Power dynamics may be critical to high-profile relationships, and play a crucial part in the failure of celebrity marriages
Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner. (Image by arrangement)
Celebrities live their lives, including their married lives, in the spotlight. When their marriages fail, the breakdown of a seemingly flawless partnership is difficult to keep private.
When Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck announced their divorce, social media feeds were flooded with emojis of crying faces. “Oh no! Not them; I assumed they’d make it” was the general tone.
What went wrong between the power couple? Reports blame JLo’s extravagant lifestyle for tearing the marriage apart. She became a champagne and caviar kind of lady. She filed for divorce on the second anniversary of her lavish wedding. In contrast to JLo, who seemed driven by the desire for fame right from the early days of her career, Affleck likes to keep his personal life private.
The documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told, based on Affleck’s scrapbook, preserving his love letters and emails to Lopez over the last two decades, served as the final nail in the coffin.
But Affleck, preferring to keep his private life private, and anxious about £15million being sunk into the movie, felt increasingly alienated from the woman he had married.
“I don’t think he’s very comfortable with me doing all this,” Lopez confessed in an Amazon Prime documentary she made to accompany the film. “But he loves me, he knows I’m an artist, and he’s gonna support me in every way he can because he knows he can’t stop me from making the music that I made, and writing the words that I wrote.That’s gonna happen, and he doesn’t want to stop me...but that doesn’t mean he’s comfortable being the muse.”
“I don’t think he’s very comfortable with me doing all this,” Lopez confessed in an Amazon Prime documentary she made to accompany the film. “But he loves me, he knows I’m an artist, and he’s gonna support me in every way he can because he knows he can’t stop me from making the music that I made, and writing the words that I wrote.That’s gonna happen, and he doesn’t want to stop me...but that doesn’t mean he’s comfortable being the muse.”
The separation of another celeb couple – Natasa Stankovic and Hardik Pandya – was also reportedly caused by the cricketer’s “flamboyant” and “self-centred” behaviour. Natasa, despite her innate strength and independence, is said to have struggled to keep up with Hardik’s fast-paced existence.
TOO CONTROLLING
TOO CONTROLLING
Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner ended their relationship for a variety of reasons. Jonas has earlier said that their marriage was “irretrievably broken.” At the time, rumours circulated online that harmed Turner’s image, saying that her party lifestyle had damaged their marriage, prompting readers to question her parenting abilities. Turner, on the other hand, reportedly left because “Joe was too controlling” and she “didn’t want to always be ‘the Jonas Brother’s wife’.”
Tom Cruise’s marriages with Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes all ended in divorce. His high-profile stature played a role in some of these splits.
Rising fame
British comedian Russell Brand’s flamboyant persona was the reason that killed his marriage to Katy Perry, an international pop sensation.
British comedian Russell Brand’s flamboyant persona was the reason that killed his marriage to Katy Perry, an international pop sensation.
She had said in an interview: “I was in love with him when I married him. At first, he wanted an equal, and I think a lot of times strong men do want an equal, but then they get that equal and they’re like, I can’t handle the equalness. He didn’t like the atmosphere of me being the boss on tour. So that was really hurtful, and it was very controlling, which was upsetting.”
A celebrity’s love life is bound to be more complicated than the average person’s because of their extraordinary circumstances, says Shivani Misri Sadhoo, psychologist and marriage counsellor. Mega stars with lavish lifestyles have it even worse. Issues of power may put a spanner in a relationship over the long haul too.
A celebrity’s love life is bound to be more complicated than the average person’s because of their extraordinary circumstances, says Shivani Misri Sadhoo, psychologist and marriage counsellor. Mega stars with lavish lifestyles have it even worse. Issues of power may put a spanner in a relationship over the long haul too.
“As a couples therapist, I would say it is crucial to recognise that relationships involving celebrities or individuals with highly public profiles face unique challenges. The sheer pressures of fame, constant public scrutiny, and the demands of a busy lifestyle could strain even the strongest bonds,” says Shivani.
Power dynamics usually come into play specifically when one partner’s success or lifestyle overshadows the other’s, leading to feelings of inadequacy or resentment. “For example, in relationships such as the one between Hardik and Natasa or Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, the challenge lies in balancing individual requirements with the demands of a high-profile career. Celebrities should navigate the fine line between maintaining their identity and career while nurturing their relationship,” says Shivani.”
Partners need to acknowledge and address power imbalances, making sure that both feel valued and secure. Therapy could help couples explore these dynamics, fostering a deeper understanding of each other’s needs and bolstering their bond despite the unique challenges they face,” — Shivani Misri Sadhoo, psychologist and marriage counsellor
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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