Celebrities Who Defined the 2010s, According to 'Closer Weekly' Staff

Most — if not all — celebrities have ups and downs throughout their careers, but it’s what they do with those ups and downs that makes them stand the test of time. As one decade comes to a close and we prepare to enter 2020, the writers and editors here at Closer Weekly thought it would be fun to choose which Hollywood icons, in our opinion, defined the 2010s.

From actors and musicians to models and general personalities, there have been quite a few famous faces that gave us pop culture moments that will be remembered forever. No matter how you cut it, each of these selections proved themselves worthy enough to be named the king or queen of the last 10 years. Seriously, we dare you to not be impressed with this list.

Scroll down below to see which celebrities the Closer Weekly staff chose as the ones who defined the last 10 years.

Bradley Cooper

At one point, Bradley Cooper was simply known as the villain from Wedding Crashers. But that all changed with his performance in 2009’s The Hangover, followed by two sequels. It gets better! This decade alone, Bradley was nominated for seven Oscars, with four being in the Best Actor category. He also starred alongside Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born — as well as directed it. Oh, and he became a father, which perhaps tops it all off. — Bryan Brunati, staff writer

Leonardo DiCaprio

I chose Leonardo DiCaprio for this because … need I say more? He’s been in some of the best films of the decade (i.e. The Wolf of Wall Street, Inception, Shutter Island, The Revenant, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, etc.) and continues to prove his versatility! He also finally won an Oscar for The Revenant. Leo is an incredible actor, end of story! — Tara Vaughan, social media producer

Robert Downey Jr.

Before he self-imploded in the ‘90s, Robert Downey Jr. was considered a brilliant performer. Beyond the triumph of putting his personal demons to rest, the moment he suited up as Iron Man in 2008 — a role he played for the next 11 years — he proved why he’s worthy of the acclaim as he brought incredible nuance to every moment, whether light or heavy. Next Salma Hayek is already starting 2020 off with a bang. Her new movie Like a Boss comes out in January and it looks like it’s going to be so good.year he’s supposed to be talking to the animals in Dolittle — but will he make it real for the audience? Of course he will. He’s Robert Downey Jr.! — Ed Gross, film/TV editor

Lady Gaga

I dare you to name another celebrity who has gone on a career transformation like Lady Gaga has. Starting off the decade as an over-the-top singer who wore a meat dress to the 2010 MTV VMAs and ending it as a glamorous Oscar-winning songwriter — cue “Shallow” from 2018’s A Star Is Born — at the 2019 Academy Awards is quite an accomplishment. This, of course, on top of being one of the most inspiring celebrities, with the creation of the Born This Way Foundation (a reference to the hit song of the same name), and wowing everyone during the Super Bowl LI halftime show in 2017. If there’s one person to watch in 2020 and beyond, it’s Lady Gaga. — Carson Blackwelder, senior editor

Anne Hathaway

The 2010s are really when Anne Hathaway proved her range as an actress. From comedies like The Hustle to romantic comedies like Love & Other Drugs to serious roles like Les Mis, there’s truly nothing Anne can’t do. To watch her grow from a quirky teen to a graceful, loving mother has been such a pleasure. She handles criticism so gracefully, and I can’t wait to see her career continue to grow in decades to come! — Emy LaCroix, deputy editor

Marie Osmond

I have to give this shout-out to my girl Marie Osmond. I think Marie is one of the most defining Hollywood stars throughout the 2010s because she is such an open and honest person. Not only is she super relatable despite being an iconic performer, but she candidly talks about sensitive and personal topics that most celebs don’t even dare to touch on. Marie is one real woman! — Kelly Braun, digital staff writer

Chrissy Teigen

Whether you follow her on Twitter, watch her on Lip Sync Battle or see her name plastered on cookware in every retailer around, Chrissy Teigen is a force to be reckoned with. On top of being a TV personality, model and author (of not one, but two cookbooks!), she’s also a wonderful mother to her kids — Luna, 3, and Miles, 1 — and a caring wife to her husband, John Legend … excuse me, People‘s “Sexiest Man Alive.” Her content is hilarious, her vision is inspiring and everything on her Instagram is 100 percent relatable — which always keeps her followers (including @commentsbycelebs!) coming back for more. — Katie Corvino, executive editor