was 10 and Affleck was 8). They quickly developed a bond despite their age difference, and by the time they were in high school, they were having business lunches and going to auditions together, per Biography. Eventually, the pair moved out to Los Angeles together, where in a series of apartments they rented together, they workshopped their script for "Good Will Hunting." The living arrangement clearly worked out, as the film proved to be a launchpad for Affleck and Damon alike (via Entertainment Tonight)
Lauren Graham and Connie Britton moved to L.A. together
These two stars have each found incredible success on the small screen. Lauren Graham is best known for her work as Lorelai Gilmore on "Gilmore Girls" and Sarah Braverman on "Parenthood." Both roles earned her a variety of award nominations. Connie Britton, for her part, is best known for her starring role as Rayana James in the hit TV show "Nashville." She also earned an Emmy nomination for her role in the influential first season of the FX horror anthology series "American Horror Story."
Before they both made it big, however, the two actresses shared a home together, where they apparently got by on thanks to Rice Krispie Treats and dreams of bigger and better things. In fact, Graham gave fans a glimpse into her life with Britton while reminiscing during an appearance on Andy Cohen's "Watch What Happens Live." According to Graham, the pair was living without furniture and didn't exactly have their names on the lease (via Us Weekly). According to Page Six, Graham and Britton actually made the move out to Los Angeles together after becoming friends at an acting class in New York City. And though the women found success separate from one another, the former roommates finally shared an acting credit in 2005 when they appeared in the indie comedy "The Life Coach."
Lea Michele and Dianna Agron had fun as roommates
These two talented young actresses shot to superstardom together on the hit series "Glee." In the show, Lea Michele played Rachel Berry, while Dianna Agron was cast in the role of Quinn Fabray. Fans of the series will tell you that these two characters weren't exactly the best of friends—especially towards the beginning of the show. The onscreen animosity is a real testament to Michele and Agron's talent as performers because offscreen they're actually very close friends.
As Michele told Vulture in 2009, she and Agron were actually roommates for a period of time while working on "Glee." Talking about the massive difference between their relationship and that of their characters, Michele explained, "We have these smackdowns at work and come home and are like, 'Wasn't it so funny when we were fighting today? Let's make cookies!' It works out." For her part, Agron told Access Hollywood (via Us Weekly) that the living arrangement was "so fun" and praised her roommate for being "very neat".
Milo Ventimiglia and Penn Badgley were roomies during The Bedford Diaries
Milo Ventimiglia has had quite the successful television career. He charmed an entire generation as Jess on "Gilmore Girls," changed genres with "Heroes," and has since made the world weep repeatedly on the hit series "This Is Us." As for Penn Badgley, he has similarly moved from one success to the next; after rising to stardom as Dan Humphrey in "Gossip Girl," he's broken away from typecasting with his chilling lead performance on the Netflix series "You."
These two are a real pair of heartthrobs, there's no doubt about that. But can you imagine Ventimiglia and Badgley being in the same room at the same time? Or rather, the same apartment? Believe it or not, there was just such a living arrangement back in the mid-aughts. Though the show has now long been forgotten, the two actors co-starred in the short-lived CW series called "The Bedford Diaries." Speaking with Bullett magazine in 2010, Badgley revealed that he and Ventimiglia and actually lived together while filming the series. Apparently, given that Badgley was 10 years younger than Ventimiglia (and only 18 at the time), he would take the latter's ID to get into bars (via PopSugar).
Mae Whitman and Miles Heizer are super tight off-screen
When working on a successful TV series that runs for multiple seasons, actors often become quite close, and this is certainly true of the cast of "Parenthood." As Mae Whitman described it to Glamour, "This cast is my real family, so when I see Miles [Heizer] going through something or when I'm talking to Lauren [Graham] or having a scene with Peter [Krause], it doesn't take much to be really present." Whitman and Heizer, who play siblings Amber and Miles Holt respectively on the popular family drama, were actually roommates for a number of years while filming.
Additionally, most people talk about the importance of not taking their work home with them — especially in an emotionally draining profession like acting. As for Whitman and Heizer, however, it would seem that they can't get enough of each other. Whitman even went so far as to say, "I envision wanting to live in a house next to him for my whole life and grow old down the street from him. I want our families to always be entwined." Given their time together on such a family-themed show, that certainly sounds like a happy offscreen ending for both of them.
Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz shared a home during Glee
It would seem that a number of enduring friendships were formed on the set of "Glee." Whereas Lea Michele and Dianna Agron played frenemies, Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz actually had an onscreen romance as Tina Cohen-Chang and Artie Abrams. The talented pair did go home together in real life, but it was a strictly platonic relationship as roommates. Of course, at the time, there were rumors in the tabloids trying to frame their dynamic otherwise, per Naya Rivera's book "Sorry, Not Sorry."
