The 2022 pop-culture year included an Oscars altercation, celebrity announcements, major losses and a closely watched court case. This roundup follows the ten stories selected by PerthNow in its 26 December retrospective—not a measured or universal ranking of the year’s biggest headlines.
The Oscars incident dominated the night
Will Smith struck Chris Rock, then won Best Actor
At the 94th Academy Awards, presenter Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, and Will Smith struck him. Later that evening, Smith won Actor in a Leading Role for King Richard, as the Academy’s official 2022 awards record confirms. On 8 April 2022, the Academy announced that Smith could not attend Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, for ten years. The decision included the Oscars, according to the Los Angeles Times report on the Academy’s letter.
Celebrity announcements and fashion made headlines
Rebel Wilson shared two major family milestones
In June, Wilson publicly came out and disclosed her relationship with designer Ramona Agruma. In November, she announced on Instagram that she had welcomed a daughter via surrogate. These were distinct announcements months apart, both included in PerthNow’s roundup.
Rihanna announced a pregnancy, then welcomed a son
Rihanna revealed her pregnancy in January and gave birth to a son with A$AP Rocky in May. Her pregnancy fashion also became a prominent part of the year’s celebrity coverage. In September, she was announced as the following year’s Super Bowl halftime performer; in November, she released “Lift Me Up” for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack.
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Kim Kardashian wore Marilyn Monroe’s dress to the Met Gala
At the May Met Gala, Kardashian wore the famous dress Monroe had worn to sing “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy. The appearance drew attention to the garment as well as to the event’s red-carpet fashion.
Deaths and a high-profile trial shaped the year
Olivia Newton-John and Queen Elizabeth II died
Olivia Newton-John died in August. Queen Elizabeth II died in September. Their deaths prompted widespread tributes and were among the year’s most consequential public losses covered by PerthNow.
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Depp and Heard’s defamation trial ended in June
The six-week US defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard reached a verdict in June. Its extensive courtroom and media coverage made it a major celebrity story, also included in Vogue’s separate year-end retrospective. The proceedings and verdict were complex; reducing them to a simple, one-sided “winner” obscures that complexity.
Australian television and entertainment also featured
Presenter changes drew local attention
PerthNow’s selection included Leigh Sales’s departure from 7.30, Tracy Grimshaw’s departure from A Current Affair, and presenter changes at The Project. These stories reflect the Australian outlet’s attention to local television as well as internationally prominent celebrity news.
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John Farnham underwent cancer surgery
Australian singer John Farnham underwent surgery for cancer, another prominent domestic entertainment headline in the roundup.
Adam Levine faced affair allegations
Public allegations of an affair involving Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine became a widely discussed celebrity scandal. They should be understood as allegations, not as independently established facts.
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Why year-end lists differ
PerthNow’s ten-item list is an editorial selection, not a statistical ranking or an exhaustive record. A separate Vogue retrospective overlapped on the Oscars incident, Rihanna’s pregnancy and the Depp–Heard trial, but also highlighted stories including Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, Harry and Meghan’s Netflix series, celebrity relationships, the Funny Girl revival and Lizzo playing James Madison’s crystal flute. The lists differ because outlets make different choices for different audiences: PerthNow included Australian television and entertainment, while Vogue gave more space to fashion and US pop culture. Neither list establishes a universal top ten.
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