25 Best Enemies-To-Lovers Couples In Movies & TV, Ranked

Summary

• Enemies-to-lovers relationships in movies and TV shows often showcase undeniable chemistry, leading to cathartic moments for characters and audiences alike.
• Iconic examples such as Rey & Kylo Ren and Maddie & David from “Moonlighting” demonstrate how enemies-turned-lovers stories have been captivating fans for over 80 years.
• These stories remind viewers that love can overcome differences and wait in the most unlikely places, warming hearts through unlikely romance pairings.

Sometimes, the best relationships in movies and television shows stem from the characters’ initial hatred of one another in the enemies-to-lovers trope, and the best enemies-to-lovers often have fantastic chemistry. In the beginning, characters can despise each other. It might even seem that they will never be physically or emotionally attracted to one another, even though they have that undeniable chemistry. Fans often recognize the potential of the relationship long before the characters do.

When these enemies finally confess their feelings, it’s incredibly cathartic for the audience and creates special moments for the characters. The best enemies-to-lovers movies form a long history stretching back for over 80 years, and examples of the formula in TV shows have made for some of the most well-known storylines ever broadcast. Whether classics or modern-day hits, enemies-turned-lovers stories still warm viewers’ hearts by showing how people can overcome differences and how romance can wait around even the most unlikely corners.

Honorable Mention: Rey & Kylo Ren/Ben Solo

The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy (2015–2019)

From a strong rivalry in the first of the Star Wars sequel trilogy movies, The Force Awakens, to a clear attraction in the second part, The Last Jedi, the heroic Rey (Daisy Ridley) and the villainous Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) fall in love by the end of the Skywalker saga, with the experience returning Ren to his true self, Ben Solo. However, they spend a lot of time being pitted against one another before they do, as Kylo Ren believes himself to be on the side of the Sith.

Though fans had well and truly shipped the two, their brief romance was not as big a hit as the one between Ren’s parents, Han Solo and Leia Organa, from the original Star Wars trilogy. In terms of physical affection, beyond a touching of fingertips through the power of the Force, the two get to share only one kiss, but it was a momentous one nonetheless.

Maddie Hayes & David Addison

Moonlighting (1985-1989)

The 1980s had some great enemies-to-lovers stories on television, and one of the most popular was Maddie and Dave on Moonlighting. It was a tale of opposites. In Moonlighting, Maddie (Cybill Shepherd) is a former high-fashion model who goes bankrupt when her accountant embezzles her money. She ends up having to run the detective agency she already owned as a tax write-off. She uses her celebrity status to get clients but constantly clashes with her private detective, David (played by Bruce Willis).

The sexual chemistry was there from the start. While fans loved watching Maddie and David on cases, what was exciting was watching them bicker and slowly grow closer until they finally ended up together. It was a huge moment for fans, but it might have happened too soon. The two finally showed they loved each other, despite their differences, in season three, and then the ratings started dropping. WIthout the sexual tension and will-they-won’t-they question, the show slowly died off.

Selene & Michael Corvin

Underworld (2003)

Underworld is a fantasy action movie set on an Earth where vampires and Lycans (werewolves) exist and have been at war with each other for centuries. This all started thanks to brothers (one Lycan and one vampire). In the present day, the Lycans have figured out that if they find a descendant in that family’s bloodline, they can create hybrids and become all-powerful, winning the war. That descendant is Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman), a medical student. The vampires send their “Death Dealers” out to eliminate the problem.

Selene and Michael only played a role as a couple in 2 of the 5
Underworld
movies.

The enemies-to-lovers storyline comes when one of the Death Dealers (Kate Beckinsale’s Selene) falls in love with Michael and ends up turning on her kind, finding the two of them in a battle with both sides in the war. A lot happens in this movie, and the world-building becomes even more intense in the sequels. However, what carries the first movie, above even the intense gun fights and action scenes, is the story between the enemies turned into lovers and how their love triumphs over all.

Andie Anderson & Benjamin Barry

How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (2003)

How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days is a romantic comedy that plays in the same sandbox as the classic romantic comedies from the 1930s and 1940s. The tropes are all there, with the two characters being foils for each other throughout, without realizing that true love is there waiting for them to stop being stubborn and finally discover it. In this case, Andie Anderson is a women’s magazine writer who wants to write an article that shows how a woman can make any man dump them in 10 days.

