In the news this week, there have been horrific reports of the bombing of UN aid convoys in Syria, the arrest of a terror suspect in New York, and North Carolina has just declared a state of emergency. But it’s the break-up of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s marriage that had us WhatsApping furiously with relentless speed, scouring the internet all hours for any information we might have missed, pouring over the tabloids however implausible various headlines might be...
Why?
‘Whilst this fascination [with celebrity relationships] is definitely not a new phenomenon by any stretch, I think the rise of social media has created an absolute torrent of intrigue and near obsession with [them],’ says Behavioural Psychologist and Relationship Expert Jo Hemmings, ‘We can pretty much see them in some way or another, every day...
‘It has attracted a hashtag vocabulary all of it's own now too. #Brangelina, #Kimye or #Hiddleswift gives [celebrity relationships] both a slightly unreal quality and makes people feel very much involved in what's going on – giving their opinions freely.’
Some celebrities invite this access; Kim Kardashian, for instance, regularly posts pictures of her husband Kanye West during more intimate moments – in a bathroom, on holiday, caring for their children. It encourages speculation and comment. Other couples like Brad and Angelina, however, take a more cautious approach; they eschew social media and agree to only limited magazine and TV appearances. They may have made comments reflecting on each other’s skills as parent or spouse, but ‘#Brangelina – The Couple’ remain largely behind closed doors. And yet, there is interest still. Perhaps even more so. Why?
First of all, mystery. We feel we know a little (or a lot) about #Kimye and very little about #Brangelina, which creates an insatiable thirst to know more. Los Angeles Times made the point yesterday that Brad and Angelina ‘occupy a spot in the Hollywood firmament matched only by the stars of yesteryear — Bogart and Bacall, Tracy and Hepburn, even Burton and Taylor.’ And this is the crux of the issue. With their talent (they’re both Oscar winners), their looks, and the passionate way in which they got together (Brad allegedly fell for Angelina when he was still married to Jennifer Aniston) there is an element of golden Hollywood here: all lights, camera, scandal, romance. Their relationship goes far beyond those of our own mundane lives.
So once the furore around their rumoured affair had died down, and they seemed genuinely devoted to one another, it was easy to push them onto that Pedestal of Perfection. In a world where social media means virtually everyone is reachable, there were two people who had remained, like stars from a bygone era, unreachable – unreachable, that is, to everyone but themselves. They found each other, they fell for each other, they started a family. It was the stuff of movies: a real-life Hollywood romance. Ten years on, they were still going strong, which meant it was lasting love; they’d probably stay together forever…
‘What could be more fascinating than seeing two people involved in La La Land – unreachable to most of us – actually getting together and forming a duo?’ Jo asks. ‘Individuals who lead much of their lives in the public eye, getting together and trying to create a private life as a couple? Of course we're fascinated! As followers or fans we feel we almost have a sense of entitlement to know what's going on.’
It doesn’t help, of course, that however much celebrities might like to think they shelter their relationships from the media, by virtue of being superstars they will always attract attention. Brad and Angelina may have donated the alleged $23million fee they received for selling photographs of their wedding and baby snaps of their children to People and Hello! magazines to charity, but that doesn’t make it any less of a PR stunt. They keep us locked out, but occasionally allow us a look through the keyhole; and when we do, what do we see? Pure Hollywood perfection - just as we’d hoped.
It therefore makes sense that when such relationships break down, we struggle with our feelings about them – specifically, why we even have ‘feelings’ at all. It’s not like it was our relationship collapsing after all. ‘It can feel like we are somehow 'part' of a celebrity relationship,’ Jo explains. ‘Whether we express it or not, we have a view as to whether it's likely to work out long-term or not… Essentially, we have invested in that relationship, so understandably we have emotions that reflect our thoughts.’
And we have invested in Brangelina, emotionally and financially: celebrating their successes, buying into their movies. Is it thus any wonder that their split might have us scratching our heads trying to work out what went wrong? Whilst we can turn away from the more sensational headlines, we cannot blame ourselves for caring. Their divorce stands as a harsh reminder that there is no such thing as a perfect romance: it’s the shattering of Hollywood’s best-sold dream.
To find our more about Jo Hemmings, visit her website www.johemmings.co.uk/
SEE MORE: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's relationship in quotes
SEE MORE: Watch George Clooney's reaction to Brangelina split live on air