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How Lauren Sánchez Bezos' style has evolved, from daring looks to designer outfits

Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos attend the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscars party.
Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos attend the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscars party.

John Shearer/Getty Images

  • Lauren Sánchez Bezos is a former news anchor, the wife of Jeff Bezos, and a rising fashion figure.
  • Though her style has always had a daring edge, it's notably evolved over the years.
  • She's become a fan of vibrant colors, designer pieces, and statement gowns.

News anchor, helicopter pilot, actor, and mother can all describe Lauren Sánchez Bezos. You could also call her a rising fashion star.

The 56-year-old New Mexico native has been wearing bold looks on red carpets since the start of her career. Recently, though, especially while making her relationship with Jeff Bezos public, her style has leveled up.

Here's a look at her fashion evolution, from simple outfits accessorized with Hermès bags to see-through pieces at White House events.

Lauren Sánchez Bezos kept her outfits simple at the start of her career.
Lauren Sanchez attends the 2002 Environmental Media Awards.
Lauren Sanchez attends the 2002 Environmental Media Awards.

Jean-Paul Aussenard/Getty Images

She regularly wore trendy two-piece outfits in the early 2000s and an assortment of minidresses — like the brown knit piece she sported at the 2002 Environmental Media Awards.

Sánchez Bezos also had a signature pair of shoes at that point in her career: PVC sandals with light-brown soles and thin, see-through heels.

But she wasn't afraid to experiment with daring styles.
Lauren Sánchez attends the 2004 Shalom Foundation Gala.
Lauren Sánchez attends the 2004 Shalom Foundation Gala.

Stephen Shugerman/Stringer/Getty Images

At the 2004 Shalom Foundation Gala, Sánchez Bezos donned a deep-gray gown that hugged her body at the bodice and reached the floor with its long skirt.

It was also practically strapless, with only a single spaghetti-thin strap across one shoulder. The piece connected to more strings across its open back, which held the dress up and created a daring detail.

Sánchez Bezos completed the outfit with crystal earrings and a silver statement watch.

Her accessories were always chic, even in the early 2000s.
Lauren Sanchez attends the 2008 High Flying fundraiser.
Lauren Sanchez attends the 2008 High Flying fundraiser.

Valerie Macon/Getty Images

While attending a High Flying fundraiser in 2008, Sánchez Bezos opted for trendy styles at the time: a high-neck, short-sleeve blouse tucked into a black-and-white circle skirt, knee-high boots over semi-sheer tights, and a leather belt.

But her purse was timeless. She carried a solid black Hermès Birkin bag with what appeared to be palladium hardware.

She started to look like a Hollywood star around 2010.
Lauren Sanchez attends the 2010 Vanity Fair Oscars party.
Lauren Sanchez attends the 2010 Vanity Fair Oscars party.

George Pimentel/Getty Images

She attended Vanity Fair's Oscars after-party that year in a shimmering gown that was fit for an award winner.

The dress was sleeveless, form-fitting, and covered from top to bottom in silver sparkles. It also had a tan lining that gave the dress a nude illusion and a deep V-neckline.

She began introducing vibrant colors to her wardrobe around the same time.
Lauren Sanchez attends the 2012 Vanity Fair Oscars party.
Lauren Sanchez attends the 2012 Vanity Fair Oscars party.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

At the 2012 Vanity Fair Oscars after-party, Sánchez Bezos sported a strapless, understated gown. It had a fitted bodice, a straight skirt, and solid fabric.

But its bright red shade stood out on the carpet, making for a memorable look. The color has become one of Sánchez Bezos' go-to shades in recent years.

She completed the look with platform sandals and diamond jewelry.

For her first red-carpet appearance with Jeff Bezos, Sánchez Bezos showed up in style.
Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos attend a 2020 Amazon Prime Video event.
Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos attend a 2020 Amazon Prime Video event.

Prodip Guha/Getty Images

She wore a black-and-red dress that was as daring as it was glamorous. It featured long sleeves made from dotted mesh, a plunging neckline that reached her navel, and a thigh-high slit that showed her platform sandals.

The piece also had a geometric print crafted from sequins that shimmered in the light.

And even when they began coordinating their outfits, Sánchez Bezos' daring aesthetic still stood out.
Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos attend the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscars party.
Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos attend the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscars party.

John Shearer/Getty Images

The couple attended the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscars after-party in matching black outfits. While Bezos sported a classic suit, Sánchez Bezos wore a bold Elie Saab gown.

The dress had a corseted bodice with off-the-shoulder sleeves, black sparkles arranged in stripes, and a see-through skirt that revealed her legs.

In recent years, color has remained a staple of Sánchez Bezos' outfits.
Lauren Sánchez attends the 2023 Kering Caring for Women dinner.
Lauren Sánchez attends the 2023 Kering Caring for Women dinner.

Gotham/Getty Images

At the 2023 Kering Caring for Women dinner, for example, Sánchez Bezos sported a neon-yellow gown from Dolce & Gabbana.

The halter dress hugged her body, reached the floor, and didn't need any accessories. It sparkled entirely on its own.

So have see-through dresses, even while visiting the White House.
Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos attend a 2024 state dinner at the White House.
Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos attend a 2024 state dinner at the White House.

Tasos Katopodis/Stringer/Getty Images

Sánchez Bezos and Bezos attended a 2024 state dinner hosted by Joe Biden in honor of then-Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Though the couple's presence was notable on its own, Sánchez Bezos' outfit caught even more attention.

She wore an off-the-shoulder gown crafted from red satin and lace. Its corseted bodice was semi-sheer with a low neckline, and its skirt was tightly wrapped around her legs.

Sánchez Bezos wore it with gold-leaf sandals and diamond earrings.

Sánchez Bezos had a high-profile fashion moment at the 2024 Met Gala.
Lauren Sánchez attends the 2024 Met Gala
Lauren Sánchez attends the 2024 Met Gala.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

She stunned in an Oscar de la Renta gown. It featured a strapless black bodice with a sweetheart neckline and a full skirt decorated with reflective pieces shaped like roses.

It was even rumored that Anna Wintour had a hand in the outfit choice.

She then took on the style of a businesswoman to promote her children's book.
Lauren Sanchez attends the 2024 Forbes Power Women's Summit.
Lauren Sanchez attends the 2024 Forbes Power Women's Summit.

Taylor Hill/WireImage/Getty Images

At the Forbes Power Women's Summit in September 2024, Sánchez Bezos talked about the start of her career, writing her first children's book, and being engaged to Bezos.

For the occasion, she sported an all-white outfit with long trousers, a blazer that revealed her lace bralette, and platform heels.

Recycling outfits has become a regular practice for the former journalist.
Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos attend Donald Trump's inauguration.
Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos attend Donald Trump's inauguration.

Brendan Smialowski/Kenny Holston/Getty Images

After wearing her McQueen suit to the Forbes panel in September and a New York Times book event in December, she donned it again at Donald Trump's inauguration.

This time around, however, she paired it with another daring piece: a Schiaparelli coat made from brushed wool, mohair, and gold-brass buttons designed to look like nipples.

The Italian piece retailed for 8,700 euros, or about $9,982.

She entered her bridal era in March 2025.
Lauren Sánchez Bezos and Jeff Bezos at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscars party.
Lauren Sánchez Bezos and Jeff Bezos at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscars party.

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

While the Amazon founder wore a black suit with a white undershirt, a matching bow tie, and a diamond brooch, Sánchez Bezos donned a strapless white Oscar de la Renta ball gown.

It had a feather fringe, a mermaid silhouette, and was accessorized with an emerald necklace.

The couple married a few months later in June 2025.

Her style has taken an elegant turn in 2026.
Lauren Sánchez Bezos at the 2026 Met Gala.
Lauren Sánchez Bezos at the 2026 Met Gala.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

For the 2026 Met Gala, Sánchez Bezos wore a Schiaparelli gown crafted from navy blue satin.

It had a V-shaped neckline, a short train, and crystal straps — one of which hung off her shoulder.

