Top 30 Best Friends Who Fall in Love in Movies

Top 30 Best Friends Who Fall in Love in Movies

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the ultimate on-screen couples who started off platonic and ended up romantic. Spoiler alert!

#30: Will Stronghold & Layla Williams
“Sky High” (2005)

Imagine you’re a powerless superhero in training while battling the biggest challenge of all: adolescence! “Sky High’s” Will Stronghold knows this better than anyone. Not only is he trying to deal with adjusting to his unique high school, but also navigating the complexities of his friendship with his BFF, Layla. After ignoring her in favor of hanging out with others, including another student, Gwen, they hit a roadblock that almost spells out the end for them. Luckily, thanks to some maturing and heroism, the two not only repair their camaraderie but also finally embrace their fondness for one another!

#29: Alice Mori & Ben King
“Plus One” (2019)

Wedding season can be a rough ride, especially if you’re single. “Plus One’s” BFFs, Alice and Ben are ready to get off this emotional roller coaster. Tired of attending weddings alone, they make a pact to be each other’s dates. Of course, this decision isn’t without its complications. Their simple plan forces them to dig through deep emotions, which results in them having a one night stand. Finally accepting their true feelings for each other, they follow their hearts and begin to date. However, the transition from friends to something more isn’t without a few bumps along the way.

#28: Nick & Peter
“Single All the Way” (2021)

Christmas can be one of the most stressful times of the year, and especially for “Single All the Way’s” leading man, Peter. The social media expert is exhausted by his family’s obsession with him finding a match. So, when he breaks things off with his current beau, his BFF Nick plays the role of his new boyfriend. While they’re just pretending to be a couple, their real and true feelings start to emerge. Set against the backdrop of the warm and cozy holiday season, their friendship grows into a romance, which is the best gift they could have ever wished for.

#27: Carl & Ellie Fredricksen
“Up” (2009)

From childhood BFFs to soulmates, “Up’s” Carl and Ellie are one of animation's most notable couples. Even though it lasts a lifetime, their love story is told through a bittersweet four minute montage. The sequence tracks the highs and lows of married life, with the pair facing tough challenges such as infertility. But, there’s also a lot of joy throughout, reminding us that love can be the most powerful in the smallest of moments. Of course, anyone who has watched the film knows that the ending of the montage is soul-crushing. Not only does Carl lose his wife, but his lifelong best friend. Excuse us while we dry our eyes!

#26: Robbie Hart & Julia Sullivan
“The Wedding Singer” (1998)

The ‘80s: A time when hair was big, fashion was bold, and online dating wasn’t a thing. Back in the day, folks met face to face as is the case with “The Wedding Singer’s” Robbie and Julia . The only problem is she’s engaged to a major jerk, and he’s dealing with a serious breakup. Their friendship is pure and too cute for words. But when Robbie starts to catch feelings for his new pal, he has to race against the clock as her impending wedding looms. In one of the sweetest proclamations of love ever, he finally expresses himself performing a mid-flight serenade.

#25: Jack Malik & Ellie Appleton
“Yesterday” (2019)

Ellie Appleton has the patience of a saint. Not only does she manage her best friend, Jack’s, struggling music career, but she’s also his biggest cheerleader. After an international power outage and bus accident, Jack wakes up to realize the world has no idea who “The Beatles'' are. And so, he takes the risk to claim their work as his own and becomes a massive superstar, while all the while, Ellie stands by his side. Unfortunately, Jack gets so caught up with fame and fortune, that he loses sight of what is important. The good thing is that he finally comes clean and in the end pursues a life that is rich with family, music, and of course, Ellie.

#24: A.J. & Corey
“Empire Records” (1995)

Set against the backdrop of a Delaware-based record store, “Empire Records” is full of a cast of memorable characters including Corey and A.J.. The two employees and close friends are working under the pressure of keeping the independent retailer from being turned into a chain. Over the course of the film, secrets are revealed and expectations shattered, and all the while love patiently waits in the background. By the time the film ends, the store is saved and so are Corey and A.J., who, in an iconic rooftop scene, pledge to give in to their feelings.

