When we think of John Krasinski, it’s relatively easy to picture him as the charming, slightly awkward Jim Halpert from The Office. But in real life, that is something he’s not quite. He’s married to Emily Blunt—the dream team couple that makes Hollywood feel just a bit warmer and wholesome. These two, who’ve been married for over a decade and share two daughters, Hazel, 10, and Violet, 8, still seem utterly smitten with each other.
They’re almost like one of those fairytale couples (in Hollywood no less, where it is increasingly hard to find stories like that). But Krasinski didn’t exactly stumble into love right away. Let’s just say the guy had his fair share of near-misses, rumored romances, and memorable dates before he ultimately found his happily-ever-after with Blunt. So, let us take a look at John Krasinski’s relationship timeline, where Blunt and he were emotionally when they met, rumored exes, and just how he won over his now-wife (spoiler: a gun range was involved).
The pre-Blunt years, rumored romances, and real-life chemistry
Before meeting Emily, John had a few rumored romantic links. Nothing too scandalous, but enough to keep things interesting. One of Krasinski’s most talked-about relationships involved his The Office co-star Rashida Jones. Before they played an on-screen couple: Jim Halpert and Karen Filippelli in the mid-2000s which, let’s be honest, had fans feeling all sorts of ways, the two shared a brief relationship. They, however, continued to state there was no inkling after they started working together.
On the show, their relationship had its own drama. And fans couldn’t help but wonder if there was something real going on between the two off-screen, especially given their chemistry on the show.
Neither John nor Rashida confirmed any romantic involvement while the show was airing. In fact, both stars kept their lips sealed about any real-life dating rumors then, which eventually faded as the show continued. Still, fans never quite let go of the idea that maybe, just maybe, the spark continued between them.
While John Krasinski and Jones left fans in the dark, their entrance to the Saturday Night Live after-party that year told a different story. The pair were spotted holding hands, and fans were quick to notice this. Jones even gushed about working with Krasinski in a later interview, saying,
It’s not very often you can work with an ex-boyfriend so easily. He’s fantastic, really skillful, honest, and direct.
Rashida Jones has since gone on to build an impressive career, taking on roles in Parks and Recreation and Angie Tribeca. And given how Krasinski and Jones both value their privacy, it’s no wonder they’ve managed to keep any details of a possible romance (if it ever happened again) close to the vest.
If there’s one pairing that fans didn’t see coming, it was Krasinski and Renée Zellweger. Back in 2007, the two were reportedly close during the filming of Leatherheads, a romantic comedy where Krasinski starred alongside George Clooney and Zellweger.
It’s 1925 in the film, and pro football’s hanging by a thread. George Clooney stars as Jimmy “Dodge” Connelly, the scrappy, determined captain of the Duluth Bulldogs, who drags in college football star Carter “The Bullet” Rutherford (John Krasinski) to his team. Carter’s a war hero, or so everyone thinks, and his fame could be the ticket to saving the team and the league. Renée Zellweger is Lexie Littleton, a sharp, no-nonsense reporter who’s out to uncover the truth – it ultimately is a love triangle with her, Dodge, and Carter.
Funnily enough, it was Clooney who cast Krasinski in the film, and rumor had it then that Clooney was instrumental in getting Krasinski noticed in Hollywood. Clooney and Zellweger were already Hollywood royalty, while Krasinski was more of a fresh face on the big screen. So, what really happened between Zellweger and Krasinski?
Not much. There was quite a bit of flirting going on, with sources saying the two grew close on set in South Carolina. Some reports even claim that they spent a lot of time hanging out between takes, and their chemistry was enough to contribute to whispers of a romance.
Like with Rashida, however, neither John nor Renée confirmed or denied the relationship rumors, which meant fans were left guessing. Was it just a friendship with a side of flirty banter, or was there something more? Zellweger known for her roles in Bridget Jones’s Diary, Chicago, and Cold Mountain, has always been private about her relationships, so it’s not too surprising that this one also remains a mystery.
