A Love, Like and Hate of Celebrities

Isabella Hewitt, Multimedia Photo Editor

For many people, celebrities play a role in their day-to-day lives – they are on social media, the covers of gossip magazines and in the news. Even people who try to ignore them will always know a thing or two about the lives of celebrities, and perhaps even find themselves influenced by them.

Below, learn about the celebrities “The Panther” loves, likes and hates.

Celebrities We Love: 

Most celebrities have at least one “downfall” throughout their career, but here is a list of some of the most unproblematic and kind celebrities who have gone unscathed. 

    1. Taylor Swift: Taylor Swift is known for her top country and pop hits, and is one of the most iconic and influential names in pop music. Swift’s career began in 2006 with her debut album “Taylor Swift. Since then, Swift has made a mark on the lives of many as she helps teens relate to heartbreak and other relatable situations. Swift has also expressed her generosity in multiple ways. Most recently, Swift donated $15,500 to a 19-year-old fan whose mother has been in a coma for the past three years. In October 2011, she donated $70,000 in books to her hometown library. In January 2015, she helped a lucky fan with student loans, and in September 2015, the “Wildest Dreams” music video proceeds went to animal foundations and other charities.
    2. Zendaya: Zendaya has been a fan-favorite since her 2010 acting debut as Rocky Blue on Disney Channel’s sitcom “Shake It Up.” After playing Rocky, she continued to make appearances on Disney Channel as K.C. in “K.C. Undercover,” a Disney sitcom show about the life of a young girl who lives in a family of spies. Fans’ love for Zendaya continued to grow as she branched out from Disney and began starring in many fan favorites, including “Dune” and the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spiderman franchise. In the franchise, she plays MJ, the love interest of Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Offscreen, Zendaya and Holland made their relationship public in July 2021, increasing her public appeal. Zendaya also plays the role of Rue in the show “Euphoria,” a T.V. drama that dramatizes the trials and tribulations of high school. 
    3. Emma Watson: Emma Watson made her debut in the much-loved “Harry Potter” franchise. In the Harry Potter films, Watson played Hermione Granger a smart and compassionate young girl similar to her real-life personality. Watson has continued her acting career by playing roles in many beloved movies like “Perks of Being a Wallflower,” Belle in the live-action adaptation of “Beauty & the Beast” and Meg in “Little Women.” Watson not only contributes to the world of film but has also been an activist for gender equality for many years. In 2018, Watson donated an estimated $1.4 million to the U.K. Justice and Equality Fund, an anti-sexual harassment campaign. 
    4. Rihanna: Rihanna has been known for her hit songs like “We Found Love,” “Umbrella” and “Only Girl,” which took the 2000s by storm and are some of the most iconic pop songs of the decade. Rihanna not only sings, but she acts, too, and has played Nine Ball in “Oceans 8” and the voice of Gratuity in the animated film “Home.” Rihanna has also made an impact in the community, as she founded the Clara Lionel Foundation, which aids people suffering from poverty in recovery from natural disasters; she also funds education initiatives. 
    5. Chris Evans: Chris Evans a famous 21st-century heartthrob has played the roles of Captain America in the Marvel franchise, Frank Adler in “Gifted,” Ransom in “Knives Out,” Collin Shea in “What’s your Number” and Ryan Hutchinson in “Nanny Diaries.” Evans is also a human rights supporter and has raised $80,000 for Christopher’s Haven, a nonprofit that provides homes to children and families battling cancer. Evans has raised money for Christopher’s Haven for many years, while also paying multiple visits to children supported by the charity.
    6. Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds (Couple): The Hollywood couple that many adore have both played iconic roles in the film and T.V. industry — Lively played Serena Vanderwoodsen in the show “Gossip Girl” and Reynolds played Andrew Paxton in ”The Proposal.” The power couple met on the set of “Green Lantern,” where Reynolds starred as Green Lantern and Lively played the role of Carol Ferris. The couple is known for their role in human rights advocacy; together they have donated upwards of $1 million to the American Civil Liberties Union and NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. The two split the funds evenly between the organizations and pledged to fight for social equity.

Celebrities We Like:

  1. Sydney Sweeney: Sydney Sweeney is fairly new to the world of Hollywood and is more well-known among members of Gen Z. Sweeney is a kindhearted actress and has done wonderful things for her hometown of Spokane, Washington. For example, she donated $12,000 to the community for her 12 Days of Christmas project, which provided funding for 12 Spokane restaurants to donate food to 12 homeless shelters. Sweeney has not only given back to the community but also stars as Cassie Howard in the show “Euphoria,” a character that many currently question.
  2. Dan Levy: Dan Levy plays the fabulous character of David Rose in “Schitt’s Creek,” a beloved Netflix sitcom that focuses on a family that went from riches to rags, as opposed to rags to riches. Dan Levy is well-known because of this but does not play a huge role in Hollywood just yet. Levy has brought many smiles to the faces of the fans of the Netflix sitcom.
  3. James Corden: James Corden is the celebrity host of the “Late Late Show with James Corden.” Corden is known for his famous carpool karaokes and his good relationship with beloved boy band One Direction, even after their split. However, Corden has faced some backlash, as he has been reportedly rude toward fans who have asked to take photos with him and allegedly maintained his friendship with Harvey Weinstein despite sexual assault allegations.

Celebrities we Hate: 

    1. Kanye West: Kanye West has produced many popular songs but his unpopular personality trumps any of his successes. West has been in a number of scandals, such as rudely interrupting 19-year-old Taylor Swift — who had just received an MTV music award at the time — by saying that Beyonce should have won the award instead. West recently has been in a whirlwind of drama because of his recent divorce from Kim Kardashian. He has made rude remarks about her and her new boyfriend, Pete Davidson. Many celebrities, including Barack Obama, Kelly Clarkson and more, also do not like West. 
    2. Jake Gyllenhaal: Jake Gyllenhaal is just a regular actor but has experienced backlash due to his past relationship with Taylor Swift. Many young people have boycotted Gyllenhaal, as he allegedly broke the heart of Swift back when they dated from 2010-2011. Not only do people dislike Gyllenhaal for breaking Swift’s heart, but are angry about the 9-year age gap between the two. 
    3. Justin Bieber: Justin Bieber has been in the spotlight for the majority of his life, as his singing career debuted in 2009 with the song “One Time.” In his early career, he was a teenage heartthrob and an idol to many, but has since been part of many scandals and has been blamed for being a “bad influence” on his younger fans. Bieber has allegedly made racist jokes and been rude to fans. Bieber has also served some time behind bars for illegal acts, like driving under the influence, resisting arrest and driving with a suspended license.