#23: Andre Romulus 'Dre' Ellis & Sidney 'Sid' Shaw
“Brown Sugar” (2002)

Bonding over their shared love of hip-hop, Syd and Dre are childhood besties. As adults, they go on to pursue careers in the music industry — she works for a magazine, while he works at a record label. Although they are passionate about their careers, they also share an unspoken passion for one another. After Dre gets married to the wrong woman, things become even more complicated. Thankfully, the hip-hop genre pushes them closer together, to the point where they acknowledge the fact that they have been in love the whole time.

#22: Sasha Tran & Marcus Kim
“Always Be My Maybe” (2019)

Growing up as neighbors, Sasha and Marcus are as close as two best friends can be. However, a messy one night stand causes them to have a fallout. Fast forward almost 20 years later, and Sasha’s life as a famous chef is perfect, while Marcus’ situation is anything but. A chance encounter brings them back together, offering them an opportunity to repair things. Of course the road to reconciliation isn’t without some roadblocks. But not even Keanu Reeves could stand in the way of these two soulmates! Eventually, they go from being each other’s “maybe” to each other’s “forever”.

#21: Nora & Hae Sung
“Past Lives” (2023)

No matter how our lives turn out, we are all sometimes cursed with thoughts of “What If?”. In “Past Lives”, that existential question looms large for two childhood friends, Nora and Hae Sung. Growing up in Korea, the two are inseparable until Nora's family moves to Canada. Years later the two reconnect thanks to social media. Eventually, Hae Sung visits Nora, now married, in New York City. Ideas of what could have been are sparked as they share small, yet powerful, moments of intimacy through conversations and longing glances. Never crossing the line, their love for one another is palpable, heartbreaking and leaves you yearning for a resolution that can never be.

#20: Rosalee Futch & Pete Monash
“Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!” (2004)

It’s pretty much every guy’s worst nightmare: the girl you’re in love with ends up getting the chance to go out with the hunky celebrity that she has a crush on. This unfortunate situation comes to pass for Piggly Wiggly employee Pete, when his friend Rosalee wins a competition to go out with actor Tad Hamilton in LA. Of course, by the end of the movie Rosalee realizes just how wrong for her Tad is, and after Pete confesses his feelings for her, she comes to her senses and realizes who she is actually supposed to be with.

#19: Emma Kurtzman & Adam Franklin
“No Strings Attached” (2011)

Emma and Adam have known each other since their days at camp as teenagers, but haven’t exactly kept in touch over the years. During a difficult moment in his life, Adam calls Emma and the two end up sleeping together, deciding to have a “no strings attached” arrangement where they hook up, but don’t engage in any of the typical relationship behaviors. Because Emma is a successful doctor, she doesn’t have time for an actual boyfriend - or so she thinks. But the more time they spend together, the more they realize that they might actually want to make the leap to being more than friends with benefits.

#18: Monica Wright & Quincy McCall
“Love & Basketball” (2000)

As a kid growing up in Atlanta, Quincy McCall is a huge basketball fan, and when Monica Wright moves from LA and becomes his neighbor, he’s shocked to find a girl who loves the game as much as he does. The two become childhood sweethearts, and their relationship goes through many phases as they go from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. When Quincy becomes engaged to be married to someone else, Monica knows it’s her last chance to give this relationship a shot. This is a sweet and totally underrated love story that’s great for fans of romance movies and sports movies alike.

#17: Hannah & Tom
“Made of Honor” (2008)

These two meet in college when they accidentally find themselves in bed together in a case of mistaken identity, but what follows is a years-long friendship that has always been platonic, until Tom realizes that he wants something more. Despite his playboy status, when Hannah leaves for Scotland, he notices the void in his life when she’s not around. Unfortunately though, she announces that she’s become engaged to a Scotsman and wants Tom to be her maid of honor, a job that he only takes on in the hopes of getting closer to her. Of course, since this is a rom com, you can probably guess how it all turns out!

#16: Dylan & Jamie
“Friends with Benefits” (2011)

Jamie and Dylan only become friends as adults when Jamie recruits Dylan for a job, but their friendship progresses quickly, and before long they’re best buds. Neither of them are having any particular success in the dating game, and they discuss how they wish they could just have casual sex. They decide to give it a shot together, keeping up appearances of just being pals during their arrangement; but, as always seems to happen in these situations, feelings end up getting involved, despite their best efforts. By the romantic climax of the film, the audience is totally convinced that these two are meant to be so much more than just friends.

