In the US, many children leave out a glass of milk and a plate of cookies for Santa.

Some families also leave carrots and celery for Santa's reindeer.

Although Australians leave cookies for Santa to snack on, they replace the glass of milk with a cold glass of beer. December is actually summer for Australia, so the beer might be just what Santa needs in the hot weather.

Some families in Ireland leave a pint of Guinness for Santa on Christmas Eve.

According to Culture Trip, children usually place the cold beer near the tree to offer Saint Nick a quick pick-me-up for the long night ahead.

Like in Australia and Ireland, children in the UK also leave Santa alcohol.

Families believe Father Christmas needs some sherry to warm up on Christmas night. It's also tradition to pair the sherry with a mince pie.

In the Netherlands, children often leave carrots and hay to help energize Sinterklaas's horses — yes, horses — on their trip around the world.

In some parts of Europe, like Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands, children don't believe Santa's sleigh is pulled by reindeer. Instead, they think he is being pulled by horses, so children leave food for them on Christmas Eve, and sometimes this food is left in their shoes.

Rather than leave snacks for Santa, children in Argentina leave out hay and water for the Three Kings' horses. They also leave out their shoes, so their gifts can be placed in them, Ecela Spanish reported.

Children in Argentina usually receive their presents on January 6, Three Kings Day, which honors the day the Three Kings delivered their presents to baby Jesus.

Kids in Denmark don't leave anything for Julemanden — the Danish term for Santa — to eat, but they do leave out treats for their nisse, or house elf.

According to Atlas Obscura, the Danish tradition calls for families to leave a bowl of risengrød (rice pudding or sweet porridge) out on Christmas Eve for the house elf.

In 2017, then-press officer of the Swedish Embassy in Washington, DC, Kate Reuterswärd told NPR that her family would leave a bowl of risgrynsgröt (rice porridge) outside their door.

"The rice porridge is thickened with milk and flavored with cinnamon and a little salt. Some families add almonds, butter, jam, or molasses, but the traditional version doesn't have to be sweetend," she said.

Some families in Sweden may also leave Jultomte a cup of coffee.

Rather than Santa Claus, children in Iceland await the arrival of the 13 Yule Lads, who, beginning on December 12, each bring them a small present, Nordic Visitor reported. In return, families leave out laufabrauð, which translates to leaf bread and tastes like a crispy wafer.

In France, children leave Père Noël wine and leave Gui, his donkey, treats like carrots or hay, which is left in their shoes, History.com reported.

Germans have a Christmas angel, the "Christkind," instead of Santa Claus, and they don't leave any snacks.

Instead, they write the angel letters. Some families mail the letters ahead of the holiday, while others leave them out on Christmas Eve, History.com reported.

In Chile, children leave pan de pascua, a traditional fruitcake, for Viejito Pascuero, "Old Man Christmas." Some of the fruitcake's key ingredients are dulce de leche, rum, candided fruits, and nuts.

At my local Target, this section is located at the entrance near home decor and fashion items, rather than near the groceries and pharmacy.

I visited on a weekday night, so it wasn't crowded at all.

There were so many different items packed into the displays, so for the sake of time, I decided to focus on highlighting some of my favorite choices.

For anyone who likes to feel a little luxurious before bed, I found this matching satin pillow case and eye-mask set for $5.

In addition to gray, other colors available in-store and online include beige, pink, and sage.

If the person you're shopping for is into skincare, a headband and wristband set like this is a great option.

The headband keeps their hair out of their face, while the wristbands prevent the water from dripping down their arms.

These sets retailed for $3 and were available in cream, baby pink, and black.

The set appeared to fold into an easy-to-carry case and was available in this mint-green color and a cream color for $5.

I didn't love how matted the fluffy fabric appeared to be on this makeup bag, but for $5, it seemed fairly priced.

Though this obviously won't fit in a stocking, I was shocked to find a bath tray for just $5.

Its label said it fits most standard tubs and measured at 29.8 inches by 4.7 inches.

As someone who's always in need of a hair tie, I was pleased to find a large bin of scrunchies each priced at $1.

I saw two Christmas tree-shaped candles at my local Target. The first of which was this 3 oz "Cypress & Champagne" scented option for $3, while the other was called "Festive Fir."

Since the candles were located in Bullseye's Playground and not the nearby candle section, I thought they may have a weaker scent, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Though it's hard to say how such a small candle would impact an entire room, the direct scent was strong and true to their names.

Whether you're into home decor or a fan of hosting, these iridescent cocktail glasses seemed like the perfect trend-forward kitchen gift.

The set retailed for just $5, and I'm already regretting not grabbing them as an early gift for myself.

The bar tool set retailed for $3 and included a bottle opener and a jigger with a handle.

I liked that Target seemed to take some of the guess-work out of holiday shopping by placing similar items near each other to make for an easy collection of coordinated gifts.

All that was missing was the alcohol of your choice.

These peppermint and winter-foliage inspired rolling pins retailed for $5 and seemed like cute options to spice up any holiday-themed kitchen without breaking the bank.

While I wasn't a huge fan of the colors and design choices available at my local store, I do think they're cute options for $5.

I originally found these ceramic gingerbread and snowman mugs during a Target shopping trip in early November near my hometown in Maryland.

Both hold up to 13 oz and retailed for $3, and while I didn't see them during my most recent Target trip, both items are still present on Target's website, suggesting they may still be available at other locations around the country.

A small display of these hot drink bombs were on one of the shelves above the mugs; however, the price of them was hard to locate.

After doing more research when I got home, I realized these treats don't appear to be Bullseye's Playground exclusives, as they retail for $4, but I still think they're an affordable stocking stuffer option to consider.

In addition to the mugs, I also found these ceramic snowman measuring cups and measuring spoons during my November Target trip in Maryland.

Both retailed for $5, and though my local Target didn't have them during my most recent December trip, both items are still present on Target's website, suggesting they may still be available at other locations around the country.

On another shopping trip in November — this time back in Jersey City — I found a $5 ceramic tray for Santa's Christmas Eve snacks (yes, I shop here a lot).

Though I didn't see it again on my most recent trip, the tray is still listed on Target's website under Bullseye's Playground.

Sure, Stanley cups have been popular this year, but I wasn't expecting to see so many drink-related accessories.

This tumbler accessory set, for example, came in both a pale-blue and a mint-green color and included a straw cover, handle, and zipper pouch.

It retailed for $5.

There was a large selection of straw toppers and covers available at my local Target, including this daisy set, a cloud and rainbow option, a doughnut and ice cream cone, and a stereo and music note, among others.

Each set sold for $3.

The pillow was small, soft, and retailed for $5.

One thing I noticed, though, was that it requires two AAA batteries, which would have to be purchased separately in order to enjoy its light-up capabilities at home.

According to Target's website, other pillows that may still be available in Bullseye's Playground include a reindeer, a gingerbread man, a gingerbread woman, a gingerbread house, a peppermint, and a star.

The game includes the playing field, two goals, one ball, and two pairs of elf shoes to play. It retailed for $5.

This toy resembled a miniature foosball table and retailed for $5.

I ended my shopping trip pleased with Target's selection, and thanks to all the self-care products, I was finally able to decide what to gift my best friend: her own curated bag of self-care items.

In addition to other goodies from around the store, I chose to add the pillow case and eye-mask set, the headband and wristband set, and the Christmas tree candle from Bullseye's Playground.

Now all I'm left to do is wonder: Is it too soon to go back?

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 60%

Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Elwood Dalton, a former UFC fighter who's been recruited to be bouncer at a bar in the Florida Keys, in this remake of Patrick Swayze's 1989 action adventure.

Critics' reactions to the film were mixed. The Washington Post's Ann Hornaday wrote, "Remaking 'Road House' is a supremely dumb idea, so it's fitting that it has morphed into a self-consciously dumb movie," while Time Out's Phil de Semlyen gave the film a three out of five star rating, writing, "The combination of Gyllenhaal's easy charm, some Florida sunshine and at least one fight scene for the ages make this 'Road House' worth stopping by. Just try to grab a seat in a quiet corner."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 52%

Written by Diablo Cody ("Jennifer's Body," "Juno," "Tully") and directed by Zelda Williams (daughter of the late Robin Williams), this new interpretation of "Frankenstein" brings audiences back to the 1980s as teenager Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) develops a relationship with a revived corpse (Cole Sprouse) and causes mayhem in her town.

"'Lisa Frankenstein' tries to thread a delicate needle, stitching together a mix of horror, comedy, romance, and teen angst, all while adopting a decidedly off-kilter tone," Brian Lowry wrote for CNN. "The result is an interesting misfire, yielding a few amusing moments while adding up to considerably less than the sum of its parts."

Meanwhile, The Wrap's Lex Briscuso found that the genrebending film "makes for a ridiculously brilliant spin on a timeless story over 200 years old."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 37%

In the newest "Garfield" movie — it's a reboot of the Garfield franchise, which began in 2004 with "Garfield: The Movie" — the lovably lazy tabby cat (voiced by Chris Pratt) meets his long-lost father and goes on a high-stakes adventure to steal … milk.

Mark Kennedy wrote for the Associated Press that the film is "a curious new animated attempt to monetize the comic icon again by giving him an origin story and then asking him to do things a galaxy away from what he does in the funny pages. It's like if Snoopy ran an underground bare-knuckle fight club."

Yet, it was a box-office success, grossing $234.5 million at the global box office.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 22%

Critics' worst-rated remake of the year was Rupert Sanders' "The Crow," a remake of the 1994 film with the same title. Starring Bill Skarsgård and FKA Twigs as murdered lovers Eric Draven and Shelly Webster, the film follows Draven's resurrection from the afterlife to avenge their deaths and save Webster.

"'The Crow' is not a waste of talent or resources; worse, it just hangs there on the screen, as undead as Eric himself," Ryan Lattanzio wrote for IndieWire.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 69%

Looks like Tina Fey is still trying to make fetch happen, and with some success, too. Rather than a direct remake of the 2004 classic, 2024's "Mean Girls" is actually a film version of the adapted Broadway musical, complete with songs like "Meet The Plastics," led by Renée Rapp as Regina George, and "Stupid With Love," led by Angourie Rice as Cady Heron.

"It turns out that 'Mean Girls: The Musical: The Movie' is pretty good, and likely to succeed at its primary purpose, which is to remind you that the original 'Mean Girls' is fun. The movie gets by via a relentlessly self-deprecating awareness of the absurdity of its own existence," Jackson McHenry wrote for Vulture.

He added, "Mean girls are everywhere, even among the mathletes. And so long as they flourish, we'll keep returning to 'Mean Girls.'"

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%

Loosely based on the 1980s TV show "The Fall Guy," 2024's film stars Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt as stuntman Colt Seavers and director Jody Moreno. When the star of Moreno's directorial debut goes missing, it's up to Seavers — her former flame — to save the show.

Maureen Lee Lenker wrote for Entertainment Weekly that the movie is "a joy-ride of a summer blockbuster that packs all the right punches from its action sequences to its chemistry-laden central romance to its meta love for the movies and the unsung heroes who make them feel real."

