The year in hookups and shookups

By Joshua Gillin, tbt* Staff Writer
Published December 21, 2007

There's no possible way of tracking every love connection in La-La Land (and beyond), because there simply isn't enough room to print them all. The ups and downs of Justin Timberlake's romantic life alone - breaking up with Cameron Diaz only to get with Jessica Biel - could fill volumes, but here's a few of the most notable.

Dita Von Teese called it quits with Marilyn Manson, most likely because he was boinking half-his-age chickie Evan Rachel Wood (and later made a video allegedly featuring said act). Meanwhile, Manson ex Rose McGowan broke up Grindhouse director Robert Rodriguez's 16-year marriage to Elizabeth Avellan, the mother of Rob's five kids - Rebel, Rocket, Rogue, Racer and Rhiannon. At least Rose keeps the alliteration going.

Reese Witherspoon ditched Ryan Phillippe, but later crushed the hearts of one of The Juice*'s contributors by spending time with Jake Gyllenhall, whose Brokeback Mountain co-star Heath Ledger ended a daughter-producing relationship with Michelle Williams. Ledger then allegedly went on to hook up with Lindsay Lohan over Thanksgiving weekend, just as she was splitting from snowboarder Riley Giles, whom she met in rehab.

It was an interesting year all around to be named Ryan, as The Notebook couple Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams split, while Ryan Reynolds won the lotto by attracting the affections of Scarlett Johansson. Kate Hudson left her rocker husband Chris Robinson for a fling with Owen Wilson, but things turned sour and may or may not have led to Wilson's suicide attempt.

Musicians made a big splash on the relationship scene, with Jessica Simpson breaking it off with John Mayer and despairing awhile until hooking up with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo - well, they spent Thanksgiving together, at least. Her baby sister Ashlee has spent a lot of time with Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz. JT's old pal Lance Bass stopped seeing Reichen Lehmkuhl, and Fabrizio Moretti, drummer for the Strokes, ended his run with Drew Barrymore, who decided Macs really were better by dating "Mac Guy" Justin Long. And while we wondered if Kate Moss really was over Babyshambles frontman (and rehab poster boy) Pete Doherty, Sean "Diddy" Combs was kicking Kim Porter to the curb shortly after she birthed their twin baby girls.

Ditching babymamas was the smooth move of the year, with New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady dropping Bridget Moynihan in favor of Gisele Bundchen (ex of Leonardo DiCaprio, who himself broke up with Israeli model Bar Rafaeli) and Eddie Murphy denying he was the father of Melanie "Scary Spice" Brown's daughter (he was) before she launched her campaign to win Dancing with the Stars (she didn't). Some breakups resulted in new families, though, when Joel Madden impregnated Nicole Richie after breaking up with Hilary Duff, who was busy being treated to a $100,000 birthday Mercedes by the New York Islanders' Mike Comrie.

In international news, Penelope Cruz was spied slinking around with No Country for Old Men's Javier Bardem, but only after saying so long to toolbox Josh Hartnett, who somehow managed to snag time with Sienna Miller and Rihanna.

On TV, Larry and Laurie David could no longer feign enthusiasm for each other, and Anne Heche's husband Coley Laffoon called the mother of their 5-year-old son Homer crazy in court papers, no doubt angry over being left for her Men in Trees costar James Tupper. Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford is the new beau for Carrie Underwood, who conveniently announced their togetherness as her new album was debuting. Private Practice's Kate Walsh got married in a refreshingly down-to-earth ceremony to Alex Young.

[Last modified December 20, 2007, 13:13:22]