The dress, inspired by the 1884 painting "Madame X," doubled as a hidden message to those who have criticized her daring fashion choices.

Still, Sánchez Bezos hasn't abandoned her core style.
Lauren Sánchez Bezos in Paris, France.

FJLON3/Mega/Getty Images

In June, the author was photographed wearing an outfit that blended casual and high-end styles.

She wore a blue knit dress lined with silver shimmering mesh at the hem and neckline.

To complement the latter details, she added a metallic clutch, diamond earrings, and tan Louboutin heels.

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  •  

19 celebrity couples who met their soulmates when they were just teenagers

Jalen Brunson and Ali Brunson at the Moet & Chandon clubhouse suite at Arthur Ashe Stadium on September 07, 2025 in New York City.
Knicks star Jalen Brunson met his wife, Ali, when they were in high school.

Michael Simon/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon

  • Neither high school relationships nor Hollywood relationships are known for longevity.
  • But these 19 celebrity couples met as teens, and many of them are still together today.
  • Knicks star Jalen Brunson met his wife, Ali, when they were in high school.

Even in the most stable environment, it's hard to maintain a relationship that moves from high school to the real world.

Now imagine doing it as a celebrity.

Nevertheless, these 19 couples all met as high schoolers (or in some cases, even earlier), and made it work for years after, even if not all of them are still together today.

Here are 19 celebrity couples who met back when they were just regular teenagers.

Jalen Brunson and Ali Marks
Jalen Brunson (L) and Ali Marks attend Haute Living Jalen Brunson Cover Celebration with JP Morgan Wealth Management and Mijenta Tequila at Avra Rockefeller on October 26, 2024 in New York City.
Jalen Brunson and Ali Marks in 2024.

Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Haute Living

The Knicks superstar has been dating his wife, Ali Marks, since high school — their 2015 prom photo is still on his Instagram, captioned, "Went to prom with the best date anyone could ask for."

They got engaged in 2022 and married in 2023.

"She's always been by my side and I'm lucky to have her," Brunson told People after the big day.

In a nod to their long relationship, Marks wore her prom dress as her second look at the wedding.

They welcomed their first child, Jordyn, in 2024.

Patrick and Brittany Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes at the Sports Illustrated Swim Issue Launch Party held at the Hard Rock Hotel on May 16, 2024 in New York, New York
Patrick and Brittany Mahomes in 2024.

Lexie Moreland/WWD/Getty Images

The 2023 Super Bowl champion has been with Brittany, his now-wife, since they were classmates in Tyler, Texas.

In 2020, Patrick proposed to Brittany, captioning an Instagram post with "#RingSZN." A few days later, the couple revealed they were expecting their first child together. Their daughter, Sterling, was born in February 2021.

They married in March 2022. Their second child, a boy named Patrick "Bronze" Lavon Mahomes III, was born in November 2022. Their third baby, Golden, was born in January 2025.

Brittany and Sterling were at the stadium to watch the Chiefs quarterback win his second Super Bowl in February 2023.

Snoop Dogg and Shante Broadus
Snoop Dogg and Shante Broadus attend the 2025 BET Awards at Peacock Theater on June 09, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Snoop Dogg and Shante Broadus in 2025.

Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for BET

Their first son, Cordé, was born in 1994, and they were married three years later in 1997. Snoop even shared an adorable throwback shot of the two at prom on Instagram. The ups and downs of their marriage were all documented on their reality TV show, "Snoop Dogg's Father Hood."

The couple filed for divorce in 2004, but reconciled and renewed their vows in 2008.

According to VH1, Snoop told Queen Latifah in 2013 that "[he] had no understanding of how I was hurting her and how I was betraying myself, until I [realized] I need to love this woman who loves me and had my kids. [I needed to] put my life in perspective and let my music and my business become secondary."

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Vanessa Nadal
lin manuel miranda and vanessa nadal
Vanessa Nadal and Lin-Manuel Miranda attend The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City

Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Miranda and Nadal attended the same New York City high school, but they never actually spoke — though that didn't stop Miranda from developing a crush on his future wife.

"She was gorgeous and I'm famously bad at talking to women I find attractive. I have a total lack of game," Miranda told The New York Times in 2010.

They reconnected on Facebook years later, after they both graduated from college. They tied the knot in September 2010. They now have two sons.

Jeff Daniels and Kathleen Treado
jeff daniels wife
Actor Jeff Daniels, winner of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Serie for 'The Newsroom,' and his wife Kathleen Treado attend HBO's Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Post Award Reception at The Plaza at the Pacific Design Center on September 22, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.

Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Daniels and Treado grew up in Chelsea, Michigan, and met in high school. They've been together ever since. Throughout his highly successful career, the couple still call Chelsea their home, and they raised their three kids there.

In 2014, Daniels told MLive about why he chose to stay close to home rather than move out to industry hubs Los Angeles or New York City, saying, "[Chelsea] was home. Kathleen and I had both been raised here; good enough for us, good enough for them."

LeBron James and Savannah Brinson
LeBron James and Savannah James, Hammer Gala Co-Chair, attend the 20th Annual Hammer Museum Gala In The Garden at Hammer Museum on May 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
LeBron James and Savannah Brinson in 2025.

Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for the Hammer Museum

Brinson told Harper's Bazaar in 2010 about their first date at Outback, calling it "basic," but she shared that it was also when she knew he loved her.

"I knew he loved me when I left my leftovers from dinner in his car," Brinson said. "I'd totally forgotten about them, and he brought them to me. I think he just wanted another excuse to come and see me."

Brinson became pregnant with their first child, Bronny, while she was still in high school, and she was nervous that it would derail their lives, but James assured her that everything would be OK.

James finally proposed to his longtime girlfriend in 2011, after 10 years of dating, per the Los Angeles Times. They tied the knot in 2014. They also had two more kids.

LL Cool J and Simone Smith
Simone Smith (R) and LL Cool J (L) attend the 65th GRAMMY Awards on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
LL Cool J and Simone Smith in 2023.

Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

LL Cool J shared the story of how he met his wife during an interview on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

The rapper told Kimmel in 2012 that he "was just 19, something like that," when he was driving down the block on Easter Sunday. His friend asked him if he wanted to meet one of his friend's cousins, and once he got a look at Smith, he told his friend, "Oh yeah, I'll meet your cousin."

Smith recalled she was 17 years old when they met. The pair married in 1995 after dating for 8 years, and they have 4 kids together.

Bono and Ali Hewson
Irish singer-Songwriter and executive producer Bono (R) and his spouse Irish activist and businesswoman Ali Hewson leave after the screening of the film "Bono: Stories of Surrender" at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 16, 2025. (
Ali Hewson and Bono in 2025.

VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images

Bono and Hewson met when they were teenagers at school. Hewson played hard to get, since she didn't want to be known as "just another of Bono's girls," but eventually his pursuit of her was successful.

Their first date culminated with him walking her to the bus stop, per the Huffington Post.

The U2 star has called their relationship "a magic carpet ride." She "sees me as a figure of amusement," said Bono while speaking to The Sun.

Kendrick Lamar and Whitney Alford
Rapper Kendrick Lamar (L) and Whitney Alford attend The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.
Kendrick Lamar and Whitney Alford in 2016.

Larry Busacca/Getty Images for NARAS

The "Not Like Us" rapper is pretty private about his personal life, but we know that he met his fiancée when they were both high schoolers in Compton, California, according to Billboard.

"She's been here since day one," Lamar said of Alford in a 2014 New York Times Magazine profile.

They got engaged in 2015 and have two children together. The entire family appears on the cover of his fifth album, "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers" in 2022.

Steph and Ayesha Curry
Ayesha Curry (L) and Stephen Curry attend the 2026 Met Gala Celebrating "Costume Art" at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 04, 2026 in New York City.
Ayesha and Steph Curry in 2026.

TheStewartofNY/Getty Images

Even though they're basketball's golden couple, Ayesha had never even attended a game until she was 19 — five years after she met her future-husband Steph, ABC News reported.