"Every frame is a testament to [director David Leitch's] love for movies — and a reminder of why we should love them (and the people who make them), too," she added.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

As a remake of the same-titled Danish film from 2022, director James Watkins follows an American family (Scoot McNairy, Mackenzie Davis, Alix West Lefler) traveling to the English countryside to stay with a family they met while on vacation in Italy (James McAvoy, Aisling Franciosi, Dan Hough). But their weekend getaway quickly turns into something far more sinister.

"Watkins has rewired the film's dynamics, switching our focus from the beset husband to Davis's uptight wife. He's made his remake more Hollywood, but, for my money, he's also made it more fun to talk about afterward — and during — arranging his plot beats to encourage the audience to howl advice at the screen," Amy Nicholson wrote for The Washington Post.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

Director Robert Eggers' "Nosferatu" is the highest-rated remake of the year. Starring Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, Emma Corrin, Willem Dafoe, and more, this remake of 1922's iconic silent film, "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror" — and its 1979 and 1992 successors "Nosferatu the Vampyre" and "Bram Stoker's Dracula" — follows Depp as Ellen Hutter, a young woman haunted by disturbing visions and the subject of a vampire's obsession. Though the film is set for international release on December 25, it's already garnered more than 90 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

"Exciting, repulsive, and beautiful in equal measure, this feels like something the writer-director has been working toward since his unsettling 2016 debut feature, 'The Witch,'" David Rooney wrote for The Hollywood Reporter.

"It's thrilling to experience a movie so assured in the way it builds and sustains fear, so hypnotically scary as it grabs you by the throat and never lets go," he added.

After graduating from Morehouse College in 2011 and 2012, respectively, Cooper and Ajanaku went their separate ways, with Cooper becoming a PGA professional and Ajanaku pursuing a professional career.

He did so for two years, and even won some mini tour events, "but it got to a point I just couldn't afford it anymore," Ajanaku told BI.

"I was taking up jobs and literally working at a golf course," he said, adding that he was "literally making pitch decks" to brands about potential sponsorship packages.

In an October interview with Barrons, he estimated that he only raised about $10,000 in those two years.

So, he went corporate, pivoting to a career in commercial vehicle finance, but never losing interest in golf.

When Ajanaku decided he wanted to turn pro again, he knew it would be hard to find sponsors and decided to make his own logo to represent himself: a Black man wearing jeans, a sweatshirt, and a hat, head down as he's swinging the club back while a Cuban link chain flies in the opposite direction. He called it The Swingman.

Ajanaku told BI he initially planned to put the logo on his bag and polo, and described the design as "the way that I feel when I'm out on the golf course."

Per Cooper's suggestion, Ajanaku printed the design on a T-shirt, too.

"I was in downtown Detroit. I maybe got stopped like 100 times in two hours, just like, 'Who are you, what is that logo, where can I get it, and do you play golf?' I was just like, 'Damn, I got something, but still don't know what it is,'" Ajanaku said.

Cooper's advice: Run with it.

Ajanaku made about nine SKUs to start, putting the Swingman on T-shirts, socks, lapel pins, sweatshirts, and even umbrellas.

He mailed the first 3,000 orders from his Detroit apartment.

"And from there, I knew that I had something," he said.

"I think growing up, there were certainly challenges as far as being able to afford golf," Cooper told BI. "Golf tournaments were very expensive, so I had to ask for money from family and all different types of things."

The NGF reported that in 2023, "the average playing fee for an 18-hole round of golf at a US public golf course was $43," an 18% increase from prices in 2019. And that's not including other necessities like attire, equipment, travel, and tournament fees.

In response to the issue, Eastside came up with Community Days. On these days, the brand buys out a golf course in the US and brings in food, music, products, instructional opportunities, and more for community members of all ages to enjoy.

"We knew we couldn't make golf cheap, but we wanted to eliminate the financial burden completely," Cooper said.

Community Days have become one of the company's premier events, and everyone in the organization is required to attend at least one or two annually.

"It just lifts everyone's spirits so much … it's like putting the battery in your back because you really get a chance to see the impact firsthand," Cooper added.

Both Cooper and Ajanaku were awarded scholarships to play at Morehouse College, an HBCU. There, they won the national title in 2010 and have continued to give back to the college ever since, donating nearly $300,000.

Morehouse golf head coach Edgar Evans Jr. told BI that the collaboration between the program and Eastside "has been a blessing."

"The program has always had a ton of potential, but just like any other college program, if you don't have any support, including monetary support, it's not going to get where you need it to go," he said. "So their contributions have been so important to us growing."

In addition to monetary donations, Eastside has also donated equipment and worked with Mercedes-Benz, their namesake invitational's presenting sponsor, to gift the Morehouse golf team sprinter vans.

The brand also has a roster of professional and NIL athletes, including Michael Herrera, Wyatt Worthington II, Kihei Akina, Morgan Riley, Bailey Davis, Matthew Vitale, and Kota Kaneko, Eastside Golf Japan ambassador.

One of Eastside Golf's most recent brand collaborations was announced in September: a collection with Nike called "Everyone's Game," which featured two shoes, each customizable with six first-of-their-kind removable Nike swooshes.

From maroon and white for Morehouse and blue and white for Spelman College, to gold for the Swingman's gold chain and a mirror to — according to the product description — "reflect how you see yourself in the game," each design had a specific callback to Eastside's roots.

Ajanaku said it was "super dope" to work with Nike and have the opportunity to use their technologies, ask questions, and go back in their vintage collections.

"I had a great time, all in all, from the Eastside Golf creative team to the Nike design team, I mean, I feel like we meshed well together," he said.

The brand has had to be protective of itself and its community, too, especially when it came to partnering with the PGA of America in January 2024.

Cooper said he was proud of Eastside's commitment to holding out until the partnership was right between the two brands, and that they wanted it to be about more than just checking a box, but getting real support.

"That hasn't been an easy road because I think we have a very strong point of view of golf, and I think when you talk about a conglomerate like that, that's been around forever, over 100 years, they have a point of view, too. And I think they don't always align," Cooper said, adding that he thinks the reason PGA of America invested was because "they recognized Eastside Golf as the future of the game."

He continued, "So, that's just a huge vote of confidence, and it's something that we don't take for granted. But it definitely took saying, 'No,' sticking to our guns, and making sure that it was done right and that we felt comfortable and we didn't feel like we were selling ourselves short or selling the community short."

The brand has grown significantly since Ajanaku's first nine SKUs to sell a wide range of men's and women's apparel and golf gear.

Eastside Golf merchandise is available on their website, in stores throughout the US and UK, and, starting in June 2025, the brand will open its flagship store at Detroit Metro Airport.

"They mean everything for the sport, to the culture," Chris Paul told Boardroom. "All of us equate everything to Tiger Woods, but now you can show up and see the Eastside Golf logoman? It's iconic."

Ajanaku told BI he thinks golf is already becoming a sport for all kinds of athletes, albeit with Eastside Golf's help, and that as the brand continues to integrate with purist golfers at PGA events and tournaments, the brand's "non-traditional view on golf" will become more popular, "and more companies will try to start doing that if they haven't already."

"And then lastly, I just feel like this logo at the end of the day will be, I'd say the next big logo," he said, adding that Eastside is trying to be just as big as a Ralph Lauren.

"If you truly look at the logo, [it's about] truly standing in what you feel your purpose is and just looking how you want to look and playing the sports that you want to play," Ajanaku said.

And as for the future? Ajanaku is returning to his professional aspirations — "that's a full-circle moment for the brand, something that we're excited about," Cooper said — and Eastside is looking forward to positioning themselves as a leader in the industry.

"I think we'll just continue to show how to grow the game in a unique way," Cooper said, highlighting the brand's Community Days, women's line, and new products. "I think we're very excited about just the impact that we're making … so as we continue to double and triple and scale, but also maintain that ethos of what this brand is all about."

Andre Ware made history in 1989 as the first Black quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy.

In his third season with the University of Houston, Ware threw for 4,699 yards and 46 touchdowns and set 26 NCAA records.

Ware declared for the 1990 NFL Draft and was selected seventh overall by the Detroit Lions. However, he saw little playing time behind starting quarterback Rodney Peete and backup Erik Kramer.

In Ware's four seasons with the Lions, he played in 14 games, throwing for 1,112 yards, five touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He later bounced around to other teams, including the Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Raiders (now the Las Vegas Raiders), and Jacksonville Jaguars, but never took the field with any of them. He also played in the Canadian Football League and in the NFL Europe League (which existed from 1991-2007) before retiring.

Ware was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Business Insider was unable to reach Ware for comment.

Detmer won the Heisman Trophy during his junior year at Brigham Young University in 1990. That season, he led the Cougars to a 10-3 record, passing for 5,309 yards and 42 touchdowns.

The win that perhaps solidified Detmer's chances at the Trophy was BYU's 28-21 win over the University of Miami in just the second game of the season. Detmer threw for 406 yards and three touchdowns.

Two years later, he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the ninth round of the NFL Draft. As the backup for starter Brett Favre, Detmer only had an opportunity to play in seven games for the team. In those games, played in the 1993 and 1995 seasons, he threw for 107 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

In 1996, he was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles, and became the starter after Rodney Peete endured a season-ending knee injury. In 13 games, Detmer threw for 2,911 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

However, the following season, he was relegated to being a backup quarterback again, and only played in eight games. Detmer went on to play for the San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, and Atlanta Falcons, but remained a backup for the majority of his career, which he finished with 34 touchdowns and 35 interceptions.

Detmer did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

University of Miami quarterback Gino Torretta is a 'Canes football legend. In his Heisman-winning season, he threw for 3,070 yards and 19 touchdowns to lead the Hurricanes to an undefeated regular season. He also won the Davey O'Brien Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Maxwell Award, the Johnny Unitas Trophy, and the Chic Harley Award.

But despite his collegiate success, Torretta was selected in the seventh round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. After not playing at all his rookie season, he was picked up by the Detroit Lions but again as a backup.

Torretta only ever played in one NFL game as quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks. He completed five of his 16 passes for 41 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He retired from the NFL in 1999.

Torretta did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Wuerffel's Heisman-winning season with the University of Florida Gators saw him pass for 3,625 passing yards and 36 touchdowns, leading the team to an 11-1 record.

The following year, he was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the 99th pick in the 1997 NFL Draft. Across his three seasons with the Saints, Wuerffel played in 16 games, throwing for 1,404 yards and nine touchdowns.

He also spent single seasons in Green Bay, Chicago, and Washington before retiring after the 2002 season.

In an email sent to Business Insider, Wuerffel said, "While I didn't have the NFL career I dreamt of as a kid, I still consider my time in the NFL a success. I met many amazing people and, more importantly, my pro journey led me to New Orleans where my life's mission of serving others began with Desire Street Ministries."

Desire Street Ministries is a religious organization that was founded in 1990. Wuerffel is the executive director.

Ron Dayne was one of the most prolific rushers in college football history, with a University of Wisconsin career total of 6,397 yards, not including statistics from bowl game appearances.

