This article was originally published on Kueez
Justin Timberlake and Britney Spear’s Denim on Denim Romance
Who can ever forget this iconic couple from the 2000s? If you were around back then, you were probably a part of the huge number of fans this supercouple had in the early 2000s. Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears met when they were little kids, while both of them performed at The Mickey Mouse Club’s revival. They weren’t the only known celebrities today who were a part of this show as kids. Megastars Ryan Gosling and Christina Aguilera were also cast on the show, and have grown into becoming Hollywood household names in their own right.
After seeing both Spears and Timberlake growing up in the eyes of the public, fans were delighted to see the pair together in the early 2000s. We weren't as delighted when they wore this hideous ensemble, however!
Lindsay Lohan's Starts to Get in Trouble With The Law
While the world has been quite quick to judge Lindsay Lohan and her recurring struggles with the law, we can all probably imagine how difficult it must be to literally grow up in the eyes of the public. Lohan gained stardom as a young child star who quickly rose to fame thanks to her undeniable talents. The actress was a part of several “classic” teen movies such as Freaky Friday, The Parent Trap, and Mean Girls, which quickly made her a household name.
Unfortunately though, as her fame took over her life, the actress began having problems with the law just as she turned 21. She was arrested a few times for felony possession, driving under the influence or with a suspended driver’s license, assault, and the list goes on.
Paris Hilton And Kim Kardashian Become The World’s First Influencers
While being an “influencer” has become a pretty common profession nowadays, during the 2000s, both Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton were way ahead of us all. The two socialites literally gave meaning to the word influencer, by earning millions only because they were famous. Today, both of them have millions of followers on social media, as they initially rose to fame just as the internet and social media were becoming a thing.
But both stars came from different backgrounds, with Paris being the heiress to the Hilton family, and Kim, whose father was the infamous OJ Simpson’s lawyer, started out as Hilton’s assistant. They quickly became close friends and would soon earn millions and of dollars with each paparazzi photo taken of them.
Kelly Clarkson Becomes The Winner Of The First American Idol
While American Idol has grown to become one of the most known singing competitions in the world, with several shows being inspired by the same concept, the show actually started with a much smaller audience. But it didn’t take long until the singing competition became the most-watched show in the country, even making its way internationally. Something about its refreshingly honest judges and undeniable talent from contestants glued people to the screen literally everywhere.
While most people know Kelly Clarkson as a talented singer and host today, many might be unaware of the fact that she rose to fame after winning the first-ever season of American Idol. The two singles that Clarkson released right after the finale actually broke the record for the biggest leap to #1 on the Billboard charts.
One Of The Most Infamous Moments In Hollywood History
Well, not many of us have been fortunate to miss this very cringy moment in Hollywood history. In this picture, Kanye West is basically stealing Taylor Swift's microphone after she is given the award for Best Female Music Video in the 2009 MTV Music Awards. Swift had just begun her acceptance speech when West abruptly jumped on stage and started rambling about how happy he was for Swift, only to move on to how Beyoncé should have won the award.
Literally everyone in the room was completely mortified, including both Swift and Beyonce. Thankfully, Beyonce later gave up on her own acceptance speech in order to gracefully give Taylor her moment on stage.
Jon and Kate Plus 8 Showcase a New Type of Family on TLC
A different kind of reality show seems to emerge almost on a daily basis nowadays, but back in the 2000s, it wasn’t so common to see some things on TV. TLC's John and Kate Plus 8 was a really novel concept. The family of ten had their own reality show on TLC, and the public couldn't get enough. How would they manage to navigate through life with 8 kids?
In fact, so many people tuned in that in the 2000s the show became the most-watched and highest-rated program at the time. But unfortunately, the family didn’t quite handle the attention and ended up struggling with a public divorce.
When High Schol Musical Took Over Television
If you were a teenager around the 2000s, then there’s a high chance that you were a fan of the teen movie High School Music. It actually did much better than originally expected, earning over $250 million. For actors Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, and Zac Efron, this was the movie that really started their career in the Hollywood industry, and they are still taking on roles and making headlines today.