The two met as teenagers in Charlotte, North Carolina. They never officially dated when they were that young, but according to Ayesha, they'd talk on the phone sometimes. "It was that shy middle school, high school stuff," she said.

When the basketball star was flown out to Los Angeles for the ESPY Awards, his first thought was of his childhood crush. They met up, saw the sights, and the rest is history.

Now, he's widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players in the game, and she's turned herself into a brand. Ayesha has written cookbooks, opened a barbecue restaurant, hosted a cooking show on the Food Network called "Ayesha's Home Kitchen," and founded a skincare brand called Sweet July.

They welcomed their fourth child in 2024.

Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley
Dorothea Hurley and Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley looked comfy at the Super Bowl.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation

People reported the couple met at Sayreville War Memorial High School in their New Jersey hometown, and have been together ever since. They have four kids together.

At the peak of Bon Jovi's fame in 1989, the couple decided to elope in Las Vegas and were married by an Elvis impersonator. And though Bon Jovi has die-hard fans, Hurley isn't concerned.

"I think it's great they love the music," she told People in 2016.

Ron Howard and Cheryl Alley
Cheryl Howard and Ron Howard attends the premiere of "Eden" during the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall on September 07, 2024
Cheryl Alley and Ron Howard in 2024.

Emma McIntyre/WireImage/Getty Images

Even though getting married young (they were both 21) might seem like a risky endeavor, these two have beaten the odds, successfully navigating Hollywood and parenthood.

"I felt really lucky when we met. It's crazy — we were teenagers, it shouldn't have worked. We got married young, that shouldn't have worked either, and yet it really and truly has," Howard told the Huffington Post about his decades-long marriage to Alley in 2013.

And now their kids are famous, too — their daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard, starred in the "Jurassic World" franchise and regularly directs episodes of the "Star Wars" TV shows.

Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins
Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins attend the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 17, 2026
Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins in 2026.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images

While they had known each other since they were kids (since first grade, to be exact, according to Country Living), Rhett and Akins didn't start dating until they were teenagers — and it didn't stick at first. The two broke up soon after, and actually almost both married other people, according to People.

But thankfully (for Rhett), Akins broke up with her boyfriend, and Rhett "moved in for the kill." They dated for six months and married in 2013, when they were both 22. They now have four daughters and a son, born in 2026.

Ja Rule and Aisha Atkins
Aisha Atkins and Ja Rule attend Kenny "The Jet" Smith's FlyHouse Presented by Resorts World on February 13, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California.
Aisha Atkins and Ja Rule in 2026.

Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Kenny Smith

According to Ja Rule, the two have been together since middle school. He told Ebony magazine in 2002 that "the first time I met her I was getting off the school bus, and she was the new girl in school." 

The couple were married in 2001 and have three kids together.

Besides dealing with the normal issues that couples go through and constantly being scrutinized by the media, they also had to spend almost two years apart while Ja Rule was in prison for tax evasion and illegal gun possession. He was released in 2013, per TMZ.

Mariano and Clara Rivera
2019 National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee and former New York Yankee Mariano Rivera acknowledges the crowd as he stands with his wife Clara next to his Hall of Fame plaque during a ceremony in his honor before a game between the Yankees and the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium on August
Mariano and Clara Rivera in 2019.

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Famed baseball player Rivera met his wife in elementary school, and the pair have been together ever since, The New York Times reported.

They were married in Panama in 1991, and they lived there until 2000, when they moved to Westchester County, New York.

Eminem and Kim Scott
eminem kim

Christopher Polk and Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Their long and tumultuous relationship began when they were just kids.

Even if you have just cursory knowledge about Eminem, you know about Kim, the subject of many of the rapper's most disturbing songs, like "Kim," and "'97 Bonnie and Clyde."

The two met when they were just kids (she was 13 and he was 15). Kim and her twin, Dawn, had previously run away from an allegedly abusive home, and eventually began living with Eminem and his mother.

In 1995, they welcomed their daughter Hailie (the subject of more Eminem songs), and were married in 1999.

But things quickly went downhill — Eminem was accused of pistol-whipping a man he claimed he saw kissing his wife, according to NME. The charge was dropped in favor of a reduced charge of carrying a concealed weapon, and he was sentenced to two years' probation. The couple divorced in 2001.

Five years later, they shocked the world and remarried. But just three months after that, the rapper filed for divorce. Their second divorce was finalized in 2006, per People.

Though Eminem built his brand around graphic songs, he apologized to his former wife on the track "Bad Husband" from his 2017 album, "Revival."

Joey Fatone and Kelly Baldwin
joey fatone wife
Joey Fatone and Kelly Baldwin arrive at the mPowering ActionPre-GRAMMY Launch Event at The Conga Room at L.A. Live on February 8, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.

Valerie Macon/Getty Images)

Fatone and Baldwin had been dating for 10 years and had a daughter together in 2001 before they were married in 2004, per People. Their second daughter was born in 2010.

Their relationship was plagued with rumors of infidelity from outlets such as Page Six, reaching a high in 2013 after his appearances on two seasons of "Dancing with the Stars." At the time, when Baldwin was asked for a comment, she simply responded, "I don't really want to talk about this."

In 2020, Fatone confirmed to Us Weekly that they were getting divorced.

Robin Thicke and Paula Patton
robin thicke paula patton
Singer Robin Thicke and actress Paula Patton attend the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards at the Barclays Center on August 25, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.

Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Thicke and Patton's 21-year-long relationship began when they were 16.

Thicke told Essence in 2011 that their relationship began when they were teenagers, and Patton was "the president of the Black student union and [Thicke] was just a silly white boy."

But they had actually met a year prior at a teen club where, according to Thicke, he serenaded his future wife with the Stevie Wonder song "Jungle Fever."

They were together for 21 years and married for nine before filing for divorce in 2014 and engaging in a particularly nasty custody battle for their son, Julian.

Misha Collins and Victoria Vantoch
misha collins
Misha Collins.

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

Collins and Vantoch got married in 2001, though they met way back in high school — Collins was the only boy in one of Vantoch's English classes.

The two separated at some point before 2021. He acknowledged the split in the author's note in his poetry book, "Some Things I Still Can't Tell You."

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  •  

Drake's chart-topping new albums prove he's music's most cynical businessman

Drake performs at London's 2025 Wireless Festival.
Drake performs at London's 2025 Wireless Festival.

Simone Joyner/Getty Images for ABA

  • Drake dominated the Billboard 200 this week, debuting three new albums in the chart's top three.
  • Drake has long been criticized for his more-is-more strategy, yet he continues to double down.
  • The rapper has built a career that no longer requires fan approval or critical acclaim.

Three new albums, two and a half hours of music: Drake's latest strategy for chart dominance definitely paid off, even if his method for doing so feels less like a creative leap and more like a cheat code.

This week, Drake became the first artist in history to claim the top three spots on the Billboard 200 simultaneously: "Iceman," "Habibti," and "Maid of Honour" arrived at No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, respectively, racking up the equivalent of 687,000 album sales in one week.

Drake had been expected to release the long-awaited "Iceman" — his first solo album since his explosive feud with Kendrick Lamar, which earned the latter multiple Grammy Awards and an opportunity to taunt Drake at the Super Bowl halftime show — on May 15. Instead, Drake did what Drake does best, and gave us far more music than we asked for. Alongside "Iceman," he surprise-dropped two additional albums with their own distinct moods. For those keeping score, that's 43 new songs released in a single day.

If anyone is keeping score, it's Drake. In the "Iceman" opener, "Make Them Cry," Drake admits that a "big piece" of him died in 2024, the year Lamar seared the scathing insult,"Tryna strike a chord, and it's probably A-minor" into the public lexicon. Now, it seems the piece of Drake that survived is living and breathing for one thing: cold, hard numbers.