Benjamin Barry is an advertising exec and womanizer who makes a bet with his friends that he can make any woman fall in love with him in 10 days. As expected, they end up together, one wanting to drive the other away while the other wants to fight for love, neither one being honest with the other. Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson have fantastic chemistry in their roles, and by the time they both realize how they really feel, they also realize they have been deceived, making their eventual pairing even better.

Jake Sully & Neytiri Te Tskaha Mo’at’ite

Avatar (2009)

Since both movies are so long and have great depth, it is hard to remember at times that the beloved couple of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Naytiri (Zoe Saldana) were enemies-turned-lovers. The two are such a strong family in Avatar: The Way of Water, and their love is so intense that it seems like their days as enemies were in the deep past. However, before they fell in love and raised a family, Naytiri especially hated Jake, believing he was dangerous and a threat to her people.

Neytiri was the daughter of the Omaticaya leader and the heir of the clan’s spiritual leader. Jake was sent in as an undercover soldier to infiltrate the village to eventually help the humans take the land. However, while he falls in love with Neytiri, who saves him at the start, his actions lead to the destruction of the Hometree and many deaths, including Neytiri’s father. She eventually falls in love with him despite his lies and deception, but the relationship seems doomed until he finally becomes a hero.

Walter Burns & Hildy Johnson

His Girl Friday (1940)

His Girl Friday is one of the best enemies-to-lovers movies in history. It was released in 1940 during the height of the screwball comedies, as they were known at the time. Howard Hawks (Bringing Up Baby, The Big Sleep) directs the film, which follows a newspaper editor named Walter Burns who sets out to sabotage his ex-wife’s upcoming wedding. The cast is what really makes this movie such a treat, with Cary Grant as Walter and Rosalind Russell as his ex-wife, Hildy.

Hildy is always Walter’s equal, and this is an early look at a strong woman who won’t put up with fools.

The movie has a lot going on, with Hildy agreeing to come back to work for Walter to interview a convict on death row, Walter framing Hildy’s fiance more than once to get him put in jail, and Hildy always remaining smart enough to match up with Walter in their battle of wills. The movie was ahead of its time. While a girl, “Friday,” is subservient to their boss, in this movie, Hildy is always Walter’s equal, and this is an early look at a strong woman who won’t put up with fools, even if they do fall in love again at the end.

Patrick Brewer & David Rose

Schitt’s Creek (2015–2020)

The rivalry between David (Dan Levy) and Patrick (Noah Reid) on Schitt’s Creek hilariously only lasted about one episode. It was also incredibly one-sided, making this the fastest movement in the enemies-to-lovers trope on TV. David attempts to open up a new business and has to get licensing to do so. He meets Patrick, who is in charge of issuing the licenses, and is immediately upset when Patrick asks questions about his business plan.

David isn’t sure how to answer the questions and sees it as Patrick being rude. David is offended by the behavior and ready to start a rivalry, but in reality, Patrick is just doing his job. Patrick makes that clear to him when he gives him advice later. The two eventually become friends, go into business together, and have an adorable and supportive relationship that leads to marriage in the series finale.

Johnny Castle & Frances “Baby” Houseman from Dirty Dancing (1987)

Johnny (Patrick Swayze) and Baby (Jennifer Grey) from Dirty Dancing are a classic example of an enemies-to-lovers relationship. The two begin the movie hating each other as they don’t understand, or want to understand, their different lives. Baby is a rich daddy’s girl who appears picture-perfect and Johnny is an employee known for his dirty dancing.

Circumstance forces them to work and train together for a dance competition, and it begins horribly as they both frustrate each other. Their boiling-over frustration is part of what showcases their chemistry. As the movie goes on the two become close and truly learn to care for each other. The relationship itself may be a little dated by modern standards but “the move” from their dance routine remains iconic and often replicated. It is the adults in the movie that really drives these hated rivals together.

Jane Villanueva & Rafael Solano

Jane The Virgin (2014–2019)

Jane (Gina Rodriguez) and Rafael (Justin Baldoni) had a difficult relationship at the beginning because their story was so unexpected and very Telenovela-like, as Jane the Virgin was known for. This made the eventual payoff especially meaningful, even though most fans could see it coming from a mile away.

