Parting of the ways: 2011’s biggest breakups

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Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries only lasted 72 days together. | AP file

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Updated: January 27, 2012 8:06AM

As is almost always the case, the year was marked by a number of high-profile breakups, but the splits in 2011 included more major surprises than years gone by.

While most of the focus here will be on the end of marriages, the biggest “breakup” actually had nothing to do with one-time marital bliss.

1. ‘Men’ gone bad

From all those “winning” and “tiger blood” comments by Charlie Sheen to the vicious remarks made both by the actor and “Two and a Half Men” creator and executive producer Chuck Lorre, the end of their long-lucrative TV sitcom alliance snared a lion’s share of headlines from spring until late summer.

While Sheen thought himself the irreplaceable driving comedic force of the CBS hit, the truth was in the old Hollywood adage: “The ‘business’ always trumps ‘show’ in ‘show business.’ ” Lorre and CBS fired Sheen and moved on, replacing him with Ashton Kutcher as the series launched its 10th season.

After a flurry of lawsuit filings, Sheen not only resolved his legal issues with both the network and Lorre, but walked away with a multimillion-dollar settlement. On a personal level, the actor also dispatched his “goddesses” and apparently has remained clean and sober for the past five months.

2. Tweeter a cheater

One of Hollywood’s most public marriages — followed avidly by millions of Ashton Kutcher’s Twitter followers — very publicly crashed and burned when the actor’s wife, Demi Moore, announced she finally was throwing in the towel on their six-year marriage. The actress made it clear it was Kutcher’s inability to remain faithful — including a very embarrassing fling with a woman in San Diego the weekend of the couple’s sixth anniversary — that led her to “move forward with my life.”

Much was made of the duo’s 15-year age difference, but for most of their marriage, Kutcher seemed devoted to Moore and even assumed a paternal role in the lives of her three daughters by ex-husband Bruce Willis.

3. Reality or ‘reality’?

The end of the 72-day marriage of Kim Kardashian and NBA player Kris Humphries caused the most laughs among celebrity watchers. The big suspicion — loudly denied by Kardashian and her clan — was that the whole thing was a big stunt to hype ratings for “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.”

In the aftermath of the couple’s split, Humphries acted more miffed than seemed appropriate — indicating he considered himself a bigger celebrity than anyone (besides him) thought him to be.

4. He won’t be baaaack

Another jaw-dropping split was the unraveling of the 25-year marriage of former California governor, veteran action star and ex-bodybuilding champ Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kennedy heiress and broadcaster Maria Shriver.

Not only was their breakup a shock to many, but even more scandalous was the revelation Schwarzenegger fathered a son, now 14, with the couple’s longtime housekeeper.

5. No more happy tunes

The announcement by Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony ending their marriage of seven years shocked millions — especially coming so shortly after a number of very public displays of apparent affection, including a sexy dance number during the finale of “American Idol,” where J. Lo ended her first season as a judge.

According to sources close to both parties, the constant fighting — over issues both personal and professional (they continue as co-producers and stars of “Q’Viva! The Chosen”) — led the couple to decide they could not overcome their differences.

Lopez has not wasted any time finding a new man: She’s now linked to one of her backup dancers, Casper Smart, 24.

6. Can’t buy me love?

Elizabeth Hurley went through a lot when she married Indian multimillionaire Arun Nayar in 2007 — including both a Western ceremony and a very traditional and elaborate Hindu one in India. All that went for naught in June when the couple received a quickie divorce in London — and the actress and longtime Estee Lauder spokesmodel moved on to Australian cricket star Shane Warne.

7. Friends with benefits

Considering both New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez and Cameron Diaz seemed to enjoy a “no serious commitment” relationship, it came as something of a surprise when the couple called it quits after dating for a year and a half. According to people close to Diaz, the two remain good friends and are expected to reconnect (whenever they are not dating someone else) for the foreseeable future.

8. No new tattoos

It just has not been a great couple of years for Jesse James — not that Sandra Bullock’s legion of fans will care. On the heels of his hurtful cheating that led to his divorce from the Oscar winner, the custom motorcycle pro and TV reality star moved on to Kat Von D, launching a torrid romance and an engagement. However, the couple’s love of tattoos obviously wasn’t enough to get them to ink (Sorry!) a marriage license. They called it quits after Von D revealed James supposedly cheated with 19 other women — just during their brief time “together.”

9. Two in one year

Leonardo DiCaprio starred in a big movie (“J. Edgar”) and ended both a long and a short relationship in the past year.

The actor and model Bar Refaeli ended their on-again-off-again romance of five years in May. Shortly afterward, DiCaprio and “Gossip Girl” star Blake Lively had the paparazzi scurrying all over a bunch of Mediterranean hot spots last summer as the duo engaged in an apparent steamy fling. By fall it was kaput, and Lively had moved on to her “Green Lantern” co-star Ryan Reynolds, with whom she supposedly had set up joint housekeeping in New York.

10. Finally, it’s over

David Duchovny and Tea Leoni have been through quite a rollercoaster of a marriage. After the actor admitted to sex addiction and sought help in 2008, the couple separated, but later reunited. In July they separated again and appear headed for divorce court — which would end the 14-year marriage that produced two children.

11. Under the radar

Jessica Lange has won two Oscars and Sam Shepard has enjoyed great success as an actor and filmmaker, but it’s no secret the two longtime partners are not exactly on the media radar — given their penchant for privacy and living in non-Hollywood haunts such as Minnesota and Virginia. After 30 years of a public presumption they were together, though not married, the two announced in early December that they actually ended their relationship two years ago.