Drake is one of the most dominant artists of the streaming era, rivaled only by Taylor Swift, and that reputation is reaffirmed again and again. Within 24 hours of his triple-album release, Drake broke the Spotify record for the most-streamed artist in a single day in 2026 (so far). Within minutes, he saw a 1100% increase in simultaneous listeners on Apple Music.

Drake wears these metrics like armor as he continues to clunk through the motions. When he won't stretch his artistic muscles or experiment beyond his predictable formula, they give him something to point to to protect himself from accusations of "falling off."

And Drake's quantity-over-quality strategy continues to work wonders in that department, at least on paper. But a closer look at the response from both critics and casual listeners reveals a hollow victory — and a man who's figured out that he doesn't need to be innovative or even particularly respected to enjoy the spoils of ubiquity.

Drake's new albums feel algorithmic, probably by design

After a decade of critically panned yet record-breaking albums, Drake himself seems bored by the routine: Nearly every song on "Iceman" features a mid-course beat switch, as if his producer is dangling a new toy in front of a distracted baby. Drake once boasted an unparalleled ear for hooks, earworms, and cheeky turns of phrase, making him a giant among hitmakers, a natural-born entertainer. Now, he sounds joyless, and his only trick is to keep our attention from wandering too far.

And why would he need to do anything more? Streaming numbers do not account for the listener's enjoyment, only their endurance — so in Drake's calculations, quality is incidental.

He admits as much in the "Iceman" track "B's On the Table," reciting listlessly, "I'm used to this, I'm numb to that / I know I just gotta adapt / Let's wait on your Spotify Wrapped." In "Make Them Cry," he brags about flooding the radio waves with "this new toxic shit I'm dropping."

Drake defaults to rapping about his radioactive commercial power, perhaps because it's the one version of success he respects.

In this way, Drake is the music industry's equivalent of a cynical tech founder. He flaunts the same ethos as an app developer who only cares about how much time the consumer spends on his product, not the quality of attention or whether it improves the consumer's life. In the words of former Google employee Tristan Harris, "The business model [is] to capture people's time."

Spending precious hours of my life listening to Drake's trio of new albums — half-listening, really, as I cleaned my apartment, went for a walk, and regularly paused to roll my eyes at clunky bars like "I'm doing my big one, you doing a little one / What kind of man are you? A middle one" — I was reminded of Netflix's long-suspected second-screen strategy, which supposedly encourages dumbed-down, repetitive dialogue so viewers who are multi-tasking or scrolling their phones can follow the plot.

Indeed, Drake has been rehashing the same two or three grievances for the bulk of his career, finding new ways to reiterate that he doesn't trust women, that he's got a lot of enemies, that fame is fabulously corruptive.

Still, Drake is savvy and talented enough to make a listenable album, or two, or three. "Iceman," "Habibti," and "Maid of Honour" aren't fresh or genius by any measure, but they're tolerable enough for most people to stream all the way through, whether they consider that time well spent or not. Mindless slop is addictive by design.

Only one metric matters in the Drake-verse

Fans filming Drake at Lollapalooza Chile in 2023.
Fans filming Drake at Lollapalooza Chile in 2023.

Marcelo Hernandez/Getty Images

Several critics have argued that, especially at this pivotal moment in his post-feud career, Drake would have been wise to aim for one classic album — whittling down his demos and refining his vision into an airtight, unassailable tracklist that could stun his haters into submission. However, as Jayson Greene wrote for Pitchfork, "Drake has never been wise — or concise."

Critics have been complaining about Drake making too-long albums since at least 2016, when he released the polarizing 20-track opus "Views." Two years later, he doubled down with "Scorpion," a 25-track, 90-minute odyssey that caught a lot of flak for being overstuffed with filler.

So far, Drake has refused to take those critiques on board. His output has only become wider, not deeper. Compare that to someone like Swift, who chases capitalist glory but seems to equally value the evolution of her craft and her critical reception. When she was accused of "quality-control issues" after releasing a 31-track double album in 2024, Swift immediately channeled that feedback into its follow-up, 2025's slender 12-track beast, "The Life of a Showgirl." Whereas Swift openly cherishes her Grammy Awards as validation from her peers, Drake has dismissed the Grammys as irrelevant. He hasn't won a Grammy as a lead artist since 2019.

What does matter to Drake is that we're curious or skeptical enough to keep tuning in. Releasing three different albums as a kind of choose-your-own-streaming-adventure is just another way to court as many listeners as possible. In Drake's world, exasperated reviews and mean tweets are nothing compared to breaking another one of Michael Jackson's chart records.

Sure, social media may be loaded with podcasters calling Drake's vocal performance "lazy," YouTubers mocking the lyrics to "Shabang," and fellow rappers bemoaning that he "processes things like his frontal lobe [is] made out of jello," but in order to make those critiques, they all gave Drake more streams. It's all going according to plan.

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Who is Jaafar Jackson? Everything to know about Michael Jackson's nephew

Jaafar Jackson at the Los Angeles premiere of "Michael."
Jaafar Jackson at the Los Angeles premiere of "Michael."

Emma McIntyre/WireImage

  • Michael Jackson's nephew, Jaafar Jackson, is portraying the King of Pop in the new biopic "Michael."
  • Jaafar is the son of Michael's brother, Jermaine Jackson, and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza.
  • He had no dance training or acting experience before being cast in "Michael," but he did make music.

Jaafar Jackson is the buzziest new name from one of the most influential families in show business.

The 29-year-old Los Angeles native steps into the moonwalking shoes of his late uncle, Michael Jackson, in the new blockbuster biopic "Michael."

Directed by Antoine Fuqua ("Training Day," "The Equalizer") and written by John Logan ("Gladiator," "Skyfall"), "Michael" follows Jackson's career from the Jackson 5 era in the '60s to the "Bad" era in the '80s.

The biopic has the support of the Jackson estate — but that's not the reason Michael Jackson's nephew was cast in the role.

"It wasn't about what he was saying or even his look. It was just a feeling of rightness that was so strong I couldn't ignore it," Graham King, who previously produced the Oscar-winning Queen biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody," said of meeting Jaafar during the casting process.

"I felt something a bit like it when Rami Malek walked into my office and said, 'I'd love to play Freddie Mercury,'" King told NME. "But this took it to a whole new level. There was something so spiritual about Jaafar that just talking with him about Michael got me emotional. We looked at nearly 200 actors around the globe, and no one could beat Jaafar."

Here's everything to know about Jaafar, his career, and his relationships with the Jacksons.

Jaafar is the son of Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza.
Jermaine Jackson, Jaafar Jackson, Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza, and Jermajesty Jackson at the LA premiere of "Michael."
Jermaine Jackson, Jaafar Jackson, Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza, and Jermajesty Jackson at the LA premiere of "Michael."

VALERIE MACON / AFP via Getty Images

Jaafar's father, Jermaine, was one of the original members of the Jackson 5, along with his brothers, Jackie, Tito, Marlon, and Michael.

Jermaine was the group's second lead vocalist (Michael was first) until he left to pursue solo stardom in 1975. He was replaced by his youngest brother, Randy, and the group rebranded to The Jacksons.

Jaafar's mother, Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza, was born in Colombia. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in fashion design and marketing, per her LinkedIn, and more recently launched Alejandra Jackson Designs.

Before Jermaine and Alejandra began dating, she was in a relationship with Jermaine's brother, Randy. Although they never married, Alejandra and Randy had two children together: a daughter, Genevieve, who was born in 1989, and a son, Randy Jr., born in 1992.

"Randy didn't treat me like I was the one," Alejandra told the New York Post's Stacy Brown. "I just thought that Jermaine was different, that he was more family-oriented."

Jermaine and Alejandra married on March 18, 1995, per People. They welcomed Jaafar on July 25, 1996, followed by his brother, Jermajesty, in 2000.

Jermaine filed for divorce from Alejandra in 2004. It was finalized in 2008 with Alejandra winning physical custody of Jaafar and Jermajesty, TMZ reported at the time.