The movie was so successful that two sequels were created, musical tours took place across America, and even a spin-off series was made as another attempt to profit from the film’s success even further.
A Mix Of Faces That Screams the 2000s
Now, there aren’t many photos out there that scream 2000s quite like this one. The combination of improbable celebs posing together just takes us back to simpler times. Let’s unpack this: we’ve got reality show, businesswoman and social media queen Kim Kardashian just chilling next to Adrienne Ballon, who in addition to starring in Cheetah Girls was also Kardashian’s brother’s girlfriend at the time.
Then, we’ve got Evan Ross and Melody Thornton of the Pussycat Dolls, and Sabrina Bryan, and Aubrey Morgan O'Day of Danity Kane. Yikes, talk about an odd combo!
Reese Whitherspoon Stole Everyone's Hearts in Legally Blonde
There is no doubt that actress Reese Whitherspoon is one of the most talented actresses in Hollywood. The star has acted in many movies, but Legally Blonde is arguably her most popular one. The film was released in 2001, and quickly became one of the most-watched movies at the time. The hilarious comedy with a feminist undertone, along with Witherspoon's unforgettable performance, earned her a place in Hollywood's history books.
In fact, the movie was such a success that to this date, several iconic lines from it are still quoted by people from all over the world. The movie has since spawned a sequel, a reality show, and even a musical. Actually, Legally Blonde 3 due to release in 2022!
This Random Photo Of Beyonce And Kelly Osbourne Happened
If memes were as popular during the 2000s as they are now, we are quite certain that this photo of Beyonce hanging out with Kelly Osbourne would have made a good one. The photo was snapped during 2003’s MTV Music Awards, and the contrast between both singers could simply not be more striking. The singer and TV personality were oddly hanging out with each other, with both of them awkwardly embracing the famous photo.
The moment was unique since we never really heard of the pair hanging out. More recently, Osbourne was pictured rocking a cool hairstyle while attending one of Beyonce’s famous afterparties. Could they be friends?
Beyoncé And Jay-Z Chilling With Rock Band Fall Out Boy
As we said, Beyonce and Jay Z are just one of those couples that completely take over an entire room (and industry) when they arrive. Back in the 2000s, something about the music power couple made it clear that gigantic things were about to happen for both. In this awesome picture snapped way back when, Bey and Jay pose alongside rock band Fall Out Boy, which was huge in the rock scene at the time.
It's hard to say what made the artists come together for this awkward shot. It's quite a throwback, though!
Scarlett Johansson Takes A Bold Leap Into More Adult Film Roles
Scarlett Johanson is one of those actresses who have literally been acting for most of her life. She was as young as nine years old when she landed her first acting role. It is a known fact that the actress knew for as long as she can remember that she wanted to become an actress, and so she did everything in her power to become one. Today, she is one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood, with several memorable roles and awards up her sleeve.
In this photo taken in the early 2000s, Johansson is seen posing at a crucial moment in her life, when she began transitioning from her kid and teen movie roles onto more adult roles, starting with the wonderful Lost in Translation.
An American Favorite: Malcolm In The Middle
Throughout the decades, the concept of family has continued to evolve when it comes to sitcoms. While some classics stick to the norm, several family sitcoms have decided to break stereotypes and to share different views of what family means while using comedy. But things really started to change at the beginning of the century with the show Malcolm in the Middle. It ended up being one of the most-watched shows on television. American families from all over the county could relate to the dysfunctionality of this hilarious family and enjoyed how refreshing seeing them on TV was.
The show also made child star Frankie Muniz incredibly famous. However, he decided to step out of the limelight as soon as the show ended.
Demi Lovato And Selena Gomez’s Friendship
For the longest time, Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez were the best of friends. The two of them were kid actresses at Disney in the early 2000s, and both bonded over their commonalities as child stars in a brutal industry. At the time, Selena Gomez acted in Wizards of Waverly Place while Demi Lovato was one of Camp Rock’s favorites. Unfortunately, as the two grew up, their beautiful friendship couldn't survive Hollywood's drama.