As Rivera added, everyone in the "Glee" cast was very involved in one another's lives, so it's only logical that some of them would wind up living together. In the book, the late "Glee" star shares that McHale and Ushkowitz moved in together in the second season and that their house "became our ground zero for hanging out." Because of the aforementioned rumors about McHale and Ushkowitz being romantically linked, the cast ironically dubbed it the "Love Nest." While McHale and Ushkowitz have since moved into homes of their own, they remain very close (via E! News).
Chase Stokes and Rudy Pankow shared a hangout spot
Netflix has more than its fair share of hit shows to its name, but there are few in the teen drama category that have resonated quite like the action-adventure/mystery series "Outer Banks." The show's success turned its cast into teen idols seemingly overnight, with a devoted fanbase hungry for details about both the program and the personal lives of its stars. Thankfully, it would seem that the friendships viewers fell in love with onscreen are true to life when the cameras stop rolling (via Us Weekly).
The core five members of the "Outer Banks" cast put their friendship to the test for Glamour in 2021 to adorable results. In an interview with Nylon, Chase Stokes explained that the entire cast actually lived in the same apartment complex together when filming. He and Rudy Pankow wound up sharing a unit together, and the way he tells it, their place became the hangout spot. "On the weekends everybody would come over, play games, blast music, eat food," he revealed. It's nice to know that the Pogues are so close in real life too!
Nina Dobrev and Sara Canning shared everything as roommates
"The Vampire Diaries" ran for eight seasons, earning itself legions of devoted fans in the process. Over the course of its lengthy run, it offered up plenty of drama to keep viewers tuning in week after week. Suffice it to say, there was decidedly less drama when the cameras stopped rolling — at least for stars Nina Dobrev and Sara Canning. Speaking with MTV, Canning described her living situation with Dobrev, and it sounds downright idyllic. "Nina is such a great roommate," she gushed. "We have our own bathrooms, so it's never an issue if one of us wants to take a long shower. And we both make grocery trips whenever we have time, and just share everything."
In terms of what made them such good roommates for one another, Canning makes it sound like they struck the right balance of being supportive and (occasionally) a bit indulgent. Talking about the dynamic, Canning explained "we're both really easy-going. We try to help each other stay healthy, but I usually cave and bring chocolate into the apartment." In fact, according to their co-stars, the entire cast of "The Vampire Diaries" was quite close when they were filming.
Stanley Tucci and Ving Rhames were college roomies
When actors have been working for decades and have built up resumes like these two, it can be difficult for fans to imagine a time before they hit it big. Once upon a time, however, "Mission Impossible" actor Ving Rhames and character actor Stanley Tucci were just two aspiring actors sharing a dorm room together at Purchase College in New York State. Additionally, it's quite common for actors to adopt a stage name that they feel resonates with audiences and will help them stand out. However, there's something special about getting your stage name from your college roommate — especially when said roommate is similarly destined for great things (via the Daily Beast).
As the story goes, Rhames and Tucci actually bunked together in the college dorm while they were both studying there. At the time, Rhames was still going by his full first name, "Irving," and it was apparently Tucci who gave him the nickname "Ving," which clearly worked out for Rhames. Though their careers haven't crossed paths too often since leaving college, they both appeared in the 1995 film, "Kiss of Death." Rhames also presented Tucci with his Golden Globe in 1999.
Madelaine Petsch and Lili Reinhart lived together in Canada
In the edgy and modern Archie comics adaptation "Riverdale", Betty Cooper and Cheryl Blossom aren't exactly what you'd call best friends. In fact, there's a family feud between the Coopers and the Blossoms that dates back for generations. Over the course of the show, their relationship has evolved and grown more complex — sometimes verging on friendship. Nonetheless, "frenemies" feels like the most appropriate label for whatever it is that they've got going on.
Thankfully, things are much simpler off-camera. The dynamic between their respective two actors, Madelaine Petsch and Lili Reinhart, sounds downright sweet. As Petsch told PopSugar, the two co-stars lived together in Vancouver while filming the first season of "Riverdale." Though Petsch and Reinhart now have their own homes (via Observer), they still remain very close and can often be spotted walking their dogs together when filming. In 2021, co-star Camila Mendes spoke about how all three castmates were brought even closer by the pandemic and the fact that they were all going through breakups (per Seventeen).