He earned the Heisman Trophy after his senior season, as one of just five players to finish each year of his collegiate career with more then 1,000 rushing yards. He's also the only Big Ten player to win back-to-back Rose Bowl MVP awards.

Dayne now holds the record for second-most all-time rushing yards, though if his bowl game statistics were included (like the current all-time leader Donnel Pumphrey), he would lead with 7,125 total yards.

In the 2000 NFL Draft, Dayne was selected by the New York Giants. He finished his rookie season with 770 rushing yards for five touchdowns, averaging 3.4 yards per carry. His stats remained similar during his following three seasons with the Giants, recording 1,297 yards for 11 touchdowns and averaging between 3.4 and 3.8 yards per carry.

For context, in 2002, the top-10 running backs each rushed more than 1,297 yards that season.

Dayne later spent one season with the Denver Broncos and two seasons with the Houston Texans. He finished his NFL career with 3,722 yards and 28 touchdowns across seven seasons.

He did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Prior to pursuing a career in football, Weinke was actually selected in the second round of the 1990 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. He played in the minor leagues until 1997 before attending Florida State University at 25 years old.

In his Heisman-winning senior season — at age 28 — Weinke led the NCAA in passing yards with 4,167. He is the oldest athlete to ever win the Heisman Trophy, and he still leads the Seminoles in all-time passing yards with 9,839.

He was selected in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. As a rookie, Weinke threw for 2,931 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions; and the Panthers finished the season 1-15. He remained with the Panthers for the following three seasons as a backup, playing in just 12 games and recording three touchdowns.

Weinke spent his last season in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers as a backup quarterback. He played in two games, threw for 104 yards, and one touchdown.

He's now an assistant head coach, co-offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach at Georgia Tech University. He did not reply to Business Insider's request for comment.

In 2012, Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy after a stellar season at Texas A&M.

Nicknamed "Johnny Football," Manziel threw for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns and rushed 1,410 yards for an additional 21 touchdowns. He returned to the Aggies the following year and finished the season with 4,114 passing yards for 37 touchdowns, and 759 rushing yards for nine touchdowns.

After just two collegiate seasons, Manziel declared for the NFL Draft and was selected 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns in 2014.

But before he could take his first NFL snap, Cleveland.com reported that the Browns were "alarmed" by Manziel's off-field partying. His troubles continued into the season, from flashing an obscene gesture at the Washington bench during a preseason game in August to seeking treatment in January 2015.

In the post-game press conference, Manziel said he gets "words exchanged" with him throughout every game, adding, "I should've been smarter ... I need to be smarter than that. There's always words exchanged on the football field." He also described the moment as a "lapse in judgement."

He finished his rookie year having played in just five games, passing for 175 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions for a passer rating of 42.0. Manziel returned to Cleveland the following season, where he played in nine games and passed for 1,500 yards and seven touchdowns.

However, it was off-field troubles that continued to plague Manziel's career, including a 2016 misdemeanor domestic violence charge. ESPN reported that the charges were dismissed in November 2017 after Manziel met the requirements of a dismissal agreement.

The Browns released Manziel in March 2016.

"When I got to Cleveland, I wasn't in this head space to be able to just go play football," Manziel told Business Insider's Meredith Cash in 2023. "I was struggling to get out of bed in the morning. I was struggling to fight thoughts and feelings that I had never really had before in my life."

"I know that I'm still gonna walk down the street or go to a restaurant or go to a football game and people are still gonna recognize me," Manziel added. "But at the end of the day, I wanna live a more normal, simplistic lifestyle now. I'm finding things that truly do make me happy without having to be in a spotlight every day."

Manziel did not reply to Business Insider's request for additional comment for this story.

Brady wore the vintage timepiece to the New England Patriots' 2023 home opener, where team owner Robert Kraft famously announced that he'd be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame the following June.

According to Sotheby's, the watch was "named after the legendary 1970s Formula 1 livery, because of its black and gold 'Paul Newman' dial" and is "exceedingly rare" due to very small production quantities.

"Beyond its scarcity, the watch radiates an undeniable allure, enhanced by its striking black-and-gold combination and its connection to a golden era of Formula 1," said Richard Lopez, Sotheby's senior specialist for watches.

This Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon by Audemars Piguet features several nods to Brady, including his name set with calibré-cut and baguette diamonds, the number seven in Roman numerals as a nod to his record Super Bowl wins, and his signature on the rotor, according to Sotheby's.

The watch is made of white gold and also includes "a baguette diamond-set bezel," according to Sotheby's.

Brady wore the watch during his May 2024 Netflix special, "The Greatest Roast of All Time: The Roast of Tom Brady."

Sotheby's previously estimated the watch was worth between $400,000 and $800,000, but Altieri said he'd expected it to exceed $1 million.

"It's not often that brands make a piece unique for someone," he said.

The IWC Top Gun Edition "SFTI" was estimated by Sotheby's to go for a maximum of $10,000. Instead, it sold for $42,000, more than four times its market value.

"That was a really strong indicator just off the bat that more affordable pieces would go for higher numbers," Altieri said.

"Affordable," in this case, refers to their market value; IWC watches, for example, usually retail for less than $20,000, but significantly exceeded that number at the auction.

Brady famously wore this watch while celebrating at the 2021 Super Bowl boat parade in Tampa Bay after his seventh and final championship win.

Similar to the IWCs on auction, the Rolex 'Batman' performed well above its market value.

Altieri said the model's market value is $17,000, "but right away the bid went 50, 55, and then it sold for 60."

This collaboration between Richard Mille and 22-time Grand Slam singles champion Rafael Nadal is best known for its innovative "butterfly rotor."

For those not well-versed in watches, a rotor is a small weight within the watch that swings as the wearer moves, generating energy that winds and powers the watch.

What's different about the "butterfly rotor," according to Richard Mille, is that it "offers the wearer the possibility of varying the rotor geometry by themselves," allowing them to engage in various activities like sports without causing any damage or excessive winding.

Other figures who've worn pieces from Richard Mille and Nadal's collaborations include Jay-Z and Real Madrid's Antonio Rüdiger.

Altieri said the watches that "have a lot of hype in today's market" and "attract a lot of media," like a Richard Mille or an Audemars Piguet, didn't perform as well at the auction as he would've expected.

"You would think because it's Tom Brady's name — just like the IWCs and the Batman — it would at least go for double, but it didn't," he said.

Sotheby's previously estimated the piece would sell for between $300,000 and $500,000.

Sotheby's estimated that this Patek Philippe pocket watch, retailed by Tiffany & Co., would sell for between $200,000 and $400,000.

It ultimately sold for closer to the lower end of its estimate at $264,000, which surprised Altieri.

"I thought there was some potential of something like this coming back into fashion, but it's really a bigger pocket watch. It didn't hit the expectation that I thought," he said.

Per Sotheby's, the "yellow gold open-faced watch from 1917 is a rare example" of the brand's minute repeater, which was first introduced in 1845.

In addition to luxury watches, Tom Brady and Sotheby's also auctioned memorable pieces from his playing career.

The best-selling item from his career was the jersey he wore in his final game with the University of Michigan (pictured above), which was estimated to sell for between $300,000 and $500,000, and ultimately sold for $792,000.

Other items included were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers jersey he wore when he broke the NFL's passing yards record, his NFL Combine shirt, and a helmet worn during his last season in the NFL.

"The collection is truly unparalleled; the stories they tell, the authenticity they embody, and their historical significance elevate them beyond mere collectibles," Brahm Wachter, Sotheby's head of modern collectibles, said in October. "These items are genuine pieces of sports history."

Method dressing has been one of the decade's hottest red-carpet trends, and one actor who's really risen to the challenge is Cynthia Erivo, whose Elphaba-inspired looks have been stellar throughout the "Wicked" press tour.

Woolf told BI, "I think the way she embodied her character from the movie in a red carpet fashion perspective was really interesting and really elevated."

It "still gave a character, but it didn't verge on costume, but it still gave fashion," he added.

Of all her press looks, Woolf said he was a fan of the Thom Browne dress she wore in Mexico City (above left), the Schiaparelli gown she wore for the London premiere (above middle), and her work with Louis Vuitton (above right).

Erivo spoke with Vogue in November about the electric-green vinyl Louis Vuitton gown she wore to the film's LA premiere, telling the publication that the look let her character "own the green color in such a big, bold way!"

"I thought the fabric choice was strong and divine, which is how I see my character," she added.

But what elevates Erivo's press tour looks from her counterparts?

To Woolf, it's a combination of the designers' interpretations, who's wearing the clothes — the same garment on two people can translate completely differently — and an understanding that "less is more."

"When you're giving a nod to a theme, it can simply be the color, like Cynthia Erivo wore green. So, I think it's less is more, and just taking one element and not making it a whole thing," he said.

Fashion nerds keeping an eye on the Cannes Film Festival this year would've been quick to spot Yseult in a new iteration of Christian Dior's "New Look," popularized in his first collection from 1947.

"I thought, I'm going to do Cannes — and I want to feel strong, I want to feel fierce," Yseult told the Washington Post in May.

She added, "I think why people love how I fit this dress is because of my body. My body is unique. I'm a plus-size girl, you know, and I really embrace all the curves. I really embrace myself. For the first time we see a body — a plus-size body — in [this look]."

Yseult's candor is exactly what excites Mays.

"She's partnered with Dior frequently, which I am so excited by because I think, so often, our understandings of size inclusivity are kind of skewed in the fashion world. You get something that's a size 16 and it fits like a 10," Mays told BI. "But to see somebody that actually looks like me and to be celebrated in a luxury space and to do it in a cool way, and I think she's another one that kind of plays on this notion of gender fluidity," noting that she can go from wearing a vintage-inspired Dior gown to a suit and tie.

"I think when you can do that, it's such a marker of someone that has true style," Mays said.

Woolf told BI that the "Rustin" actor is "definitely one of the best-dressed males consecutively throughout the year."

"I think the main thing with Colman is he's not afraid to take risks," he added. "And he carries clothes well."

Such risks can be taken with colors, silhouettes, and fabrics, and one look that embodied them all was the mustard-yellow Valentino suit and gold glitter coat Domingo wore to the Critics Choice Awards in January (above right).

Domingo's stylists, Wayman + Micah, told Vogue in October that the actor "really loves to play and have fun in every facet of his being so his style and sense of fashion fully thrives."

"We love putting him in tailored fits that highlight his stature, and we love using accessories to innovate and elevate his looks," they added. "To top it all off, Colman's energy, confidence, and charisma always take every red carpet moment to the next level."

Domingo has credited his style to both his stylists and the people he saw growing up in Philadelphia.

"We know how to dress. I grew up with men who wore pinky rings … and you know, men who kept their nails clean and long, and like love to wear high-waisted suits; and I feel like I dress like Teddy Pendergrass, The Isley Brothers … I dress like the sound of Philadelphia," Domingo told "Jimmy Kimmel Live" guest host RuPaul in August.

There was no escaping "Brat" this year and that's all thanks to British singer Charli XCX.

