Britney Spears' conservatorship battle to Astroworld Tragedy: Biggest Hollywood Controversies of the Year

Celebrities offered us with a plethora of amazing experiences in 2021, including weddings and divorces, baby arrivals, red carpet and award show appearances, and, of course, some scandals. Cancel culture arrived for celebrities such as Chrissy Teigen, Chris Harrison, and Dave Chappelle. Britney Spears was finally released from her 13-year conservatorship, but only after she disclosed alarming truths about her experience. Check out this year's biggest celebrity scandals below.

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry detail royal family rift in an interview with Oprah Winfrey

In March, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a wide-ranging interview in which they made shocking allegations about members of the British royal family, including that there were concerns and debates about how dark her baby Archie's skin would be when he's born. Meghan also claimed that she had suicidal thoughts while living in another country and coping with the media circus that surrounded the royal family. She said she attempted to get assistance via the palace's human resources department, but was warned by a "senior" member of the institution that seeking mental health treatment would reflect negatively on the family. Throughout their two-hour television special, both Harry and Meghan talked with startling honesty, levelling allegations and rebukes that overshadowed even Princess Diana's historic interview more than two decades ago. Interestingly, during the interview Prince Harry admitted that he has a really good relationship, and an understanding with his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. However, he acknowledged that his connections with his brother, Prince William, and his father, Prince Charles, are significantly more strained.

Chrissy Teigen's cyberbullying scandal

Courtney Stodden openly called out Chrissy Teigen for tweeting highly abusive remarks years ago, and she had screenshots to prove it. Teigen apologised for her "terrible, horrible" remarks and denounced her prior poor online conduct, admitting she was a troll in the past. The cookbook author took a break from social media to concentrate on her recovery. Later, she discussed being placed in the "cancel club" as a result of the dispute.

Britney Spears' conservatorship battle

#FreeBritney was finally heard this year, when the pop diva, who had been labelled an incapable person in the eyes of the law and exploited like an ATM by those engaged in the conservatorship, returned her rights. Britney Spears' conservatorship dispute was one of Hollywood's most talked-about topics of 2021. Following multiple films documenting the pop star's legal and familial troubles, a judge finally released her from the 13-year court order in November. Despite Spears' newfound independence, a number of concerns remain. In her July testimony, she alleged that her father is guilty of conservatorship abuse. She has also sued other members of her family, including her sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, and her mother, Lynne Spears, alleging that they neglected to support her.

Travis Scott's Astroworld tragedy

Travis Scott's Astroworld music event grabbed news when a purported crowd surge killed ten people and wounded hundreds more. The event had been scheduled to span two days, but tragedy struck on the first night. After a day marred by issues such as people bypassing the security line, calls started to pour in during Scott's concert, as many of the estimated 50,000 spectators crammed close to the main stage. So far, more than 30 lawsuits have been filed against Scott and numerous other parties.

Alec Baldwin's Rust tragedy

Alec Baldwin became the focus of tragedy when cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of the film "Rust." Baldwin starred in and produced the picture, and he has subsequently been mentioned in lawsuits made by other members of the crew. Prior to filming, conflicting stories arose concerning working conditions, with some crew members stating the set was chaotic and hazardous. Baldwin, who also worked as a producer, reacted angrily to the charges. In a recent interview, the actor said that he "didn't pull the trigger," adding to the mystery of how such an incident could have occurred.

Jeopardy hosting controversy

"Jeopardy!" has been on television since 1984, with no scandals. However, the program's recent past has been clouded by controversy, as the hunt for a successor for late host Alex Trebek led the network to recruit executive producer Mike Richards, who was eventually fired from the post. Richards' departure was prompted by controversies from his background that had risen to the public. Among them were a number of sexist statements he made on a podcast some years ago. The ordeal isn't quite finished yet, since "Jeopardy!" is still seeking a permanent host. For the time being, "Big Bang Theory" alum Mayim Bialik and "Jeopardy!" champion Ken Jennings will co-host. Following Richards' decision to discontinue his association with Sony, the two were selected as interim co-hosts.

Dave Chappelle Netflix show controversy

The transgender community was outraged as soon as the comedian's current Netflix special was broadcast on October 5. While the company's CEO, Ted Sarandos, backed him and refused to remove the stand-up performance off the site, GLAAD, the National Black Justice Coalition, and other gay activists and supporters criticized Chappelle for his remarks, especially his assertion that gender is a fact. Hundreds of Netflix workers walked out in protest on Oct. 20 in the midst of the crisis. Chappelle said that he was prepared to meet with them under certain conditions, including that he choose the time and location, that everyone had to have seen his show in its entirety, and that everyone agreed that fellow comic Hannah Gadsby, who had attacked Sarandos, is not funny.

Zayn Malik vs. Yolanda and Gigi Hadid

Malik and Hadid called it quits after charges that the former One Direction singer attacked the model's mother, Yolanda, after a six-year on-again, off-again romance and one kid together. Yolanda was contemplating filing a police complaint but Malik quickly responded on Twitter, describing the situation as a "private family concern" and requesting privacy. In an attempt to protect the couple's daughter, Khai, he also stated that he "decided to not dispute accusations" and "adamantly" denied assaulting Yolanda. Zayn and Gigi's separation was confirmed the same day, before further details of the incident surfaced. Malik was charged with four counts of harassment, fined, and sentenced to a year of probation.

Jesy Nelson Blackfishing controversy

Jesy Nelson re-entered the limelight as a solo artist in early October with her debut song "Boyz," which featured rapper Nicki Minaj (as well as a star appearance from P Diddy) after months of teases. Nelson's big-budget music release was quickly overshadowed by an ongoing blackfishing controversy, with Nelson being pressed to address her "racially ambiguous" image. 

Chris Noth sexual assault allegations

Chris Noth has been accused of sexual assault by numerous women less than a week after making news for his short comeback to the highly anticipated Sex and the City reboot. In December 2021, two women came forward with charges that the Equalizer alum had previously assaulted them, shortly after the HBO Max premiere of And Just Like That. As of yet 5 women have come forward and accused the star of assaulting them.

Brangelina divorce update

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie started dating in 2005 but didn't marry until 2014. Jolie filed for divorce in 2016 and asked for exclusive custody of their three children: twins Vivienne and Knox, now 13 years old, Shiloh, 15, Zahara, 16, Pax, 17, and Maddox, now 20. Despite the fact that their divorce was completed in 2019, the two are still fighting for custody after Jolie accused Pitt of domestic assault. However, in an interview this year, Jolie discussed her fear for her whole family's safety while being married to the actor. While Jolie admitted that her legal status made it difficult for her to discuss some aspects of the divorce and custody battle, when asked whether she was concerned for the safety of her children, she said, YES.

Special mentions: BTS ARMY blacklisted James Corden after talk show host joked about the band performing at the UN. Interestingly, BTS ARMY also slammed Jason Derulo for not giving the septet credit in 'Savage Love' success party post. Lastly, the controversial divorce of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. Amber stated at one time that Johnny was abusive and that he didn't do anything to defend himself. Later, when the trial started, Johnny said that Amber was the one who had abused him.

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