Jaafar Jackson makes his acting debut portraying his famous uncle in "Michael."
Jaafar Jackson dressed as Michael Jackson in Thriller
Jaafar Jackson in "Michael."

Glen Wilson/Lionsgate

"Michael" producer Graham King and casting director Kimberly Hardin conducted a worldwide search before offering the role to Jaafar, per NME.

One major snag? Jaafar had no formal dance training or acting credits before "Michael," save for one episode of "The Jacksons: Next Generation," a 2015 reality show that followed the lives of his cousins, Taj, Taryll, and TJ (then known as the R&B-pop trio 3T).

Jaafar has said he rehearsed for three years — two of which were part of the audition process — and worked with Michael's former choreographers, Rich and Tone Talauega, to learn his uncle's signature dance moves.

"We had to take that syllabus and then infuse it into Jaafar," Rich said on the KTLA 5 Morning News. "But let me tell you, man, he's a Jackson, you know, he has this talent deep down inside his DNA. It just took us some time, but we pulled it out of him, and the work that he put into it was exceptional."

Jaafar already shared his uncle's musical ambitions; he began playing the piano at age 12 and released his debut single, "Got Me Singing," in 2019. His website cites Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, and "his own family's rich musical heritage" as key influences.

Jaafar Jackson isn't actually singing in "Michael."
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in "Michael."
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in "Michael."

Glen Wilson/Lionsgate

Bucking the recent biopic trend of actors singing live on set — like Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan and Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen — Jaafar did not rely on his own voice to carry the musical scenes in "Michael."

Instead, the hit songs featured in the movie are "gloriously remastered and superbly lip-synched," according to Deadline's chief film critic Pete Hammond.

When it came to dancing and choreography, Jaafar said his goal was not to impersonate his uncle, but rather to embody his performance style.

"That was a challenge," Jaafar told Entertainment Tonight. "Hitting every moment, every beat, but also having the energy and the showmanship behind the moves, too."

Jaafar named "Billie Jean" — specifically Michael's 1983 performance of the song on the TV special "Motown 25" — as the hardest sequence to nail while filming.

Jaafar's performance in "Michael" has the support of Michael's mom, brothers, and sons.
Prince Jackson and Bigi Jackson at the Berlin premiere of "Michael."
Prince Jackson and Bigi Jackson at the Berlin premiere of "Michael."

Tristar Media/WireImage

When Jaafar landed the lead role in "Michael," he received a vote of confidence from a core member of his family: Michael's mother, Katherine Jackson.

"Jaafar embodies my son," Katherine said in a press release. "It's so wonderful to see him carry on the Jackson legacy of entertainers and performers."

The movie's executive producers include Michael's eldest son, Prince Jackson, and three of his brothers: Jermaine, Jackie, and Marlon.

All four men attended the Los Angeles premiere of "Michael" at the Dolby Theatre, alongside Michael's middle sister, LaToya Jackson — a strong show of support from the Jackson family.

"It was a process that I really had to earn, and it really proved to the filmmakers and myself and my family that I can get to that point where I can pull it off," Jaafar told Today. "I honestly wouldn't be able to pull this off if I didn't have the support."

Michael's other three siblings — his eldest sister, Rebbie Jackson, his youngest sister, Janet Jackson, and his youngest brother, Randy — were not in attendance and will not be portrayed in the biopic. (Michael's father, Joe Jackson, played by Colman Domingo, died in 2018. Michael's brother Tito, played by Rhyan Hill, died in 2024.)

"I wish everybody was in the movie," LaToya told Variety on the red carpet. On Janet's absence specifically, LaToya added, "She was asked, and she kindly declined, so you have to respect her wishes."

Meanwhile, Michael's daughter, Paris Jackson, has criticized the biopic as "sugar-coated" and clarified that she had "zero percent involvement" in the production.

Paris said she was asked to read one of the first drafts of the "Michael" script and gave notes about details that she felt were "dishonest," but she was told that her notes wouldn't be addressed.

"I just butted out and left it alone because it's not my project," Paris wrote on Instagram. "They're going to make whatever they're going to make. A big reason why I haven't said anything up until this point is because I know a lot of you guys are gonna be happy with it."

"A big section of the film panders to a very specific section of my dad's fandom that still lives in the fantasy," she added.

Neither Paris nor her younger brother, Bigi Jackson, joined Prince at the film's star-studded Los Angeles premiere — although Bigi did make a rare appearance to attend the "Michael" premiere in Berlin earlier in the month.

Paris is now involved in a complicated legal battle with the Jackson estate over the movie's financials. The estate has fired back that Paris has "a complete lack of understanding about how the motion picture industry works and the role of producers in it."

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Kanye West has been blocked from traveling to the UK, forcing Wireless Festival to cancel

Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, at the 2025 Grammys.
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, at the 2025 Grammys.

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

  • Ye, aka Kanye West, has been blocked from traveling to the UK, the UK government said on Tuesday.
  • Ye was set to headline all three days of London's Wireless Festival, which has been canceled.
  • UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the decision was made to "protect the public and uphold our values."

Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has been blocked from traveling to the UK in light of his history with antisemitism.

The UK government told the BBC on Monday that Ye applied for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to travel to the UK but was denied on the grounds that his presence "would not be conducive to the public good."

Ye had been scheduled to headline all three days of London's Wireless Festival in July, which has since been canceled.

"As a result of the Home Office banning YE from entering the United Kingdom, Wireless Festival has been forced to cancel," the event's website reads as of Tuesday morning. "All ticket holders will receive an automatic full refund."

The government's decision comes after several of the festival's sponsors, including Pepsi and Anheuser-Busch InBev, withdrew from the event. Although neither brand explicitly cited Ye as the reason for their withdrawal, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had recently spoken out against Ye's scheduled performances.

"It is deeply concerning Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism," Starmer said in a statement to the British newspaper The Sun.

After the UK government confirmed that Ye would not be allowed to enter the country, Starmer cosigned the decision in a post on X.

"Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless," Starmer wrote. "This government stands firmly with the Jewish community, and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism. We will always take the action necessary to protect the public and uphold our values."

Ye did not respond to a request for comment.

Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless.

This government stands firmly with the Jewish community, and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism.

We will always take the action necessary to protect the public and…

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 7, 2026

Over the past decade, Ye has regularly been criticized for offensive and bigoted remarks, especially those described as antisemitic. In 2022, he peddled conspiracy theories about Jewish people controlling the entertainment industry and openly praised Adolf Hitler. Although Ye lost numerous business deals and brand partnerships in the fallout — reportedly losing his billionaire status as a result — he doubled down in 2025, when he wrote "I am a Nazi" on X and released a song titled "Heil Hitler."

More recently, Ye took out a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal for a public apology, linking his outbursts to a 2002 car accident and what he described as an undiagnosed brain injury. He also said his bipolar disorder caused him to lose touch with reality.

"In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold T-shirts bearing it," Ye wrote. "I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people."

The apology was published shortly before Ye's newest album was expected to be released. After multiple delays, "Bully" arrived on streaming platforms in late March.

Ye returned to the stage last week for a two-night stint at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Both shows were sold out and reportedly grossed $33 million, proving that despite the UK government's objections, there is still an appetite for Ye's volatility among his loyal fans.

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50 unbelievable Oscars records, from the youngest winner to the most nominated film ever

Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Goransson, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, and Michael B. Jordan
"Sinners" won four awards this year.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

  • The 98th Academy Awards were held on Sunday.
  • A few records were broken with this year's crop of winners.
  • Jessie Buckley took the best actress statue home to Ireland for the first time ever.

At the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday, a whole new class of winners were minted.

This year's crop of nominated films, which were largely well-liked by critics, came from around the world — and made history. For example, "Sinners" became the most-nominated film ever, "Sentimental Value" was the first Norwegian film to ever win best international feature, and Jessie Buckley is the first Irish woman to win best actress.

A few other records were broken with this year's winners. Here are some Oscars records that could prove helpful at your next trivia night.

