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10 Coolest Cougar/Cub Relationships

Photo: Felix Mizioznikov/shutterstock.com
10 Coolest Cougar/Cub Relationships

We just reported on Friday that 19-year-old Kick Ass star Aaron Johnson is planning on marrying and starting a family with 42-year-old director Sam Taylor-Wood. Perhaps people are grossed out by this simply because Aaron isn't even out of his teens yet, but older woman/younger man couplings have always been considered more "shocking" than older man/younger woman ones. Society is constantly reinforcing the idea that men get better with age while women just get older and wrinklier, so it's no wonder that people have a hard time believing that there are young men who prefer older women.

Here then 10 celebrity couples (each with at least a 10-year age gap) prove that age ain't nothing but a number and "sexy" is in the eye of the beholder.

1. Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher - Since the day Demi started dating Ashton, 15 years her junior, the still-sexy star became the patron saint of cougars. Together for seven years and married for five, Demi and Ashton have quieted all the skeptics who thought that it would never last. 

2. Joan Collins and Percy Gibson - Before Demi's day, Joan was the ultimate cougar. Although two of the Dynasty star's five marriages were to older men, she's more often been involved with the young'uns. She started out with barely younger men, like third husband Ron Kass (two years younger) and a brief fling with Warren Beatty (four years younger). She ramped it up with fourth husband Peter Holm (14 years younger) and ex-boyfriend Robin Hurlstone (25 years younger), before settling on current husband Percy Gibson, who is 32 years Joan's junior. The couple has been married since 2002.

3. Juliet Mills and Maxwell Caulfield - Juliet (best known for her roles in Nanny and the Professor and Passions) married Maxwell (best known as Grease 2's cool rider) in 1980, soon after meeting in a stage production of The Elephant Man. The 18 years between them isn't the important number in their relationship—it's the 30 years their marriage has lasted!

4. Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon - Perhaps her "emotionally abusive" marriage to much-older first husband Tommy Mottola made Mariah decide that young was the way to go. She married Nick, 11 years her junior, in 2008 and has said that she can't wait to start a family with him. But despite recent rumors that Mariah, now 40, is pregnant, her rep says that there is no baby on the way...yet. 

5. Deborra-Lee Furness and Hugh Jackman - Deborra-Lee and Hugh met in 1995, while co-starring on an Australian TV series. Despite their 14-year age difference, the two married a year later and have remained one of Hollywood's strongest couples. Hugh Jackman Loves His Wife

6. Tina Turner and Erwin Bach - After Tina's tumultous marriage to Ike Turner ended in 1978, the singer didn't seriously get involved with anyone until seven years later, when she met German record exec Erwin, 16 years her junior. The two officially started dating in 1986 and have lived together in unmarried bliss ever since. 

7. Katie Couric and Brooks Perlin - In 2007, Katie, who is not a fan of the "cougar" label, began dating entrepreneur Brooks Perlin, 17 years her junior. A former school chum of Brooks' said that he was once known for his tennis prowess and "lots of shirtlessness." Well, it's easy to see what Katie sees in him!

8. Mira Sorvino and Christopher Backus - Oscar winner Mira, 42, first met Christopher, 27, at a friend's Charades Party. At least it wasn't a Pin the Tail on the Donkey Party, or she might have ended up in jail instead of married...which she's been since 2004.

9. Madonna and Jesus Luz - Despite having dated older lothario Warren Beatty, Madonna, now 51, has always liked 'em young. She was two years older than first husband Sean Penn, 8 years older than daughter Lourdes' daddy Carlos Leon, and 10 years older than second (and possibly last) husband Guy Ritchie. After a fling with 34-year-old Alex Rodriguez, Madge shacked up with 23-year-old Brazilian model Jesus. Despite many breakup rumors, the two still seem to be together, and Jesus has shown an uncommon-for-his-age-and-hotness committment to Madonna and her kids. 

10. Susan Sarandon and Jonathan Bricklin - Susan and 32-year-old ping pong entrepreneur Jonathan haven't acknowledged that they're an item, but Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart played that game for a long time, and we all what's going on there. Susan, 63, is no stranger to cubs—she was with former partner Tim Robbins, 51, for over two decades before their recent split. Susan Sarandon's Wild Single Life