Year In Review 2020: The top 10 most-searched celebrities of the year

Even during a pandemic, Kylie Jenner still managed to dominate Instagram and earn hundreds of millions of dollars in the process. The 23-year-old cosmetics mogul spent a majority of 2020 holed up inside of her $36.5 million Los Angeles home with daughter Stormi and pals, sharing sultry photos and videos to her more than 204 million followers on Instagram. Forbes magazine dubbed Jenner the highest-paid celebrity of 2020 after earning a reported $590 million. A majority of Jenner’s income was a result of selling a majority stake of her Kylie Cosmetics empire to Coty, which boasts an impressive portfolio of brands such as Gucci, CoverGirl and Adidas.

2020 was not kind to Johnny Depp. Although the actor has been plagued by allegations of domestic abuse against ex-wife Amber Heard for years, new details of their tumultuous relationship resurfaced during a recent lawsuit against The Sun, a British tabloid. Depp sued the publication after a 2018 article referred to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star as a “wife beater.” However, in November a judge ruled in favour of The Sun after deeming there was “overwhelming evidence” of assault against Heard. Following the ruling, Depp announced he was leaving the Harry Potter “Fantastic Beasts” spin-off franchise after he was asked by Warner Brothers to resign.

Paulina Gretzky’s model good looks and sizzling social media presence made her a favourite of Yahoo Canada readers in 2020. The 32-year-old mother-of-two and her fiancé, professional golfer Dustin Johnson, spent plenty of time in the sun this year- providing Gretzky with ample opportunity to show off some of her best swimwear looks.

Naya Rivera’s tragic death was some of the most shocking news to rock Hollywood in 2020. In July, the 33-year-old actress, was declared missing after her four-year-old son, Josey, was found alone in a boat during an outing on Lake Piru in Ventura County, Calif. Rivera’s body was found days later with her death ruled an accidental drowning.

Early 2020 proved fruitful for Brad Pitt, who nabbed both a Golden Globe and Academy Award for his role in “Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood.” Aside from a successful awards ceremony, Pitt delighted fans in January when he was photographed embracing ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The 57-year-old made headlines throughout the year for his appearance on “Saturday Night Live” as Dr. Anthony Fauci, which earned him an Emmy nomination, and his rumoured new relationship with German model, Nicole Potularski.

2020 proved difficult for Ellen DeGeneres. Despite receiving the Carol Burnett Award in January to honour her career in comedy, the daytime television host came under intense scrutiny after allegations of a “toxic work environment” surfaced from former employees of “The Ellen Show.” Chief among the complaints were reports of bullying and racial insensitivity, which prompted an apology from DeGeneres. Although things began looking up for DeGeneres, earlier this month the 62-year-old revealed that she had tested positive for COVID-19 but was feeling “really good.”

A perpetual Hollywood favourite, Jennifer Aniston’s year was filled with memorable red carpet moments, including the aforementioned run-in with ex-husband, Brad Pitt. Aside from nabbing a Screen Actors Guild Award for her role on “The Morning Show”, Aniston remained relatively low-key during 2020. The 51-year-old spent her time raising money for COVID-19 relief and used social media to urge her more than 35.6 million followers to follow pandemic safety regulations and encouraged eligible votes to participate in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Towards the end of the year, Aniston revealed she was back on set to film season 2 of “The Morning Show” for AppleTV+.

Kim Kardashian West’s year was filled with very public highs and lows. Aside from expanding her apparel and cosmetic lines, Skims and KKW Beauty, Kardashian West received backlash for throwing an island getaway with a group of friends to celebrate her 40th birthday. The lavish gathering, which was documented on social media by friends and family, drew criticism for being “tone deaf” amidst a global pandemic. In an attempt to redeem themselves, the Kardashian and Jenner family announced they were cancelling their annual star-studded holiday party.

A favourite among Yahoo Canada readers, Meghan Markle made headlines this year for “stepping back” from life as a senior royal and forging a new path in the United States with husband, Prince Harry, and son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. The 39-year-old spent the year volunteering in the Los Angeles area, privately delivering meals to isolated and food insecure community members and families impacted by COVID-19. In June, the Duchess spoke passionately about the impact of systemic racism in the wake of the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor during a convocation speech at her alma mater, Immaculate Heart High School. Markle would go on to become a fervent advocate for voters rights and even produced a sit-down interview with Gloria Steinem for Makers Women on the importance of women exercising their right to vote. Despite suffering a miscarriage in July, the Duchess of Sussex penned a moving essay for the New York Times, urging connection during a time of intense stress and anxiety.

2020 was filled with obstacles and challenges for everyone - including Yahoo Canada’s most popular celebrity of the year, Jessica Mulroney. The Toronto-based brand strategist and one of Meghan Markle’s closest friends made headlines this year after an incident with blogger, Sasha Exeter, resulted in allegations of problematic behaviour based on privilege. The backlash resulted in Mulroney being dropped by many of her brand partnerships, including her reality show, “I Do, Redo.” After issuing a public apology and taking a break from public life, Mulroney returned to social media to continue her commitment to charity work including her latest venture, The Teachers Registry, which provides much needed resources to underfunded teachers and students. In 2020, Mulroney continued to work as a wedding specialist for clients to create micro weddings and assist brides whose wedding plans were impacted by COVID-19. She also announced a line of affordable flower girl dresses, Ivy Roads, which is expected to launch in 2021.