Apparently, Lovato found out that her former fiancé, Max Ehrich, confessed his love to not only Selena but also other celebs through social media. Hopefully, the two former friends will rekindle their friendship one day.
Ryan Gosling And Rachel McAdams Had a Memorable Relationship
If your thing is a good romantic movie, then The Notebook is a must. The movie easily became one of the most-watched romantic films in history, with both Gosling and McAdams delivering a superb performance. And believe it or not, the two stars didn’t actually like each other much when they met on set in 2003. But after spending more and more time together, and filming some pretty intense scenes, they not only fell in love on-screen but also off-screen.
Sadly though, the two of them were not able to keep up with their work schedules and ended up having to end the relationship.
When Christina Aguilera’s Music Career Was At Its Best
Ah, the good time. When Christina Aguilera used to wear bandanas and grace us with her unique voice. During the early 2000s, Christina Aguilera was certainly at the peak of her career, with hit songs taking over radio stations all over the world. That was also the time that pop icon Britney Spears rose to superstardom, and both artists had developed a pretty close friendship. The media attention on both singers was spread differently though, with Spears clearly getting a bigger share.
But that doesn’t mean that Aguilera didn’t get her own time in the limelight, especially after winning a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in the year 2000.
Harry Potter Became One Of The Most Watched Movies Of The Century
During the late 1990s, the Harry Potter books began gaining a lot of attention. The plot full of fantasy and magic captivated kids and adults alike. It didn’t take too long for books to be turned into one of the most profitable movie franchises in history. Obviously, despite only being kids at the time, the films' main cast shot to worldwide superstardom. Luckily for fans, the books and movies just kept on coming, with a new movie coming out right after a book did.
J.K Rowling's Harry Potter has become such a household name that it spawned multiple fashion lines, theme parks, broadway plays, and the list goes on.
The Couple of The Century: Brad Pitt And Jennifer Aniston
There have been several iconic Hollywood couples over the years, but there hasn’t been one quite like Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. The Hollywood power couple gained prominence during the 2000s, with literally every eye in Hollywood struck by what seemed like the perfect match. Their relationship didn’t escape the constant tabloid and media attention, though, which eventually took a toll on their relationship. In 2005, it was reported that Brad Pitt had moved on to another Hollywood favorite, Angelina Jolie.
As we all probably know, Brad Pitt is no longer with either of these incredible actresses, though his friendship with Aniston is said to have prevailed.
When Lady Gaga First Graced The World With Her Talent
There's the world before Lady Gaga, and the world after Lady Gaga. Some of us were lucky enough to experience her rise to fame. Her first hit, Just Dance, was released in 2008, a revolutionary song that quickly rose to the top of all charts. Just like that, Lady Gaga became famous literally everywhere, and people couldn’t get enough of her flawless live performances and peculiar style.
Among many things, Lady Gaga normalized “being different,” bringing together many groups that were often excluded. After countless awards including Golden Globes, Grammys, and even Oscars, Lady Gaga continues to make this world a better place through her music.
Will Smith Enjoys Some Slime at The Kids Choice Awards In 2000
Will Smith’s career really took off in the '90s after he starred in the famous sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. After his impeccable role in the series, his career never stopped going up, with the actor and singer quickly becoming one of the most renowned artists in Hollywood. In this picture taken at the 2000 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, Smith was showing off his goofy side after getting some fresh slimed poured all over him on stage.
Since then, Smith has won several awards and has had most of his movies become box office hits. It might all be thanks to how well he's pulling off the slime here!
The Iconic Cast Of The Office
There are a few sitcoms out there that could stand the test of time, and The Office is certainly one of them. The popular NBC sitcom ran for a whopping nine seasons until it was eventually canceled. Funny enough, when the first season was released, the entire network was skeptical about the possible success of the sitcom, but they were eventually very pleasantly surprised.
The combination of talent and comedy of actors such as Steve Carrell, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, and Rainn Wilson was a match made in heaven, so it’s not so surprising that the series was such a success.
