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10 hottest couples
Ebony, Feb, 2005
Love is in the air and is being displayed by some of the hottest and best-known couples in entertainment and politics. From Jamie Foxx and Leila Arcieri to Usher and Naomi Campbell to Sen. Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, some of the biggest personalities are enjoying love and romance in the glare of the spotlight.
Usher & Naomi Campbell
WHAT DO YOU GET when you combine a drop-dead gorgeous supermodel with gorgeous legs and an R&B icon with more bling than the law allows? "Loved-up" is what Usher and supermodel Naomi Campbell were called recently as they strolled arm-in-arm down the red carpet at the MTV Europe Awards. Although the R&B sensation walked away with the Best Male Award and the Best Album Award for his multiplatinum album, Confessions, it was the Victoria's Secret supermodel who earned the most attention. Campbell, 34, who popped out of a birthday cake for Usher in October, spent most of her time at the awards show in a swanky upscale hotel suite with her 26-year-old boyfriend, "barely coming out for fresh air." Though both Usher and Campbell are known for their high-profile relationships, including Naomi's rumored list of international sex symbols and Usher's very public breakup with TLC's Rozanda (Chilli) Thomas, the two seem to he willing to take another chance at romance on the celebrity circuit and are basking in the glare of the frenzied paparazzi.
Jamie Foxx & Leila Arcieri
THOUGH ACTOR-COMEDIAN Jamie Foxx has made much ado about remaining a bachelor to keep his love life interesting, he's been seen with a steady woman on his arm, actress-model Leila Arcieri. While the stunning former Miss San Francisco has been described merely as Foxx's date, the dazzling pair has become one of the hottest couples in show business. It's easy to see why. Foxx, 36, is just coming off the recent success of his portrayal of the late musical genius Ray Charles and received critical acclaim for his role as a meek cab driver in the fast-paced thriller Collateral. Arcieri, 31, who played a lifeguard in the television series Son of the Beach, has had feature roles in a number of movies, including Daddy Day Care, and a role on TV's Kevin Hill. She was born in California to an African-American mother and an Italian father. Onlookers are wondering if she can change the life of one of Hollywood's most eligible bachelors.
Beyonce & Jay-Z
BEYONCE KNOWLES AND JAY-Z are making official what most everyone has known all along: They're crazy in love. The voluptuous Beyonce, 23, publicly proclaimed her love for the Brooklyn-born hip-hop impresario, who is 11 years her senior, on the liner notes of the latest Destiny's Child album. "To my baby, I'm your number one fan. U R so smart and talented it scares me sometimes. U inspire me to be better. U challenge me for the better. U R my muse. I'm so in love." The red-hot romance has been one of the biggest open secrets in entertainment for at least two years, with the two frequently spotted together at trendy restaurants, star-studded events and vacationing in exotic places. Not to mention their award-winning, seemingly autobiographical hit single "Crazy in Love." Do we hear wedding bells? Not so fast. There are rumors, but apparently we'll have to stay tuned for the remix.
U.S. Sen. Barack & Michelle Obama
U.S. SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-ILL) has a reputation for perseverance and persistence in politics--and in life. And he proved it first in his ardent wooing of his tall and attractive wife, Michelle, who is, he says, from any podium, the "love of my life." She was not initially interested in dating the charismatic young lawyer. She was his mentor in the Chicago law firm where they met, and she is quoted as saying she thought it would be "tacky" for the only two Blacks at the law firm to start dating. She even tried to set him up with her girlfriends. There was just one problem--he wanted to date her. Eventually he won his case, and now with an even dozen years of married life behind them and two young daughters, this magnetic couple is on every socialite's must-have guest list.
Will Smith & Jada Pinkett Smith
IN HOLLYWOOD, LONG-TERM relationships are measured in months. And marriages sometimes don't even last that long. So it's unusual that the pairing of actress Jada Pinkett Smith and actor/singer Will Smith still tops the hot couples lists seven years after their wedding. They are an arresting pair, she a petite powerhouse and he, well, just a powerhouse. Together for more than 10 years, this couple refuses to let convention define their relationship or allow boredom, the death knell of many long-term pairings, to gain a foothold. Most mature couples with 2.5 children are happily settling into a suburban routine by now--not these two. What keeps them on the hot watch list is their "anything goes" attitude with their careers and with their lives. In the last year, Jada ventured into Will's musical territory by leading her own band, Wicked Wisdom. What's next for the quixotic pair? With this dynamic duo, stay tuned, anything is possible.
