Celebrate Valentine's Day with 12 of the Most Epic Pop Culture Kisses of All Time
From heart-wrenching dramas to teen rom-coms and cartoons, these 12 movie, television and real-life smooches were some of the most unforgettable in pop culture history.
Whether you’re looking forward to a candlelit date or curling up with pizza and some true crime docs on your own, celebrate Valentine’s Day by diving into the type of epic romance only Hollywood can deliver.
From Here to Eternity (1953)
One legendary beach makeout is worth 1,000 parodies. Seven decades later, Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr’s seaside canoodling is still one of cinema’s most memorable, and is probably responsible for millions of sand-filled swimsuits.
Spider-Man (2002)
Not only did Sam Raimi’s 2002 flick usher in a golden age of superhero movies, it also set a new standard for unconventionally epic kisses with Kirsten Dunst and Tobey Maguire’s rain-soaked, upside down smooch.
Titanic (1997)
Go ahead, listen to “My Heart Will Go On” several times in a row now.
The Office (2006)
After two seasons of their adorable flirtation, Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) finally sealed the deal (sort of) in the season 2 finale “Casino Night.” The coworkers wouldn’t walk down the aisle until season 6, but shippers were at least partially pacified when Jim finally confessed his love for the receptionist.
Never Been Kissed (1999)
After many kiss-less years, Josie (Drew Barrymore) gets her first ever real kiss with Sam (Michael Vartan) on a high school baseball field (where all the best kisses take place), and it’s angelically lit perfection.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Take Audrey Hepburn, a lost cat and a New York City downpour and you’ve got yourself one of the most legendary movie romance moments of all time — and it all goes down in an alley.
Love, Simon (2018)
We couldn’t ask for more from this teen rom-com secret admirer reveal. There was a crowd of cheering classmates, humiliation and, finally, a Ferris wheel kiss that sent even the coldest of our hearts aflutter.
The Notebook (2004)
Fans quickly became obsessed with Noah (Ryan Gosling) and Allie’s (Rachel McAdams) rainy reunion after their tragic separation, and were even more enamored when the actors, who were then dating, got passionate while claiming the best kiss honor at the MTV Movie Awards.
Lady and the Tramp (1955)
We’re eternally grateful for this dog cartoon making spaghetti mishaps romantic.
Friends (2004)
Friends devotees got the ultimate satisfaction when Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) skips her flight to Paris to reconcile with Ross (David Schwimmer) once and for all in the series’ final episode.
The MTV Video Music Awards (2003)
Before they were even called stans, stans went wild when pop royalty Madonna, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera shared the VMA stage for a performance of “Like a Virgin” and “Hollywood.” Madge going in for the kisses — and the cameras cutting to Justin Timberlake — became instantly iconic.
The Princess Bride (1987)
Not even a skeptical kid (Fred Savage) was immune from the fairy-tale enchantment of Westley (Cary Elwes) finally embracing his true love Buttercup (Robin Wright) in safety. Listen to your grandparents, kids.