Jane and Rafael share a moment before their true story begins, and Jane has highly regarded their single kiss in her romantic history. At the same time, Rafael completely forgot who she was until she is accidentally artificially inseminated with his child. They had a difficult time understanding each other’s differing personalities as well. Rafael initially believed a problem could be avoided by throwing money at it while Jane believed it had to be worked out. Their endgame status seemed fairly confirmed by the show’s overall premise, however, and they eventually found their way into a relationship and marriage.

Leslie Knope & Ben Wyatt

Parks And Recreation (2009–2015)

Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) instantly hates Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott) when he arrives in Pawnee, Indiana on Parks and Recreation and Ben returns her hatred as he thinks he’s going to move on to the next town within a few months. Ben has come to Pawnee to fix Leslie’s budget and Leslie sees him as the enemy of her success.

The longer Ben stays in Pawnee, the more the two bond, and Leslie sees him as a truly good person who she falls for over the next few seasons. Ben also falls for Leslie and the two start a relationship that eventually leads to marriage. Their clear endgame relationship is one of the show’s best aspects, even though Ben wasn’t introduced in Parks and Recreation until after season one. This was a relationship all the fans were behind by the end.

Andrew Paxton & Margaret Tate

The Proposal (2009)

One of the best enemies-to-lovers examples in modern movies is The Proposal because it doesn’t just include the bickering dynamic, but also the conflict that arises through an employer-employee relationship. Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) begins The Proposal by absolutely hating his boss Margaret (Sandra Bullock) because of how badly she treats all of her employees, particularly him. Margaret learns her visa is about to expire, and she’ll have to return to Canada if she doesn’t figure out a solution, so she convinces Andrew to marry her so that she can stay in America.

They travel to meet his family in Alaska and plan to get married immediately, but Margaret has second thoughts after meeting his lovely supportive family and slowly starting to care for Andrew throughout the movie. The two end up together, for real, at the end of the movie after realizing they truly care about each other for a satisfying–if a little obvious–finale.

Joe Fox & Kathleen Kelly

You’ve Got Mail (1998)

In the 1998 romantic comedy, You’ve Got Mail, Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) and Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) despise each other. They’re rival booksellers, and they want nothing to do with one another. While she has a small independent store, he runs a string of corporate- stores. However, they’re unaware that while they’re feuding in real life, they’re falling for each other online through emails and instant message chats.

They have so much chemistry, both online and in person. If they put aside their differences, they might realize they’re destined for each other. Luckily, Joe discovers the truth about their identities, and he works hard to reconcile their real-life interactions. It’s a sweet story overall but not either the best Hanks/Ryan rom-com or adaptation of its source material, the Hungarian play Parfumerie (which was also made as The Shop Around the Corner).

Sam Puckett & Freddie Benson

iCarly (2007–2012)

From the very beginning of the Nickelodeon show iCarly, Sam Puckett (Jennette McCurdy) hates Freddie Benson (Nathan Kress). To her, he’s nerdy and lame, and she hardly ever considers him as a friend. They only have a connection because of their mutual friendship with the title character. This is something that changed over time.

But fans shipped Sam and Freddie (appropriately named “Seddie”) long before Sam realizes that she has a crush on Freddie. Perhaps that’s why she tormented him for so long. When they finally kiss and start dating during the show’s fifth season, it was rewarding for the fans who rooted for them since the first. Even though they broke up (they’re teenagers, after all), fans still know that they love each other. They could never go back to completely hating each other after everything they go through.

Jon Snow & Ygritte

Game of Thrones (2011–2019)

Enemies-to-lovers in TV shows don’t come much more iconic than Jon Snow and Ygritte from Game of Thrones, with the romance spawning the famous line “You know nothing, Jon Snow.” As two fighters on opposite ends of a bitter conflict that has lasted for much longer than either has been alive, their differences are clear. Jon (Kit Harrington) is a Night’s Watch ranger and Ygritte (Rose Leslie) is a strong-willed member of the Free Folk that Jon’s order exists, in part, to suppress.

They’re each other’s prisoners at several moments throughout seasons two to four, but their see-sawing captivity blossoms into a clear romance with genuine affection. They always differ on a lot of key points though, never really overcoming their from-two different-worlds status. Fatally shot herself as she hesitantly aims her bow at him, Ygritte dies in Jon’s arms, and it’s never clear whether they could have truly worked, with theirs being one of the show’s many tragic love stories. However, fans were able to find some respite in the real-life marriage between Harrington and Leslie in 2018.