Emily Blunt’s pre-Krasinski year, and Michael Bublé
John Krasinski and Emily Blunt have a Hollywood romance that fans can’t seem to get enough of. But before The Office star won over his now-wife, Blunt had a very public relationship with Grammy-winning singer Michael Bublé
It all started in 2005, when Blunt, then a rising star best known for her supporting role in The Devil Wears Prada, met Bublé backstage at one of his concerts. For a while, the couple were an “it” pair of the mid-2000s—always turning heads at events and charming fans with their chemistry. In the early days of their relationship, Blunt was open about how their pairing worked despite their different levels of fame, with her being a rising star, saying
It’s harder when you’re the one emasculating [your boyfriend]. I’ve done that, and it doesn’t work, Blunt would tell W Magazine. She continued, If someone is not fulfilled in what they do and you’re a successful girl, it will work against you
Bublé was riding high, and Blunt, who was new to the Hollywood scene, seemed genuinely happy to support him. It was clear that the two were very much in love, with Blunt even admitting that she would “get tears in [her] eyes” watching him perform, calling it “overwhelming.” And Bublé’s feelings were just as intense. “Every time I see her onscreen, I fall in love with her all over again,” he gushed to the press.
The relationship between Blunt and Bublé seemed so strong that it wasn’t just the fans who approved—Bublé’s family was also approving. His mother, Amber Santagà, was known to adore Blunt, famously telling People magazine that if her son didn’t marry Blunt, she’d “kill him.” She went on to say, “But we’d find someone in the family to marry her because we’re not letting her go, ever. She’s just the best thing ever, and they’re perfect together.”
For a while, it seemed like everything was falling into place – they were young, successful, and head over heels in love. But like many young couples in the spotlight, cracks began to show. In 2008, a scandal emerged when a woman came forward with photos of a shirtless Bublé, along with images of herself and the singer. She claimed to have been in a relationship with Bublé for ten years, even alleging that they had been intimate in the Vancouver apartment Bublé shared with Blunt.
Though Bublé’s rep eventually confirmed that the two were “no longer a couple,” fans and media speculated for months about what had truly led to the split. In an interview, Bublé tried to set the record straight by saying that their breakup was due to conflicting schedules and career demands. “In my business, it’s tough to go out with another artist because you’re never together,” he explained. “With Em, she was on her movies, and I was doing my thing, so it made it more difficult.” He spoke fondly of Blunt, calling her a “top girl, top class.”
But in truth, the breakup was a painful experience for both. Blunt later shared that she struggled, confessing she would “curl up in a ball and cry.” And Bublé admitted that he, too, was devastated. “It was the worst thing that ever happened to me and the greatest thing that ever happened to me,” he said, hinting that the split pushed him toward self-reflection and therapy.
Zipping past that and moving to late 2008, as Blunt was mending her heart after the breakup, she crossed paths with John Krasinski in a true Hollywood-meets-Hollywood love story.
John Krasinski and Emily Blunt cross paths
In a cozy restaurant in Los Angeles. Emily Blunt, freshly out of a long-term relationship, was out with a friend for a casual dinner. Little did she know, her life was about to change. In an interview, Emily shared how she met John through a friend’s introduction. “My friend goes, ‘Oh my god, there’s my friend John,’” she told Seth Meyers on Late Night years later.
John just abandoned his dinner with Justin Theroux, came over, and made me laugh for the rest of the night.
John, for his part, admitted he was totally into it from the get-go. “It was me asking for a while,” he later joked, before finally securing a first date. And where did he take her? To a gun range. Yep, you read that right. John thought he had zero chance with Emily, so he figured he’d lean into the absurd. As he put it on Conan,
I decided, ‘I’m gonna really hit the gas and bring her to a gun range.’ I thought, ‘This is ridiculous; she can have anyone, not me.’ So I figured, ‘You know what, I’m gonna blow it right away so that way you don’t feel bad.
But surprisingly, Emily didn’t write him off after the whole gun-range stunt. In fact, the two ended up having a fantastic time, and Emily’s laughter that night set the tone for a relationship that’s always been grounded in humor and fun. The couple started dating soon after, and from there, things moved fast.
