Big Brother is watching you, Kristen Stewart. Or at least Jennifer Lawrence is, according to a source close to the actress. Stewart has signed on to star in Equals, a remake of George Orwell’s classic novel 1984. Her co-star is Lawrence’s on-again boyfriend, Nicholas Hoult, and the Academy Award-winning actress reportedly isn’t pleased. The source told the International Business Times that Lawrence “doesn’t trust” Stewart because she was caught cheating on her then-boyfriend, Robert Pattinson, with a married man. Stewart and Pattinson have reconciled and split again since the affair, just one instance in a series of on-again/off-again Hollywood relationships.
In 2013, Lamar Odom headlined the list of Hollywood cheaters when multiple reports surfaced of his extramarital affairs and drug abuse. His wife of four years, Khloé Kardashian, reportedly tried to hold their marriage together, but after a few months of “are they or aren’t they?” she finally filed for divorce. Kardashian isn’t the only starlet who has been known to forgive inappropriate behavior. Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber kept the world guessing last year about the status of their relationship despite reports of his unfaithful and childish behavior, which included incidents of public urination.
With these rising stars seemingly willing to overlook the infidelity and immaturity of their partners, it’s frightening to imagine the effect that this on-again/off-again relationship culture could have on college campuses. If the beautiful and talented Selena Gomez is taking back a cheater, what message does this send to collegiate women?
A study from the 2012 Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that 62 percent of young adults have gone back to an ex at least once, and that most on-again/off-again couples go through the break up cycle more than once, each time making them more likely to report negative behaviors in the relationship.
Northwestern University junior Kimberly Lai has experienced the difficulties of an on-again/off-again relationship. “Every break up made the relationship more complicated and more exhausting,” said Lai. “Each time it made it harder to trust each other because there were a lot more negative feelings associated with the relationship.”
Rather than starting fresh, reconciling exes bring the baggage of their failed relationship to each new try. The memories of past fights can turn small disagreements into large disputes, further perpetuating the cycle of break ups and renewals.
So why are these emotionally taxing relationships so common both with young adults and celebrities? According to Northwestern University sophomore Janine Wilson, it has to do with familiarity.
“You don’t have to start from the beginning; you can start from wherever you left off,” said Wilson. “You already know what you like about being together, which makes getting back together more enticing.”