Cher Horowitz & Josh Lucas

Clueless (1995)

This loose adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma provides a great example of the enemies-to-lovers pairing. Cher (Alicia Silverstone) is a spoiled-but-well-meaning high schooler who dreads the arrival of her much more mature former stepbrother, Josh (Paul Rudd), who’s visiting from college. The two aren’t exactly at each other’s throats, but they have all the bickering of a sibling relationship with very little support. They are a great sibling rivalry if nothing else.

The positive side of their relationship shows more strongly as the movie progresses, however, it becomes clear, even to the “clueless” Cher, that they care very deeply for one another deep down. It’s a big risk pursuing one another but, after Josh stands up for Cher, the two finally give in to their feelings, and it’s one of the cutest–if least conventional–pairings from ’90s cinema.

Caroline Forbes & Klaus Mikaelson

The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017)

Caroline Forbes (Candice King) and Niklaus “Klaus” Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan) are enemies from the very beginning of The Vampire Diaries. He’s a vampire-werewolf hybrid and one of the Original Vampires, and she’s a human-turned-vampire who isn’t interested in harming humans. Klaus is Caroline’s arch-nemesis. However, after he saves her life, they form a bond that eventually leads to a relationship.

Klaus tells her that even though she had a first love before him, he “intends to be her last.” While it’s a short-lived romance (and fans are still upset that they broke up), Caroline and Klaus had many memorable moments—both as enemies and as lovers. There are a lot of enemies-to-lovers relationships in The Vampire Diaries. While Elena and Damon’s relationship is the one most people pay attention to, the best of the best in the show is that of Caroline and Klaus.

Han Solo & Princess Leia

The Original Star Wars Trilogy (1977–1983)

The instant Han Solo (Harrison Ford) meets Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) in Star Wars: A New Hope, the two show animosity towards each other. Princess Leia is responsible and selfless, whereas Han Solo is impulsive and selfish. She is not impressed with him, even famously calling him a “stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder.” Most fans initially wanted to see Luke and Leia end up together, but that was never in the cards, thanks to their secret family history.

Han Solo and Princess Leia always loved each other, no matter what.

They continue to insult each other every chance they can get. So, when they ultimately kiss and admit that they love each other, it’s surprising but also endearing. Their love endured through many trials, even during separation. Han Solo and Princess Leia always loved each other, no matter what, even if the sequel trilogy showed that they were never quite right for each other all the time.

Peter Warne & Ellen “Ellie” Andrews

It Happened One Night (1934)

A true classic of the enemies-to-lovers movie formula, It Happened One Night puts an entitled heiress (Claudette Colbert) and an opportunistic reporter (Clark Gable) together on a road trip, with the objective being to get the heiress back to her new husband in exchange for an exclusive story.

The distrust and bickering between the two, of course, gives way to romance, but the lead’s charms help the movie stand out even today as the archetypal example of an enemies-to-lovers story. The film remains one of only three features to win the ‘big five’ Oscars – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay – which was a feat that not even Gable’s most famous movie, Gone with the Wind, achieved. It Happened One Night provides the blueprint for all the enemies-to-lovers shows and movies that followed.

Buffy Summers & Spike

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)

When Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) first meets Spike (James Marsters) on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she wants to slay him. After all, she’s supposed to because he’s a vampire. At the same time, he’s ready to kill her. This isn’t the best foundation for a relationship. This is one enemies-to-lovers example that is more of a slow burn.

They spend many episodes on opposite sides of the slayer-vampire divide. Eventually, after Spike helps to save the world more than once, the two grow to respect one another and ultimately love each other. While it’s a problematic relationship with many toxic issues during the run of the show, fans were excited to watch the relationship form and grow deeper, with the fandom continuing to be split between Team Angel and Team Spike.

Harry Burns & Sally Albright

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

When Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) first meets Sally Albright (Meg Ryan) in the ’80s romantic comedy movie, When Harry Met Sally, they’re not friends. In fact, they argue about whether men and women can be friends without sexual attraction getting in the way. They bicker, and they’re nowhere close to being romantic.

Ten years later, they meet again at a bookstore. They decide to become friends, despite their arguments, and they’re eventually attracted to each other. Harry was right after all – they can’t have a strictly platonic relationship. Harry and Sally bicker throughout their friendship, but ultimately, no one can deny that they’re better together. This is not only an enemies-to-lovers story but a friends-to-lovers story, and how that isn’t always the best decision to make, even if that is what viewers might expect.