Dynamic Duos: Our favourite couples, in real and reel life

My favourite fictional couple has to be Ariel and Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid. I remember watching the Disney movie when I was younger and crying my eyes out at the end as I couldn’t for the life of me understand why Ariel would leave her family and life as a mermaid for a guy—I guess that’s true love! 

—Katelyn Tan, senior writer, Tatler Dining

My ultimate pairing of all time has to be Mia and Lilly from one of my favourite childhood movie series, The Princess Diaries (though, Lilly definitely had some questionable moments in the first movie). Their dynamic reminds me a lot of my relationship with my childhood best friend, Alyssa, who emulates Mia in many ways. The more demure, shy and reserved Mia is perfectly complemented by the quick-witted, outspoken and sarcastic Lilly. Their loyalty to each other and overall friendship is such a joy to watch and a refreshing reminder of how good 2000s movies are.

—Amanda Fung, writer, Tatler Dining

For the unfamiliar, this 1950s show centres around a Texas Ranger, who is a survivor of an ambush by a gang of outlaws. He befriends an American Indian and sets out to defend people from the evil forces while keeping his identity hidden as a masked vigilante. They’re my favourite pair because it proves that no man is an island—for even someone called the Lone Ranger needs at least one person on this earth to accompany them through the ups and downs of life. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a romantic relationship, it could just be a friend. Also, it promotes interracial friendship; in this day and age, race shouldn’t be a hindrance to relationships. But mostly, it’s because their relationship is exactly like mine, set in the past and fictional.

—Aaron Pereira, deputy editor, Tatler

For me, the Obamas are a prime example of #couplegoals, because it’s all about being real and not projecting a “perfect” marriage for the public eye. They’ve been open about going through marriage counselling, proving that it takes work for a marriage to survive—and thrive. And here they are, 30 years later, and still going strong. Their sense of humour remains intact and they always have each other’s back as they cheer the other on. By the way, that shot Michelle posted of them together as they rocked their festive-themed eyewear as they rang in the new year together? Epic.

—Elizabeth Soong, managing editor, Tatler

My OTP (which means “one true pairing”) of all time would have to be the iconic duo, Gomez and Morticia Addams from the ’90s film edition of The Addams Family. Their portrayal of a gothic couple aside, they are a shining example of what a healthy relationship looks like—they’re open about their wants while being mindful of their partner’s needs, they maintain honest communication with one another, and most importantly, they work together as a team.

—Koyyi Chin, senior writer, Tatler

Music is an important part of our life. I loved seeing how big a role it’s played for Michael and Carissa Alvarado, the American husband-and-wife team that rose to fame on Vine and YouTube doing wonderfully simple but soulful covers of pop songs. Something drew me to this couple ever since I heard their hit song No Matter Where You Are, which apparently was an extension of their real-life wedding vows. Perhaps it’s their undeniable raw talent that drew me. Or maybe it was the absurdly perfect compatibility of their two distinct singing voices. But in truth, the clincher for me was this line from that single which I think reflects the hope every one of us has for a loving relationship that beats the odds: “We can be the generation who learns how to love / Mistakes and empty promises will never be enough / So tear apart these giant hearts that beat inside us now / Let’s conquer the percentages, and rise above the crowd.”  

—Tania Jayatilaka, senior digital writer, Tatler

Is there a more memorable mother-daughter pairing than Dorothy Zbornak and Sophia Petrillo from the beloved ’80s sitcom, The Golden Girls? I think not, and it’s all because the roles were played by two brilliant comedy actresses, the late Bea Arthur and Estelle Getty, who both won Emmys for their performances on the show. Dorothy (Arthur) was the straight and proper foil to Sophia’s (Getty) blunt honesty. Comedy is all about timing and landing the joke, and their repartees, whether lying in bed reminiscing or having a fight, are delivered with such precision that you can watch it over and over again, and still find yourself chuckling every time. They are proof that life after 50 can still be fun, hilarious, and an absolute delight. 

—Brian Cheong, digital editor, Tatler

While the dialogue in Persuasion is full of chatter, gossip, speculation and lectures, the main character, Anne Elliot, however, hardly ever speaks, even when finding herself in some of the most crucial situations. She once had a lover, Frederick Wentworth, who at that time was a naval officer with no wealth. A girl would typically turn to her mother in such a situation, but Anne’s mother had passed away and her father was a fool, so she took a neighbour’s advice and turned Wentworth down. They of course cross paths again and we know they will rekindle their romance. But in between, there is a whole lot of slow burn of things they don’t say. Everyone in society seems to be working against them—not out of prejudice or malice, but rather out of fear and awful social mores that make it difficult for them to talk openly about the only thing that interests them: their future together. 

This romance is unique in that it’s about two shy but self-assured people who individually engage in mutual persuasion without saying a word about the actual matter. In today’s lingo, this couple would be described as the most introverted pair. While Persuasion is not the most popular Jane Austen novel perhaps because the story moves really slowly, the romance pay-off is big and satisfying.

—Lynette Ow, editor-in-chief, Tatler