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Hollywood Dating: A Field Guide

Prone to public affection, loath to be alone, relentless swingers: Yes, Africa's bonobo chimps cut an impressive romantic swath. Not unlike another high-profile species, Celebritus redcarpetus—the single Hollywood star. They're both "incredibly sexy animals," says Crocodile Hunter's Steve Irwin. "They'll pair up and everything gets a little haywire." The main difference? "I've never," says Irwin, "seen a bonobo out promoting a movie."

Tom Cruise & Penélope Cruz

DURATION: A year and a half

ATTRACTION: "Tom," Cruz has said, "is one of the most generous people I know."

FAVORITE WATERING HOLES: The pair follow seasonal patterns that lead them everywhere from the Ritz in Paris to Cruise's homes in Telluride, Colo., and New Zealand.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: The outdoorsy couple can be spotted hiking, surfing and golfing. Pilot Cruise also exhibits flying ability.

OFFSPRING: Cruz spends time with Cruise's two children from his 10-year marriage to Nicole Kidman: Isabella, 10, and Connor, 8.

HUNTING AND GATHERING: Forget baubles and Bentleys; this pair favors natural beauty. In '01 they rented out all 18 rooms at the Wakaya resort in Fiji ($1,600 and up a night).

Harrison Ford & Calista Flockhart

DURATION: One year

ATTRACTION: Flockhart "chooses funny, creative, intelligent men," says a source.

FAVORITE WATERING HOLE: Chadwick, the Beverly Hills bistro owned by Ford's son Benjamin, 36.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: A 22-year age gap: he is 60; she, 38.

OFFSPRING: Ford has four children (ages 12 to 36) from his two marriages; Flockhart has a son, Liam, 2.

HUNTING AND GATHERING: In '02 Ford pounced on a black Jaguar, presenting it to his mate for her birthday.

Ben Affleck & Jennifier Lopez

DURATION: Seven months

ATTRACTION: "She finds everything he says funny," says director Kevin Smith.

FAVORITE WATERING HOLES: The B-Side Lounge in Cambridge, Mass., Affleck's hometown; also, Nobu (see box)

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: Often travel with a small herd of handlers, friends and family; drive his-and-hers Bentleys; with her influence his grooming has improved drastically

OFFSPRING: None

HUNTING AND GATHERING: His exotic National Geographic-quality mating behavior included presenting his intended with many bright, shiny objects, including a $50,000 Rolex, a Mercedes and a 6.1-carat pink diamond.

Brittany Murphy & Ashton Kutcher

DURATION: Four months

ATTRACTION: "I like everything about her," says Kutcher. "She's just the total package."

FAVORITE WATERING HOLES: The couple can be spotted at a drive-in theater in Pasadena ("I definitely recommend that" as a dating spot, says Murphy) and bowling in Los Angeles. "We do regular, fun stuff," says Kutcher.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: The party animals--they recently hit four back-to-back Super Bowl bashes--boast a striking height difference: He's 6'3", she's 5'1".

OFFSPRING: None

HUNTING AND GATHERING: Adept at hoarding movie props: Both have been spotted wearing the wedding bands they kept from the set of their recent film Just Married. For Christmas, Kutcher, 25, bought Murphy, 25, CDs and clothes; she gave him a diamond-studded cross pendant.

Diane Lane & Josh Brolin

DURATION: Ten months

ATTRACTION: "We're very similar," says Brolin, 35, "in that celebrity is not a necessity. Everything is easy."

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: At home on the range: Lane, 38, often accompanies Brolin to his 97-acre ranch near Paso Robles, Calif.

OFFSPRING: Lane's daughter Eleanor, 9, from her marriage to actor Christopher Lambert; Brolin's kids Trevor, 14, and Eden, 9, from his marriage to actress Deborah Adair

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The Elusive Ones
Difficult to reel in and even harder to hold on to, these stars are among Hollywood's most wily—and sought-after—singles.

Nicole Kidman For ex-husband Tom Cruise it's mating season again, but Kidman, 35, who only recently vacated the Pacific Palisades habitat she shared with Cruise, isn't as eager to find a new match. She has been vaguely linked to various celebs but regularly dismisses such talk as rumor. "I'm not dating anyone," the single mom recently said. Besides, she added, "I've got my hands full with two children, and right now I'm having a love affair with them."

George Clooney The alpha male of Hollywood's bachelor pack, Clooney famously bet Kidman and Michelle Pfeiffer $10,000 apiece that he would still be unmarried and childless when he turned 40 on May 6 in '01. "If anyone wants to make the same bet for when I'm 50," said Clooney that same year, "get in touch."

Raw Fish, Raw Passion
When celebrities canoodle, their grazing ground of choice is often Nobu, Manhattan's sushi palace. "It's romantic food," explains New York Times restaurant critic Eric Asimov. "It's something you can feel free to eat without fear of a grease stain or fear of gristle in your teeth."

Nicole Kidman & Q-Tip The Hours actress and the rapper (formerly of A Tribe Called Quest) shared a Nobu dinner in December, but Kidman's rep says the pair—who reportedly met through pal Leonardo DiCaprio—are just friends.

Heath Ledger & Naomi Watts Despite breakup rumors (which they deny), the couple displayed their affection for each other publicly at Nobu's next-door annex on Feb. 9.

Kim Porter & Diddy & Jennifer Lopez & Ben Affleck The couple that eats yellowtail together...doesn't always last too long, but that didn't stop Lopez and Sean P. Diddy" Combs from returning (separately) with new partners Affleck and Porter. Sake with a side of canoodle, anyone?