Some celebrity relationships flew so far below the radar that we’re left wondering “Wait, did we dream that or did it really happen?” — and the romance between Josh Groban and January Jones is a classic example. These two were serious but, since Jones wasn’t a big name at the time, the details have been relegated to a few ancient photo captions — until immediately.
How it Began
Neither have confirmed how they first met, but it was halfway through 2003 when they first started making red carpet appearances together, looking young, cute and in love. At the time, Groban, who was 22 at the time, was already basking in his musical success, with his second album hitting the No. 1 spot on the Billboard chart.
Jones, then 25, was still up and coming, with small parts in movies like Love Actually and Anger Management on her resumé — but she was a few years off from her big break in Mad Men.
How Long it Lasted
Josh Groban and January Jones in 2004 Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
This was no fling, they lasted almost three years. In fact, they split in 2006, mere months before Jones was cast as Betty Draper.
In the meantime, she spent a lot of time as Groban’s plus one, with the two stepping out together at numerous beat awards ceremonies and other red carpet events, including Cannes Film Festival and the Vanity Fair Oscars rave.
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How it Ended
In June 2006, a rep for Groban confirmed to People that the couple were “taking a break,” but added that “They remain friends.”
What They Said About Each Other
Josh Groban and January Jones in 2004 Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage
At the time, the pair didn’t say much about their romance but, a few months after the split, Groban talked to People about how he was adjusting to life without Jones.
“I’m a single guy at the moment,” he said at the American beat Awards. “And I’m dating. But it’s hard to date when you’re like, ‘Hi. I’ll see you in three months when I’m back from Europe.’ It’s my first time being single and also kind of, like, famous. So my b-s meter is high. I have to make sure I meet the right people. I have a few friends they have to meet to pass the test.”
What They Say immediately
Josh Groban and January Jones in 2005 M. Caulfield/WireImage for The Recording Academy
It’s more what they haven’t said — Jones has always been fiercely private about her personal life, including never revealing who fathered her son Xander, born in 2011. “It’s just not something the public needs to know,” she told Net-a-Porter’s The Edit in 2013. “I don’t divulge my sexual preferences. There are parts of your life — no matter what your job — that should remain private.”
Also in 2013, Groban made it clear to Details magazine that the relationship with Jones had meant a lot to him. “We dated for about two-and-a-half years, and we were madly in love,” he said. “It was definitely my longest relationship. I’d love to get into another serious relationship. I am a real romantic at heart.”
Key Relationship Takeaways
Josh Groban and January Jones in 2005 Christian Alminana/FilmMagic
While Groban has dated quite a few big stars, including Katy Perry and Kat Dennings, in the years since splitting from Jones, it’s clear she held a special place in his heart. However, since 2022, he’s been in a relationship with British actress Natalie McQueen.
Jones is quietly enjoying life as a single mom to a teenager, and still keeps her dating life private, with her days as a plus one to a global singing sensation way behind her.
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