Starter Spouses: Celebrities' First Marriages

Forgotten first wives and husbands of A-listers.

173992200RM00315_ESPN_The_M

1 / 13

Russell Wilson and Ashton Meem - Beginner's luck doesn't usually apply to celebrity marriages, especially when a star has a "starter spouse," or someone with whom they tied the knot before they became famous. Here's a rundown of the first husbands and wives of some of our favorite power couples.Before Russell and Ciara, there was Russell and Ashton. The Seattle Seahawks' quarterback married his high school sweetheart, Ashton Meem, in 2012, but the couple's love didn't last long as they divorced just two years later, just as the athlete's star was beginning to rise.(Photo: Michael Kovac/WireImage)

55311311LC011_Baby_Phat_Spr

2 / 13

Swizz Beatz and Mashonda - We know him today for being the husband of R&B singer Alicia Keys, but when he was just starting out, Swizz Beatz was linked to songwriter Mashonda. Dating back to 1998, the couple formed a pretty serious relationship and got married five years later, in 2004. Two years after tying the knot, the had their son, Kaseem, but separated two years after that.(Photo: Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images)

French Montana and Deen Kharbouch - Many who know of French Montana today don't know that the rapper was once married. Back in 2007, he tied the knot with Deen Kharbouch. After having a son and five years of marriage, the couple separated in 2012, just before the rapper hit it big. Their divorce was finalized in 2014. (Photos from left: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for TIDAL, Deen Kharbouch via Instagram)

3 / 13

French Montana and Deen Kharbouch - Many who know of French Montana today don't know that the rapper was once married. Back in 2007, he tied the knot with Deen Kharbouch. After having a son and five years of marriage, the couple separated in 2012, just before the rapper hit it big. Their divorce was finalized in 2014. (Photos from left: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for TIDAL, Deen Kharbouch via Instagram)

Photo By Photos from left: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for TIDAL

Dwyane Wade and Siohvaughn Funches  - Before D-Wade coupled up with Gabrielle Union, he had a basketball wife named Siovaughn Funches. Unfortunately, Funches didn't go away quietly when their relationship ended. In 2011, the baller was granted sole custody of his two sons with Funches, Zaire and Zion.(Photos from left: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for ESPY, Bennett Raglin/WireImage)

4 / 13

Dwyane Wade and Siohvaughn Funches  - Before D-Wade coupled up with Gabrielle Union, he had a basketball wife named Siovaughn Funches. Unfortunately, Funches didn't go away quietly when their relationship ended. In 2011, the baller was granted sole custody of his two sons with Funches, Zaire and Zion.(Photos from left: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for ESPY, Bennett Raglin/WireImage)

Photo By Photos from left: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for ESPY

Marc Anthony and Dayanara Torres  - The Puerto Rican crooner was married to beauty queen Torres from 2000 until 2004, when he allegedly dropped her for Jennifer Lopez. Torres sued Anthony for increased child support, claiming she wants for her two boys what Anthony gives his more recent ex, J.Lo, for their twins.  (Photo: Andre Kang/Primera Hora via Getty Images)

5 / 13

Marc Anthony and Dayanara Torres  - The Puerto Rican crooner was married to beauty queen Torres from 2000 until 2004, when he allegedly dropped her for Jennifer Lopez. Torres sued Anthony for increased child support, claiming she wants for her two boys what Anthony gives his more recent ex, J.Lo, for their twins. (Photo: Andre Kang/Primera Hora via Getty Images)

ADVERTISEMENT
106793862RG081_WillSmith

6 / 13

Will Smith and Sheree Zampino  - Smith divorced Zampino in 1995, after three years of marriage, at the peak of his Fresh Prince fame. The couple's parting was mostly amicable, though Smith later expressed regrets. "It's the only thing in my life I consider a failure," he said. "If you don't mean 'til death do us part,' don't say it." All's well that ends well, though. Smith went on to marry Jada Pinkett with Zampino's blessing and the two women, along with their collective children, remain close.  (Photo: Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)

Lamar Odom and Liza Morales  - Before he started keeping up with the Kardashians, Odom was married to Khloé look-a-like Liza Morales. The couple had been through tough times, including losing a child, but seemed to be on good terms once Odom moved on to the reality princess. When that marriage went kaput, Morales reached out to Odom to offer a shoulder to cry on and even helped him rebuild his relationship with their two children.(Photos from left: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images, Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

7 / 13

Lamar Odom and Liza Morales  - Before he started keeping up with the Kardashians, Odom was married to Khloé look-a-like Liza Morales. The couple had been through tough times, including losing a child, but seemed to be on good terms once Odom moved on to the reality princess. When that marriage went kaput, Morales reached out to Odom to offer a shoulder to cry on and even helped him rebuild his relationship with their two children.(Photos from left: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images, Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

