Long before the fame, the awards, and the flashing cameras, many celebrities were simply roommates, navigating tight spaces, split bills, and sometimes awkward living situations. These 10 surprising pairings show that even future stars once had to share kitchens, couches, and bathrooms.
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon
Before becoming Hollywood stars, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were struggling actors sharing living spaces in Los Angeles. They stayed in both a house in Venice, California, and a small apartment, often living with Ben’s brother, Casey Affleck, while working on “Good Will Hunting.”
Money was so tight that they combined their earnings into a single bank account, with whoever got a job covering expenses for both. Affleck would joke that Damon was a terrible, messy roommate, but their friendship helped them navigate the challenges of life before fame.
Brad Pitt and Jason Priestley
In the late 1980s, Brad Pitt and Jason Priestley shared a two-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles with a third roommate while trying to break into acting. Their days were fueled by ramen noodles and beer, and they famously competed in a game to see who could go the longest without showering, with Pitt usually winning.
Despite the messy living conditions and questionable hygiene, Priestley remembers Pitt as a decent roommate, and their time together remains a memorable chapter from their pre-fame struggles before “Thelma and Louise” and “Beverly Hills, 90210” launched their careers.
Raven-Symoné and Lindsay Lohan
In the 2000s, Raven-Symoné and Lindsay Lohan were technically roommates, though they rarely actually lived together. After meeting at a photoshoot, they decided to share an apartment to experience a college-style roommate situation, but Lohan was seldom there, using the space mostly for storage while continuing to pay rent.
Raven-Symoné later joked that she essentially had the apartment to herself, with Lohan visiting only a handful of times during the roughly fourteen months they were supposed to be roommates.
Justin Timberlake and Ryan Gosling
In the early 1990s, Justin Timberlake and Ryan Gosling were roommates while filming “The Mickey Mouse Club.”
When Gosling’s mother had to return to Canada for work, Timberlake’s mother became his legal guardian for about six months, which meant the young actors shared a home and even a bathroom in Orlando. During that time, they became especially close, forming a friendship that was stronger than with the other kids on the show because of their shared living situation.
Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson
Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson became roommates at the University of Texas at Austin after meeting in a 1989 playwriting class.
They quickly became close friends, bonding over a shared passion for filmmaking, and began writing together while living in the same apartment. Their time as roommates laid the foundation for their collaboration on “Bottle Rocket” and set the stage for a lasting creative partnership.
Jude Law and Ewan McGregor
Early in their careers, Jude Law and Ewan McGregor were roommates in London, even sharing a bunk bed while trying to get their start in acting.
Their friendship began when a director arranged for them to meet and socialize, and it grew stronger during their time living together. The two remained close friends and later collaborated professionally, co-founding the production company Natural Nylon in 1997.
Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve
Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve were roommates and close friends at the Juilliard School in New York in 1973, forming an immediate bond and considering each other like brothers. They made a pact to support one another throughout their careers, and that promise held true over the years.
When Reeve was paralyzed in 1995, Williams was the first visitor to make him laugh, even showing up in disguise at the hospital. Their lifelong friendship endured until Reeve’s death in 2004, with Williams often describing him as a brother.
Kiefer Sutherland and Robert Downey Jr.
In the 1980s, Kiefer Sutherland and Robert Downey Jr. were roommates in Los Angeles for about three years while both were trying to break into Hollywood.
Their apartment was a whirlwind of parties and creative chaos, and Sutherland provided support for Downey Jr. during this challenging period, including his relationship with Sarah Jessica Parker. The two also co-starred in the 1988 film “1969,” and their time living together is remembered as a formative chapter in both of their early careers.
Kevin Hart and Jason Segel
In 2001, Kevin Hart and Jason Segel were roommates for about six months while shooting an unreleased pilot called “North Hollywood.”
The living arrangement was set up by director Judd Apatow, and the two shared a small one-bedroom apartment. Segel later joked that he often ended up making breakfast for Hart, highlighting the humorous side of their brief time living together.
Adam Sandler and Judd Apatow
Early in their careers, Adam Sandler and Judd Apatow were roommates, sharing an apartment in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley while struggling as up-and-coming comedians.
They lived together until Sandler moved to New York City to join Saturday Night Live, but even after the move, he continued paying his share of the rent for a time in case he got fired and needed to return. Their friendship endured beyond their roommate days, eventually leading to collaborations on projects like the 2009 film “Funny People.”