Fe thought the artist's tour looks were "really cool" and said that her style feels "more refined to her right now," defining it as daring, unapologetic, and fun.

She added she appreciates the wide range of brands Charli XCX and her stylist Chris Horan have worked with, citing looks from both big fashion houses like Balenciaga and from younger designers like Dilara Findikoglu, whom she wore during her hosting gig at "SNL" (above right).

"What I really like is when an artist has a specific branding or theme for an album, I can appreciate when the artist, creative director, or stylist, or whoever, really sticks to that. And it's a red thread throughout the whole entire album cycle. And I think that they did a really good job of doing that throughout the whole entire 'Brat' era," Fe added.

In July, Horan told Who What Wear that in this era of the "360" singer's career, "she's giving like very much fashion girl" and that "she doesn't play by anyone's rules."

He also said she looks for comfortability and "elements of movement" in her tour looks. He added that comfortable shoes are also important to her, but said they're "the worst part of making a performance look" because he wants her to wear "the highest shoe possible."

Canadian actor Taylor Russell has emerged as a rising star on both the silver screen and the red carpet, where she's known for striking the delicate balance between sexiness and elegance.

Fe said it's "really refreshing" to see a young person on the red carpet in such stunning pieces that aren't all about showing skin.

She added she's also seen Russell find ways to make vintage pieces feel very modern and that she likes how Russell chooses proportions: "It's really beautiful to see."

Jonathan Anderson, creative director of Loewe, spoke about his relationship with the actor — who's a global ambassador for the brand — with Vogue in May, telling the outlet, "When we work together, it's always an incredible creative dialogue — she is an amazing collaborator and a very special friend."

Another frequent Loewe collaborator is the multitalented Dan Levy, who was also recently named one of the most stylish nepo babies (his dad is actor and comedian Eugene Levy).

Mays told BI that Levy is one of her personal style inspirations who does "classic menswear with a little edge, and a little hint of something else there."

"And also, I love that he's made eyewear sort of his iconic thing," she said. "You don't think about Dan Levy without just a really great pair of frames."

And as for his best looks of the year? Mays said his Met Gala (above left) and Academy Museum Gala (above right) looks were standout moments.

On his Met Gala suit, Levy told The New York Times in May that he and Loewe "wanted a swerve to simple" with this year's look compared to what he and the brand chose for his gala debut in 2021.

"For the longest time, men's fashion was so square. Women had all the fun. That all changed over the past 10 years, so now I'm leaning into everything playful, flamboyant and exciting," he said.

Mays said Stefon Diggs is "pushing the needle forward in terms of style in the sports space" and a "classic street style icon."

"I think he's so cool in the way that he dresses. It feels obviously trend forward, but there's something really powerful about the way he gets dressed," she said. "I think he also plays with gender fluidity in a way that's interesting, but also authentic to himself."

Diggs told VMan Magazine in March that his upbringing in the DMV (the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area) helped shape his style.

"My mom has a picture of me wearing cowboy boots in the summertime, just because I loved cowboy boots at the time," he said, adding that although his parents didn't let him wear whatever he wanted, "they were able to balance out being yourself with being presentable."

Diggs added that he's a "texture guy" who likes to wear pieces that align with his mood.

"If I can wake up and something feels good to put on and it puts me in a good space energy-wise, I'm gonna wear it. It could be raining or hot outside, and I'll still have on leather. It doesn't matter. It's all about how I feel that day," he said.

Mays added that while Diggs does have moments where he leans into exclusive pieces — he's a fan of Birkin bags — her favorite looks are the ones that feel aspirational but approachable at the same time, like when he pairs a tank with a cardigan, cargo pants, and jewelry, like he did at the GQ Sports Super Bowl Party in February (above left).

With projects like "The Perfect Couple," "Special Ops: Lioness," and "Babygirl" on her calendar, it's been an exciting year for Nicole Kidman's red-carpet style.

Woolf said her style has become "more refined" since working with stylist Jason Bolden (whose other styling credits include Erivo, Cara Delevingne, and Storm Reid), highlighting the Schiaparelli gown she wore to the Venice Film Festival (right).

"I think the brands she's wearing … I think they're just more fitted to her body and her silhouette," Woolf added, noting that he's also a fan of her collaboration with Balenciaga, whom she's been a brand ambassador for since December 2023.

"It's a really good match for her, and her body, and her look," Woolf said.

Rapper and certified fashion icon A$AP Rocky "really plays well with accessories," Mays said, adding that she loved his December 2023 campaign with Bottega Veneta — it "feels authentic and elevated and family friendly, but still, like 'I'm cool and I'm smoking my joint but I have 17,000 barrettes in my head.'"

The Bottega campaign caught Fe's eye, too. She called it "a really cool standout moment."

And, of course, it's hard to mention A$AP Rocky without mentioning Rihanna (who, yes, could be on this list every year). Whether they're going out to dinner or walking a red carpet together, they don't match all the time, Fe said.

"They know themselves and they're not dressing for each other … I think that's really important to stay true to yourself and not lose that," she said.

The "Sundress" rapper told People at the Footwear News Achievement Awards on December 4 that his style is "way more focused" since becoming a dad to RZA, 2, and Riot, 1, whom he shares with Rihanna.

"Prior to that, it was more absurd outfits and just mixing and matching everything for the sake of it. Now, it's a bit more quiet luxury," he added.

2024 has been a breakout year for rapper Doechii, who's earned three Grammy nominations for 2025, including best new artist, best rap performance for "Nissan Altima," and best rap album for her August mixtape "Alligator Bites Never Heal." Kaytranada's remix of her song "Alter Ego" is also nominated for best remixed recording.

Woolf, who's been Doechii's stylist for nearly two years, said "she's a super creative person" who has a lot of ideas, so the pair will collaborate on looks based on things they both like.

One example of such collaboration was her look for Willy Chavarria's New York Fashion Week show (above left).

Woolf said that Doechii had already expressed an interest in not wearing shoes, and creating a look with toe socks. So, when he suggested that she wear a pair of the brand's underwear and go for a "muddy and dirty" look, they knew that was the perfect moment for their ideas to work together.

"Doechii understands fashion," he said. "She knows what looks good, she can see colors that mix well, textures that mix well; she understands and she always wants to break boundaries and make a statement."

One theme that can be seen throughout her style is her willingness to show the "things that are meant to be hidden" like face tape or undergarments, Woolf said. "We incorporate all of those things and we show it all."

Saying "for the plot" is a fun way for Gen Z to encourage each other to do the wild, fun things that make storytelling fun when you're older.

Influencer Serena Kerrigan has been credited with popularizing the phrase, saying, "this is your reminder that if something works out, great, and if it doesn't, it's for the plot." In other words, your highs and lows are all shaping and contributing to your life story.

Whether you swipe right on Tinder or go out spontaneously on a Tuesday night, it's all about the plot.

It's true; Gen Z has an affinity for abbreviations.

A person with "rizz" is confident, charming, and generally successful in romantic endeavors. The phrase officially reached the boomer generation when the Golden Bachelor announced he had rizz.

Ah, the ick. "Love Island" contestant Olivia Attwood (now Olivia Attwood Dack) helped popularize the phrase during season three, but "the ick" remains a staple in Gen Z's vocabulary.

If someone gives you "the ick," it means they've turned you off, either through their actions or words.

"Icks" can arise from small offenses, such as using the "wrong" emoji in conversation, or from larger issues, such as being rude to a barista.

It's all about personal preference.

When someone or something constantly occupies your thoughts, they've taken up residence in your head without paying you a dime. In 1999, one reader attributed the phrase living "rent-free" to advice columnist Ann Landers.

Though often associated with specific people like a crush or celebrity, the phrase can also apply to positive and negative events, like an epic concert or a ridiculous AI image.

"Mother" is a woman deserving of your respect who's had a profound influence on your life.

For some, that's Diana Ross. For others, it's Rihanna. Reneé Rapp, Mariah Carey, and Lana Del Rey have all been called mother, too.

Last year, The New York Times reported that people in the Black and Latino LGBTQ+ ballroom scene coined the term, which stemmed from the "queer subculture in which members are organized into so-called houses often led by a 'mother.'"

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, who played a house mother in the groundbreaking series "Pose," told The New York Times that "anyone should be able to use a term that is trending" but that it's important to know and acknowledge where it came from.

Often associated with fashion and beauty, saying someone "ate" is a way of expressing they look amazing and did a great job.

Look at almost any picture of Zendaya on the red carpet, and it'd be correct to say, "She ate."

If you hear "she ate," you may often hear "and left no crumbs" immediately after.

The additional phrase helps emphasize how perfect the person's execution was, though it can be used on its own, too.

For example, "Entrepreneur Mona Patel ate and left no crumbs at the 2024 Met Gala." That means she executed the theme perfectly — everything from her dress to her glam to the presentation on the red carpet was flawless.

Often used to describe food, "bussin'" originated in the Black community and means extremely good or delicious, per Merriam-Webster.

So if your kid says tonight's dinner was "bussin'," just know you did a great job.

Whether it's a dress on the red carpet, a new TV show, or a pasta recipe, something that's "mid" is mediocre.

BI reported that Kaley Cuoco's 2024 Critics Choice Awards gown missed the mark, so it could also be described as mid.

You can "lock in" on an assignment, cleaning your apartment, or even a video game.

While NC State ultimately lost to Purdue in the Final Four, DJ Burns, Jr. was a standout in the 2024 March Madness tournament.

His coaches clearly saw how well he was performing and decided to "let him cook," giving him more playing time in their five tournament games, per ESPN.

As we've already established, Gen Z loves abbreviations.

"Delulu" simply means delusional, but in a way that's wacky instead of worrisome, according to The New York Times.

If you're hoping to elope with the lead in your favorite romance novel, you might be a bit delulu.

It sounds a little sus, but this term dates back to the 1920s, per Merriam-Webster. The term originates from suss, as in, suss out whether someone is trustworthy or not.

Recently, the word reemerged thanks to the online game "Among Us," in which players try to determine who is an imposter working to sabotage their progress.

A kind of cosmic, karma-esque rating system of cool, aura points are won and lost through a variety of impressive and embarrassing deeds. Talked to your crush with spinach in your teeth? Your aura points just took a hit.

"It's tongue-in-cheek, and it also seems to be a sort of weird contemporary honor code," philosopher Julian Baggini told The Guardian.

The phrase "no cap" has been around for decades and has roots in Black communities.

People often use it for emphasis, similarly to "for real." For example, "My cat is smarter than Einstein, no cap."

"No cap" is basically the opposite of "cap," which is short for "capping."

"Cap or capping has referenced bragging, exaggerating, or lying since the early 1900s," Kelly Elizabeth Wright, a language professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told TODAY.com.

The 10th most fun city in the US is New York.

It received two top-10 rankings in entertainment and recreation, and nightlife and parties, placing fifth and eighth, respectively, out of the 182 cities.

According to WalletHub, the city is tied for the most park playgrounds per capita and has the fourth most dance clubs per capita. A previous WalletHub study also ranked New York as the fourth-best sports city in the country.

