The 25 biggest entertainment stories from 2023

The new year started with a scary moment for Avengers and Hawkeye star Jeremy Renner, who suffered severe injuries when he was caught and crushed underneath a snow-removal tractor outside his Nevada home. Renner, whose injuries included blunt chest trauma and 30 broken bones, needed surgery and was listed in critical condition while in the intensive care unit for several days. He was finally released from the hospital by mid-January, but nearly two months later was finally able to walk with a cane. Renner is still working to make a complete recovery.

The sci-fi horror film M3GAN technically debuted in Los Angeles in early December 2022, but its wide release came in January 2023. And, while the movie proved to be a surprise hit, it was the eerie but comical dance from the freaky child-sized humanoid robot doll during the film that became a viral obsession in early 2023. And the song M3GAN grooved to: "Walk the Night" by forgotten 1970s-80s disco outfit The Skatt Bros., which enjoyed a bit of a revival thanks to the film. Of course, M3GAN became a sensation on TikTok, where millions were seen copying her moves -- for better and certainly worse.

On Jan. 15, "The Last of Us" premiered on HBO and the entertainment world still can't get enough. This video-game-turned-cable/streaming hit follows smuggler Joel (Pedro Pascal) and the teen he's guiding, Ellie (Bella Ramsey), through a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombie-like creatures. By the time the nine-episode initial season had ended, an average of more than 30 million people viewed the show. It was also nominated for 24 Primetime Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and among the most-searched topics on Google this year.

On Feb. 5, history was made during the Grammy Awards annual ceremony. German singer/songwriter Kim Petras became the first openly transgender woman to win the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Doing so for her collaboration with Sam Smith on the mega-popular “Unholy." During the acceptance speech, Petras said: 'I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open for me so I could be here tonight.' Petras joins musician/composer Wendy Carlos as the only openly transgender Grammy winners.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles combined to deliver a thrilling Super Bowl LVII in February. However, the true star of the entire event experience was Rhianna, who revealed to the world during the halftime show that was pregnant with a second child with rapper boyfriend A$AP Rocky—clad head-to-toe in her bright red, bodysuit/jumpsuit ensemble. Rhianna showed off her baby bump while delivering an ambitious performance. Of course, there were plenty of naysayers who felt a woman in her condition shouldn't be parading around in that fashion. Not that she cared. 

Trust us, there will be more about Taylor Swift to talk about on this list. However, when it comes to concert tours in 2023, it begins and ends with Swift's run on The Eras Tour. Not since the Beatles first U.S. tour, or perhaps the Jackson's Victory Tour, was there this much fanfare. From the ridiculously high ticket prices and means about going to acquire them to fans camped outside stadiums throughout North America, Europe, and Asia just to listen to Tay Tay. The tour kicked off in the Phoenix area on March 17 and when all is said and done will cover more than 150 shows and five continents, while featuring songs spanning her entire catalog -- in chronological order. Oh yeah, it also made more than $1 billion to become the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. And for those unable to score tickets, don't worry, The Eras Tour Film has got you covered. 

There are icons, then there is Tina Turner. The walking epitome of female empowerment, Turner, the 12-time Grammy Award winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, and inspiration to countless female entertainers and everyday women, Turner died on May 24 after dealing with several illnesses (kidney failure, intestinal cancer) in recent years. Turner made a name for herself by partnering with her husband, Ike Turner, beginning in the mid-1950s. After surviving that abusive relationship, Turner enjoyed one of the greatest solo careers of all time, producing 1980s hits like "What's Love Got to Do with It," Better Be Good to Me" and "Private Dancer." She also drew critical acclaim as an actress in Tommy (1975) and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), and the popular 1993 film What's Love Got to Do with It was based on her 1986 autobiography I, Tina: My Life Story. 

Not to be outdone by the aforementioned Taylor Swift, Beyoncé also hit the stage in 2023 with the massively successful Renaissance World Tour. It began May 10 in Sweden and ended on the first day of October in Kansas City. In between, the 56-date tour made more than $550 million. And, while it was easy for some media types and haters to create a competition between Beyoncé and Swift, the latter actually showed up to support the former on tour. And like Swift, for those unfortunate to experience the magnitude of a Beyoncé live set in person. Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, was released on Dec. 1.