Unicorns, oceans, and clouds
Just under a year later, Krasinski was ready to pop the question. By August 2009, Krasinski had proposed to Blunt in Los Angeles, and, as he later shared, it was “unicorns and oceans and clouds.” He added, “I was nervous, and the whole nine yards…she cried, and then I cried, and we both cried and then everyone around us was crying.”
This “everyone” presumably didn’t include their good friend George Clooney, but he still managed to be part of the big moment. George insisted on hosting their wedding at his Lake Como estate in Italy, but John initially didn’t take him seriously. “He offered multiple times, and only on the fourth ask did I say yes,” John recalled, laughing about how he almost hurt George Clooney’s feelings by brushing off his kind offer.
In July 2010, the couple tied the knot in an intimate, idyllic ceremony at Clooney’s estate. While everything seemed perfect, Emily did have one minor regret. During a talk with James Corden, she revealed that she’d attempted a budget-friendly spray tan—only to end up orange on her wedding day. “It was a DIY, and it was so patchy,” she laughed. “I look at the pictures and there’s this orange hue.”
A life of laughter and A Quiet Place
John and Emily welcomed their first daughter, Hazel, in 2014, and then Violet in 2016. Parenthood was a milestone John took rather seriously, calling his family “the best part” of his life and regularly gushing about Emily’s parenting skills. As he once told the Daily Beast, “The best days of my life started when I met my wife—that’s the truth.”
Krasinski has also tried to keep things normal for his two daughters. One fan encounter, though, could very well be a curveball in parenting. While walking Hazel to school, a fan recognized Krasinski and greeted him. He recalls the kid’s reaction, “‘So, you work with that guy?’ And I said, ‘No.’ She was like, ‘Why are you lying? He said he knows you from the office.’”
His kids also inspired IF, the 2024 film starring Krasinski and Ryan Reynolds, after he noticed their creativity dimming during the pandemic. “They were the most unbelievably inventive, inspirationally imaginative kids,” he shares. “And then, when COVID hit, I saw their lights start to dim.” His girls loved his idea about imaginary friends helping people, and for the first time, he included them in his creative process. “I based a bunch of the IFs on their imaginary friends, so it was a full experience,” he says, adding they even critiqued his “horrendous” drawings before approving more polished sketches.
Throughout their years together, though, the couple has continued to support each other’s careers. When John directed and starred in A Quiet Place (which Emily co-starred in), their connection was evident both on-screen and off. Emily even mentioned in her SAG Award acceptance speech how the experience “pierced my heart directly.”
And while John might not watch The Devil Wears Prada quite as much these days, he’s always Emily’s biggest fan. During another interview, John couldn’t stop gushing about how her performance in The Devil Wears Prada is one of his all-time favorites. He admitted that before they started dating, he’d watched it “embarrassingly” too many times.
I mean, it’s on TV all the time! And I was dating her for, like, two weeks, and I’m sitting there watching it. She walks in, and I quickly flip the channel, and she probably thought I was watching something totally inappropriate.
In recent years, Blunt and Krasinski haven’t slowed down one bit. They’re regulars on the red carpet and vocally support each other through every new project. In 2023, they even celebrated their 13th anniversary with Emily’s Oppenheimer cast mates in New York, with Robert Downey Jr. posting a cheeky “Krasinski photo bomb” moment on Instagram.
While fans love Krasinski and Blunt together, comedian Amy Schumer threw out a playful poke on Instagram. Talking about the sequel to their initial horror outing, A Quiet Place, Schumer said that it ‘blew her away’ and was “even better than the first one.” She added jokingly, “Although I’ve said for a long time I think Emily and John have a pretend marriage for publicity. But I still think you should see it this rainy weekend.” Krasinski quipped back in the comments, “Thank you, Amy!… for blowing up our whole marriage spot.”
John Krasinski may have dated (or been rumored to date) a few talented women over the years, but it’s clear that when he met Emily Blunt, something clicked. Perhaps, through laughter, a shared love of movies, and two adorable daughters, these two have become one of Hollywood’s most endearing couples. It may have taken a gun range date, but it’s safe to say John Krasinski seems to have found his happy ending.