#15: Wallace & Chantry
"The F Word" (2013)

Released in some countries as "The F-Word" and in others as “What If?”, this charming story follows Chantry and Wallace, who meet during a difficult time in Wallace’s life, after he found out his girlfriend was cheating on him, and he then dropped out of med school. Chantry had a boyfriend at the time, so their relationship is strictly platonic, but the pair becomes gradually closer. These two only get together at the very end after circumstances finally align, but it was worth the wait, because they get their happily ever after.

#14: Chris Brander & Jamie Palamino
“Just Friends” (2005)

Even Ryan Reynolds has trouble escaping the “friendzone”. As former high school nerd turned successful music producer Chris Brander, Reynolds gets a second chance to confess his true feelings to his old high school crush, Jamie, during a trip to his old hometown. While the movie mostly adheres to rom-com clichés, the chemistry between Reynolds and co-star Amy Smart, as well as a hilarious performance by Anna Faris as unhinged pop-star Samantha James, make this an enjoyable ride that’ll leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy.

#13: Zack Brown & Miriam ‘Miri’ Linky
“Zack and Miri Make a Porno” (2008)

As always, Kevin Smith gives us a story of romance blooming in the most unlikely of places. The writer and director offers his signature blend of gross-out laughs and heartwarming moments in this sex comedy about the two titular roommates. Played by Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks respectively, they decide to make pornographic movies in order to pay the bills. While Zack and Miri try to keep things platonic, they eventually start falling for each other in between takes, which obviously becomes complicated, given their chosen profession. Don’t be fooled by the title; this one’s a corny romance through and through.

#12: Forrest Gump & Jenny Curran
“Forrest Gump” (1994)

You can run all you want Forrest, but you can’t outrun love. Robert Zemeckis’ epic and crowd-pleasing film spans several decades and portrays many important historical events, but at the heart of the story is the unconditional love Forrest has for his childhood friend, Jenny. It takes Jenny a while to reciprocate those feelings, but thanks to Forrest’s relentlessly positive attitude, she eventually sees that she loves him too. While their reunion and marriage is painfully brief and tinged with tragedy, it’s still just as sweet as a box o’ chocolates.

#11: Dexter Mayhew & Emma Morley
“One Day” (2011)

Consider yourselves warned, this one is a tearjerker. “One Day”, based on the book of the same name, follows two friends, Emma and Dexter, giving us a glimpse into their lives on the same day every year: July 15th. It’s a unique concept that lets us watch their relationship unfold in little snippets, as their bond becomes more and more complicated over the years. They each go through many ups and downs, both individually and together, but their relationship always seems to be at the forefront of their lives. You may need to grab the tissues for the ending though, so be prepared.

#10: Bianca Piper & Wesley Rush
“The DUFF” (2015)

Bianca and Wesley were neighbors and good friends growing up, but by the time they reach high school he has become a popular jock and she is the group’s DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend), who people use to get into the cool crowd. Though the two had grown apart, they find themselves becoming close again, despite the fact that he’s dating one of the school’s mean girls, on and off. Wesley and Bianca end up sharing a kiss but both act like it didn’t mean anything, even though it clearly does. By the end of the movie he’s showing his feelings for her in front of the entire school, cruel labels be damned!

#9: Simba & Nala
“The Lion King” (1994)

Who would have thought that one of the best stories of friends becoming lovers is from one of our favorite Disney movies? Simba and Nala are besties as kids, roaming around Pride Rock and getting into trouble by tormenting Zazu. Though they’re separated for a decent amount of time after Simba flees following his father’s murder, when they come back together, it’s like no time has passed. In the end they’re destined to rule over the Pride Lands together, with Simba naming Nala as his queen, and the entire story coming full circle when their cub is revealed to the world.

#8: Troy Dyer & Lelaina Pierce
“Reality Bites” (1994)

Underneath all that flannel is plenty of heart. In Ben Stiller’s directorial debut, Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke play two disenfranchised Gen X-ers who find comfort in the fact that they both have uncertain futures. They’re clearly attracted to each other, but Troy’s aimlessness conflicts with Lelaina’s ambitions of becoming a documentary filmmaker. Then there’s the fact that Lelaina is already dating a TV executive. A quintessential nineties soundtrack serves as the background music as Lelaina and Troy slowly realize that they belong together- at least for the time being.