For fans of Ted Lasso , May 31, 2023, was a sad day. Sure, we knew it was coming, but the end to this beloved serious about a seemingly inept American college football coach (Jason Sudeikis) taking over an English soccer club wasn't easy for many to take. After three seasons, this mega-popular comedy from Apple TV+, which, as of the end of 2023, won a combined 10 Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe Awards, called it quits in a rather full-circle moment. While it can be argued that Season 3 was the most mediocre of the lot, like AFC Richmond, it rallied at the end for a rather fulfilling finish.

We touched on The Last of Us and Ted Lasso. Then there was Succession , the HBO comedy-drama about a cut-throat family that runs a worldwide media and entertainment conglomerate. While the premise is interesting enough, essentially what has made the series so popular is the brilliance of the cast. Roy family Patriarch Bryan Cox leads the way and finally seems to be praised late in a career that's been nothing but solid. Meanwhile, Sarah Snook, Jeremy Strong, Alan Ruck and Kieran Culkin shine as the dueling siblings. However, as Axios noted, the 2023 obsession with Succession might not be as wide-ranging as we thought.

While still grieving the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins, Dave Grohl and Co. went back in the studio and put out this year's  But Here We Are, perhaps their most emotional record, and highly acclaimed upon its early June release. The record spanned a myriad of emotions as the band members continued to process their loss. On lead single "Rescued," the pride and joy of the album, is vintage Foo Fighters, hard-charging, blistering guitars, pounding drums and Grohl's raw and gritty lyrics that attack from the very beginning. The song was nominated for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song Grammy Awards, while But Here We Are earned a Best Rock Album nom.

The longest strike in the history of the Screen Actors Guild/American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG/AFTA) lasted from July 14-Nov. 9. The labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) essentially halted production work of series, talk shows, and game shows in Hollywood, not to mention the impact it had when combined with the 2023 strike by the Writers Guild of America. Once an agreement was made and the dust settled, SAG/AFTA released a statement saying, in part: 'We have arrived at a contract that will enable SAG-AFTRA members from every category to build sustainable careers. Many thousands of performers now and into the future will benefit from this work.'

It just might turn out that July 21, 2023 might end up being one of the most notable days in motion picture history. That's when blockbusters Barbie and Oppenheimer were each released. Thus, creating the phenomenon known as “Barbenheimer .” Now, to be somewhat fair, Greta Gerwig's Barbie, a tale of female self-discovery and and empowerment starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, premiered in Los Angeles on July 9, two days before Oppenheimer's premiere in Paris. Barbie has gone on to make more than $1.4 billion at the box office and received countless award nominations.

Meanwhile, Oppenheimer didn't do too badly for itself. The story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American theoretical physicist also known for being the "father of the atomic bomb," made $954 million in box office takes. Featuring  Cillian Murphy in the title role, and co-starring Hollywood heavyweights Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr., the Christopher Nolan-directed Oppenheimer was nominated for eight Golden Globe Awards by year's end. Now, if we only had numbers for those who truly took part in the "Barbenheimer" experience and watched as a double feature?

In October 2022, Elon Musk paid $44 billion to buy Twitter. Then in July 2023, the eccentric and often misguided billionaire rebranded the popular site as "X." It was a bold and rather strange move. And, things have essentially gone downhill since. While still a popular spot for in-time breaking news and a place to keep up with all the trendy memes of the moment, X continues to lose money, followers, and perhaps most importantly, advertisers (Disney, Warner Bros., for starters). As the rise in controversial accounts being reinstated and anti-sematic hate speech has increased (often championed by Musk himself). Will X even be able to survive in 2024?

On July 26, music fans around the world mourned the death of the famed Irish singer, best known for her stirring performance of the Prince-penned "Nothing Compares 2 U" from the 1990 classic album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got. There still has been no cause of death related to the 56-year-old O'Connor, who was also known for her activism involving such causes as women's rights and child abuse. To that end, O'Connor, who battled mental issues, often drew controversy to herself, like ripping a picture of Pope John Paul II, in a protest against abuse in the Catholic Church, on Saturday Night Live in 1992.