However, New York ranked last among the 182 cities for costs, as the cost of living database Numbeo reported that New York is the most expensive city in the country.

In addition to cost of living, WalletHub compared costs of items like wine, movie tickets, and average fitness-club fees. In New York, a mid-range bottle of wine and a movie ticket each cost about $20, while a one-month fitness-club fee costs nearly $150.

Houston's highest ranking was as the No. 15 city for nightlife and parties, with WalletHub reporting that the city was tied for the most dance clubs per capita.

The "Space City" also received two top-25 rankings for entertainment and recreation and costs, finishing 23rd and 25th.

Numbeo reported that people in Houston's monthly fitness-club fee costs about $39, while a mid-range bottle of wine costs about $13, and a movie ticket costs $15.

The "Windy City" ranked the eighth most fun city in the US, with 10th and 11th place finishes in entertainment and recreation and nightlife and parties, respectively.

According to WalletHub, Chicago was tied for the most park playgrounds and most restaurants per capita. It was also ranked the 15th best sports city in the country.

However, the city also struggled in the costs category, ranking 151st overall.

The seventh most fun city is San Francisco, with top-10 rankings in entertainment and recreation, and nightlife and parties.

WalletHub reported the city was tied for the most festivals, restaurants, and dance clubs per capita.

However, San Francisco was one of the worst-ranked cities for costs, with WalletHub ranking the city 178 out of 182.

Similar to New York, people in San Francisco can expect to pay $17 for a movie ticket, $18 for a mid-range bottle of wine, and about $96 for a one month fitness-club membership, Numbeo reported.

Austin's ranking as the sixth most fun city in the US could largely be credited to its position as the seventh-best city for nightlife and parties.

With the city's robust reputation for live music — it's known as the "Live Music Capital of the World" — residents and tourists can enjoy music venues, festivals like Austin City Limits and South by Southwest, and dance clubs (it's tied for the most per capita).

The city also ranked 18th in entertainment and recreation, and earned a mid-tier 50th place ranking for costs.

As the home of the most famous Mardi Gras celebration in the country, it comes as little surprise that New Orleans would receive a top-five ranking for nightlife and parties.

"Crescent City" tied with San Francisco, Honolulu, Tampa, and Miami for the most festivals per capita, annually hosting the Essence Music Festival and the Voodoo Music and Arts Experience, among other events.

The city also placed 20th in entertainment and recreation as well as 76th in costs. In New Orleans, people can expect to pay around $15 for a movie ticket, $64 for one month at a fitness club, and $17 for a mid-range bottle of wine, according to Numbeo.

The fourth most fun city in the US is Atlanta, which placed sixth in nightlife and parties and eighth in entertainment and recreation.

The city is home to a variety of music festivals, like SweetWater 420 Fest, Atlanta Jazz Festival, and Shaky Knees Music Festival, all of which contribute to the city's nightlife score.

Atlanta was also ranked as a top 15 city for sports fans.

Meanwhile, the city's lowest ranking was for costs, where it ranked 124th.

The city synonymous with spring break — Miami — ranked third overall for fun, with top-10 rankings in entertainment and recreation and nightlife and parties.

According to WalletHub, the "Magic City" is tied for the most festivals and restaurants per capita, and it has the fourth most fitness centers and fifth most dance clubs per capita. The outlet added that more than 88% of Miami residents live within half a mile of the park, and that it is the country's leader for water sports opportunities.

And you can't forget about sports; with the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat, and Inter Miami FC, the city ranked sixth overall for best sports cities in the country.

However, similar to other major cities on the list, Miami was hurt by the cost category, where it ranked 157th.

The second most fun city in the US is Orlando, home of world renowned theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios.

But if rides aren't your thing, the city has plenty more to offer, as it tied for the most restaurants per capita and ranked second overall for nightlife and parties.

The city also has the second most fitness centers per capita and is the fifth best city for soccer fans, as both the MLS and NWSL have teams in Orlando (Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride).

And contrary to the rising prices of Disney tickets, the city itself isn't as expensive as some other major cities. It ranked 58th in the cost category, with Numbeo reporting the average movie ticket costs $15, a monthly fitness club membership costs about $40, and a mid-range bottle of wine costs $15.

Last but not least, is Las Vegas. The most fun city in the US is ranked No. 1 in nightlife and parties and No. 2 in entertainment and recreation. (Honolulu took the top spot for entertainment and recreation, but ultimately did not make the list of top 10 fun cities.)

From casinos and dance clubs to sports stadiums, spas, and arcades, "Sin City" has it all. WalletHub reported that Las Vegas is tied with other cities for the most dance clubs, restaurants, and park playgrounds per capita.

All that fun doesn't have to break the bank, either. The city ranked 36th in costs, with $13 movie tickets, $25 monthly fitness memberships, and $15 bottles of wine.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 65%

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reprise their roles as Detective Mike Lowrey and Detective Marcus Burnett, who are on a mission to clear the name of their late police captain Conrad Howard.

Matt Goldberg wrote for The Wrap, "The 'Bad Boys' series has never been about tight plotting or ingenious twists. It's about throwing Lowrey and Burnett into chaotic situations and forcing them to wisecrack and shoot their way out. That's it. Those are the movies. They're a bizarre blend of soap opera, broad comedy, and bombastic action, and they should not work, but they do."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 64%

The second film in "The Dry" series focuses on the disappearance of a woman, Alice Russell (Anna Torv), during a hiking retreat with four fellow employees. When they return without her, Detective Aaron Falk (Eric Bana) must figure out the truth of what happened to her.

We Live Entertainment's Aaron Neuwirth gave the film a 6/10 rating, writing the story "ends up feeling too convoluted for its own good, with a less engaging structure and more like a push towards some inevitable moments that ultimately take away from the film's urgency."

However, he added that it's still "decadent enough" to watch, and that he doesn't mind seeing another iteration of this story in a few years.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 57%

The "Descendants" series continued with its fifth iteration in July, as Ursula's daughter Uma (China Anne McClain) — now in charge of Auradon Prep — invites the Queen of Hearts (Rita Ora) and her teenage daughter Red (Kylie Cantrall) to the school. But when the Queen of Hearts launches a coup against her high-school nemesis Cinderella (Brandy), each of their daughters, Chloe (Malia Baker) and Red, must team up to go back in time and stop the event that turned the Queen evil.

While the score only draws from seven critics' reviews, Decider's John Serba wrote that fans of the series will be used to its over-the-topness, "which exists very much within the Disney Channel formula of heavily processed visuals and forced pep," and is "surely just good enough for all interested and engaged parties."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 56%

In the latest "Despicable Me" film, Gru (Steve Carell) must face his high-school rival, villain Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) and his girlfriend, Valentina (Sofía Vergara). But to keep the family safe — complete with their newest addition, Gru Jr. — everyone must relocate to a safe house.

Zaki Hasan, of the San Francisco Chronicle's Datebook, wrote, "At this point, the 'Despicable Me' series ('Minions' too) is mostly about keeping the content flowing so Universal can continue selling backpacks and plush toys, so don't be shocked if your child asks to return to theaters again in a few years. Talk about despicable."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 54%

The Monsterverse franchise continues with "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," to see the iconic monsters team up against an even bigger threat to the world.

"This movie's a mess," wrote The Film Frenzy's Matt Brunson.

"It's noisy, punishing, soulless (it calculatingly kills off more civilians than even 'Man of Steel'), needlessly convoluted, populated by nitwits and dullards, and choked with increasingly impersonal CGI," he added.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 42%

In the follow-up to the "Ghostbusters" revival, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," descendants of the late Egon Spengler team up with members of the original Ghostbusting crew — including Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts — to save the world from a second Ice Age.

"Ultimately, there's nothing in 'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' that will win you over — no great action sequences, no laugh-out-loud jokes, and certainly nothing as inspired as 'Ghostbusters II's' perfect metaphor of a malevolent ooze fed by the negative energy of New York City seeping into the sewers. The jokes are witless, the emotions artless, and the film joyless," wrote Vulture's Bilge Ebiri.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 40%

Sure, Sony doesn't have a perfect track record with superhero movies (see: "Morbius" and "Madame Web"), but the "Venom" series has been a surprise hit … until now. In the final film of the trilogy, Tom Hardy returns as Eddie Brock and Venom as the pair goes on the run from forces from both their worlds.

While The Hollywood Reporter's Gayle Sequeira wrote that what works in this installments' favor is "its incredibly earnest exploration of the characters' personal stakes," Observer's Dylan Roth had a harsher take, writing, "True to form for this trilogy — which supposedly concludes here — the brainless and disjointed 'Last Dance' skates by on star Tom Hardy's charm and a few good gags."

"It's a relentless marathon of mediocrity," Roth added.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 40%

After the lackluster reception of "Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1," Kevin Costner debuted the second chapter of his Western passion project during the Venice International Film Festival in September. Though the sequel was pulled from theaters ahead of its planned August debut, it's already garnered enough reviews from critics to earn a 40% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Variety's Jessica Kiang wrote that it "is an exercise in contradictions: incident-packed yet oddly sedate; replete with characters new and returning, yet largely lacking in compelling characterization; and, running to over three hours, simply too long a film to be so jarringly abrupt."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 32%

The musical follow-up to 2019's critically acclaimed "Joker," did not live up to expectations despite the introduction of Lady Gaga's Lee Quinzel, aka Harley Quinn.

"By any reasonable measure this is a terrible movie, too long and too self-serious and way too dramatically inert, a regrettable waste of its lead actors' boundless commitment to even their most thinly written roles," Dana Stevens wrote for Slate.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 16%

"Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver" was released in April, offering a quick follow-up for audiences who'd seen "Rebel Moon: Part One — A Child of Fire" in December 2023. The sequel picks back up with Kora (Sofia Boutella) and her group of ally warriors returning to the planet Veldt; there, they must train and defend its people from an impending attack while Kora comes to terms with her past.

David Fear wrote for Rolling Stone that "life is painfully short," and advised readers to "turn away from your screens. Go for a walk. Start your own wheat-threshing collective. Anything but suffer through this."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

The seventh installment in the "Alien" series follows indentured space colony worker Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny) and a group of other young workers as they attempt to escape to another colony.

Jordan Hoffman wrote for Entertainment Weekly that the film "doesn't try to reinvent anything and instead focuses on refining what works. It's got the thrills, it's got the creepy-crawlies, and it's got just enough plot to make you care about the characters."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" returns to Earth decades after Caesar's reign to reveal that apes are now the dominant species, not humans. But as Caesar's legacy is distorted by a new ruler, Proximus Caesar, who's attacked and enslaved other clans in the pursuit of human technology, a young chimpanzee, Noa, and a woman must work together.

Ty Burr wrote for The Washington Post, "'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' is a sturdy new entry in the revived Planet of the Apes franchise, itself one of the more successful second go-rounds, commercially and artistically, of Hollywood's modern corporate era."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

As the prequel to 1976's "The Omen," "The First Omen" centers on a young American nun, Margaret, who uncovers a conspiracy to birth the Antichrist while serving at a Catholic orphanage in Rome.

