Late actor Matthew Perry, the hunt for the missing Titanic submersible, and summer blockbuster Barbie were among 2023’s most searched for topics, Google has revealed.
The Friends star’s death in October, aged 54, was looked up more than any other celebrity who died this year, outstripping Tina Turner, Sinead O’Connor, Ken Block, and Jerry Springer.
June’s hunt for the Titan sub, which sparked a five-day scramble after it disappeared on its journey to the famous ship’s wreckage, was only beaten by the Israel-Hamas war as the top news item.
Barbie being the most searched for film should come as no surprise, given it’s 2023’s box office number one. The runner-up is the same, too: Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
Here are a few of the most eye-catching top 10s.
News:
Turkey’s devastating earthquake in February and a trio of hurricanes were among other notable world events that had us searching this year; along with two mass shootings, India’s historic moon landing, and the dramatic outbreak of conflict in Sudan. Notably, there’s no sign of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
1. Israel attacks/Gaza war2. Titanic submarine3. Turkey earthquake4. Hurricane Hilary5. Hurricane Idalia6. Hurricane Lee7. Maine shooting8. Nashville shooting9. Chandrayaan-310. War in Sudan
Image: Smoke and debris rise over Gaza, amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas
People:
NFL star Damar Hamlin was the world’s most searched for person following his collapse during a game in February, having suffered cardiac arrest. We also wanted to know about the wellbeing of actor Jeremy Renner after he was injured in a snowplough accident.
1. Damar Hamlin2. Jeremy Renner3. Andrew Tate4. Kylian Mbappe5. Travis Kelce6. Jenna Ortega7. Lil Tay8. Danny Masterson9. David Beckham10. Pedro Pascal
The UK version of this list came out looking quite different, with only Renner, Tate, and Beckham making the cut. It instead saw Huw Edwards and Phillip Schofield as the top two – both broadcasters were taken off-air following revelations about their private lives.
Image: Damar Hamlin topped the global list…
Deaths:
Beyond the entertainment world, there was huge interest in the disappearance of mother-of-two Nicola Bulley, who vanished after dropping off her children at school in Lancashire in January. She was later found dead, prompting criticism of the police.
1. Matthew Perry2. Tina Turner3. Sinead O’Connor4. Ken Block5. Jerry Springer6. Angus Cloud7. Nicola Bulley8. Jane Birkin9. Jimmy Buffett10. Lance Reddick
The UK’s list featured a few unique entries, notably chat show host Paul O’Grady, football legend Bobby Charlton, and Harry Potter actor Michael Gambon.
Image: Sir Bobby Charlton, the England football legend, and (below) Michael Gambon in Harry Potter
Actors:
Three of the top five were more famous for off-screen incidents this year, with Renner joined by convicted rapist Danny Masterson and Japanese actor Ichikawa Ennosuke, who was given a suspended prison sentence for apparently assisting his parents’ suicide.
1. Jeremy Renner2. Jenna Ortega3. Ichikawa Ennosuke4. Danny Masterson5. Pedro Pascal6. Jamie Foxx7. Brendan Fraser8. Russell Brand9. Kiara Advani10. Matt Rife
Image: Jeremy Renner
Films:
The year’s most unlikely double act are top of 2023’s worldwide box office and Google search trends, beating Hindi action epic Jawan and Sound Of Freedom, an unexpected hit about child trafficking which some critics accused of stoking QAnon conspiracy theories.
1. Barbie2. Oppenheimer3. Jawan4. Sound Of Freedom5. John Wick: Chapter 46. Avatar: The Way Of Water7. Everything Everywhere All At Once8. Gadar 29. Creed III10. Pathaan
Britons proved themselves to still be fans of the once all-conquering Marvel universe, as Guardians Of The Galaxy came third here thanks to the latest film. We were also more interested in The Menu and Killers Of The Flower Moon, likely because we were looking up quite how long it is (a cool three hours and 26 minutes).
Image: Like two peas in a pod…
Musicians:
Shakira’s tax affairs that had people talking this year, as the Colombian pop star reached a deal with Spanish authorities to avoid a €14.5m fraud trial. Joe Jonas’ divorce from Game Of Thrones star Sophie Turner saw him shoot up the rankings, while Smash Mouth were hit by the death of frontman Steve Harwell.
1. Shakira2. Jason Aldean3. Joe Jonas4. Smash Mouth5. Peppino di Capri6. Gino Paoli7. Tom Kaulitz8. Kellie Pickler9. Jose Luis Perales10. Anna Oxa
Sam Smith topped the UK list, perhaps driven by them cancelling a raft of shows earlier this year. And conspicuous by her absence from the global chart, Taylor Swift sneaked in at 10.
Image: World number one Shakira… Pic: AP
Image: …and UK number one Sam Smith
TV shows:
This list rubbed off on the previous actors list, too. The Last Of Us, HBO’s adaptation of the PlayStation game, starred Google’s fifth-most popular actor Pedro Pascal, while Jenna Ortega was the lead in Netflix’s Wednesday.
1. The Last Of Us2. Wednesday3. Ginny & Georgia4. One Piece5. Kaleidoscope6. King The Land7. The Glory8. That ’90s Show9. The Fall Of The House Of Usher10. Shadow And Bone
The Last Of Us had to settle for second in the UK, where it was shown on Sky. It was beaten by Happy Valley, with Luther’s and Black Mirror’s returns also securing spots on the top 10.
Image: The Last Of Us made the TV and (below) gaming lists. Pic: HBO/Sky Atlantic
Games:
More success for The Last Of Us here, despite not actually having a new game released in 2023. It came second to Harry Potter title Hogwarts Legacy, which was a huge sales hit but also generated headlines due to JK Rowling’s controversial comments about transgender issues.
1. Hogwarts Legacy2. The Last Of Us3. Connections4. Battlegrounds Mobile India5. Starfield6. Baldur’s Gate 37. Suika8. Diablo IV9. Atomic Heart10. Sons Of The Forest
You can find more lists, including a country-by-country breakdown, on Google’s Year In Search website.
Source : Sky News
