Katy Perry and Dua Lipa: Katy Perry started the year with a bang with her New Year’s Eve concert at the du Arena in Abu Dhabi. Dua Lipa arrived in February and took on the du Forum on Yas Island, also in Abu Dhabi. Lipa was again scheduled to perform in November, to celebrate the first anniversary of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, but was forced to cancel due to a storm.
Pia Wurtzbach and John Legend: Former Filipino Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach returned to Dubai for a number of engagements in March, while John Legend also came back to perform at the annual Dubai Jazz Festival in February.
Will Smith and Rihanna: Will Smith brought his infectious personality as he toured around Dubai with his family in October. Every move was documented on social media, with the star singing praise of the city at every stop. Pop star Rihanna didn’t have much time to tour, however. She was in Dubai for a masterclass with her cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty in September, with some tickets packages going for as much as Dh7,500.
Tom Cruise flies high: After scaling the Burj Khalifa, the Hollywood star returned to the UAE, this time to Abu Dhabi, to film Mission Impossible — Fallout, the sixth instalment in the hit franchise. “Thank you to the amazing cast, crew and people of Abu Dhabi. That’s a wrap,” he posted in March. The film went on to become one of the biggest hits of the year.
Backstreet Boys: The iconic boy band performed in Dubai in April as part of the Blended Music Festival. The group, known as the best-selling boy band in history, gave audiences a night to remember at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre.
Ezra Miller talked about movies and his career at the Middle East Film & Comic Con in April. “Some people just really want to be a movie star. And that’s cool... For me, I’ve been just interested in making art that I’m passionate about,” said Miller. Oscar-winning actor and activist Robert De Niro attended the World Government Summit in Dubai in February to speak at a Climate Change Forum in a segment called #ItAffectsYou.
AR Rahman: The Oscar-winning Indian composer enthralled Dubai with his concert, titled The Journey: Celebrating Music, at Bollywood Parks on January 26, coinciding with Indian Republic Day.
Mohanlal on #MeToo: While in Dubai in November to announce a fundraiser, the Kerala superstar and president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Actors labelled the #MeToo movement a ‘fad’. “It’s turning into something of a fashion. Anything like that will have a lifespan for a bit,” he said.
Prabhas, the gentle giant: The Telugu actor, known for his role in 2015’s epic action movie Baahubali, filmed his trilingual feature Saaho in Abu Dhabi for three weeks. He talked to tabloid! in May about crashing 28 cars and five trucks for action scenes in the movie.
Priyanka Chopra leads the way: Quantico star Priyanka Chopra attended the Global Education & Skills Forum in March in Dubai, where she talked about protecting children, feminism and the #TimesUp movement.
Salman Khan on set: Bollywood star Salman Khan filmed his action movie Bharat in Abu Dhabi in October. Director director Ali Abbas Zafar said: “When I work with Salman Khan, I know instinctively that he is one of the biggest Indian superstars that people want to see every year on the big screen.”
Hollywood in Abu Dhabi: Actor Ryan Reynolds and director Michael Bay shot in the UAE for 30 days in November for their upcoming action thriller, 6 Underground. A cast and crew of more than 300 people shot in four locations, including the Liwa desert, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.
Jason Derulo gets Dubai dancing: The US singer brought his signature swag to Dubai on December 14 as he performed his biggest hits at the Global Village as part of the venue’s season of events. Titled ‘Explore, Experience, Enjoy. This Way!,’ the festivities continue until April 6, 2019.