#7: Paulie Bleeker & Juno MacGuff
“Juno” (2007)

Romance may not be the focus of this quirky film, but it still holds an unconventional love story. After a brief dalliance with her friend Paulie, the precocious and now very pregnant Juno brushes off the notion that the two are dating, despite the fact that Paulie is the father of her unborn child. However, as the plot progresses Juno realizes that besides her parents, Paulie is the one person who has constantly supported her. So she decides to confess her feelings like any normal sixteen year old would; by stuffing Paulie’s mailbox full of orange Tic Tacs. We’ll take that over a love letter any day.

#6: William Matthew ‘Will’ Hayes & April Hoffman
“Definitely, Maybe” (2008)

More like “Definitely, Eventually”! In a twist on the typical rom-com formula, this film plays out as a mystery. Recent divorcee Will (played by Ryan Reynolds) tells his daughter Maya the story of the three women he’s been with over the years, leaving clues as to which one eventually became the girl’s mother. However, thanks to his daughter, Will realizes that his true love isn’t his ex-wife, but his friend and one-time co-worker, April. While it takes several years, a broken marriage, and a lot of heartache, Will and April finally become a couple, all with the help of a very perceptive little girl.

#5: Keith Nelson & Watts
“Some Kind of Wonderful” (1987)

We’re not sure why, but “Some Kind of Wonderful” seems to have taken a back seat to some of John Hughes' more popular teen comedies. But this movie features a memorable story and a great cast, along with a heartwarming tale of love. Keith and Watts are friends, but Watts is cruelly bullied because people suspect her of being gay, due to her tomboyish appearance. But when Keith shows interest in another girl, Watts realizes that she has to do something to show him how she feels. She teaches him how to kiss, but he still doesn’t understand what she really wants until the end of the movie, when the two finally make it work.

#4: Matt ‘Matty’ Flamhaff & Jenna Rink
“13 Going on 30” (2004)

It took a bit of wishing dust to get these friends to see they were made for each other. In 1987, 13-year old Jenna, after being tricked into Seven Minutes in Heaven with her geeky best friend Matt, brushes him off and wishes she were 30. Jenna’s wish is granted, but to her dismay, she has grown into an adult with pretty questionable morals. What’s more, she realizes she has feelings for the man Matt has grown into, but he’s engaged to another woman. Luckily, her realization sends her back to 1987, and in her newfound maturity, she kisses Matt, allowing the two to start a new, better life with each other.

#3: Rosie Dunne & Alex Stewart
“Love, Rosie” (2014)

Based on the novel “Where Rainbows End” by Cecelia Ahern, this eventual love story follows Alex and Rosie, who have been friends forever. On Rosie’s 18th birthday, the two kiss, but because of a series of misunderstandings, it ends up pushing the two further apart. Both of their lives quickly begin to spiral, as they each sleep with other people, and then the movie jumps forward several years into their adulthood. Though they’re friends first, they can’t deny that there’s something more to their relationship, despite all of the issues they are faced with.

#2: Ron Weasley & Hermione Granger
“Harry Potter” franchise (2001-11)

Even though fans saw this relationship coming from a mile away, it didn’t make its inevitable conclusion any less satisfying. In the earlier films, Ron and Hermione have a friendly but combative relationship and spend a lot of time arguing with each other. As the story progresses though and the two mature, it becomes clear that there’s more than friendship behind their passionate feelings for one another. Through all the adventures they share over the next few years, their feelings become more obvious until they finally kiss near the end of “The Deathly Hallows: Part 2”. Too bad that pesky Battle of Hogwarts was happening at the same time!

#1: Harry Burns & Sally Albright
“When Harry Met Sally…” (1989)

“Can men and women just be friends?” Definitely not this classic rom com couple, who despite their natural chemistry and the fact that they keep entering each other’s lives, take years to realize that they’re meant to be together. Both Billy Crystal’s Harry and Meg Ryan’s Sally are flawed but lovable characters, with plenty of memorable quirks. It’s these quirks that keep them together through thick and thin, and even though they hit a few speed bumps along the way, they still can’t stay away from each other, leading to one of the most memorable and romantic scenes in film history. Now that’s what we call a New Year’s resolution!

Which one of these couples are your favorite? Let us know in the comments!