WILL SMITH: The Oscars Slap
On March 27th, 2022, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in the face during the 94th Academy Awards.
The assault came after the comedian joked about Jada Pinkett Smith‘s shaved head. The actress suffers from Alopecia.
Minutes later, Will went on to win the Best Actor Oscar and gave an emotional speech.
The star, who was banned from the ceremony for 10 years, eventually offered an apology.
Will has already returned to the spotlight and has a new movie, Emancipation, out in December.
JOHNNY DEPP: Defamation Trial
Johnny Depp sued his ex-wife Amber Heard for defamation over an article she wrote about domestic abuse.
The trial took place in Fairfax County, Virginia from April 11th to June 1st — and dominated the headlines and social media.
In the end, Depp was victorious, as the jury awarded him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.
In response to the verdict, Depp said that the “jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.”
EZRA MILLER: Legal Troubles
Ezra Miller got into a slew of legal problems in 2022.
On March 28th, the Flash star was arrested in Hawaii and charged with disorderly conduct and harassment after allegedly getting into a physical altercation with patrons at a karaoke bar.
On April 19th, Miller was arrested for second-degree assault in Hawaii for throwing a chair at a 26-year-old woman.
On June 16th, a mother and her 12-year-old child were granted a temporary harassment prevention order against Miller in Massachusetts after he allegedly threatened the woman’s family and acted inappropriately toward the child.
On August 7th, Miller was charged with felony burglary in Stamford, Vermont for allegedly stealing bottles of alcohol from a private home in May.
On August 15th, Miller finally broke his silence in a statement, apologizing and claiming to have begun treatment for “complex mental health issues”
QUEEN ELIZABETH: Long Reign Finally Ends
Following months of tumult in the British royal family, Queen Elizabeth died on September 8th. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days was the longest of any British monarch and the longest verified reign of any female monarch in world history.
Earlier in the year, the Queen stripped her son Prince Andrew of his Royal duties and Military titles. Andrew settled out of court for $12 million with a woman who accused him of rape when she was an underage teenager.
BRITNEY SPEARS: Married
Britney Spears married for the third time. Her latest husband is Iranian-born actor and fitness influencer Sam Asghari.
Donatella Versace designed Britney Spears’s bridal gown.
Sam and Britney announced in April that they were expecting a child. The next month, we learned she lost the baby.
Britney’s first husband, a teenage sweetheart named Jason Alexander, crashed her wedding. He reached Britney’s locked bedroom door in an attempt to thwart the nuptials. Jason was arrested and charged with trespassing.
THE KARDASHIANS: Keeping Up in 2022
Kim Kardashian started 2022 with a Bahamas getaway with then boyfriend Pete Davidson. (E! News)
Pete and Kim became “Instagram Official” in late spring. A few weeks later, they split and blamed their busy schedules.
For her birthday, Pete gave Kim roses and Jasmine-scented candles. She played Jasmine in the Saturday Night Live skit where they first kissed. (Entertainment Tonight)
Kim and Pete kept in touch following the breakup. She supported Pete while Kanye West taunted him with threats. For most of the year, Kim and Kanye were not on speaking terms beyond co-parenting.
Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott welcomed a second child. They named their son Wolf. She later reconsidered. Kylie watched his personality and believed they gave Wolf the wrong name.
Khloe Kardashian also had a son in 2022 with the help of a surrogate and a donation by Tristan Thompson.
Kourtney Kardashian proved that love wins by marrying punk rocker Travis Barker. Meanwhile, her sisters struggled with relationships. Tristan Thompson cheated on Khloe, and Kim formally filed for divorce and dumped Pete Davidson.
Kendall Jenner was on-and-off with Devin Booker. They ended the year apart. In fact, their issues emerged shortly after Kourtney Kardashian’s wedding in Italy. Kendall asked “where is this romance going” and Devin gave the wrong answer.
BOX OFFICE
The overall box office rebounded in 2022, making more money than the last two years combined. Still, it was the third-worst year at the ticket window in 25 years.
Top Gun: Maverick was unaffected by the pandemic, racking up more than $700 million at the domestic box office. It was easily the highest-grossing movie of 2022, with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness a distant second with $411 million. Top Gun: Maverick is now the fifth highest-grossing movie on the all-time list.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is currently in third for 2022, will probably overtake Doctor Strange by year’s end.
Top 5 Movies for 2022 (as of 12/4/2022)
1. Top Gun: Maverick – $716.7 million
2. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – $411.3 million
3. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – $393.7 million
4. Jurassic World: Dominion – $376 million
5. Minions: The Rise of Gru – $369.5 million
The year at the box office was more about the bombs than the hits. Strange World may have lost the most money in 2022. The Disney animated movie made only $14.7 million in its opening weekend. Variety and Deadline Hollywood estimated the big-budget film would lose $100 to $147 million.
The same-sex rom-com Bros. was a huge flop, earning only $11.6 million during its entire theatrical run. Amsterdam, starring Christian Bale and Margot Robbie, took in $15 million against an $80 million budget. Deadline Hollywood estimated it would lose the studio $97 million.