Alison Foreman wrote for IndieWire that the film "ticks all the boxes of a justified IP revisitation that arguably should get more chapters [because] it improves what came before it."

Foreman added, "It's also the rare prequel (sequel, requel, what have you) that fits seamlessly inside the existing franchise and makes tracks toward a chilling new future. In short, it births something new and genuinely scary. Remember when that wasn't so rare?"

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

Beginning six days after the end of "Smile," "Smile 2" focuses on pop star Skye Riley's (Naomi Scott) battle with the Smile entity.

Though the AP's Mark Kennedy concedes that director and screenwriter Parker Finn's script "sometimes lags as he searches for an ending," Finn found "a great satirical target, given life to a third film easily and showcased another rising star to watch. That's a reason to, well, smile about."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%

"A Quiet Place: Day One" serves as a prequel to the first two installments in John Krasinski's "A Quiet Place" series by highlighting the first day of the alien invasion in New York City through the journeys of Samira "Sam" (Lupita Nyong'o) and Eric (Joseph Quinn).

"The third chapter of 'A Quiet Place' shows that this smart, reliably frightening series, which began with a modestly budgeted feature that performed way beyond expectations, is by no means tapped out," David Rooney wrote for The Hollywood Reporter.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

"Transformers" might be one of the most heavily mined IPs in Hollywood, but Paramount's "Transformers One" manages to do something unique by telling the origin story of Orion Pax (Optimus Prime) and D-16's (Megatron) friendship and inevitable hatred.

Carlos Aguilar of the LA Times wrote that writers Andrew Barrer, Gabriel Ferrari, and Eric Pearson created "a consistently humorous script brimming with witty banter and quips that mostly land."

"Yet what grounds the story amid the pileup of sci-fi terms and lore is the convincingly intense bond that these male protagonists have nurtured," Aguilar added. "There's a gravitas to their relationship that makes the heartbreak of their eventual separation feel earned."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

Another origin story that was well-received this year was "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga." The prequel follows the story of Furiosa, portrayed by Anya Taylor-Joy, from her kidnapping from the Green Place to her life as a skilled mechanic, driver, and warrior ready to take on her enemies.

Though NPR's Justin Chang thought something in Furiosa's "arc feels a bit too psychologically tidy to grip or disturb you in the way it's supposed to," the movie's post-apocalyptic world is the true star.

"Even in the moments when the CGI looks a little obvious, the mayhem is staged and shot with the kind of blissful coherence that you rarely see in a Hollywood blockbuster anymore," Chang said.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

Audiences are thrust back into the mind of "Inside Out" protagonist Riley Andersen, who's now 13, as her lovable cast of emotions, led by Amy Poehler's Joy, deal with the introduction of new characters Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment.

"What I loved most about 'Inside Out 2,' a movie that's warmhearted and entertaining if not quite up to the revelatory standards of its predecessor, is its portrayal of Anxiety as not a villain but a character who believes herself to be a protector," Dan Kois wrote for Slate.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

In the highly anticipated follow-up to 2021's "Dune," Timothée Chalamet returns as Paul Atreides as he lives and trains amongst the Fremen of Arrakis and decides whether to embrace his position as the Lisan al Gaib, or messiah.

"It's a towering feat of sci-fi cinema that will put 'Dune: Part Two' in contention for the pantheon of greatest sequels ever," Hoai-Tran Bui wrote for Inverse.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

Though "Paddington in Peru," the third on-screen adventure for Paddington Bear, doesn't premiere in US theaters until January 17, it's already received positive reviews from those in the UK, where it was released on November 8.

The film follows Paddington and the Brown family as they go on an adventure through the jungles of Peru to search for his missing Aunt Lucy.

"This is confectionary cinema—sweet, light, and wanting little more than to make its audience smile," Ross McIndoe wrote for Slant.

The first parade featured live animals from the Central Park Zoo.

Happy Dragon (pictured above) and Felix the Cat were two balloons on display that year.

The balloon handlers were also dressed as Mickey Mouse.

An Uncle Sam balloon graced the streets of New York City in the 1940s.

The Rockettes were founded in 1925.

She was accompanied by her "Prince Charming," actor Troy Donahue.

The balloon was named "Flying Ace Snoopy."

According to Macy's, Snoopy is the "longest-running character balloon" in the parade's history.

The balloon handlers were also dressed as Kermit, with green outfits and yellow collars.

Sesame Street began airing in 1969.

The Woody Woodpecker show aired between 1940 and 1972.

Raggedy Ann was a character created by author and artist Johnny Gruelle in 1915.

The ballon also held over 15,000 cubic feet of helium.

Olive Oyl and Swee'Pea were characters from "Popeye."

The first Pink Panther film was created in 1963.

An estimated 1.8 million people attended the chilly parade.

The first "Clifford" story was published in 1963 by Norman Bridwell.

It was fitting for a Spider-Man balloon to fly over New York City, just as the character does in the comics and movies.

"The Simpsons" remains the longest-running scripted sitcom in television history.

The singers wore red sweaters with white scarves as they waved American flags.

A billboard for the Tony Award-winning musical "Kiss of the Spider Woman" can be seen in the background.

There are eight "Beethoven" movies in total.

She was sitting on a crescent moon again.

One of the balloons blew into a lamppost, knocking it into the crowd and injuring two people, The New York Times reported in 1997.

"Rugrats" characters Chuckie and Tommy rode their dog Spike in the 1998 parade.

The Ask Jeeves float was accompanied by Miss America winner Heather French.

The animated children's series "Arthur" aired from 1996 to 2022.

Members of the New York City fire department carried an American flag.

Guarini placed second to Kelly Clarkson on the show's first season.

The "100 Christmases" sign behind him was a nod to the age of Macy's iconic storefront in Herald Square, which opened in 1902.

The band released the singles "Addicted" and "Perfect" in 2003.

Performers followed the parade route on stilts and unicycles.

The "Peanuts" character chased after his football.

The Big Bird balloon sank to the ground due to inclement weather.

The third "Shrek" movie, "Shrek the Third," came out in 2007.

Cyrus appeared on a float for the 2008 animated Disney movie "Bolt," in which she was the voice of Penny. 

Palmer sang her song "Top of the World" on a Build-A-Bear float. At the time, she was the star of Nickelodeon's "True Jackson, VP."

Cosgrove voices Margo in the "Despicable Me" franchise.

Spider-Man followed closely in the background.

The Fierce Five led Team USA to gold in the team all-around for the first time in more than a decade.

The National Weather Service reported that the high in Central Park that day was 35 degrees. Despite cold temperatures, the New York Daily News reported that 3.5 million people attended the event.

In "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," which was released in 2014, the titular character was played by Andrew Garfield.

For the first time, the parade featured 200 officers from the NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau's Critical Response Command, The New York Times reported.

Marching band drums marked Macy's 90th parade.

The balloon handlers wore matching red outfits.

Perhaps SpongeBob was paying tribute to the original "Christmas Parade."

"Frozen 2" came out in 2019.

Despite there being no live crowds, the parade still featured performances from the Goo Goo Dolls, Sofia Carson, CNCO, Pentatonix, and more.

Broadway performances have been a parade staple for decades.

In 2022, NBC's Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker were part of the show.

According to Macy's, each blade on Pikachu and Eevee's Poké Ball sleigh is about the same length as a semi-trailer truck.

While there will be more than 10 combined new balloons and floats, Macy's still leaves room for the classics like Tom Turkey, which is "the longest running title float in the Parade," according to the brand.

Perhaps surprisingly, Alabama's unofficial nicknames have nothing to do with the popular rival university cheers, "Roll Tide!" or "War Eagle!"

Instead, both of the state's most common nicknames hark back to the Civil War, with "Yellowhammer" referencing Alabama soldiers' uniforms, which were trimmed with yellow, and "Heart of Dixie" referring to Montgomery, Alabama's position as the first capital of the Confederacy.

Alaska is the largest state in the US, yet it has one of the smallest populations, with fewer than 750,000 residents, according to the 2020 Census.

With so much space and so few people, Alaska was dubbed "the Last Frontier," as there is still so much area to be explored.

More than 4.5 million people visited Grand Canyon National Park in 2023, according to the National Park Service.

The Encyclopedia of Arkansas reported that the Arkansas Parks System started advocating for more tourism in the 1980s, using the nickname the "Natural State."

The nickname became official in 1995 thanks to Rep. Dennis Young, who introduced legislation citing the state's various rivers, streams, lakes, bayous, mountains, and wildlife.

Arkansas Tourism is now a $9.2 billion industry with upward of 48 million visiting the state in 2022, per a press release from the Arkansas Cabinet Secretary.

From the Gold Rush and golden poppies to sunshine and Hollywood, golden has always been the perfect way to describe California.

Colorado became a state on August 1, 1876.

Long before the US Constitution was ratified in 1788, settlers drafted the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut.

The Fundamental Orders were adopted in 1639 and served as a state constitution determining the scope of government.

Delaware ratified the Constitution on December 7, 1787.

With beautiful beaches, a warm climate, and plenty of sunshine, Florida adopted the nickname in 1970.

Peaches may now be widely known as a symbol for Georgia, but the state's attachment to the fruit was actually part of a post-Civil War effort to reinvent its image, NPR reported.

Like so many of the other Southern states, Georgia was primarily known for producing cotton, but after the war, peaches became a new focus as fruit production seemed more "refined and European" than corn and cotton farming.

Hawaii's nickname comes from the Hawaiian language — "aloha" is both a word for greetings and partings as well as a way of life emphasizing principles like kindness, unity, and patience.

In addition to its potatoes, Idaho is known for its many natural resources, including minerals and gems.

Copper, gold, opal, sapphire, and garnet are just a few of the stones that can be found in the state.

The state once had 22 million acres of prairie land, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Now, less than 2,300 acres remain.

The word "Hoosier" has been part of Indianans' dialect for more than 100 years, but the word's origins are hard to nail down.

The Indiana Historical Bureau said that one way the word may have gained popularity was from a poem written by John Finley called "The Hoosier's Nest" (originally written as Hoosher), which was published and used as the "Carrier's Address" of the Indianapolis Journal in January 1833.

The origin of the Hawkeyes' connection to Iowa is still unclear, but, according to the University of Iowa, some believe a local judge suggested the name after reading James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans, which features a character named Hawkeye.

The name gained popularity and is now used by the university's sports teams, with Caitlin Clark being one of the most famous Hawkeyes in recent history.

Forget about tornados, sunflowers hold a special place in Kansas' heart — they're the state flower and even on the state flag.

Bluegrass is common throughout the state, especially on horse pastures.

The brown pelican is native to Louisiana, making it the perfect choice for the state's official bird. It also appears on Louisiana's flag, state seal, and in professional sports teams — hello, New Orleans Pelicans.

As of 2021, Maine had over 17 million acres of forests, accounting for 83% of the state's area, the USDA Forest Service reported.

The state is home to a high number of Eastern white pine trees.