Autumn Durald Arkapaw is the first woman to ever win best cinematography.
Autumn Durald Arkapaw at the 2026 Oscars.
Autumn Durald Arkapaw at the 2026 Oscars.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Arkapaw, who won for "Sinners," was only the fourth woman to ever be nominated for the award and the first to win.

In a heartwarming moment, she asked every woman in the audience to stand up as she thanked them for paving the way.

Amy Madigan set a new record for the longest gap between first nomination and first win.
Amy Madigan at the 2026 Oscars.
Amy Madigan at the 2026 Oscars.

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Madigan received her first (and until this year, only) nomination in 1986 for best supporting actress in the film "Twice in a Lifetime." Forty years later, she finally won for playing the villainous Aunt Gladys in "Weapons."

Jessie Buckley is the first Irish woman to win best actress.
Jessie Buckley at the 2026 Oscars.
Jessie Buckley at the 2026 Oscars.

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Buckley, who won best actress for playing Agnes Shakespeare in "Hamnet," became the first Irish person to win best actress — she thanked the country for paying for her family's flights to the ceremony.

This year, there was also the seventh tie in Oscars history, and the first in 13 years.
Jack Piatt and Sam A. Davis, winner of the Live Action Short Film award for "The Singers"; Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata, winners of the Best Live Action Short Film Award for "Two People Exchanging Saliva",
Jack Piatt and Sam A. Davis, winner of the Live Action Short Film award for "The Singers"; Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata, winners of the Best Live Action Short Film Award for "Two People Exchanging Saliva",

Brianna Bryson/Getty Images; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

The teams from "The Singers" and "Two People Exchanging Saliva" took turns at the podium to accept their respective Oscars for best live-action short film.

This has happened six other times: in 2013 for best sound editing; in 1995 for best live-action short film; in 1987 for best feature documentary; in 1969 for best actress; in 1950 for best documentary (short subject); and in 1932 for best actor.

In 2025, Sean Baker became the first person since Walt Disney to win four Oscars in one night — and the first to win them for the same movie.
Sean Baker, winner of the Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Screenplay for "Anora", poses in the press room during the 97th Annual Oscars at Ovation Hollywood on March 02, 2025
Sean Baker, winner of the Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Screenplay for "Anora", poses in the press room during the 97th Annual Oscars at Ovation Hollywood on March 02, 2025

Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Baker won for writing, directing, editing, and producing "Anora," which took home another Oscar for its leading lady, Mikey Madison.

In one night, in 1954, Disney took home the Oscars for best documentary feature for "The Living Desert," best documentary short subject for "The Alaskan Eskimo," best short subject (cartoon) for "Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom," and best short subject (two-reel) for "Bear Country."

That means the two are tied, but Baker had a clean sweep of "Anora" wins. The only award it lost was for best supporting actor.

Legendary composer John Williams has the most Oscar nominations of any living person, with 54 nods.
john williams

Reuters

Williams has won five times, for his work on "Fiddler on the Roof," "Jaws," "Star Wars," "E.T. the Extra Terrestrial," and "Schindler's List."

He was nominated for the 54th time in 2024 for "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny."

He is also the only person to ever be nominated for an Oscar in seven different decades.
john williams 1982
Hollywood, California: John Williams, the winner of the 1982 Academy Award for the Best Original Score for E.T., stands backstage during the Academy Awards Ceremony holding his Oscar.

Bettmann/Getty Images

He's been nominated at least once a decade since his first nomination for 1968's "Valley of the Dolls."

His 2023 nomination made the then-90-year-old the oldest nominee ever — he broke his own record one year later.

However, with 22 wins from 59 nominations, Walt Disney is the most decorated Oscar winner in history.
walt disney oscars
Movie producer Walt Disney holding four Oscar awards he won for best feature-length documentary, short documentary, cartoon & two-reeler at Academy Awards ceremony

George Silk/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

He was nominated for 58 during his lifetime, from 1932 to 1964. He received a final posthumous nomination (and win) at the 1968 ceremony — best short subject (cartoon) — for "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day."

Karla Sofía Gascón made history in 2025 as the first transgender actor to be nominated in any category.
Karla Sofía Gascón attends the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 05, 2025
Karla Sofía Gascón attends the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 05, 2025

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Gascón was nominated for best actress for her performance in "Emilia Pérez," making her the first trans actor to be nominated for an acting Academy Award. She lost to Mikey Madison.

Troy Kotsur's best supporting actor win for "CODA" in 2022 made him the first deaf man and the second deaf actor overall to win an Oscar.
troy kotsur and his oscarq
US actor Troy Kotsur holds his award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for "CODA" as he attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 27, 2022.

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

In 2022, Kotsur took home the best supporting actor award for his role in "CODA" as supportive, yet stubborn, father Frank Rossi.

In "CODA," his wife was played by Marlee Matlin, who was the first deaf actor ever to win an Oscar. She won the best actress statue for "Children of a Lesser God."

Marlee Matlin became both the first deaf person to win an Oscar and the youngest best actress winner when she won for 1986's "Children of a Lesser God."
marlee matlin 1987
3/30/1987-Los Angeles, CA-Actress Marlee Matlin holds her Oscar, which she recieved for Best Actress, as she signs "I love you" at the Academy Awards.

Bettmann/Getty Images

She was 21 at the time of her win.

The youngest winner of best actor was 29-year-old Adrien Brody, who won for "The Pianist" in 2003.
adrien brody wins oscar
Best actor Adrien Brody poses with his Oscar at the 75th annual Academy Awards Sunday, March 23, 2003, in Los Angeles. Brody won for "The Pianist.

Reed Saxon/AP Images

Brody was close to 30 when he won in 2003. In 2025, he won his second Academy Award for his role in "The Brutalist."

Brody has now also joined an elite club of 10 other actors who have won best actor more than once — he's now peers with Spencer Tracy, Jack Nicholson, Marlon Brando, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Cooper, Tom Hanks, Fredric March, Anthony Hopkins, and three-time winners Daniel Day-Lewis and Sean Penn.

Timothée Chalamet became the first actor to be nominated for best actor twice before the age of 30 since James Dean.
Timothee Chalamet at the 2026 Oscars.
Timothée Chalamet at the 2026 Oscars.

Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

Chalamet received his first Oscar nomination in 2018 for his role in "Call Me By Your Name" when he was 23. Seven years later, he was nominated once again for playing Bob Dylan in "A Complete Unknown" at age 29.

He was nominated for his third Academy Award this year, for "Marty Supreme," just a few weeks after he turned 30.

The last time an actor had two best actor nominations to his name before turning 30 was in 1957, when James Dean (posthumously) received two nominations in 1956 and 1957. He died in September 1955 at the age of 24.

In 2022, Ariana DeBose became the first openly queer person of color to win an acting Oscar. She won for "West Side Story."
ariana debose best supporting actress oscars 2022
Ariana DeBose poses with her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for 'West Side Story' in the press room at the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on March 27, 2022

David Livingston/Getty Images

DeBose also became the first Afro-Latina woman to win.

In her acceptance speech, she called herself an "openly queer woman of color, an Afro-Latina who found her strength in life through art. And that's what I believe we're here to celebrate. Anybody who's ever questioned your identity ever or find yourself living in the gray spaces? I promise you this: There is indeed a place for us."

Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro were the only men to win Oscars for playing the same role — Vito Corleone, in "The Godfather" and "The Godfather Part II" — until Joaquin Phoenix took home the Oscar for "Joker."
jokers
"The Dark Knight" and "Joker."

Warner Bros. Pictures.

Brando portrayed Vito Corleone as an old man with adult children and grandkids, while De Niro played him as a young man who had just emigrated from Italy.

When Joaquin Phoenix won for "Joker," it marked the second time this happened, as Heath Ledger posthumously won for his performance as the Joker in 2008's "The Dark Knight."

Ariana DeBose and Rita Moreno were the first women to win Oscars for playing the same role. They each won for playing Anita in "West Side Story."
rita moreno and ariana debose
Rita Moreno and Ariana DeBose attend the 94th Annual Academy Awards on March 27, 2022.

