Google’s Year in Search 2022: Another fateful year comes to an end in less than a month. As people gear up for 2023, Google is celebrating the major happenings of 2022. Google has released its "Year in Search" data of trending searches, actors, people, movies, and more events that took place in 2022.
On that note, we bring you this list of the most searched people on Google in 2022. Johnny Depp topped the list, with other controversial figures like Will Smith, Andrew Tate, and Amber Heard also featuring in the top 10.
1) Johnny Depp
Johnny Deep has been in the news for the better part of 2022 due to his involvement in the "trial of the century." Depp had sued his ex-wife Amber Heard for defamation for insinuating that she was abused and assaulted multiple times during their relationship.
Depp had earlier lost a similar libel suit in the UK, but he ended up winning the more thorough and live-televised US trial. Depp has been trending ever since, with fans calling for his return as Captain Jack Sparrow in the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
2) Will Smith
Will Smith rocked Hollywood and the world when he publicly assaulted comedian Chris Rock at the Academy Awards ceremony in March. Rock made some jokes at the expense of Smith’s wife, Jada, who, unbeknownst to Rock, was suffering from a health condition.
Will Smith seemed to have taken the jokes in good spirits initially, but then climbed on stage and smacked Chris Rock with the whole world watching. Smith went on to win the Oscar for Best Actor anyway.
3) Amber Heard
Amber Heard went from a domestic abuse activist to one of the most hated women on the planet within a few months. After the infamous tapes in which Heard admitted to hitting Johnny Depp and even mocking him for not fighting back were leaked in 2019, Heard was sued by Depp in a $50 million defamation suit. Heard countersued for $100 million.
The trial materialised in April 2022, and the shocking revelations about both Amber Heard and Johnny Depp were witnessed live by the world. Depp emerged victorious, and Heard was ordered to pay him $10 million for damaging his reputation. Amber Heard has since been trending, and there is even a campaign that seeks to fire her from Aquaman 2.
4) Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine after years of tension between the two neighbours and former Soviet states. Russia opposes Ukraine’s NATO entry and alleges the country is governed by neonazis. Russia found success in the war initially, but Ukraine, with indirect support from US and EU countries, has held its own against the much more powerful Russian Army. Putin has also been in the news recently due to health-related rumours.
5) Chris Rock
Chris Rock was on the receiving end of one of the most shocking stage incidents ever. Rock, who is known for his politically incorrect and offensive comedy, made a joke about Jada Smith’s appearance. While everyone laughed, Jada’s husband, Will Smith, wasn’t so appreciative of the joke that made fun of his wife’s health condition.
Rock was slapped by Smith on stage but continued like a professional and finished his set. Chris Rock’s popularity has skyrocketed ever since, and he’s been performing stand-up to sold-out shows.
6) Novak Djokovic
Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic grabbed headlines when he refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19, even if it meant forfeiting the chance to compete in international tournaments. Djokovic was criticised for acting like an overprivileged celebrity and for jeopardising the safety of others.
However, Djokovic stood by his decision and insisted that he wasn’t against vaccination but didn’t want to be forced to put things in his body against his will. Djokovic ended up missing several coveted tennis tournaments.
7) Anna Sorokin (Delvey)
Anna Sorokin, aka Anna Delvey, is a Russian-German con artist and fraudster who posed as a wealthy heiress and defrauded numerous upper-class people and banks. Sorokin was the subject of the popular Netflix series Inventing Anna, starring Julia Garner in the lead role. Sorokin is currently out on bail and under house arrest.
8) Andrew Tate
Andrew Tate is a kickboxer turned life coach who gained notoriety in 2022 for his controversial lessons. Tate, whose target audience is mainly young men, advocates blatant misogyny and toxic masculinity to his followers. Due to his views about women, Tate was banned from almost all social media platforms, including YouTube and Twitter. However, he continues to grow in popularity and preach his toxic sermons.
9) Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak became the first non-white Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after Liz Truss resigned as the leader of the Conservative Party. Sunak, who is of Indian origin but was born and raised in the UK, is a polarising figure in the country. His net worth and marriage to millionaire Akshata Murthy have been topics of controversy.
10) Simon Leviev
Simon Leviev is an Israeli conman whose exploits sparked global interest in 2022. Leviev is wanted in several countries for fraud. Leviev used his charisma and good looks to run a Ponzi scheme via the dating platform Tinder in the early 2010s. Leviev coerced over $10 million from women around the world, especially in Europe, but hasn’t been caught. He was also depicted in the Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler. Leviev continues to live freely in Israel.
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