Unveiling the Romantic Lives of 'Friday Night Lights' Cast: Unexpected Relationships and Intriguing Love Stories

Friday Night Lights, the popular TV show that chronicled the struggles and triumphs of high school football players in the fictional town of Dillion, Texas, not only captivated audiences from 2006 to 2011 but also played a role in the real-life love lives of its cast members. Actors like Zach Gilford and Minka Kelly, among others, found love even after their time on the show came to an end.

One such example is Jesse Plemons, who played the character of Landry Clarke. After his stint on Friday Night Lights, Plemons found himself in the midst of romance rumors with none other than Kristen Dunst. The two actors started working together on the television series Fargo in 2015, igniting speculations about their relationship.

"It was an absolute delight," Plemons enthused about his collaboration with the esteemed Melancholia star during his appearance at PaleyFest in 2015. "I have been an admirer of Kirsten's exceptional talent for quite some time, and I was genuinely thrilled when I finally had the opportunity to meet her. She is a remarkable individual, and as actors, we both have a remarkable ability to truly immerse ourselves in the material and enjoy every moment of it."

Fast forward one year, and the on-screen married high school sweethearts from the FX series took their relationship to the next level in their personal lives. While Plemons and Dunst prefer to keep their love story out of the limelight, the beloved Breaking Bad actor candidly shared insights into the early stages of their romance in September 2020.

"I was well aware that she would remain a significant presence in my life," Plemons expressed to The New York Times when discussing the Interview With a Vampire star's profound admiration for her fiance's unwavering dedication to his craft.

"He puts in extensive effort into his work, taking everything to heart and immersing himself completely," she commented during the same conversation.

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Keeping his dating life under wraps is something that another star from Friday Night Lights, Michael B. Jordan, tends to do. He has always kept his private relationships hidden from his fans and hasn't provided much insight into them. However, in November 2020, Jordan was frequently seen with Lori Harvey, sparking rumors of a possible relationship.

Although they confirmed their relationship the year after, the couple intentionally limits the amount of their personal lives that they share on social media.

"We consider ourselves naturally private individuals, so whenever we come across a picture or any form of media, we ask ourselves, 'Should we share this with the world? Or should we keep it to ourselves?'" she shared with Bustle in June 2021. "We're aware that there are those who genuinely love and support us, eagerly awaiting glimpses of our lives. Therefore, we strive to strike a delicate balance by providing a glimpse, while safeguarding the majority of our personal moments just for us. It's a constant effort to find that equilibrium."

During the interview, Harvey disclosed that she and Jordan were initially introduced by mutual acquaintances.

"I believe our encounter was brief, merely coincidental," she commented, mentioning that she found the Creed actor physically attractive and incredibly modest initially.

Continue reading to discover further details about the cast of Friday Night Lights and their romantic relationships.

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'Friday Night Lights' Cast Dating Histories: Zach Gilford, Minka Kelly and More

Friday Night Lights delved into the triumphs and trials faced by high school football players in the fictional town of Dillion, Texas. It showcased their academic pursuits and romantic escapades. Interestingly, several cast members, including Zach Gilford and Minka Kelly, found love even after their time on the show. Friday Night Lights originally aired from 2006 to 2011.

In 2015, Jesse Plemons, known for his role as Landry Clarke, and Kristen Dunst began their collaboration on Fargo, which led to speculation about a romantic relationship. Plemons expressed his admiration for Dunst during the PaleyFest in 2015, describing it as a wonderful opportunity. He had long been a fan of her work and was thrilled to finally meet her. Plemons praised Dunst as a remarkable individual, stating that they both enjoyed the process of bringing characters to life as actors.

One year later, the couple - who portrayed married high school sweethearts on the FX series - decided to take their relationship to the next stage in their personal lives. Despite their preference for privacy, Plemons, known for his role in Breaking Bad, revealed details about the initial phase of their relationship in September 2020. Plemons expressed his certainty that Dunst would be a significant part of his life in the future, while Dunst, famous for her role in Interview With a Vampire, praised her fiancé's strong work ethic.

"He puts in tremendous effort into his work. He approaches everything with a high level of seriousness and immerses himself completely," she noted during that period.

Similar to other cast members of Friday Night Lights, Michael B. Jordan prefers to keep his dating life private. In the past, he didn't provide much insight to his fans regarding his personal relationships. However, in November 2020, Jordan was romantically linked to Lori Harvey after they were seen together on multiple occasions.

After confirming their relationship the next year, the model confessed that they deliberately refrain from sharing excessive details about their lives on social media.