George Washington gave Maryland the name "Old Line State." As a general in the Revolutionary War, Washington praised Maryland's regular line troops, who served in many battles throughout the war.

Meanwhile, the "Free State" originally referred to Maryland's abolition of slavery in 1864. A congressman from Georgia later adopted the nickname in the 1920s for an editorial piece criticizing Maryland's refusal to pass an act enforcing Prohibition.

Massachusetts, Nahant, Dorchester, and Quincy are just some of the many bays located in Massachusetts.

Michigan is bordered by Lakes Superior, Huron, Erie, and Michigan.

Ontario is the only Great Lake to not border the state.

Minnesota's motto, "L'Étoile du Nord," was coined by the state's first governor, Henry Sibley, in 1858.

William "Bill" Convery, director of research at the Minnesota Historical Society, told CBS station WCCO in 2023, "You can think of the North Star as a guide, as a way into the future. And I don't know for sure, but I very much guess that's what Sibley had in mind when he suggested that motto for Minnesota."

The magnolia is both the state flower and tree of Mississippi. The flower also appears on the state flag.

While no one can say for certain how the "Show-Me State" originated, Rep. Willard Duncan Vandiver is often given credit.

Vandiver spoke at a naval banquet in 1899, and outlets reported that he said, "I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me."

Similar to Idaho and its gems, Montana is known for producing a wide variety of minerals like platinum, gold, and talc.

Montana Public Radio reported that the state is also known as "Big Sky Country" or the "Big Sky State" thanks to a 1930s advertising campaign by the Transportation Department. The name gained even more popularity in 1947 after the release of a book called "The Big Sky" by A.B. Guthrie Jr.

The Nebraska Corn Board reported that in 2022, the state yielded more than 1.4 billion bushels of corn to yield almost $10 billion.

The state accounts for 10% of the country's corn production overall.

According to Nevada Public Radio, miners Peter O'Riley and Patrick McLaughlin discovered silver in 1859 at what would be named the Comstock Lode.

The discovery led to a boom in migration to the region and became an important part of the state's economy.

Granite has been important to the state's economy since the 1800s, with the material being used for buildings around the country, including the Library of Congress, New Hampshire Folklife reported.

It added that the state's Concord quarry produces about 25,000 tons of granite each year.

While the nickname originally dates back to the 1870s, the New Jersey state legislature voted to make the name official in 1954, overruling the governor to add "The Garden State" to license plates.

While the state doesn't exactly lend itself to visions of farmlands and gardens, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture reported that the state is actually among the top 10 producers of fruits and vegetables like blueberries, peaches, tomatoes, spinach, and squash, with the state's farms generating nearly $1.5 million in 2022.

Similar to other states, New Mexico's nickname was once used to promote tourism. While "Land of Enchantment" was used on license plates as early as 1941, the phrase didn't become the official nickname until 1999.

The New York Historical Society credits Washington for the nickname, citing a 1785 letter he wrote in praise of the state's Revolutionary War efforts where he described New York as "the seat of the Empire."

North Carolina's nickname stems from the state's early beginnings as a leader in naval industry supplies.

As explained by Carolina Alumni, people working with pine trees to collect and produce materials like turpentine, tar, and pitch often had bare feet during summers, so they would get tar on their soles. As a result, "tar heel" soon became a name for someone working a trade job.

However, during the Civil War, soldiers reclaimed the phrase for themselves, turning it into a celebration of their state, and North Carolina became known as the "Tar Heel State."

The International Peace Garden, founded in 1932, is located along the border of North Dakota and the Canadian province of Manitoba.

North Dakota began using "Peace Garden State" on its license plates in 1956 and the phrase was officially adopted by the state legislature the following year.

A buckeye is a type of tree that was so common in Ohio when the territory was settled that it's also now called an Ohio buckeye. The trees also produce a type of chestnut called a buckeye, too.

The nickname was adopted by the state in 1950 and was adopted as the mascot of Ohio State University in the 1960s.

In 1889, Congress passed a bill allowing people to settle on land that is now Oklahoma. However, all settlers were supposed to make their claims to land in accordance with the federal government's designated land opening.

Those who entered the land early were nicknamed "Sooners." The nickname stuck and now applies to all Oklahoma residents and is used by the University of Oklahoma's mascot.

Beavers were a key aspect of Oregon's economy during the fur trade, becoming a symbol of prosperity.

However, the success of the trade diminished beaver populations so much that the state is still working on conservation and restoration efforts for beavers and their habitats.

Pennsylvania played a critical role in the establishment of the US, serving as the central location for planning the American Revolution, signing the Declaration of Independence, and signing the Constitution, thus earning the nickname the "Keystone State."

Despite being the smallest state in the US, Rhode Island has a 400-mile-long coastline.

The palmetto tree played a crucial role in South Carolina's defense against the British during the Revolutionary War, as trunks were used to build the fort that defended Sullivan's Island.

Since then, the tree has been featured on the state flag and seal and is referenced directly in the state pledge to the flag.

South Dakota is home to the famous landmark that features the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

Their faces were carved into the mountainside in South Dakota's Black Hills between 1927 and 1941, but the project was strongly opposed by the Lakota Sioux Native American tribe, who consider the Black Hills sacred.

According to the Tennessee Historical Society, volunteers played a significant role in the Tennessee militia during the War of 1812.

Then, 40 years later during the Mexican American War, a reported 30,000 Tennesseans responded to a call for 2,600 volunteers.

The University of Tennessee continues to use the nickname today for its sports teams, which are also known as the Vols.

Today, the state actually has one of the lower rates of volunteerism in the country. It's ranked 31st among the states based on its volunteer rate (31.3%), per AmeriCorps.

Texas' nickname was taken from the state flag, which was adopted after the state gained independence from Mexico and features a single, "lone" star.

Texas remained an independent entity for 10 years before becoming part of the US.

The Utah State Capitol said, "The beehive symbolizes the Utah community as each person in Utah works together to support and help one another and create a successful industry."

As a result, depictions of beehives can be found across the state.

Vermont's nickname is a literal translation of its modern name, which was derived from the French "les verts monts," meaning "green mountains."

The state is also home to a mountain range called the Green Mountains, which are part of the larger Appalachians.

Virginia's nickname, "Old Dominion," is thought to have originated from two sources: its status as the oldest overseas colony of England or from King Charles II because of its loyalty to the monarchy during the English Civil Wars.

In February, the Washington State Standard reported that the state may finally make its nickname official more than 100 years after it was first used.

Even if the nickname isn't codified, one look at the state's lush evergreen forests will confirm it's not changing anytime soon.

It is the only state located completely within the Appalachian Mountains which is why it was given such a nickname.

It should come as no surprise, then, that the University of West Virginia draws on this fact for its mascot, the Mountaineers.

The nickname was inspired by lead miners in the 1800s who sought shelter in the mine tunnels rather than building homes, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Just over 50 years before the 19th Amendment was ratified, Wyoming became the first state to give women the right to vote and hold office.

Unfortunately, the state has not lived up to its nickname. WalletHub reported that the state ranked 48th for women's equality in 2024 based on factors such as workplace environments, political empowerment, and education and health.

In 1940, Hattie McDaniel won the Academy Award for best supporting actress for her role as Mammy in "Gone with the Wind" —but she couldn't even attend the Atlanta premiere.

The role drew both criticism and praise from the Black community, Vanity Fair reported, as some feared it perpetuated harmful, racist stereotypes.

McDaniel disagreed and, in her acceptance speech, said, "I sincerely hope that I shall always be a credit to my race and the motion picture industry … My heart is too full to tell you how I feel."

The "Mammy" is one of several stereotypical depictions of Black women seen in films, alongside tropes like the "Jezebel" and the "Angry Black Woman," and is often characterized as an overweight, asexual woman who maintains a strong commitment to care for the white family she serves, the BBC reported.

McDaniel was pigeonholed into accepting representation as it was allowed, an issue that's only recently begun to be addressed as the industry recognizes that representation for the sake of representation alone is simply not good enough.

She died in 1952 at the age of 59.

Named "one of the world's most iconic movie stars" by the Oscars, Loren made history in 1961 when she became the first actor to win an Oscar for a foreign-language film.

Throughout her career, Loren has won an extensive list of international awards, including two Oscars, five Golden Globes, seven David di Donatello awards for best actress, and a BAFTA.

Her most recent David award came in 2021 at the age of 86 for her role as Madame Rosa in "The Life Ahead," Variety reported.

"It's hard to believe the first time I received a David was more than 60 years ago," she said during her acceptance speech, per Variety. "But this evening, it seems like the first time again, though the emotion is even greater," she added.

Some of her famous films include "Two Women," "Marriage Italian Style," "Nine," "Grumpier Old Men," and "A Special Day."

Davis is a prolific actor known for her roles in "The Help," "Fences," "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," and "How to Get Away with Murder."

She is the only Black actor to win the Triple Crown of Acting: a competitive Oscar, Emmy, and Tony award in acting categories.

She won the Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2017 for her role in "Fences," an Emmy for lead actress in a drama in 2015 for her role as Annalise Keating in "How to Get Away with Murder," and two Tonys for best featured actress in a play and best lead actress in 2001 and 2010 for "King Hedley II" and "Fences," respectively.

In her Oscars acceptance speech, Davis gave a testament to "the stories of the people who dreamed big and never saw those dreams to fruition, people who fell in love and lost."

"I became an artist, and thank God I did because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life," she said.

Davis is also one of just 19 people to achieve EGOT status, winning a Grammy in 2023 for best book audio, narration, and storytelling recording for her memoir "Finding Me."

Moreno's career has spanned eight decades and includes many memorable achievements.

In 1962, her role as Anita in "West Side Story" made her the first Latina to win an Academy Award, but her success failed to yield any exciting new movie roles.

In 2008, she told the Miami Herald, "Before 'West Side Story,' I was always offered the stereotypical Latina roles. The Conchitas and Lolitas in westerns. I was always barefoot. It was humiliating, embarrassing stuff. But I did it because there was nothing else. After 'West Side Story,' it was pretty much the same thing. A lot of gang stories."

Instead of film, Moreno turned to theater and television, where she would go on to win the Triple Crown of Acting and achieve EGOT status — the first and only Latina to do so — for her roles in "The Ritz" and "The Electric Company" and her appearance on "The Muppet Show."

Moreno has also been awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Peabody Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors Lifetime Artistic Achievement award.

The Oscars have a long record of failing to recognize women directors, but in 2010 — 81 years after the Oscars began and 33 years after the first female director was nominated — Bigelow won the award for "The Hurt Locker."

The Iraq war drama, which also won best picture, starred Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, and Brian Geraghty and told the story of an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team and war's impact on people.

Bigelow's other works include "Point Break," "Zero Dark Thirty," "Detroit," and "The Loveless."

She is also the first woman to win the New York Film Critics Circle Award for best director twice, winning first for "The Hurt Locker" in 2009 and again for "Zero Dark Thirty" in 2012.

Costume designer Edith Head is best known for creating the beautiful clothes seen on movie stars like Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Elizabeth Taylor, the Oscars reported.