Ryan Gosling moved in with Justin Timberlake as a youth
Justin Timberlake is among the most influential pop singers in music history, and Ryan Gosling has established himself as one of Hollywood's most sought-after leading men. Before they each ascended to the peak of their respective industries, however, these two talented individuals both got their first big break on "The All-New Mickey Mouse Club," a Disney Channel variety show. This particular incarnation not only brought together Timberlake and Gosling, but also Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, according to Variety.
Because Gosling was from Canada and his mother had a job there, he moved in with Timberlake and his mother for the last six months of filming for the show's second season (via People). As Timberlake told Ellen DeGeneres, his mother actually temporarily became Gosling's legal guardian. Sadly, the two men don't seem to have kept in touch. When asked about their relationship in a 2017 profile for The Hollywood Reporter, Timberlake replied "We aren't the closest of friends, for whatever reason" (via Spin). Still, it's unbelievable to think that these two instantly recognizable stars shared a home for a period of time when they were growing up.
Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag were roommates on TV and off
While many stars tend to be quite private when it comes to their personal lives, Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag put theirs on display for years as the stars of "The Hills". A spinoff series of " Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County," "The Hills" followed Conrad and Montag as they navigated the world of fashion and hospitality in Los Angeles. When the series began, the two friends had recently moved to the city together, having met and bonded at an art class in San Francisco.
When "The Hills" debuted, it was clear that the roommates were quite close. As the series progressed, however, there seemed to be a never-ending series of personal dramas causing them to grow apart. The larger cast of characters (made up of their friends and colleagues) provided plenty of fuel for the drama, but it was Montag's relationship with Spencer Pratt that seemed to drive the biggest wedge between the roommates. Sadly, based on comments made by Montag in 2021, it doesn't seem as if time has done much to heal these wounds, as noted by People.
Amy Smart and Ali Larter shared an apartment in the '90s
These two talented actresses both found a lot of success in the late '90s and early 2000s. Ali Larter is best known for her work in films like "Final Destination," "Legally Blonde," and the "Resident Evil" franchise, as well as "Dawson's Creek." Amy Smart, for her part, had a recurring role in the tv series "Felicity" and co-starred in the films "Rat Race" and "The Butterfly Effect." More recently, Smart appeared in the DC series "Stargirl." The film that really put both of these actresses on the map, however, is their shared credit: the 1999 coming-of-age sports dramedy "Varsity Blues."
According to the Daily Mail, the stars first forged their friendship when they were modeling in Italy. As Larter described it in a 1999 interview with the Calgary Sun, the two became "instant friends." Between acting classes, starring in "Varsity Blues," and choosing to share an apartment together, these two certainly have a lot of history. Flash forward over a decade to 2010, and Larter was a bridesmaid at Smart's wedding, proving that this friendship has really gone the distance. Based on social media posts, the pair appear to remain close (via Today).
Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson shared a lackluster landlord
Among Hollywood's most celebrated (not to mention quirkiest) collaborators, Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson have given us many unforgettable films, including "The Royal Tenenbaums," "The Darjeeling Limited," and "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." While Anderson is a director who generally prefers to stay behind the camera, he and Wilson do share a number of acting credits; the director has made small cameo appearances in a number of his films, including "Bottle Rocket," "Rushmore," and "The Royal Tenenbaums" (via Mental Floss).
To think, this decades-long friendship and fruitful working relationship began at the University of Texas. It was here that the two first met in 1989 and, according to Interview magazine, bonded over a mutual love of filmmakers like John Cassavetes and Martin Scorsese. Wilson and Anderson eventually got an apartment together, which was apparently in rough shape. In one desperate attempt to get the landlord to replace the windows, Anderson and Wilson allegedly tried to stage a break-in. The plan did not work out, but it did go on to inspire their first collaboration, the 1996 film "Bottle Rocket" (via L.A. Weekly).
Emma Stone and Bradley Cooper were roommates for a week
Can you really call yourselves roommates if you only lived together for a week? Under normal circumstances? Probably not. When you're Emma Stone and Bradley Cooper, however, it counts! There are few actors working today more instantly recognizable or sought after than these two. As such, it's tough to imagine them sharing a living space — especially later in their careers when both had already become household names. It's not like they were still both working day jobs and looking for their big breaks.
Speaking with E! News in 2015, Stone and Cooper shared some interesting insights about their experience filming the Cameron Crowe movie "Aloha." Because they originally had booked accommodations at opposite ends of the island, they hardly got to spend any time together off-set — that is, until the last week of production. Cooper's lease ran out early and there was another high-profile guest coming to stay at the property. In the end, the situation was resolved by having him move into Stone's place for the remainder of filming. From the vague description the actors gave of the arrangement, it sounds like they both thankfully still had plenty of private space.