Entertainment Stories

The Biggest Entertainment Stories Of 2021
Bennifer made up, Kimye broke up, Britney spoke up, K-drama blew up and powerful men screwed up. What a year it was!

As December draws to a close, let’s take a look back at the top entertainment stories that made us laugh, cry and gasp.

#FreeBritney
An explosive documentary on the troubled life of one of pop music’s biggest stars introduced the world to the #FreeBritney movement, and the word “conservatorship” to the vernacular. “Framing Britney Spears,” by director Samantha Stark, ignited a made-for-social-media cultural revolution, cryptic Instagram messages by the “Womanizer” singer, jaw-dropping public testimony in which she accused her loved ones of abuse and the celebrated termination of the 13-year legal arrangement that placed her father as her conservator.

“Squid Game” mania
The global obsession with Netflix’s bloody dystopian thriller “Squid Game” went beyond the reported $900 million earned by the streaming giant. It also triggered a sizable cultural response in the U.S., influencing what fans are buying, wearing and even learning. Sure, K-pop groups have been increasingly dominating the zeitgeist of the pandemic era, and Korean films have broken the language barrier and gone mainstream in the U.S., but the premiere week of the Golden Globe-nominated drama saw a 40% spike in people signing up to learn Korean on Duolingo, the language-learning app, while the show made sales of white slip-on Vans sneakers — worn by most of its characters — jump 7,800%.
ennifer’s happy ending
Bennifer, arguably the top celebrity supercouple name of the modern era (sorry, Brangelina!) returned to tabloid headlines and social media timelines in 2021. Pop superstar Jennifer Lopez and Oscar-winning actor/director Ben Affleck rekindled their early oughts romance, which started in 2002 after the two met on the set of the movie “Gigli” and ended just days before they were due to tie the knot in 2004. In September 2021, after months of speculation, the Hollywood A-Listers made their rekindled love public on the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival.

(Not) Hammer time
Armie Hammer, the blue-eyed, boy-next-door star of “Call Me by Your Name,” started the year defending himself from allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct. After a series of text messages mentioning mutilation and sexual domination — which had been allegedly written by the actor — were published on various outlets, his ex-wife called him a “monster.” He then announced he was stepping down from at least three high-profile projects, and checked himself into an unnamed Florida facility seeking treatment for drug, alcohol and sex issues. On Dec. 13, an attorney for the 35-year-old actor confirmed that he had been discharged and was “doing great.”