The early aughts had been filled with nice celeb {couples} — Brad and Jen, Britney and Justin, Ben and Jen (Half 1) — however generally we're simply as fascinated by those that flew a bit extra below the radar.
Years earlier than she married Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel was in a severe, long-term relationship with one other well-known heartthrob: Chris Evans.
Let's look again at their relationship and work out if she cherished him much more than she cherished sporting denims and a pleasant high to purple carpet occasions.
The way it Began
Each events had been making an attempt to interrupt into motion pictures once they bought collectively after assembly on the younger Hollywood scene in 2001. Biel, then simply 19, was a well-known TV face thanks to 6 seasons on seventh Heaven, whereas Evans, then 20, had simply made Not One other Teen Film. Whereas the 2001 comedy didn't get the most effective evaluations, it was successful with Biel. “He was fairly good earlier than … however rattling, he actually bought buff,” she advised Additional.
How Lengthy it Lasted
Jessica Biel and Chris Evans in 2001 Gregg DeGuire/WireImage
A fairly very long time for 2 children barely out of their teenagers: they had been collectively for 5 years! Whereas the pair didn't entice the identical degree of consideration as different {couples} of the period, they had fun collectively, typically PDA-ing at awards ceremonies and flip-phone launches (there have been a variety of flip-phone launches again then, OK?).
Throughout the relationship, Evans additionally confirmed early indicators of being a future Marvel hero: the couple as soon as went skydiving to rejoice Valentine's day.
They made some motion pictures collectively, too. In 2004 thriller Mobile, they performed love pursuits Ryan and Chloe. Evans advised Boston Journal on the time, “Any time you get to work with somebody that you already know, it's gonna lend itself to the on-set relationship. You must discover a sure degree of leisure when you're making an attempt to carry out, and any time you'll be able to lean on an present relationship with somebody, it's solely going to assist.”
Why it Ended
Jessica Biel and Chris Evans in 2001 Steve Granitz/WireImage
Regardless of hypothesis that marriage was within the playing cards, it didn't occur: in 2006, nonetheless solely of their mid-twenties, they break up.
And so they had solely simply launched their second film collectively, 2006 indie drama London, by which Evans performed Biel's drug addict ex. “Sadly, I associated to that narcissistic drug addict!” he advised W. “I've had these arguments with ladies; I've stated these issues.”
Many celeb splits have rocked Hollywood through the years, together with Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin in addition to Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan. Tatum and Dewan's love story started on the set of 2006's Step Up, the place they costarred as onscreen love pursuits. The duo tied the knot in 2009 and welcomed daughter Everly in 2013. […]
A few months after stepping out collectively on the February premiere, they had been over. No causes behind the break up had been publicly given, but it surely doesn't sound prefer it was a nasty one. “I've had no dangerous breakups in my life,” Evans advised Elle in 2017. “Usually, if I see an ex, I give an enormous hug, and it's great to catch up. In case you're ever lucky sufficient to like somebody and have them love you again, it's value defending that. It's uncommon that somebody can actually know you. And if you happen to've damaged via that form of wall, I feel it's necessary to worth that.”
What They Stated About Every Different
Jessica Biel and Chris Evans in 2003 Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage for Bragman Nyman Cafarelli
Largely, these two had been fairly personal — other than one significantly sugary interview Biel gave to Cosmopolitan in 2005.
“We all the time speak about it,” Biel stated when requested about wedding ceremony plans. “We each need to be married, and we each need to have kids. However we're not engaged, so the rumors are false…to this point.”
She additionally revealed a number of the romantic issues the couple loved — and confessed to being one thing of a trad spouse. “I like to take images of him and his canine, East,” she stated, “We name him 'our' canine now. He's this 75-pound, half-English, half-American bulldog. And I cook dinner for Chris when he's working exhausting. When he comes residence, I'll have dinner prepared. It's old style and enjoyable, and I really feel form of homemakery and nice doing it.”
Whether or not you knew them as “Jameron” or the cutesy “The Camberlakes,” chances are high that, again within the day, you lapped up each element about this quintessential early aughts celeb pairing. Justin Timberlake, now 44, and Cameron Diaz, now 52, might look like an informal fling from the dim and distant previous to Us now, however […]
She additionally stated that her excellent day concerned “staying in mattress with my boyfriend and simply not having something to do all day. Letting the canine sleep together with his head on the pillow proper between us, making the mattress all gross and sweaty and filled with canine hair. It sounds disgusting, but it surely's simply nice.”
She even spilled the beans on what Evans had carried out for her huge birthday. “After I turned 21, I truly awoke to search out my mattress lined in rose petals,” she stated. “In the course of the evening, he had pulled aside not less than 24 roses in all completely different colours and sprinkled the petals in all places. He's undoubtedly a keeper.”
Jessica Biel and Chris Evans in 2003 Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
Nevertheless, Biel did admit that her man had one annoying behavior. “Boys don't know what they need,” she stated. “I'll say, 'I need to go on a picnic. I would like there to be wine and a blanket, and I would like there to be a sundown.' And Chris is often extra like, 'I don't actually know [what I want to do].'”
She added: “I like anyone who could make me snigger and be a goofball. I feel it's extremely horny if a man can look uncool and fully not care. Additionally, anyone who likes to point out affection. I present a variety of affection. I'm a really huge fan of PDA. I'll do it anyplace. If I see a pair making out in public, I'm all the time like. 'Awww. Can I be part of?'”
Wow — we are able to't think about the older and extra guarded 2025 Biel being fairly so up for this, are you able to?
What They Say Now
Jessica Biel and Chris Evans in 2003 Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage
Neither Biel or Evans has ever publicly addressed the connection, however in 2017 he advised Esquire that courting one other actor will be powerful. “Letting somebody go to work with somebody for 3 months … they gained't see them,” he stated. “It actually, it actually places the connection to the take a look at.”
Key Relationship Takeaways
They may have been very younger however, for a very long time, Biel was nonetheless Evans' most severe and long-term relationship. Within the years following the break up, he was romantically linked to a string of different actresses and fashions, however solely bought severe with Minka Kelly and Jenny Slate. In truth, he didn't actually cool down till fairly lately, marrying Portuguese actress Alba Baptista in 2023, on the age of 42.
Jessica Biel and Chris Evans in 2006 Bauer-Griffin
However Biel, now 43, wasn't single for lengthy: she met Timberlake inside a couple of months of splitting from Evans. The pair have been married since 2012, sharing two sons, Silas and Phineas.
So, their private lives might need gone in several instructions, however their careers solely went a method: quickly upwards! Whereas their film success was restricted whereas they had been collectively, they've each turn into enormous names within the 20 years since their break up. Yup, these days of PDA-ing at flip-phone launches are lengthy behind them.
