The Biggest Showbiz Moments of 2025

How hip are you? Who's who and why were they in the news?

Have you seen the latest video in the Current Events section of Ellii's Media Gallery? The Biggest Showbiz Moments of 2025 is a year-end compilation video from The Associated Press. The video is mostly silent, but we think there is a lot you can do with silent clips, and we hope this video brings some excitement and noise to your classroom at the end of the year.

Below you will find a shot list of who's who and why they were in the news to go with the video. You can use this shot list with our suggested activity idea or invent your own game. We have also included discussion questions and useful vocabulary for talking about celebrities.

Activity

1. Tell your students to get out a blank sheet of paper. Start all students off with 5 stars. They can draw the stars at the top of their paper.
2. Explain to your students that you are all going to watch the video silently the first time through. Nobody can say a word! Anyone who speaks out the first time you play the video loses one of their stars.
3. Play the video a second time. This time the goal is to make some noise! Encourage your students to shout out the names of the celebrities they recognize. Every time they say a name from the video they can add another star to their paper. 
4. Watch the video one more time. This time, students can raise their hands if they know why a celebrity was in the news in 2025. Pause the video if you see a raised hand. Students who raise their hands have to "give the scoop" or "spill the tea." They can earn five stars for speaking up. 
5. Count who has the most stars! Teach the word "celebrity buff" and crown this person the winner.
    

Discussion questions

After the activity (or if you don't have time to play the game), you can have a class discussion. Here are some suggested questions. 

1. Why are everyday people so interested in conflicts involving celebrities? 
2. Celebrities often gather in big cities. Which city would you like to visit and why? (Milan, New York, Hollywood, LA, Paris, London)
3. Which celebrity from the video are you most interested in and why? 
4. Where do you usually hear about celebrities? (through friends, social media, YouTube, TV, newspapers)
5. Which event from 2025 do you want to learn more about? (Do a little research in a group and share your findings!)

Vocabulary & expressions for talking about celebrities

• A-list / B-list: top-level or mid-level celebrities
• behind the scenes: not seen by the public
• celebrity buff: a person who knows a lot about pop culture and famous people
• fall from grace: to lose respect or fame
• fifteen minutes of fame: short-term fame
• in the spotlight: receiving a lot of public attention
• influencer: someone famous online who affects trends or opinions
• live in the spotlight: to be constantly watched by the public
• make it big: to become very successful
• paparazzi: photographers who follow celebrities
• rumor: unconfirmed information
• scandal: shocking or embarrassing news
• spill the tea: to share some gossip 
• steal the show: to get the most attention
• tabloids: newspapers focusing on gossip

Shot list 

Here is a list of who's who and why they made the news to use with the video: The Biggest Showbiz Moments of 2025.

January

1. Rapper and actor A$AP Rocky pushes past photographers to enter courthouse for his assault trial (Los Angeles)

2. Rihanna leaves court (Los Angeles)

3. Timothée Chalamet (Beverly Hills)

4. Leonardo DiCaprio

5. Zahara Jolie and Angelina Jolie

6.  Zendaya

7. Large house or building burning in the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles (Los Angeles)

8. Steve Guttenberg, actor: “This is absolutely the worst fire I've ever seen in my life."

February

9. Chappell Roan (Los Angeles)

10. Alicia Keys

11. Cardi B

10. Colman Domingo (London)

11. Vanessa Kirby

12. Ariana Grande

13. Cynthia Erivo

March

14. Demi Moore (Los Angeles)

15. Gérard Depardieu arriving in court (Paris)

16. Gal Gadot posing on Hollywood Walk of Fame (Los Angeles)

17. Protesters on opposite side of the road

April

18. View from spacecraft (Space)

19. Katy Perry floating in spacecraft

20. LeBron James reaction to seeing the doll for the first time 

21. Ryan Gosling (Makuhari, Chiba Prefecture, Japan)

22. Pedro Pascal with director Jon Favreau carrying Grogu

23. Jawas

24. The Atelier by Professor Jimmy Choo presentation (Barcelona)

May

25. Dua Lipa (New York)

26. Eva Longoria posing on Cannes red carpet (Cannes, France)

27. Robert De Niro with Tiffany Chen

28. Tom Cruise waves at the top of Cannes red carpet steps (Cannes, France)

29. Shakira posing at MET Gala (New York)

June

30. Brad Pitt at F1 premiere (London)

31. Jimin and Jung Kook saluting (Yeoncheon County, South Korea)

32. Rihanna in front of Smurfs signage (Brussels, Belgium )

33. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez on boat, waving, kissing (Venice, Italy)

34. Catwalk finale for menswear collection summer 2026 (Milan)

35.  Squid Games parade (Seoul, South Korea)

July

36. Noel and Liam Gallagher walking on stage during opening night of Oasis world tour at Cardiff's Principality Stadium (Cardiff, UK)

37. Ozzy Osbourne performing last gig (Birmingham, UK)

38. Ozzy Osbourne bench tribute

39. The original Birkin bag (Paris)

40.  Auction

August

41. George Clooney arriving by boat (Venice, Italy)

42. Adam Sandler arriving by boat (Venice, Italy)

43. Laura Dern

44. Cardi B testifying (Alhambra, Calif)

45. Julia Roberts (Venice)

September

46. Protestor encouraging attendees to boycott Disney (Los Angeles)

47. Jimmy Kimmel, host/comedian: "I don't necessarily feel like I'm defending democracy." (Los Angeles)

48. Javier Bardem (Los Angeles)

49. Sydney Sweeney

51. Jude Law

50. Elizabeth Banks

51. Henry Farrell and Colin Farrell

52. Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt (Venice)

53. Cardi B: "I did not touch that woman." (Alhambra, California)

October

54. Taylor Swift pop-up (New York)

55. Court Sketch, Sean "Diddy" Combs crying in court (New York)

56. Sean "Diddy" Combs, second from left, watches from the defense table as Judge Arun Subramanian speaks to the jury in Manhattan federal court (New York)

57. Valentina Ferrer blowing a kiss (New York)

58. Sarah Jessica Parker on arrivals line

59. David Beckham and Victoria Beckham at premiere at American ballet theater

60. Misty Copeland takes bow (New York)

61. Heidi Klum uncovers her face with her hands to reveal her Medusa costume (New York )

62. Heidi Klum, model, TV personality, and Tom Kaulitz, recording artist: "I wanted to be really, really like a really ugly, ugly Medusa. And I feel like we nailed it."

November & December

62. Miss World costumes (Nonthaburi Province, Thailand)

63. Natálie Puškinová being crowned by 2024 Miss Earth, Miss Australia, Jessica Lane (Manila , Philippines)

64. model on catwalk (Lagos)

65. Renée Zellweger and Helen Fielding (London)

66. Statue

67. Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan in front of statue (London)

68. Prince William and Princess Kate with George, Louis, Charlotte arriving at carol concert (London)

69. Princess Kate

70  A$AP Rocky speaks to reporter (New York)

71. Zoey Deutch 

72. Elle Fanning 

73. Hugh Jackman 

74. Kate Hudson 

75. Christmas tree at Praça do Comércio (Lisbon, Portugal)

76. Diane Kruger cutting ribbon and curtain opening revealing Christmas window display of Printemps Haussmann department store (Paris)

77. Santa Claus in his sleigh traveling through the streets of La Paz (La Paz, Bolivia)

78. People dressed as angels entertaining tourists (Prague, Czech Republic)

Music: "Hey Trapper" by Shareef Ishmael Islam

Did you try this activity with your class? Share your experience!