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Moreno won for playing Anita in the 1961 film "West Side Story" at the 1962 Oscars. Sixty years later, DeBose took home the Oscar for the same role in Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake.

"Parasite" was the 12th film in history to win best picture without receiving a single acting nod.
Parasite movie screenshot 2
This would be the first time a South Korean film has won any kind of Oscar at all.

CJ Entertainment

The last time this happened was in 2009, with "Slumdog Millionaire." Here are the other 10 movies this has happened to.

There are two best picture nominees this year that would've joined this list if they had won: "F1" and "Train Dreams."

"Parasite" was also the first foreign-language film to win best picture. Two international films were also nominated this year ("Sentimental Value" and "The Secret Agent"), but they lost to "One Battle After Another."

Meryl Streep is the most-nominated actress in Oscar history, with a staggering 21 nominations under her belt. She's won three times.
meryl streep oscars 2012
meryl streep oscars 2012

Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Streep has won best actress twice, for "Sophie's Choice" and "The Iron Lady." She won best supporting actress for "Kramer vs. Kramer."

The country that's taken home best international film the most is Italy, which has produced 14 winners from 33 nominations.
paolo sorrentino oscars
OLLYWOOD, CA - MARCH 02: Director Paolo Sorrentino poses in the press room at the 86th annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 2, 2014 in Hollywood, California.

Jason LaVeris/WireImage/Getty Images

Most recently, Italy won for "The Great Beauty," or "La grande bellezza" in 2014, directed by Paolo Sorrentino. He was nominated again in 2022 for "The Hand of God," but lost to Japan's entry, "Drive My Car."

In 2025, Brazil won its first Oscar with "I'm Still Here."
Walter Salles, winner of the Best International Feature Film for "I'm Still Here", poses in the press room during the 97th Annual Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 02, 2025
Walter Salles, winner of the Best International Feature Film for "I'm Still Here", poses in the press room during the 97th Annual Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 02, 2025

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images

"I'm Still Here," based on the real story of Eunice and Rubens Paiva, was also nominated for best picture and best actress for its star, Fernanda Torres.

This year, Norway earned its first win in that category with "Sentimental Value."
Joachim Trier at 98th Annual Oscars
Joachim Trier at the 98th annual Oscars.

Gilbert Flores/Penske Media/Getty Images

"Sentimental Value," which was also nominated for best picture, won best international feature at the 2026 Academy Awards. The film was directed by Joachim Trier, who was previously nominated in this category in 2022 but lost to Japan's "Drive My Car."

This is the first time Norway has taken home this award. "This is a historic moment for Norwegian cinema," Norwegian Film Institute CEO Kjersti Mo told Variety.

Martin Scorsese is the most nominated living director, after receiving his 10th nomination for "Killers of the Flower Moon."
Martin Scorsese

Gotham / Contributor / Getty Images

Overall, he's been nominated 10 times for "Raging Bull," "The Last Temptation of Christ," "Goodfellas," "Gangs of New York," "The Aviator," "The Departed," "Hugo," "The Wolf of Wall Street," "The Irishman," and "Killers of the Flower Moon."

He's only won once, for "The Departed."

In 2022, Steven Spielberg became the first person nominated for the best director award in six different decades.
Steven Spielberg with his Oscars for "Schindler's List."
Steven Spielberg with his Oscars for "Schindler's List."

Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

Spielberg's "West Side Story" earned a best director nod. In total, the movie secured eight nominations, winning one. He was nominated again in 2023 for "The Fabelmans," and in 2026 for producing "Hamnet."

His previous best director nominations were for "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1978), "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981), "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (1982), "Schindler's List" (1993), "Saving Private Ryan" (1998), "Munich" (2005), and "Lincoln" (2012). He won for "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan."

Before "West Side Story," he and Scorsese shared the record for a director nominated in five decades. After "Killers of the Flower Moon," the two are tied once again.

In 2021, Anthony Hopkins took the mantle of oldest winner in an acting category from Christopher Plummer — the then-83-year-old won best actor for "The Father."
hopkins and his first oscar
Hopkins and his first Oscar in 1992.

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

Hopkins' win was one of the most shocking moments of the night — almost everyone had considered Chadwick Boseman in his final performance a shoo-in.

Hopkins took the record from Plummer, who was 82 when he won for "Beginners" in 2012.

Plummer is still the oldest nominee in an acting category, though. He was 88 when he was nominated for best actor in "All the Money in the World" in 2018.
christopher plummer oscars
Christopher Plummer with his award for best supporting actor at the 2012 Oscars.

Rick Rowell/ABC via Getty images

He was also nominated in 2010 for "The Last Station."

Plummer died in February 2021 at the age of 91.

But the oldest winner in any category is James Ivory, who was 89 when he took home the Oscar for best adapted screenplay in 2018.
james ivory oscars
HOLLYWOOD, CA - MARCH 04: Writer James Ivory, winner of the Best Adapted Screenplay award for 'Call Me By Your Name,' poses in the press room during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Ivory won for the "Call Me By Your Name" screenplay, based on the novel of the same name by André Aciman.

The youngest person to ever be nominated for an Oscar was 8-year-old Justin Henry for "Kramer vs. Kramer" in 1979.
Justin Henry as Billy in Kramer vs. Kramer movie

Columbia Pictures

Henry is now 54 and acts sporadically.

The youngest winner was 10-year-old Tatum O'Neal, who won best supporting actress for "Paper Moon" in 1974.
tatum o'neal 1973
2nd April 1974: American actor Tatum O'Neal, wearing a tuxedo, holds her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in director Peter Bogdanovich's film, 'Paper Moon,' at the 46th Annual Academy Awards, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, California. She was the youngest actor to ever win an Oscar

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

O'Neal co-starred in "Paper Moon" with her father, Ryan O'Neal.

She continues to act.

But the true youngest winner is Shirley Temple, who was 6 when she won the Academy Juvenile Award in 1935. This category no longer exists.
shirley temple
Shirley Temple as a child star wearing accordion pleated dress. Undated photograph.

Bettmann/Getty Images

Other notable winners in this category included Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Bobby Driscoll, and Margaret O'Brien.

2022 was the first time two couples had been nominated for awards in the same year — their nominations covered the four acting categories.
penelope cruz javier bardem jesse plemons kirsten dunst
Cruz and Bardem, left, and Plemons and Dunst, right.

P. Lehman/Future Publishing/Getty Images

Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, who married in 2010, were both nominated: Cruz for best actress in "Parallel Mothers," and Bardem for best actor for "Being the Ricardos."

A second couple, Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons, both secured best supporting acting nominations for their roles in "The Power of the Dog."

Cruz and Bardem lost to Jessica Chastain and Will Smith, while Dunst and Plemons lost to Ariana DeBose and Troy Kotsur.

Three movies are tied for the most wins. "Ben-Hur" (1959), "Titanic" (1997), and "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" (2003) all won 11 awards.
1999 titanic

Paramount Pictures

That record hasn't been broken in over 20 years.

But "Sinners" broke the record for most overall nominations this year, with a staggering 16 nods.
Michael B Jordan around cast of Sinners
"Sinners."

Warner Bros.

It ended up winning four: best original screenplay, best actor, best cinematography, and best score.

Three movies are tied for second place with 14 Oscar nods: "All About Eve" (1950), "Titanic" (1997), and "La La Land" (2016).

As previously stated, "Titanic" went on to win 11 awards. "All About Eve" and "La La Land" each took home six statues.

The longest winner of best picture in Oscars history is 1939's "Gone With the Wind," which clocks in at 3 hours, 58 minutes.
Gone with the Wind

Loews Cineplex Entertainment

That's even longer than the notoriously long "The Brualist," "The Irishman," or "Killers of the Flower Moon."

