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Haven’t you Heard? These are the most googled celebrities of the year.
Research from Hollywood news site CelebTattler analyzed data points from Google search trends in 2022, tracking over 150 notable celebrities — and eventually crowning “Aquaman” star Amber Heard as No. 1.
Presumably due to her high profile court battle with her ex, the 36-year-old actress topped the list as the most searched A-lister of 2022, with an average of 5.6 million searches every month in the US. Of course, the ex in question, Johnny Depp, trailed closely behind in second place, earning 5.5 million searches per month.
The pair consumed pop culture as their bombshell defamation trial raged on for a good chunk of the year, which culminated in June with Depp being awarded $15 million from his ex, and Heard reaping $2 million in her countersuit.
Between entry wristband frenzies, viral TikToks and romance rumors, it’s no wonder why the ex-flames topped the charts, as even in internet research results the two still go head-to-head. While Heard was the most googled in sheer volume of searches, 34 out of 50 states searched for the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor more than any other A-lister.
“This year has certainly not been lacking when it comes to celebrity news stories, whether it be Elon Musk taking over Twitter or the ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ behind the scenes drama,” a spokesperson from CelebTattler told The Post in a statement.
The tumultuous ex-spouses were followed by Kim Kardashian, Elon Musk, Tom Brady, Pete Davidson and even the late Queen Elizabeth II, who received third place.
Britain’s longest reigning monarch passed in September at 96 years of age after seven decades on the throne — and it earned her 4.3 million Google searches per month for the year.
Football star Tom Brady was the most googled A-list athlete in 2022, and the fourth most searched celebrity. Perhaps due to his unexpected divorce from his supermodel ex-wife Gisele Bündchen or his on-again off-again relationship with the NFL, Brady’s search total rang in at 4.06 million per month.
Speaking of tumultuous couples, Kim Kardashian and her ex-beau Pete Davidson placed fifth and sixth respectively. As the pair’s unlikely romance grew steamier following the reality TV star’s stint on Saturday Night Live last fall, the couple became pop culture icons — as if Kim K wasn’t already.
The SKIMS and SKNN founder, who sparked debate after donning an original Marilyn Monroe dress at the Met Gala, was googled 3.4 million times per month in 2022. Davidson, on the other hand, amassed a monthly average of 3.2 million, and might rake in even more clicks before the end of the year as he garners attention over his new flame supermodel Emily Ratajkowski.
This year, the two become the focal points of digs from Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West and ex-husband of Kardashian. The Yeezy founder feverishly took to Instagram to denounce the relationship and volley insults at Davidson, even fantasizing about the comedian’s demise.
Elon Musk, Ye’s buddy and the controversial CEO of Twitter, ranked seventh on the list, racking up 3.19 million Google searches per month in the US.
His brutal takeover of the social media platform and reinstatement of former President Donald Trump on the site has garnered negative media attention towards the Tesla boss, perhaps earning him the search hits.
Who could forget the infamous Oscars Slapgate heard ’round the globe? Will Smith placed eighth on the list, just barely slipping below Musk at 3.15 million monthly searches. Chris Rock, after making an ill-fated quip about Jada Smith’s alopecia, received a smack across the face on stage at the 94th Academy Awards at the hands of Smith.
The “King Richard” actor later won Best Actor for his role in the film, and instead of stripping him of the award, the Academy decided to ban the disgraced star for a decade.
Trailing in ninth and tenth place were Millie Bobby Brown of “Stranger Things” fame, and “Euphoria” star Zendaya. The two young female icons were googled 2.78 million and 2.71 million times respectively.
Despite Taylor Swift’s Ticketmaster fiasco and Harry Styles’ high-profile split from director girlfriend Olivia Wilde, the two didn’t make the cut for top 10, landing in the top 15 amongst Lebron James, Stephen Curry and Ryan Reynolds.
“This study offers a fascinating insight into which celebrities have had the biggest impact on the American people and it will be interesting to see if these search figures rise or fall in 2023,” the CelebTattler spokesperson said.
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