Most Polarizing TV and Movie Couples Through the Years: From ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ to ‘The Bear’

From The Bear’s Carmy and Claire to The Summer I Turned Pretty‘s Belly and Jeremiah, TV and movie fans have lots of opinions about which couples left the right impression.

Gordon’s character was introduced as a love interest for Carmy, which became a divisive narrative choice for critics who questioned whether Claire was fully explored as her own person. Others, meanwhile, argued that Carmy should have been paired off with Sydney, who is played by Gordon’s real-life best friend Ayo Edebiri.

Gordon, who has been linked to White since 2024, addressed fan backlash before season 4 premiered.

“I’m always ‘the friend,’” she told Vanity Fair in June 2025. “I’ve never played the romantic person. I was like, ‘Whoa, this is going to be a different experience.’”

Gordon noted that White’s role “is a character that people feel so protective over, and it’s been kind of controversial to bring a romantic element into the show. That’s been at times annoying, fascinating and interesting — just to be a part of something that people have opinions on.”

Scroll down for more polarizing couples through TV and movie history: