The year 2025 delivered a non-stop parade of celebrity drama, providing enough gossip, shock, and jaw-dropping moments to keep the world captivated. From bitter breakups and controversial campaigns to space flights and criminal trials, the rich and famous ensured headlines were never dull.
Heartbreak, Betrayal, and Bizarre Clauses
The year's personal dramas cut deep, starting with ongoing fallout from a beloved Australian icon. Hugh Jackman faced intense public scrutiny after his ex-wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, filed for divorce in May. In a statement, Furness spoke of the "traumatic journey of betrayal," which fans widely interpreted as confirmation of rumours about an affair with his The Music Man co-star, Sutton Foster. Despite the backlash, Jackman made his relationship with Foster official, appearing with her on the red carpet in November.
In September, another Australian power couple shattered. The separation of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban after 19 years of marriage sent shockwaves globally. Rumours swirled about Urban seeking a younger partner, while a peculiar prenuptial agreement detail captivated the public: a reported "cocaine clause" that would award Urban over $900,000 for each year he remained sober.
Reality TV fuelled another messy split. Former child star Jojo Siwa entered the Big Brother UK house in April while dating Australian actor Kath Ebbs. Her close bond with contestant Chris Hughes led to accusations of emotional cheating, confirmed when Ebbs posted a tearful TikTok video claiming Siwa dumped her for Hughes after the show.
Controversial Campaigns and Career-Derailing Discoveries
Marketing efforts spectacularly backfired for Sydney Sweeney. An American Eagle jeans campaign launched on July 23 with the tagline "Sydney Sweeney has Great Jeans." A viral clip featured Sweeney saying, "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring... My jeans are blue." The ad was swiftly condemned as "tone deaf" and accused of promoting eugenics, sparking a debate so intense it drew comment from former US President Donald Trump.
A horrifying discovery threatened to end a rising music career. In September, Los Angeles Police found the decomposed body of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez in the boot of a Tesla belonging to singer D4vd (David Anthony Burke). The investigation into the teen's death and her speculated relationship with the 20-year-old musician led to his album being shelved, brand deals collapsing, and his removal from Australia's Spilt Milk festival.
Legal Battles, Space Trips, and Viral Moments
The courtroom saw major celebrity action. Music mogul P Diddy (Sean Combs) faced a federal trial in May, a year after an FBI raid. While acquitted of sex trafficking and RICO charges, he was found guilty of two counts of transportation for prostitution. In October, he was fined $500,000 and sentenced to four years and two months in prison.
Off-screen tension turned into legal warfare between Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni. Lively sued Baldoni in late 2024 for sexual harassment during the filming of It Ends With Us. Baldoni countersued Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds for $400 million, a case dismissed in June 2025, while Lively's original suit continues.
Not all scandals were sombre. Katy Perry joined the first all-women crew on a Blue Origin space flight in April. The 10-minute journey faced criticism for its cost, environmental impact, and Perry's onboard antics. Meanwhile, a viral Coldplay concert "kiss cam" in Massachusetts in July showed Astronomer CEO Andy Byron kissing his company's Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot. The moment, joked about by Chris Martin, led to both their resignations and spawned a global meme frenzy.
Finally, government action followed inflammatory art. Rapper Kanye West (Ye) released the song Heil Hitler in May, prompting Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke to cancel the artist's tourist visa in July, barring him from visiting his Australian wife Bianca Censori's family.
From Hollywood to the halls of justice and even into orbit, 2025 proved that celebrity culture remains a potent source of global fascination and scandal.
