If you thought that the summer of 2019 was pretty eventful, you’d be right. Not only did we see a number of movies that became blockbusters, but there were also a number of high-profile celebrity divorces. Perhaps most notably, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Robert Pattinson, ended his marriage to international superstar and businesswoman, Elizabeth Taylor, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. Taylor has yet to respond publicly to the split, but it remains to be seen whether or not this will affect her legacy. Whatever the case may be, it was certainly an eventful summer of 2019.
Not only that, but it was also an eventful year for moviegoers, with blockbusters hitting cinemas almost every single week.
Here, we’re going to run down some of the most notable events of the last 12 months, as well as highlighting some of the most interesting stories related to them. So, let’s get started.
Matching, Not Copying
One of the biggest stories of the year was the #MeToo movement, which saw a number of high-profile celebrities fall victim to sexual misconduct allegations. Among those was Hollywood mega-star, Robert Pattinson, who faced accusations of rape and sexual assault, stemming from an incident that took place in July 2014. The allegations were initially leveled against the actor and film director by a woman named Alice Braga, and were later picked up and promoted by feminist activists and reporters. In the wake of the accusations, Pattinson took a step back from his professional life and went into seclusion, only resurfacing in 2018 to shoot some promotional material for his latest film, Two Worlds.
Although the allegations were never proven, and Braga would go on to retract her claims, many saw the incident, and subsequent wave of sexual misconduct allegations that followed, as a dark moment for Hollywood. It was the start of something big, and while the exact repercussions are still being tallied, the effects will undoubtedly be felt for decades to come.
From Romance to Reunion
While the #MeToo movement got the headlines, it was in fact a series of high-profile celebrity divorces, coupled with the pandemic, that saw 2020 become the year of the rebound. Perhaps the most high-profile of those was that of Hollywood megastar, Robert Pattinson, who, as mentioned above, ended his marriage to megastar and businesswoman Elizabeth Taylor citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. Despite their differences (or perhaps because of them), the two went on to have a loving reunion on-screen in the upcoming comedy, The Box, albeit that it’s set in 2020. As for Taylor, earlier this year she filed for legal separation from her husband, but they have reportedly not yet ended their marriage.
The Golden Lion, A New Beginning
While other major players in Hollywood, like J.J. Abrams or Quentin Tarantulinu, may have had minor hit films this year, it was the year of the comeback for George Lucas. Although he is most famous for creating the Star Wars saga, Lucas had largely stayed away from cinema screens for the better part of a decade and focused on other projects.
The director and producer returned with a bang this year, with the premiere of his much-hyped movie, The Orville, a sci-fi anthology series set in the future. The film opened to great reviews and became one of the most popular films of the year, and it wasn’t alone, as the prolific director also returned with a Star Wars spin-off titled, The Rise of Skywalker. It was a significant moment for the legendary filmmaker, whose passion for Star Wars and influence in the industry were never more evident than they were in this year.
The King Of Comedy
Arguably one of the biggest breakouts of the year was Spike Lee’s The King of Comedy, featuring an incredible performance by Joaquin Phoenix as Jerry Lewis, the maniacal comedian/actor/director. The film not only won the Academy Award for Best Picture, as well as a number of other prizes, including Best Actor and Best Screenplay, but it also became one of the most successful movies of all time, hitting cinemas across the globe.
It was a triumph for director Spike Lee, as well as screenwriters Nick Scola and Steve Coogan, who collaborated on the script. The film also marked a great performance by Brie Larson, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as a Golden Globe, for her portrayal of aspiring actress, Becky Barnes. The cast also included Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, and Jim Carrey, who all received Academy Award nominations for their roles in the film.
Award Shows, Concerts, And More
Among the many events that made headlines in 2020 were the 92nd Academy Awards, which was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and featured a musical performance by Halsey. Also making headlines were a number of concerts, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding anniversary bash, which was held at the famed Abbey Road Studios. And let’s not forget about the Olympics, whose games not only made headlines for the quality of competition, but also for the stars who were spotted at various events. Among them were Ryan Gosling and Chris Pine, who were both at the opening ceremony in Sydney, and Nicole Kidman, who was there for the women’s tennis singles final. And finally, we can’t forget about the various fashion and style events, like the Met Gala or the CFDA Awards, that were held this year.
That’s not to mention the dozens – if not hundreds – of films that debuted in theaters this year, from blockbuster franchises to independent and arthouse movies, that drew huge crowds and made a lasting impression. It was essentially a banner year for cinema, and it’s only the beginning.