When it comes to breaking celebrity news stories, some years are more eventful than others — but 2022 was truly one for the books. If it felt like something in the world of entertainment and pop culture was happening every single day, that's because it was. From totally unexpected celebrity deaths to film festival dramas to beloved celeb couples getting married, there was truly never a dull moment.
And while it's difficult to pinpoint exactly which moment was the biggest over the past year, it's much easier to narrow it down to the 20 most defining moments in celeb news in the past 365 days. Immediately, we think of Queen Elizabeth's death, the cheating scandal involving Adam Levine that inspired so many memes, and Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck finally walking down the aisle … but even then, we're only scratching the surface.
Ready to reminisce about all of the big moments in Hollywood that happened this year? We have no idea how 2023 is going to top all of this!
Bob Saget Dies
Unfortunately, 2022 started out with some sad news for fans of actor Bob Saget. He was found dead in his Florida hotel room at just 65 years old, prompting an outpouring of mourning from fans, former Full House costars, and fellow comedians. Later, an autopsy determined his death was due to head trauma.
Will Smith's Oscars Slap
In March, the Academy Awards was held to honor the best of filmmaking for the past year, but all of those receiving accolades were overshadowed when Will Smith stormed onstage and slapped Chris Rock after he made a joke aimed at Will's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Later, Will would return to the stage to receive his first Oscar — for Best Actor in King Richard — but the moment was sullied by what transpired earlier in the broadcast.
Kim Kardashian Wears Marilyn Monroe's Dress
Kim Kardashian sparked serious controversy when she wore a dress that once belonged to Marilyn Monroe to the 2022 Met Gala in early May. She spoke openly about the extreme dieting that was required of her just to be able to fit into the glittery gown, and it sparked a debate about whether iconic outfits like this one should be displayed and treated as artifacts rather than worn.
Rihanna Becomes a Mom
On May 13, Rihanna officially became a mom for the first time when she and partner A$AP Rocky welcomed a baby boy into the world. Since then, the singer turned makeup mogul hasn't shared any photos or details about her little one, but it seems like motherhood looks great on her.
Josh Duggar Sentenced To Prison
After Josh Duggar was convicted of crimes involving child sexual assault material during a trial that ended in December 2021, he finally found out what his future behind bars would look like. In May, he was sentenced to 12 1/2 years in a federal prison, and he has since begun serving his time at FCI Seagoville in Texas.
Travis Barker & Kourtney Kardashian Get Hitched
After nearly two years of sharing PDA both on Instagram and on The Kardashians, Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Portofino, Italy, in May. Of course, this was after their practice Las Vegas wedding and their courthouse wedding back at home.
'Stranger Things' Returns
Over the summer, Stranger Things finally returned to Netflix for season four after a three-year hiatus (thanks to the pandemic, of course). The series immediately broke streaming records when fans tuned in for the new episodes, which were released in two parts.
Johnny Depp & Amber Heard's Trial
After spending six weeks in a Virginia courthouse, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard finally received the verdict in their high-profile defamation trial. Ultimately, both of the former spouses were found liable, with a judge ruling in favor of Johnny on three counts and awarding him with just over $10 million, and Amber with $2 million.
Lea Michele's 'Funny Girl' Role
After Beanie Feldstein left her starring role in Broadway's Funny Girl behind, it was announced that former Glee star Lea Michele would take her place. While many fans conceded that Lea was practically born to play this role, the controversy around what those who worked with her in the past have had to say about her personality — along with rumors that Beanie didn't want to leave the job — meant that this decision ending up stirring up a good bit of chatter.
Ben Affleck & Jennifer Lopez Get Married
It's still kind of hard to believe that, after everything that happened, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck ended up back together again, and they'll be going into 2023 as a married couple. After tying the knot in Las Vegas with just their children present, the couple went on to get married in a much larger ceremony at Ben's home in rural Georgia in August.
Beyoncé Drops 'Renaissance'
Whenever Beyoncé releases a new album, it's bound to a big deal, and that's certainly what happened when she dropped her latest, Renaissance, in July. This album ended up being one of the biggest of the year, with her song "Cuff It" going viral on TikTok almost immediately.
The 'Don't Worry Darling' Drama
Drama was brewing between director Olivia Wilde and Don't Worry Darling star Florence Pugh for a while, but it all came to a head at the Venice Film Festival in early September. At one point, fans even thought they saw Harry Styles spit on costar Chris Pine, and the memes were endless, easily overshadowing the movie itself.
Queen Elizabeth Dies
On September 8, England's Queen Elizabeth died at 96 years old after more than 70 years on the throne — just months after celebrating her Platinum Jubilee. Though royal watchers knew that this moment was coming, the world still mourned the loss of such an influential woman.
Adam Levine's Cheating Scandal
In September, multiple women came forward on social media to share that they had steamy text exchanges with Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine — not long after he and wife Behati Prinsloo announced that they were expecting their third child together. Adam eventually owned up to sending inappropriate text messages to women who aren't his wife, but he said it ended there. That didn't put a stop to the internet's mockery of him and the situation, though.
Nick Cannon Adds More Babies to His Brood
After his family famously grew by several babies from multiple different mothers in 2021, Nick Cannon only continued his streak well into 2022. At last count, he will be a dad of 12 once the little ones he's expecting make their way into the world.
Tom Brady & Gisele Bündchen Get Divorced
After months of rumors that power couple Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady were going their separate ways after Tom decided against retiring from the NFL after all, it finally happened. In October, the couple announced their divorce after 13 years of marriage and two children together.
Aaron Carter Dies
On November 5, news broke that Aaron Carter had been found dead in a bathroom at his California home at just 34 years old. His death came as a shock to fans of the singer, though the reports that came out in the days afterwards painted a pretty bleak picture of what the end of his life likely looked like.
Kim Kardashian & Kanye West Finalize Their Divorce
On the heels of the antisemitic rant that led to Kanye West losing many of his brand partnerships (and, eventually, his Twitter account), he and ex-wife Kim Kardashian finalized their divorce at the end of November. The settlement awarded Kim custody of their children 80% of the time, with Ye being hit with a monthly child support bill of $200,000.
Taylor Swift Fans Break Ticketmaster
Taylor Swift's Eras tour was in such high demand that the general sale for tickets had to be canceled after Ticketmaster sold out the venues during the presale, meaning that many fans were left out in the cold. This led to Ticketmaster being taken to task by everyone from members of Congress to fans interested in joining a class action lawsuit, and it looks like we haven't yet seen the end of how this will all play out.
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's Netflix Docuseries Premieres
In early December, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's highly anticipated docuseries finally debuted on Netflix. Though there have been mixed reviews from viewers — depending on what side of the royal feud they happen to be on, of course — more than 2.4 million people tuned in to see what these two would have to say.
