HE is one of the defining TV stars (and certified dreamboats) of the 90s, and although he had a stellar career on the small screen, it was his behind the scene romances that people really remember.
The actor, now 62, was spotted riding his bike through Santa Monica with his adorable dog trotting behind him, cutting a rugged, outdoorsy figure miles away from his polished red-carpet days.
Wearing a laid-back flannel shirt and jeans, the star looked relaxed, healthy and very at home in the sunshine. He also had a used poo bag in his had, showing he’s a very responsible dog owner.
To give you a hint, he once played Jennifer Aniston’s on-screen love interest on Friends — and this was happening as their real-life relationship quietly fell apart. Talk about awkward.
He was the ultimate DILF in The O.C., earned prestige credits in the films Damages, Argo and Good Night, and Good Luck. He directed episodes of Nip/Tuck, won an Emmy in 2014, oh, and he voiced the character Hercules (don’t you mean Hunk-cules?) in Disney’s 1997 animated classic.
So who’s the mystery man?
If you guessed silver fox Tate Donovan, you’d be correct!
Born in New Jersey, Donovan built a steady career straight out of the gate with roles in SpaceCamp, Clean and Sober, Memphis Belle and Love Potion No. 9, which is the film that introduced him to one his most famous ex-girlfriend’s — Sandra Bullock.
The pair became one of Hollywood’s golden couples of the early 90s, with Bullock later admitting she “chased him like a dog” because she was so smitten.
‘I adored Tate so much,’ she said in 1995. ‘There’s nobody that means more to me.’
After their split, Donovan fell for Jennifer Aniston, though he hilariously had no idea who she was when they met. He admitted at the time: “I’d never seen Friends.”
Their two-year relationship overlapped with his guest arc on the show as hunky Joshua, which made filming tricky.
“It was just six episodes… but we were breaking up,” he said. “We were like: can we not keep doing this?”
Aniston was quick to shut down rumours about their split, saying it wasn’t about money, marriage, or babies.
Despite things not working out with two of the most beautiful and nicest actresses in Hollywood, Tate has stayed good friends with both Jennifer and Sandra.
Years later, Bullock and Aniston even joked about sharing the same man, calling Donovan “patient,” “funny,” and “generous,” with Aniston adding, “He seems to have a type.”
Donovan later married Scorpion writer Corinne Kingsbury in 2005, then producer Corry Scheuerman in 2015.
Jen has since moved on and recently made things Instagram-official with new love Jim Curtis, while Bullock is said to be slowly opening up to dating again following the loss of longtime partner Bryan Randall.