Halle Berry Makes History
Over the course of her career, Halle Berry didn’t always receive the acknowledgment she deserved. But incredibly, in 2002, the actress changed the made Hollywood history when she won the award for Best Actress for her memorable performance in the movie Monster’s Ball. That day, Berry became the first-ever black actress to win the award. In her emotional speech, Berry thanked every single black woman who came before her and paved the way for her in Hollywood.
Unfortunately though, while she also opened the way for many other black women in the industry, Berry still remains the only black woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress award to this day.
When Taylor Swift Was Only A Country Music Singer
Today, Taylor Swift is one of those artists that are impossible to miss. She has fans from literally every corner of the globe and has written some pretty impressive hits. But if you were around during the 2000s, Swift actually started small, focusing her talents on country music. She began singing and performing when she was as young as nine years old, but her talent was so apparent from a very young age that her entire family moved to a bigger town where she could focus almost solely on her career.
And well, clearly the risk was all worth it because Taylor Swift is now one of the most prominent figures in pop music.
Beyonce And Jay-Z Join The Power Couple Club
Hollywood is full of power couples, but perhaps no other couple in the industry has as much influence as Queen B and Jay-Z. The duo is easily one of the most successful music couples in history, with their relationship starting decades ago! In fact, Beyonce was only 18-years-old when they decided to take their relationship to the next level. They started making public appearances together, making the relationship official for the entire world to see.
The couple recorded quite a lot of music together, including their huge hit “Crazy in Love.” Not surprisingly, in 2004, they ended up winning a Grammy for Best R&B Song.
When Avril Lavigne Became a Punk Rock Goddess
When we think of punk rock, Avril Lavigne is easily one of the first artists that come to mind. The artist gained prominence at a time when pop music was literally all over radio stations, so fans even labeled her the “anti-Britney” of the time. Lavigne’s music sounded like a combination of both confidence and anger, which teenagers from all over the country could relate to. Some of her hits include Girlfriend, Sk8er Boi, and Happy Ending and a long list of songs that literally defined the decade for teens and tweens everywhere.
In addition to her music, her punk style was also considered a breath of fresh air in pop music, and many emo kids would still agree.
Shakira Brings Some Latin Flavor To The 2000s
Back in the 2000s, hearing Latin American music on the radio wasn’t that common. Mainstream radio stations played other artists non-stop, including some of the musicians we’ve already mentioned in this article. But when Shakira made her debut, her talent took the world by storm, introducing latin music to mainstream radio stations all over the world. Very quickly, Shakira earned the title of Queen of Latin Music.
Many people might not know that Shakira actually recorded an album when she was only 13-years-old, but unfortunately, it didn’t really take off at the time. In 2001 though, she released an album in English and very quickly rose to fame.
The Hilarious Ladies of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live has been around for a really long time now, with its first debut going all the way back to 1975. The comedy sketch show has prevailed as one of the most-watched shows of all time and is still going strong. But something about the show's cast back in the 2000s truly makes us miss that era. At the time, the show was dominated by incredibly talented women.
The cast included Tina Fey as head writer, and Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, Amy Poehler, and Kristen Wiig as cast members. What a time!
The Last Episode Of Friends
Even though Friends had its season finale back in May of 2004, the series has remained one of the most-watched sitcoms in the history of all time. Between the 1990s and 2000s though, Friends was literally everywhere, and the iconic cast rapidly rose to fame not only nationally, but all over the globe. A whopping 52.5 million were glued to their TVs watching the series finale in 2004, giving it the title of the fifth most-watched TV finale in the 2000s.
After years of anxious speculation, we were recently lucky enough to watch the famous Friends Reunion that finally gave closure to the series.
When Amy Winehouse Released Her Award-Winning Album "Back To Black"
Amy Winehouse has always had one of those voices that are instantly recognizable when it plays on the radio. No matter where or when it was, when an Amy Winehouse song plays, chances are we all recognize that golden voice as soon as the first few notes are heard. The artist released "Back to Black" in 2006, catching the hearts of thousands and eventually millions of fans who would do anything for her.
