With the Oscars less than two weeks away, many conversations between movie lovers have turned to picking the winners. As is common when celebrities are concerned, for some, the discussion takes a gossipy turn. Many are wondering if the winners in the actress categories will fall prey to the so-called "Oscar Love Curse."

The curse refers to the end of relationships sometimes by divorce involving actresses who win the coveted award. When one thinks of the Oscar Love Curse, current women who appear to have been affected by it include Sandra Bullock, Kate Winslet, Hilary Swank and Gwyneth Paltrow. Though some may think this is a recent phenomenon, the reality however is that statistically it has been in effect for quite some time.

Believe it or not, after the 2010 Academy Award show, a study was actually conducted by University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management and Carnegie Mellon University to determine just how many actors' relationships (both women and men) have ended after receiving the award. That study went all the way back to the first year of the award show, 1936. To some, the results were startling.

Out of the 751 best actress and actor and category nominees, those in the former category reported a much higher chance of divorcing after winning. Higher, as in a 63 percent greater chance when compared to the actresses who they were up against.

Interestingly, winning an Oscar does not appear to impact the divorce rate for the men who win the Best Actor award.

While there are likely several reasons for this, one that is proffered by researchers is that there is an increased tension when traditional gender roles are reversed, and a woman may earn more than her spouse. This reasoning is of course not limited to women who are actresses. It pertains to successful women in a variety of professions.

What do you think? Do you think there is any truth behind the Oscar Love Curse?

Source: Forbes, "Why Do Successful Women Fall Victim to the Oscar Love Curse?" Jeff Landers, Feb. 1, 2012