9 Celebrities Who Thought They Lost "The One"

You may pretend not to care about them, but when it comes to celebrity breakups, there's a good chance you've internally screamed when one of your favorite couples called it quits — especially when your favorite celeb lost the person they thought was "The One". We all shed a tear or two when Britney and Justin broke up in 2002, and the Internet was in uproar over Joe Jonas and Gigi Hadid's recent split, mostly because it meant the end of G.I. Joe, the most clever couple name in Hollywood's history.

Sure, there are more important things to worry about, but there's no reason to be ashamed if, like me, you enjoy keeping up with the goings-on of pop culture. Curiosity is part of human nature, and when celebrity relationships are so well-documented, who can blame us for feeling a tad invested in their romantic future? Unfortunately, a happy ending isn't in the cards for every A-list couple that's ever existed — sad, yes, but also a helpful reminder to us mere mortals that being hot, rich, and famous doesn't make you immune to the crappier parts of humanity, like heartbreak.

Even sadder than a mutual breakup, though, is when someone (celeb or otherwise) loses someone they thought was their soulmate. A one-sided breakup is always more painful to go through (and witness), and having that unrequited love linger on for long afterwards can really mess with your heart. Whether they split up or simply missed out on their chance with someone, here are nine celebs who have, at some point or another, thought they lost someone who could have been "the one."

1. Liam Hemsworth

In a recent interview with Elle, Liam had only wonderful things to say about his ex, Miley Cyrus, whom he dated for five years: "She's a free spirit. I think she'll always surprise people with what she does, but she's not a malicious person in any way. She's a young girl who wants to do what she wants to do," he said. And as if that weren't beautiful enough, he went on to say that you "can't choose who you fall in love with" and that he didn't think the feelings he had for Miley will ever change. Someone bring me a Kleenex (and then tell him I'm single).

2. Kristen Stewart

Ahh, the breakup that devastated Twihards everywhere. After more than three years of dating and a cheating scandal, K Stew and R Patz finally called it quits in 2013, and vampire lovers across the world experienced that heartbreak with them.While Kristen's cheating certainly made things messy, the breakup was rough on both of them: She recently told the Daily Beast that the breakup was "incredibly painful" for her, adding, "Ugh, f*cking kill me." We feel you, girl.

3. Robin Thicke

TBH, Robin has not exactly been subtle about his lingering feelings for ex-wife Paula Patton. I mean...he titled his album Paula, if that tells you anything about how well he's taking the breakup. I think it's safe to say that he definitely feels like he lost his one true love.

4. Katy Perry

It may be a mystery as to who inspired the hit song, but the lyrics of "The One That Got Away" tells us pretty plainly that somewhere down the line, Katy went through a breakup that she now wishes she could take back: "In another life/I would make you stay/So I don't have to say/You were the one that got away."

5. Gerard Butler

Butler met Jessica Biel — who is now happily married to Justin Timberlake — on the set of Playing For Keeps back in 2011, but she was looking to settle down, while he was reportedly scared of commitment. RadarOnline.com reports that a source close to him said he now regrets not wanting something more serious at the time, and still thinks of her as "the one that got away."

6. Jennifer Aniston

Jen and Brad Pitt used to be the "golden couple" of Hollywood, until their well-publicized 2005 divorce that sadly painted her like some sort of lonely spinster that got dumped for Angelina Jolie. In an infamous interview with Vanity Fair called "The Unsinkable Jennifer Aniston," the recently-dumped actress broke down crying and admitted to being lonely, probably because she felt as though she'd lost the love of her life (and was dealing with an endless media circus). Nowadays, Jen is over all the drama, telling The Hollywood Reporter in January that "Nobody did anything wrong." Plus, Jen is still as flawless as ever, and is now happily married to hubby Justin Theroux. Yay!

7. Diddy

If I'm being honest, I had no idea that P. Diddy (now just Diddy?) dated Cameron Diaz for four whole years, from 2008 to 2012. Of course, we all know she's now married to Benji Madden of Good Charlotte, but apparently Diddy is still pining for his former flame. He reportedly told Us Weekly in 2014 that he wishes he could "turn back time" so things might be different for him and Diaz, who he described as the "sexiest girl in the world."

8. John Stamos

Who didn't want Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky to be together IRL? Although the two actors went on a date to Disneyland in their late teens, they never had a serious relationship, and each ended up marrying different people, which Stamos attributes to "off timing." And prepare for your Full House loving hearts to break: Stamos also told Huffington Post Live that "she could be the one that got away."

9. Zac Efron

High School Musical fans were heartbroken when Zac and Vanessa Hudgens — aka Troy and Gabriella — broke up in 2010 after being the cutest couple Disney has ever produced. Hudgens told the New York Times this year that it wasn't always easy to date Zac (because crazy fans were showering him with affection, obvi). She has since settled down with the equally adorable Austin Butler, and Zac has also had several girlfriends since their breakup (most recently Sami Miro). However, a source told RadarOnline.com in 2014 that Zac still "pines" for Vanessa and claims that he would take her back in a heartbeat. If this is true, cue the sobbing.

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