The most prestigious award of the night is best picture, but it doesn't always go to the best movie. The worst-reviewed winner, according to Rotten Tomatoes, is 1929 winner "The Broadway Melody." It has a 42%.
The Broadway Melody 1929 movie Best Picture winner

MGM

"'The Broadway Melody' is interesting as an example of an early Hollywood musical, but otherwise, it's essentially bereft of appeal for modern audiences," wrote Rotten Tomatoes.

This year's winner, "One Battle After Another," has a 94% critics score and a 85% audience score.

The first woman to win the best director award was Kathryn Bigelow in 2009 for "The Hurt Locker."
kathryn bigelow oscars 2009
HOLLYWOOD - MARCH 07: Director Kathryn Bigelow accepts Best Director award for "The Hurt Locker" onstage during the 82nd Annual Academy Awards held at Kodak Theatre on March 7, 2010 in Hollywood, California.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Prior to Bigelow, just three women had been nominated for directing: Lina Wertmüller for 1975's "Seven Beauties," Jane Campion for 1993's "The Piano," and Sofia Coppola for 2003's "Lost in Translation."

This year, Chloé Zhao was the lone woman nominated for best director. She directed "Hamnet."

In 2021, two women were recognized for directing, and winner Chloé Zhao became the first Asian woman — and second woman overall — to take home the award.
chloe zhao oscars
Chloé Zhao holding her first Oscar.

ABC via Getty Images

She won for "Nomadland." She was nominated once again this year for "Hamnet."

Also in 2021, Steven Yeun became the first Asian American to be nominated for best actor.
steven yeun oscars
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 25: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) In this handout photo provided by A.M.P.A.S., Steven Yeun attends the 93rd Annual Academy Awards at Union Station on April 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

Matt Petit/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images

While Yeun lost the award to Anthony Hopkins, his nomination for "Minari" was still a record-breaking moment.

Only one movie to win best picture has been rated X: "Midnight Cowboy" (1969).
Midnight Cowboy 1969 best picture Dustin Hoffman

United Artists

It was mainly rated X simply because it wasn't suitable for kids — the "X" rating was almost brand new in 1969 and didn't have the same connotations as it does today. However, MTV does point out the film has "a fair amount of nudity and some brief scenes of sexual activity."

When it was later re-rated, it earned an R rating.

Only two sequels have won best picture: "The Godfather Part II" (1974) and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003).
Godfather II Al Pacino

Paramount Pictures/IMDb

In total, 10 sequels have been nominated for best picture — "Dune: Part Two," "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Top Gun: Maverick," "Toy Story 3," "Mad Max: Fury Road," "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," "The Godfather Part III," and "The Bells of St. Mary's," plus the two winners.

You may be wondering, what about "The Silence of the Lambs"? The Anthony Hopkins/Jodie Foster joint could be considered a sequel to "Manhunter," but it's really more of a reboot.

When Cate Blanchett earned an Oscar for playing Katharine Hepburn in 2004's "The Aviator," she became the first person to win an Oscar for playing an Oscar winner.
cate blanchett katharine hepburn

Warner Bros.; Bettmann/Getty Images

She's not the only actor to win an Oscar for portraying an icon, but she was the first to win an Oscar for portraying an Oscar winner.

Renée Zellweger became the second when she won for playing Judy Garland in "Judy" in 2020.

Hepburn herself holds the record for most Oscars for acting — she won four times.
katharine hepburn

Reuters Pictures

Hepburn won in 1933, 1967, 1968, and 1981 for "Morning Glory," "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," "The Lion in Winter," and "On Golden Pond," respectively.

Though, famously, she never attended an awards show to collect her statues in person, per The Hollywood Reporter.

The first Black actor to win an Oscar was Hattie McDaniel in 1939.
hattie mcdaniel
- Los Angeles, CA: Actress Hattie Mc Daniel is shown with the statuette she received for her portrayal in "Gone With The Wind." The award was for Best Supporting Role by an Actress, and was made at the 12th annual Academy Awards ceremony.

Bettmann/Getty Images

McDaniel won the best supporting actress award for "Gone with the Wind," in which she played Mammy, a role that has since been mired in controversy, per the Jim Crow Museum.

Sidney Poitier became the first Black man to win when he was awarded best actor for "Lilies of the Field" (1963).
sidney poitier oscars
Sidney Poitier admires the Oscar he has just received in Santa Monica, California, on April 13, 1964. He won Best Performance by an Actor for his role in the 1963 film Lilies of the Field.

Bettmann/Getty Images

Poitier had previously been nominated for his role in 1958's "The Defiant Ones."

He died in January 2022 at 94.

With four nominations, Viola Davis is the most Oscar-nominated Black actress in history.
viola davis oscar

ABC/Tyler Golden

Davis, an EGOT winner, has been nominated four times: twice for best supporting actress for "Doubt" and "Fences" (which she won), and twice for best actress for "The Help" and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."

"For me, it's a reflection of the lack of opportunities and access to opportunities people of color have had in this business. If me, going back to the Oscars four times in 2021, makes me the most nominated Black actress in history, that's a testament to the sheer lack of material there has been out there for artists of color," said Davis in a February 2021 interview with Variety.

Octavia Spencer is right behind her with three nominations ("The Help," "Hidden Figures," and "The Shape of Water"). Whoopi Goldberg, with two, is the only other Black actress with more than one competitive Oscar nomination ("Ghost" and "The Color Purple").

Denzel Washington is the most nominated Black actor of all time. With "The Tragedy of Macbeth," he secured his 10th nomination.
Denzel Washington Oscar

AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian

He has been nominated 10 times between 1988 and 2022, earning nods for best supporting actor ("Cry Freedom," "Glory"), best actor ("Malcolm X," "The Hurricane," "Training Day," "Flight," "Fences," "Roman J. Israel, Esq." and "The Tragedy of Macbeth"), and best picture ("Fences").

He has won twice: He won best supporting actor for "Glory" in 1990 and best actor for "Training Day" in 2002.

In 2026, songwriter Diane Warren earned her 17th nomination — she's the most-nominated person in Oscars history to have never taken home a competitive statue.
Diane Warren at the 2026 Oscars.
Diane Warren at the 2026 Oscars.

ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

Warren was nominated in the best original song category for "Dear Me" from the documentary "Diane Warren: Relentless" this year.

In 2026, she lost out on a statue following her 17th nomination.

She won an honorary Oscar in 2022, but she still hasn't taken home a competitive statue, making it the longest losing streak in Academy history.

In 2025, Paul Tazewell became the first Black man to win best costume design.
Paul Tazewell, winner of the Best Costume Design for "Wicked", poses in the press room during the 97th Annual Oscars
Paul Tazewell, winner of the Best Costume Design for "Wicked", poses in the press room during the 97th Annual Oscar

Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Tazewell won for his stunning costumes in "Wicked."

He's only the second Black costume designer to ever win. The first was Ruth E. Carter in 2019 and 2023.
Ruth E. Carter poses with the Best Costume Design award for "Black Panther" in the press room during the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019
Ruth E. Carter poses with the Best Costume Design award for "Black Panther" in the press room during the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Carter won for her work on both "Black Panther" films. She was nominated again in 2026 for "Sinners," but lost.

Only two actors have won Oscars posthumously: Heath Ledger for "The Dark Knight" and Peter Finch for "Network."
heather ledger peter finch
Ledger and Finch.

BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images; Photoshot/Getty Images

Joaquin Phoenix thanked Ledger in his 2020 SAG Awards acceptance speech, calling Ledger his "favorite actor."

In 2021, Jamika Wilson and Mia Neal became the first Black winners of the best makeup and hairstyling award for their work on "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."
Mia Neal, Jamika Wilson, and Sergio Lopez-Rivera
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 25: (L-R) Mia Neal, Jamika Wilson, and Sergio Lopez-Rivera, winners of Makeup and Hairstyling for "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", pose in the press room during the 93rd Annual Academy Awards at Union Station on April 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

Chris Pizzello-Pool/Getty Images

They shared the award with Sergio Lopez-Rivera, as well.

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