She won eight Oscars from 35 nominations, placing her among the most awarded people in Academy Awards history.

Famous films she designed for include "Roman Holiday," "Sabrina," "A Place in the Sun," and "All About Eve."

Head died in Los Angeles in 1981, at 83 years old.

It's rare for an actor to star in one of the highest-grossing films of the year — let alone of all time.

And, if you're Zoe Saldaña, make that four.

Saldaña has starred in "Avatar," "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Avengers: Infinity War," and "Avengers: Endgame" as Neytiri and Gamora, respectively.

Each of these films grossed over $2 billion at the global box office for a collective total of over $9 billion.

Barbra Streisand is a multi-talented star best known for her roles in "Funny Girl," "Hello Dolly!," "A Star is Born," and "Yentl." She also is one of the most successful singers of all time.

In 1984, she became the first woman to win the Golden Globe for best director for her work on the musical "Yentl," in which she also starred and won the Golden Globe for best actress (musical or comedy).

"This award is very meaningful to me. I'm very proud because it also represents, I hope, new opportunities for so many talented women to try to make their dreams become realities, as I did," she said in her acceptance speech.

In 2021, when Emerald Fennell, Regina King, and Chloé Zhao were all nominated for best director, Streisand told the Hollywood Reporter, "I never thought I'd see the day when three out of five nominated directors would be women. It brings a huge smile to my face."

Streisand, too, is one of the few people to achieve EGOT status, although not all of her awards were in competitive categories: She has won four Emmys, 10 Grammys, two Oscars, and a special Tony award for Star of the Decade in 1970, ABC News reported.

Best known for her roles in "Tomorrow Never Dies," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Memoirs Of A Geisha," and "Everything Everywhere All At Once," Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian woman, and just the second woman of color, to win best actress at the Academy Awards in 2023 for her role as Evelyn Quan Wang.

In her acceptance speech, Yeoh said, "For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. This is proof that dreams dream big and dreams do come true, and ladies, don't let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime. Never give up!"

In addition to her Oscar, Yeoh also won an Independent Spirit Award, a Golden Globe, and three SAG awards for her work in "Everything Everywhere All At Once."

She is set to star in upcoming "Avatar" sequels, as well as "Wicked" alongside Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

Halle Berry is the first woman of color and the only Black woman to win the Oscar for best actress. She won in 2002 for her role as Leticia Musgrove in "Monster's Ball."

Through tears, Berry accepted the award and said, "This moment is so much bigger than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, and Diahann Carroll. It's for the women that stand beside me, Jada Pinkett, Angela Bassett, Vivica Fox, and it's for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened."

However, no Black actress has won the best actress award since. In 2017, reflecting on how no Black actresses had been nominated in the category that year, she told Teen Vogue of her win, "That moment really meant nothing. It meant nothing. I thought it meant something, but I think it meant nothing."

Berry is also known for her roles in the "X-Men" series, "Catwoman," and "Die Another Day."

Miranda Priestly. Donna Sheridan. Joanna Kramer. Florence Foster Jenkins. Margaret Thatcher.

Meryl Streep deeply embodies each and every character she's played throughout her career, becoming the most Oscar-nominated and most Golden Globe-nominated actor of all time, with 21 and 33 nominations, respectively. Streep also has 15 BAFTA nominations.

She's won eight Golden Globes for acting, the most recent being in 2012 for best performance by an actress in a motion picture - drama, for "The Iron Lady."

Streep has also won three Academy Awards, two BAFTAs, three Emmys, and the Cecil B. DeMille Award.

Umeki won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 1958 for her role as Katsumi in the film "Sayonara," starring Marlon Brando.

She would later destroy her Oscar after the death of her husband, Randall Hood, in 1976, Entertainment Weekly reported in 2018, scratching out her name and throwing away the trophy.

Her son, Michael Hood, told the publication that she said, "I know who I am, and I know what I did."

"It was a point of hers, to teach me a lesson that the material things are not who she was," said Hood.

Umeki died in 2007 at the age of 78.

Sixty years after Rita Moreno became the first Latina to win an Academy Award, DeBose became the first queer, Afro-Latina to win an Oscar — for the same role: Anita in "West Side Story."

In her speech, she thanked the "divine inspiration that is Rita Moreno."

"I'm so grateful your Anita paved the way for tons of Anitas like me, and I love you so much," she said.

"So to anybody who has ever questioned your identity, ever, ever, ever, or you find yourself living in the gray spaces, I promise you this: There is indeed a place for us," DeBose concluded.

Katharine Hepburn holds the record for actress with the most Academy Awards, winning four throughout her career, all for best actress.

She received 12 nominations in the category and won for her roles in "Morning Glory," "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," "The Lion in Winter," and "On Golden Pond," spanning from 1934 to 1982, according to the Academy Awards Database.

Her win for "The Lion in Winter" marks one of just six ties in Oscars history, as Hepburn shared the award with "Funny Girl" actress Barbra Streisand, Collider reported.

Hepburn died in 2003 at the age of 96.

In 2020, Chinese-born director Chloé Zhao became the first woman of color to win best director at the Oscars for her film "Nomadland," which also won best picture.

In her acceptance speech, Zhao said, "This is for anyone who have the faith and the courage to hold on to the goodness in themselves, and to hold on to the goodness in each other, no matter how difficult it is to do that."

For "Nomadland," Zhao also won directing awards at the Golden Globes, British Academy Film Awards, and the Directors Guild of America Awards.

Recently, she directed the 2021 Marvel film "The Eternals," and is working on a film adaptation of "Hamnet" starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley.

Audrey Hepburn is an iconic figure in film and fashion history, with starring roles in classics like "Roman Holiday," "Sabrina," "My Fair Lady," and "Breakfast at Tiffany's."

She achieved EGOT status in 1994, having won the Academy Award for best actress in 1953 for "Roman Holiday," the Tony for best actress in a play in 1954 for "Ondine," the Emmy for outstanding individual achievement — informational programming in 1993 for "Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Flower Gardens," and the Grammy for best spoken world album for children in 1994 for "Audrey Hepburn's Enchanted Tales."

In addition to her career as an actress, Hepburn was well known for her humanitarian work, serving as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador from 1988 until her death in 1993 at age 63.

Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" was the highest-grossing film of 2023, with over $1.4 billion earned worldwide.

With this accomplishment, Gerwig became the first solo female director to have a movie earn $1 billion and one of just five female directors to gross more than $800 million.

Although she was snubbed by the 2024 Oscars for best director, all of her directorial projects — "Lady Bird," "Little Women," and "Barbie" — have been nominated for best picture.

Octavia Spencer was nominated for best supporting actress in 2017 and 2018 for her work in "Hidden Figures" and "The Shape of Water."

She previously won the award in 2012 for her role as Minny Jackson in "The Help," which was also her first Oscar nomination.

Spencer has been outspoken about the issue of pay equality in the industry, especially as a woman of color.

In a 2023 interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Spencer said, "Women and women of color have always lagged. When they start casting movies, they put all the money on the white male or Black male leads. They come to you when they've given out all the dollars and they only have cents. I don't need you to tell me how much you love me and how much you want to work with me."

"Love is not going to take care of my godkids. So, I've always been a proponent of making sure that there's equal pay. It's still not equal, but it's certainly getting better," she added.

With her platinum-blonde hair, beauty mark, and elegant fashion, Marilyn Monroe is easily one of the most recognizable women in film history.

Born as Norma Jeane Mortenson, Monroe would go on to star in films like "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," "Some Like It Hot," and "The Seven Year Itch."

Embodying the role of the "blonde bombshell," her image and life story have been the subject of intense scrutiny, with documentaries, biopics, and even AI chatbots seeking to capture her essence, raising issues and concerns around consent and the public's unwillingness to let the memory of some celebrity figures rest.

Lily Gladstone played Mollie Burkhart in Martin Scorsese's historical crime drama "Killers of the Flower Moon," becoming the first Indigenous woman to win best actress at the Golden Globes.

Gladstone spoke Blackfeet during her acceptance speech and said, "I'm so grateful that I can speak even a little bit of my language, which I'm not fluent in, up here because in this business, Native actors used to speak their lines in English, and then the sound mixers would run them backwards to accomplish Native languages on camera. This is an historic win."

She added, "This is for every little rez kid, every little urban kid, every little Native kid out there who has a dream who is seeing themselves represented and our stories told by ourselves, in our own words, with tremendous allies and tremendous trust from within and from each other."

Carter has won two Academy Awards for best costume design, first taking home the award in 2019 for "Black Panther" and again in 2023 for its sequel, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."

After her second win, Carter told reporters, "I dealt with adversity in the industry that sometimes didn't look like me and I endured. I feel that this win opens the door for other young costume designers that may not think that this industry is for them and hopefully they'll see me, and they'll see my story and they'll think they can win an Oscar, too."

Throughout her career, she has also designed costumes for other award-winning films like "Selma," "Malcolm X," and "The Butler."

In 2020, Awkwafina won the Golden Globe for best actress in a musical or comedy for her performance as Billi in Lulu Wang's "The Farewell."

The film focuses on Billi and her family's return to China to say goodbye to their matriarch, Nai-Nai, who isn't aware that she has terminal cancer.

Awkwafina's other acting credits include her sitcom "Awkwafina is Nora from Queens" and box-office hits like "Crazy Rich Asians" and "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," which grossed $239 million and $432 million, respectively, per Box Office Mojo.

Over the course of her nearly 60 year career, Thelma Schoonmaker has won three Academy Awards for film editing from nine nominations, all for her work on movies directed by Martin Scorsese.

Her first win came in 1981 for his film, "Raging Bull." She told the Academy's A.frame, "The direction, camera work, acting, and music were pure gold for me to edit."

Since then, Schoonmaker has edited all of Scorsese films, winning her second and third Oscars in 2005 and 2007 for "The Aviator" and "The Departed," respectively.

In her 2007 acceptance speech she said, "Working with Marty is quite something. It's tumultuous, passionate, funny, and it's like being in the best film school in the world."

Schoonmaker's nine nominations, the most recent of which came in 2024 for "Killers of the Flower Moon," make her the most-nominated film editor in Academy Award history.

While directors like Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Christopher Nolan have amassed multiple Oscar nominations for best director, the only woman to receive more than one nomination in the category is Jane Campion.

Her first nomination came in 1994 for "The Piano" and her second came in 2022 for "The Power of the Dog," which she won.

Though Campion lost the Oscar in 1994, she still made history with "The Piano," as she became the first woman to win the Palme d'Or, awarded to the director of the best film at the Cannes Film Festival.

Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir's created the award-winning score for Todd' Phillips' "Joker."

In addition to winning the Golden Globe for best original score, she also won the Academy Award in the category and became the first solo woman to win the BAFTA for best original music.

In her acceptance speech at the Oscars, Guðnadóttir said, "To the girls, to the women, to the mothers, to the daughters who hear the music bubbling within, please speak up. We need to hear your voices."

Other films and shows Guðnadóttir has worked on include "Chernobyl," "Women Talking," and "Mary Magdalene."