Photo By Photos from left: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

50 Cent to the mother of his oldest child:  - “Girl, don’t be a loser all your life. Get a job. You only got three years of a free life left.” (Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

8 / 13

50 Cent and Shaniqua Tompkins  - 50 and his baby's mother aren't exactly friendly exes. The couple's breakup drama has played out in the tabloids, first when 50 Cent managed to kill an entire reality series (TLC's Starter Wives) because he didn't want Tompkins to spill the beans on their love life, and later when the couple got involved in a bitter feud with their teenage son trapped in the middle.   (Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Kim Kardashian and Damon Thomas  - Ray J may claim to have hit it first, but music producer Damon Thomas was the first to put a ring on it. Thomas and Kardashian married in 2000 and divorced in 2004, just a couple of years before Kim went from sidekick to superstar. Now, the reality queen has hit the jackpot with A1 MC Kanye West.(Photos from Left: Judy Eddy/WENN.com, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

9 / 13

Kim Kardashian and Damon Thomas  - Ray J may claim to have hit it first, but music producer Damon Thomas was the first to put a ring on it. Thomas and Kardashian married in 2000 and divorced in 2004, just a couple of years before Kim went from sidekick to superstar. Now, the reality queen has hit the jackpot with A1 MC Kanye West.(Photos from Left: Judy Eddy/WENN.com, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Jason Alexander and Britney Spears - Britney's 55-hour-long marriage to her childhood friend Alexander — which was reportedly consummated with some bed-breaking sex — in 2004 was the first sign the pop princess was ready to shed her virginal image. The full image overhaul, better known as a public meltdown, came a few years later.(Photos from left: Todd Williamson/FilmMagic, Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) 

10 / 13

Britney Spears and Jason Alexander  - Britney's short-lived marriage to her childhood pal Jason Alexander makes Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries's marriage seem like a lifetime by comparison. The pop tart and her hometown boy were husband and wife for less than 48 hours in 2004, making this one of the shortest couplings in celebrity history. Now that's saying something.(Photos from left: Todd Williamson/FilmMagic, Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

ADVERTISEMENT
Jennifer Lopez and Ojani Noa  - Noa is the lucky lad who got to walk down the aisle with Lopez before she became J.Lo. Their 1997 marriage was short-lived, however, and they divorced 11 months later. In 2007, a court-appointed arbitrator issued a permanent injunction that forbid Noa from "criticizing, denigrating, casting in a negative light or otherwise disparaging" his ex-wife.(Photo: Albert Ortega, stringer/Getty Images)

11 / 13

Jennifer Lopez and Ojani Noa  - Noa is the lucky lad who got to walk down the aisle with Lopez before she became J.Lo. Their 1997 marriage was short-lived, however, and they divorced 11 months later. In 2007, a court-appointed arbitrator issued a permanent injunction that forbid Noa from "criticizing, denigrating, casting in a negative light or otherwise disparaging" his ex-wife.(Photo: Albert Ortega, stringer/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Albert Ortega

Janet Jackson and James Debarge - Jackson's insistence in privacy in her romantic relationships started from a young age. In 1984, the pop star eloped with R&B singer DeBarge. Under pressure from her family, her marriage is annulled less than a year later. In 2005 DeBarge's brother, Young, claims that the couple were parents of an 18-year-old girl they sent to live with Jackson's sister Rebbie. Jackson responded, "I do not have a child, and all allegations saying so are false."  (Photo: Ron Galella/WireImage)

12 / 13

Janet Jackson and James DeBarge  - These childhood sweethearts were married in 1984. According to the rumors, Jackson had the marriage annulled less than a year after they said, "I do," after her famous family pressured her into calling it quits. There has also been rumors of a secret child, which Janet has denied. The pop star tied the knot for a third time nearly 30 years later when she married billionaire Wissam al-Mana in 2013 during a private ceremony. (Photo: Ron Galella/WireImage)

Gabrielle Union and Chris Howard  - The Being Mary Jane star traded teams. After moving on from her four year marriage to NFL player Chris Howard, the actress has found love again with NBA baller Dwyane Wade.   (Photos from left: Kevin Winter/Getty Images, Demis Maryannakis / Splash News)

13 / 13

Gabrielle Union and Chris Howard  - Before she became a basketball wife, Union was married to another athlete — NFL player Chris Howard. The couple split in 2005 after four years of marriage. The experience must have taught her a few things for round two: Union claims that, this time around, she insisted on a prenup.(Photos from left: Kevin Winter/Getty Images, Demis Maryannakis / Splash News)