When all five members of boy band fav *NSYNC came together to present at September's MTV Video Music Awards, it not only sent Taylor Swift into a tizzy, but naturally rumors of a reunion were sparked. However, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, Justin Timberlake, Chris Kirkpatrick and JC Chasez had already reunited to work on the single "Better Place," from the Trolls Band Together soundtrack. And, because the boys like to tease, the five put out a series of short videos of them together. Again, leaving fans to wonder if there was more to the story. Maybe we'll learn more in '24

Beginning in September and slated to run through March, perhaps the hottest concert ticket (outside of anything related to Taylor Swift) is U2's residency at the amazingly innovative Sphere near the Las Vegas Strip. Amid this new venue (which includes a 160,000-square-foot LED screen and 16K resolution that wraps around the interior and teams with speakers featuring wave field synthesis technologies), the band (minus ailing drummer Larry Mullen Jr.) is playing 1991's Achtung Baby in full, plus other classics, for a truly one-of-a-kind concert experience. Oh, by the way, it will cost in the neighborhood of $500 just to get in the door.

The beautiful thing about the internet -- and viral world in general, is the overall absurdity. Like, why this fall, would a promotional photo of a bashfully smirking Kevin James, from his hit CBS sitcom King of Queens, become one of the most used reactionary memes of the year? It was all over X and Instagram due to complete state of randomness. As legend goes, the origination of the fad can be traced back to X user @ChampagneAnyone, who posted the pic with the words "me after 1 double rum and diet". From there, of course, it took off and became quite the hit for a few weeks. Just long enough to rate a mention on our list.

Since Will Smith's famous Oscar slap of Chris Rock in 2022, in defense of significant other Jada Pinkett, it's been hard to keep up with the happenings between the prominent Hollywood couple. In 2023 alone, we learned from Pinkett that she and Smith have been separated since 2016 but that divorce did not appear in future plans. Then in early December, Pinkett told the Daily Mail's YOU Magazine, that the Smith's Oscar slap made her realize that "I will never leave him."

In terms of Hollywood literary moments, the Oct. 24 release of Britney Spears' memoir The Woman in Me certainly made some decent-size waves. Like dealing with her 13-year conservatorship losing out to Rachel McAdams for the lead in The Notebook, and of course, her complex relationship with Justin Timberlake, which created the most pre-release buzz. But, perhaps most important, it's a journey of self-discovery, self-worth and self-acceptance to be the person she's longed to be. The book sold 1.1 million copies in the United States during the first week upon release.

Of all the celebrity deaths in 2023, perhaps the most shocking remains Matthew Perry's passing on October 28, at age 54. Best known as the beloved sarcastically witty Chandler Bing from Friends, Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home. For years, Perry battled substance abuse and dealt with depression, topics he made very much public with the release of his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. On Dec. 15, it was reported that Perry's death "acute effects of ketamine."

Perhaps the biggest musical moment of 2023 was the release of "Now and Then," a somewhat forgotten Beatles ballad. It was originally written and recorded by John Lennon in the late 1970s, but never finished. The psychedelic ballad was then revisited in the mid-1990s by the surviving Beatles, but again nothing came out of the effort. However, guitar work from the late George Harrison was preserved, and overdubbed when  Paul McCartney  and Ringo Starr completed the song. McCartney provided additional lyrics, and thanks to the wonders of modern technology, Lennon's lyrics, from his demo, were removed. The  song was an immediate hit upon its Nov. 2 release, topping the UK Singles Chart and reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

While the Dallas Cowboys' 45-10 rout of the Washington Commanders on Thanksgiving Day was rather forgettable, it can be argued that legendary country star Dolly Parton saved the day. The 77-year-old Parton donned the famed Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit for her halftime performance at the Arlington, Texas stadium. Parton performed hits like "Jolene," plus a mashup of Queen classics “We Are the Champions” and “We Will Rock You." Talk about stealing the show.

Plain and simple, Taylor Swift dominated 2023. From her billion-dollar-making world tour to her latest relationship with star NFL tight end Travis Kelce to being named TIME's Person of the Year for the second time to drawing round-the-clock coverage of her birthday plans. And Swift's popularity and notoriety goes beyond music. She's transcended her area of expertise to become a well-known commodity to NFL fans and reportedly has Republicans nervous about her ability to draw scores of young voters to support Democrats during the 2024 election cycle. Oh yeah, she also happens to remain totally grounded, humble and more than willing to poke fun at herself. Take a bow Ms. Swift.