13 iconic on-screen couples who didn't work out in real life

Fox

It's easy to project a character's love life onto the person who portrays them. But sometimes, this ease is due to genuine, real-life emotion shining through.

Plenty of actors fall in love off screen as their characters fall in love on screen, which often adds an extra layer of pain when they break up (for fans, anyway). These 13 couples boast iconic, timeless, fictional love stories — but weren't able to make it work in real life.

Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton were the power couple in all three "High School Musical" movies.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Troy and Gabriella are your average high school sweethearts: they bonded through spontaneous karaoke, weathered a brief summer breakup, and ended up attending college exactly 32.7 miles apart. But not before announcing that decision onstage to a cheering, clapping audience. 

In real life, Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron dated for four years.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron began dating one year after meeting on set. They remained a couple for two years after wrapping up at East High, but their post-Disney Channel careers and growing fame led them to split in 2010.

Tyler Gage and Nora Clark were dance partners in "Step Up."

Phillip Caruso/Buena Vista Pictures

While initially suspicious of each other, Tyler and Nora found common ground in dance. They fell in love and, as was revealed in the film's sequel, went on tour together after graduating high school.

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See Also:

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