Unfortunately, the singer didn’t have it easy when it came to the media's attention, which took a negative toll on her life. Paparazzi literally followed her everywhere and got her appearing in tabloids on a daily basis. Eventually, her difficulties with constantly being in the public eye caught up with her, and we lost the artist too early.
The Twilight Saga Is Introduced To The World
Kristen Stweart and Robert Pattinson may be Hollywood household names today, but incredibly, both actors had never been heard of before the release of Twilight. Both actors were essentially at the start of their careers, with Pattinson having starred in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as Cedric Diggory. But clearly, the co-stars were ready to shine, because after the first Twilight film was released in 2008 their careers completely changed.
People from all over the world filled book stores and movie theaters trying to experience as much of the vampire and wolf saga as they could. It was only natural for the two talents to become a couple in real life.
Justin Bieber Ascends To Fame Through The Internet
Nowadays, it became quite common for artists to be discovered on YouTube or Instagram. There are countless platforms for streaming music for very small amounts of money, or even for free, so artists certainly have more outlets to share their music these days. But back in the 2000s, when the internet and social media weren't as big as they are now, artists didn’t really have much success sharing their music. But that wasn’t the case with Justin Bieber.
The young man’s mother began uploading videos of him singing on Youtube until it caught the attention of music manager Scooter Braun, and the rest is pop music history.
Avatar Becomes A Box Office Phenomenon
Not many movies leave a mark as Avatar did on its viewers. The film took over global theatres toward the end of the 2000s, with viewers rushing to see one of James Cameron’s most successful films. Until that time, Titanic held the title of the highest-grossing movie of all time, a record that was broken once Avatar was released. Funny enough, Cameron was actually breaking his own record since Titanic had also been a product of the famous writer and producer.
While Avatar no longer holds that spot today, the film still holds an important place in the public’s hearts. The film was widely acclaimed by critics for its excellent visual effects and engaging storyline.
Two 2000s Rock Icons In One Photo
Here goes another iconic picture that screams the 2000s, though not much context is known behind it. But having a photo of the lead vocalists of two of the most popular bands of the 2000s is pretty gold. Jared Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars and Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance certainly became the talk of the town after the two famous musicians decided to jokingly pose for this photo. 30 Seconds to Mars achieved worldwide recognition around 2005 after they released their famous song “A Beautiful Lie."
My Chemical Romance gained international success just a few years before, when they released their debut album “I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love," back in 2002.
Worlds Collided as Amy Lee And Justin Timberlake Posed Together At The Grammys
It’s crazy how artists’ lives take on completely different paths after rising to fame at around the same time. Both Justin Timberlake from NSYNC and Amy Lee from the band Evanescence were just ascending to fame in the 2000s, but for completely different styles of music. Timberlake was making it big in the pop world, while Evanescence made gloomy rock music that emo kids enjoyed in the 2000s.
The two couldn't have more different music styles, and yet fans were delighted to see them pose next to each other in this adorable photo.
An Unexpected Photo Of The Black Eyed Peas And The Strokes
Here’s another improbable photo that could have only been taken in the wonderful 2000s. Pictured here, we see Julian Casablancas and Fab Moretti from The Strokes, alongside Will.i.am and Fergie from Black Eyed Peas. But why is this so improbable, you ask? Because though both bands rose to stardom at roughly the same time period, their fans and music scenes could not be more different.
The Strokes's hugely popular indie-rock style gained prominence in the early 2000s. The Black Eyed Peas brought an alternative hip hop flavor to the music industry.
Chad Michael Murray Meets the Hilton Sisters
We do miss the innocent time the 2000s were. In this picture, Paris and Nicky Hilton enthusiastically posed alongside Chad Michael Murray, who had just become one of the most sought out actors in Hollywood. While Paris and Nicky had grown up in the limelight due to their family status, Chad Michael Murray's unforgettable role as Lucas Scott in One Tree Hill is what brought him to the public eye.
The series was released in 2003 and ran all the way through 2009, introducing quite a few talents to the world, including Murray.