While celebrity gossip might sometimes get tedious and irksome, there's no denying that some A-list love stories are definitely worth the hype.
This is especially the case when celebrities defy societal norms, overcome barriers, and prove that there's really no telling how Cupid works his magic.
When it comes to the Arab celebrity scene, many stars have turned heads after falling for partners despite differences in age, ethnicity, field of work, or other major boundaries that often stand in the way of potential relationships.
Here are some Arab celebrities who fell for unexpected partners:
1. Amal Alamuddin and George Clooney
The Lebanese-British international >lawyer and the American actor and filmmaker, who happens to be 17 years her senior, found love despite being worlds (and years) apart.
The power couple tied the knot in 2014 and are now parents to >twins, Alex and Ella.
2. Rym Saidi and Wissam Breidy
Rym Saidi, a Tunisian model and actress, married Lebanese TV personality Wissam Breidy in 2017, after meeting him on the set of the Arab edition of Dancing with the Stars. The couple >welcomed a baby girl, Bella-Maria, last September.
3. Carol Samaha and Walid Mostafa
Lebanese singer and actress Carole Samaha married Egyptian media businessman Walid Mostafa in 2013. They are now parents to a four-year-old daughter named Tala.
4. Rihanna and Hassan Jameel
The internet went >abuzz back in June 2017 when news broke about the Barbadian singer and songwriter dating billionaire Saudi businessman Hassan Jameel.
While >rumors had suggested that the couple has called it quits, Rihanna and Jameel have been >spotted together on numerous occasions. They even showed signs of "seriousness" when >Rihanna took her Saudi BF out with her family back in August.
5. Tamer Hosny and Bassma Boussel
In 2012, Egyptian singer Tamer Hosny married Moroccan fashion and beauty expert Bassma Boussel, who is 14 years younger than him. The couple now has two daughters and a son.
The couple had met backstage in 2009 at a music festival Hosny was performing at. Boussel had launched a singing career on Star Academy, but then cut it short after Hosny insisted that she retires before marrying him.
6. Taim Hasan and Wafaa El Kilani
Syrian actor Taim Hasan's fans had a major meltdown when he married Egyptian TV presenter Wafaa El Kilani in 2017. The latter is notably four years older than her husband.
7. Ghada Abdel Razek and Haitham Zinta
Egyptian actress Ghada Abdel Razek defied the stigma surrounding women who are romantically involved with younger men when she married Egyptian director Haitham Zinta, who is reportedly 20 years her junior.
The two got married in 2013, which marked Abdel Razek's fourth marriage, but it remains unconfirmed whether they are still together.