Celebrity Break-ups of 2011

They break up, they make up, they break up again...we just can't turn away from the gory details of famous couples and their marital mishaps. Here are five of the biggest break-ups of the year.

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries

The only moment shorter than the six-month romance between Kim Kardashian and NBA star Kris Humphries, was the couple's 72-day marriage. Kardashian's fans (as well as the media who shoveled out thousands of dollars for exclusive rights to wedding coverage) felt betrayed by the news of their divorce in October, believing the nuptials were just a ploy to make quick money.

While Kardashian insists she was in it for love, not money, the evidence otherwise is particularly unflattering: The stars were paid $1.5 million for their wedding photos, $300,000 for their engagement announcement and upwards of $100,000 for shots of their honeymoon. That's not to mention the free wedding swag they snagged from endorsement deals, the stipend they earned from their E! network reality shows, and the extravagant wedding gifts—most of which Kim sold in order to buy Rolex watches for her family.

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher

Hollywood power couple Demi Moore and Bruce Willis shocked fans in 2000, when they announced they were splitting after 13 years of marriage. But fans had to prepare for an even bigger surprise two years later, when the 41-year-old Moore revealed her romantic involvement with 25-year-old actor and model Ashton Kutcher. After fending off pregnancy and elopement rumors—not to mention a number of cougar jokes—Ashton and Demi tied the knot in 2002. But several infidelities and rumors of an open-relationship-gone-awry created too much strain on the couple. They finally called it quits in November of this year. "I will forever cherish the time I spent with Demi," Kutcher said in a statement. "Marriage is one of the most difficult things in the world and unfortunately sometimes they fail."

Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger

News anchor Tom Brokaw introduced action star Arnold Schwarzenegger to journalist Maria Shriver during a 1977 charity tennis tournament. It was an unlikely pairing. Shriver was a member of the elite Kennedy clan, and the daughter of Peace Corps founder Sargent Shriver. Schwarzenegger was a former body builder, Hollywood action star, and a staunch Republican.

Shriver's family expressed doubts about the blueblood dating on "the other side of the tracks." Nevertheless, the couple wed in 1986 and, over the next 25 years, shared their professional successes and welcomed four children. But it was the discovery of a fifth child, a secret son that Schwarzenegger fathered with housekeeper Mildred Baena, which would devastate the marriage. After trying to salvage the relationship in the months that followed, Shriver and Schwarzenegger filed for divorce in July, beginning a battle over their estimated $400 million in combined assets.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony

From her high profile break-up with Sean "Puffy" Combs, to her broken engagement with Ben Affleck, it seems like Jennifer Lopez has never quite been lucky in love. Which is why her fans rooted for her marriage to fellow music star and long-time friend, Marc Anthony. The couple, who wed in 2004, and welcomed twins in 2008, seemed to be getting along nicely after seven years of marriage. But the couple announced their split this July, among rumors of Anthony's controlling behavior and irrational jealousy. Lopez, however, insisted it was more to do with their conflicting philosophies. "Sometimes it doesn't work—and that's sad," she said "But I remain an eternal optimist about love. I believe in love."

Heather Locklear and Jack Wagner

Actors Jack Wagner and Heather Locklear, who played on-again-off-again lovers on the television drama Melrose Place for seven years, proved that sometimes there's a little truth in fiction. The couple began dating in 2007 and, after four years of breaking up and making up, announced their engagement in August of this year. Melrose fans rejoiced, but not for long: Less than three months later the couple's engagement dissolved, with both parties citing the pressures of wedding planning as being responsible for the split. Wagner told media outlets that, despite the split they "still love each other very much."