PremiumTop 10 Newsmakers of Hollywood - From the SAG-AFTRA strike, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour to Matthew Perry's tragic death
The entertainment industry saw bloom and gloom throughout the year. Before the year ends, let’s revisit some of the biggest newsmakers in Hollywood that stirred the world!
Last Updated: 08.05 PM, Dec 19, 2023
The year 2023 has nearly wrapped up, while 2024 is set to spread its wings with new hopes and dreams. Every day came with new challenges and achievements, while some soured high, others plunged with misfires.
Similarly, the entertainment industry also saw bloom and gloom throughout the year. While some blossomed with love, others had tearful heartbreak. We adored the trends of the digital age with some of the greatest cinematic pieces, but at the same time, we had our hearts broken as we lost some gems on the journey.
Before the year ends, let’s revisit some of the biggest newsmakers of Hollywood that stirred the world.
1. Oscars 2023
The 95th Academy Awards were held in Los Angeles and celebrated the exceptional performances of the year 2022 by awarding the deserving artists one of the most prestigious honours.
Presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Oscars witnessed global artists under a huge umbrella of talent. Out of the 11 nominations, 7 were won by “Everything Everywhere All At Once, including best director (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), best actress (Michelle Yeoh), best screenplay, and best supporting actors.
SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, popularly called SAG-AFTRA is the collective union of thousands of actors, broadcasters, and media personalities. Due to the work dispute between the artists, citing pay and other conditions, the contract was not renewed unless the demands were met. There was also a lot of buzz regarding the digital age, with a stark increase in consumption of OTT platforms. The actors laid their demands and went on a strike from July to November 9. After several months of negotiation, the Hollywood industry finally came alive after the halt.
Similarly, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) also went on a strike after a rift against the use of artificial intelligence and a threat to their writing career. The strike started in May and ended in September after the AMPTP reassured that AI wouldn’t interfere with the creativity of writers. However, the half led to delays in a lot of projects as the screenwriters weren’t available for work.
Matthew Perry, Michael Gambon, and Ryan O’Neal’s demise
Several acclaimed Hollywood celebrities left fans and artists reeling with grief after they left a void in our hearts with their deaths.
“Happiness can only be found if one remembers to turn on the light"—ring some bells? Hogwarts' beloved headmaster, Album Dumbledore, played by the legendary Michael Gambon from the third part to the sixth part, died in September at the age of 82 after suffering from pneumonia.
Matthew Perry, who is best known for playing the sarcastic character Chandler Bing in the Friends sitcom, passed away at the age of 54. His sudden death threw the world into shock and we still can’t believe our ever-smiling 'Chanandler Bong' is no more!
Also Read: OTTplay Awards 2023 pays tribute to Matthew Perry, best known as Chandler Bing from Friends – watch
Ryan O'Neal, the star of the 1980s who rose to fame with his impeccable acting skills in Love Story and Paper Moon, died at the age of 82 after his diagnosis with prostate cancer.
Norman Lear, who reshaped the industry with his unique sitcoms, also passed away in December.
Britney Spears Memoir
The ‘Princess of Pop,’ Britney Spears made an esteemed name for herself at the tender age of 15-16 years. In 2023, Spears stirred waves of shock with her memoir, ‘The Woman in Me’ —where she was vocal about her troubled relationships, emotional trauma, and conservatorship. Amongst the big reveals were her abortion during her relationship with Justin Timberlake , the 55-hour impromptu wedding with a childhood friend, and her infidelity confession.
Taylor Swift Eras Tour
Pop queen Taylor Swift earned a new coveted title after her Eras Tour successfully landed the highest-grossing concert film of all time. The concert movie documented her Eras Tour in several cities and despite the SAG-AFTRA conflict, her dedication earned her permission to shoot in a limited space.
Earning $249.9 million worldwide, the concert film was a sweet treat for the Swifties!
Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande finding love
The year 2023 was a romantic year for numerous music artists as love blossomed between them.
Be it Taylor Swift’s whirlwind romance with NFL star Jason Kelce or Selena Gomez’s grand engagement news to Benny Blanco — both bffs had a sweet tale of love.
Other music stars' cute PDA-filled moments also made headlines. Ariana Grande was seen on a romantic date with her co-star Ethan Slater and Olivia Rodrigo was captured in a cozy kiss with actor Louis Partridge.
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Russell Brand and Sean Diddy's sexual abuse allegations
British comedian Russell Brand faced multiple sexual abuse allegations in September and the incident came under scrutiny after several British publications allegedly shared the abuse stories. Later, the comedian faced backlash and a stern investigation.
In another case of sexual abuse, music mogul Sean Combs, popular by his stage name ‘Diddy’ faced a decade-long abuse charge, including rape and physical abuse by his former girlfriend and singer Cassie. The probe against the hip-hop star made headlines for several days.
Killer of the Flower Moon
This cinematic masterpiece by Martin Scorsese stars Oscar-winning actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. Based on a non-fiction book, the epic crime drama film narrates the serial killings of Osage members for their oil rights. Set in 1920s Oklahoma, the period drama was critically acclaimed for its stellar performance.
The film also marks the collaboration of eminent filmmaker Martin Scorsese with the exceptional acting craft of Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Killers of the Flower Moon is available to watch on rent at Amazon Prime.
Barbenheimer fever
The simultaneous releases of two big banner movies, Barbie and Oppenheimer, sparked off several memes and trends on social media. For the uninitiated, TikTok and Instagram reels saw a tremendous rise of videos showing boyfriends and male friends intrigued by the epic actions and strikes in Oppenheimer and dressed up in black ensembles for the movie; their other half counterparts, like girlfriends and girl squads decked up in pretty pink, were proudly marching to watch Barbie.
The internet was in splits on whether Barbie would make history at the box office or Oppenheimer would steal the charm. Interestingly, both movies performed extremely well at the box office, defying the norms of clash.
Joe Jonas-Sophie Turner, Kendall Jenner-Bad Bunny breakup
While the year 2023 was the beginning of a fairy tale romance for some, several Hollywood celebrities had an unsweetened breakup. The heartfelt marital separation between Kyle Richards and Mauricio Umansky after more than 25 years of marriage shattered many hearts.
Singer-songwriter Joe Jonas also separated from his actor wife, Sophie Turner, after an ‘irreconcilable difference', and the duo also had a bitter child custody battle for a short time before reaching a mutual agreement.
Recently, Kendall Jenner also allegedly broke up with singer Bad Bunny after a rocky relationship.
For more interesting news and yearenders, stay tuned with OTTplay.