Stars as lovers in real life

FOX AND POLLAN. Their union belies the cynical view that actors think only of themselves. AP

Many stars are empathetic experts at playing lovers on movie and TV screens, their heartfelt portrayals thrilling millions with their intensity and ardor. But, how do our top stars fare as lovers and eventful spouses in their real lives, away from the cameras?

Leading our list of memorably ardent luminaries on an inspiring note are Michael J. Fox and his wife, Tracy Pollan. They met on the set of “Family Ties” in the ’80s and were married in 1988—not knowing that their union would be severely challenged by Fox’s decades-long struggle against Parkinson’s disease.

To her everlasting credit, Tracy hasn’t wavered in her love for her beleaguered husband, which belies the cynical view of some people that stars think only of themselves!

Also inspiring, this time for its sheer longevity, is the marriage of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. She was a star in her own right, but eventually gave up her career so she could focus on their family—and on the community theater company they put up in their hometown. —How un-Hollywood can two stars get?!

(On the local film scene, their feat has been duplicated by Robert Arevalo and Barbara Perez. She became a star before he did, and even played the female lead role in a Hollywood film, “No Man Is An Island,” in which her costar was no less than Jeffrey Hunter. Barbara did well enough in the film for her American producer to offer her a build-up contract—but, Barbara chose to stay here and get married to Robert, instead!)

More controversially, Ingrid Bergman left her husband and had an affair with Roberto Rossellini, her director in “Stromboli,” which produced stellar offspring like Isabella Rossellini, an actress and luminous beauty in her own right.

Similarly too hot to handle was the romantic life of the great film beauty, Elizabeth Taylor, who had a string of husbands, including Richard Burton—whom she married twice!

Her most controversial romantic move was to induce, seduce or otherwise steal Eddie Fisher from his wife, Debbie Reynolds, for which she was publicly chastised and scorned!

Also setting the scandal sheets on fire, decades later, was Angelina Jolie’s own successful seduction of Jennifer Aniston’s husband, Brad Pitt, for which she too was savagely vilified.

To their credit, Angelina and Brad have turned out to be exceptional parents (their kids “forced” them to finally get hitched last year) and humanitarians—so, all’s well that ends well?