"We both have a natural inclination towards privacy. Thus, we find ourselves pondering whether or not to post a picture or any other content," she shared with Bustle in June 2021. "We are aware that there are individuals who love and support us, eagerly awaiting glimpses of our lives. Therefore, we aim to strike a delicate balance by sharing just enough while reserving the majority of it for ourselves. Our goal is to find that equilibrium."

In the interview, Harvey disclosed that she and Jordan were acquainted through mutual acquaintances.

"I believe we crossed paths one time," she mentioned, expressing that she initially found the Creed actor to be "attractive" and "incredibly modest."

Keep scrolling to learn more about the Friday Night Lights cast and their love lives:

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Connie Britton

The Nashville alum tied the knot with John Britton in 1991 and their marriage lasted until 1995. In November 2011, she welcomed her son Eyob into her family through adoption from Ethiopia when he was just 9 months old. The White Lotus alum shared in January 2023 that she has been in a relationship with This Is Us writer David E. Windsor since November 2019.

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Kyle Chandler

Chandler, who played beloved father figure Coach Taylor on the sports drama, married Kathryn Macquarrie in 1995. They share daughters Sydney and Sawyer.

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Aimee Teegarden

The Prom star previously preferred to keep her romantic life private — but she has recently been linked to Chris Skinner.

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Taylor Kitsch

Kitsch has been quite private about his personal relationships outside of the screen. However, he takes pleasure in captivating his fans with his exciting travel experiences and impressive photography skills through his social media presence. Throughout his career, he has often been rumored to have romances with notable celebrities such as Rachel McAdams, Minka Kelly, and Jessica White.

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Zach Gilford

Gilford and actress Kiele Sanchez exchanged vows in December 2012, following a two-year courtship. The couple collaborated on the pilot for The Matadors, and also appeared together in The Purge: Anarchy.

In August 2015, the duo announced that they were expecting a son, but Sanchez suffered a miscarriage several months later. Their daughter, Zeppelin Adele, arrived via surrogate two years later.

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Minka Kelly

Kelly was romantically involved with Chris Evans starting in 2007, and their relationship became more serious from 2012 to 2013. Following that, the actress dated Derek Jeter from 2008 to 2011, as well as Jesse Williams from 2017 to 2018. Additionally, there were brief rumors about her connection to Kitsch during their time working on Friday Night Lights.

In September 2020, the news broke that Kelly and Trevor Noah were in a relationship. Although they faced a temporary breakup in May 2021, our exclusive sources verified that they reignited their romance. However, after another year had passed, it was confirmed that the couple had once again ended their relationship. As of late 2022, Kelly has found solace in the company of Imagine Dragons' very own Dan Reynolds.

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Scott Porter

After crossing paths with casting director Kelsey Mayfield on the set of Friday Night Lights, the pair joined forces in holy matrimony in 2013. In the following years, their family was graced with the arrival of their son, McCoy, in 2015, and their daughter, Clover, in 2017.

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Jesse Plemons

Plemons and his Fargo co-star began their romantic journey in 2016 and took their relationship a step further, with a year-long engagement. Their joy doubled when they embraced the arrival of their son, Ennis, in 2018. And the happiness multiplied once more when they revealed their exciting news in March 2021. Their second bundle of joy made a silent entrance later that year. Both Plemons and his partner were recognized for their exceptional performances in The Power of the Dog at the esteemed 2022 Academy Awards. Adding to their bliss, Dunst's representative confirmed in July 2022 that the couple had sealed their love with a knot.

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Adrianne Palicki

Palicki had been engaged to stuntman Jackson Spidel in 2014. However, after collaborating on The Orville, she forged a new romantic connection with Scott Grimes. Their engagement was announced in January 2019, and they exchanged vows four months later. However, their marital bliss was short-lived as Palicki filed for divorce in July of the same year. Interestingly, she later had a change of heart and asked to dismiss the filing. Nevertheless, she ultimately proceeded with the divorce, filing again the following year.

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Michael B. Jordan

Jordan has been romantically linked to several women in the past, including model Cindy Bruna, actress Kiki Layne, and YouTuber Catherine Paiz. However, it was in late 2020 that rumors of a romance between the Black Panther actor and Harvey began to circulate. Finally, in January 2021, Harvey confirmed the relationship. However, it seems that their love story was short-lived as Us confirmed in June 2022 that Jordan and Harvey have since decided to go their separate ways.

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Jurnee Smollett

Smollett married musician Josiah Bell in 2010. They welcomed son Hunter in 2016. The Birds of Prey actress filed for divorce in March 2020 after 10 years together.

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Brad Leland

Leland shares two daughters, Thea and Leah, with his wife, Freda Ramsey.

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Matt Lauria

Lauria married musician Michelle Armstrong in 2006.