REVELATIONS
THE MOST SURPRISING DISCLOSURES OF 2007

Dumbledore is gay
—disclosed by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling

Barack Obama is Dick Cheney's eighth cousin
—revealed by Lynne Cheney's ancestry research

Diana's last words: 'My God'
—the U.K.'s official inquest

The song 'Sweet Caroline' was inspired by a photo of young Caroline Kennedy with her horse
—disclosed by Neil Diamond

Keith Richards snorted his dad's ashes
—admitted, retracted and admitted again by Richards

THE BREAKOUT

AMY ADAMS
Even a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for Junebug two years ago didn't make Adams a star. But as soon as Enchanted hit theaters, Adams joined the A-list. Her luminescent turn as an animated princess come to life is the kind of role that incites strong, loyal fan bases—just ask Cinderella, Ariel and Belle. "I was the dork in high school who was singing The Little Mermaid down the hallways," Adams told EW. "So I'm well studied."

COUGAR ALERT
For these ladies, age is nothing but a number

KATIE COURIC, 50, AND ENTREPRENEUR BROOKS PERLIN, 33

IVANA TRUMP, 58, AND FIANCE ROSSANO RUBICONDI, 35

PAULA ABDUL, 45, AND RESTAURATEUR J.T. TORREGIANI, 32

FEUDS OF THE YEAR
A rundown of the most heated celeb squabbles

George Clooney
vs
Fabio

The actor and cover boy scuffled at a restaurant.

Tommy Lee
vs
Kid Rock

Pamela's exes got physical at this year's VMAs.

Kim Basinger
vs
Alec Baldwin

Their custody battle hit a new low when Dad called daughter Ireland a "pig."

Paul McCartney
vs
Heather Mills

The insults keep flying with Sir Paul's mega-millions still up for grabs.

AMERICA'S NEW SWEETHEART
KATHERINE HEIGL

She scored an Emmy Award for her perennially beleaguered Dr. Izzie on Grey's Anatomy, but who knew Heigl was hiding such comic chops under those scrubs? In the summer smash Knocked Up, she more than held her own in hilarious verbal sparring matches with costar Seth Rogen. "We read a lot of people for the part, but Katherine was really funny," said Knocked Up director Judd Apatow. "She gave as good as she got."

TODDLER-IFIC
A salute to the stylish, well-traveled tots of the year

SURI CRUISE
KINGSTON ROSSDALE
VIOLET AFFLECK

PASSING THE TORCH
From The Price Is Right's host switcheroo to the new agent on Criminal Minds, 2007 was a year of change

OUT
Bob Barker

IN
Drew Carey

THE PRICE IS RIGHT

OUT
Kirstie Alley

IN
Valerie Bertinelli

JENNY CRAIG

OUT
Paula Zahn

IN
Campbell Brown

CNN

OUT
Rosie O'Donnell

IN
Whoopi Goldberg

THE VIEW

OUT
Mandy Patinkin

IN
Joe Mantegna

CRIMINAL MINDS

THE CHART TOPPER

CARRIE UNDERWOOD
The singer shares her 2007 memories and thoughts about a certain Gossip guy

How would you rate 2007?
"It's been amazing. I got to go to the Grammys and I took home a couple, so that was wonderful. And then I went to Africa for the Idol Gives Back campaign, and that was an experience that was life-changing."

Do you feel like you came into your own this year?
"I definitely do. Over the past couple of years, I moved away from home, but this year I had to take more time to do things for me. It's the first year I think I lived as an adult."

Okay, so what's up with you and Chace Crawford?
"My life doesn't really lend itself to dating. I have friends I like to hang out with, and maybe someday one of them could be a boyfriend, not now."

What have you learned about dating this year?
"It doesn't get easier! Everything seems horrible when you're a teenager, and the older you get you realize it never gets any better."

Big plans for next year?
"Just the tour with Keith Urban, which should be great!"

THE BIGGEST LEGEND

WILL SMITH

This was the year Smith proved that he is indeed legend. With a record-breaking year-end hit, an Oscar nod (for The Pursuit of Happyness), close pals like Tom and Katie and Posh and Becks and one of the most stable marriages in the biz, Smith has cemented his place in the Hollywood pantheon. "I love living. I think that's infectious," Smith told 60 Minutes. "It's something that you can't fake."

THE SEXIEST HERO

MATT DAMON

He's PEOPLE's reigning (if reluctant) Sexiest Man Alive, but Damon's far more than just a pretty face. He's also—according to a study by Forbes.com—Hollywood's most bankable star. Case in point: his star turn in this summer's The Bourne Ultimatum, which raked in more than $400 million worldwide. Not bad for a guy who thinks of himself simply as a suburban dad.

MOST VERSATILE ACTOR

JOHNNY DEPP

After reasserting his appeal with the popcorn crowd—Pirates of the Caribbean grossed $2.7 billion worldwide—Depp hit a completely different note by tackling the singing (!) serial killer in the big-screen musical Sweeney Todd. Smart move: There's already Oscar buzz. Still, the always humble Depp told ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, "I find it so difficult to watch anything I'm in." Clearly, moviegoers don't agree.

NEW CELEB LINES

RIHANNA partnered with Totes umbrellas.

KATHERINE HEIGL launched "attractive and practical" scrubs wear.

MARIE OSMOND Don't faint, but the singer has added Dancing with the Stars dolls to her QVC line.

CATCHPHRASES
MEMORABLE LINES FROM THE YEAR IN POP CULTURE

"I am McLovin!"

"Blurgh"

"That's major!"

"Spider-Pig, Spider-Pig..."

"Ella, Ella"

COMEBACK OF THE YEAR

CHRISTINA APPLEGATE

"There have been times over the last 20 years where I disappeared for a little while," Applegate, 36, told USA Today. "I wasn't going to settle." Her patience paid off. Her new ABC sitcom, Samantha Who?, about an amnesia victim reacclimating to her world, became the most-watched new series of the season, and Applegate earned a Golden Globe nomination for best actress in a comedy series.

THE TRIPLE-THREAT

TYLER PERRY

When you direct a modest-budget dramedy that outperforms films with stars like George Clooney, Hollywood takes notice. Why Did I Get Married? made Perry a bona fide hitmaker, while his TBS series House of Payne drew the largest cable audience ever for a sitcom. Plus, his book Don't Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings hit No. 1 on the bestseller list last year. "He knows what his audience wants," Married star Janet Jackson told EW. "It's just a God-given thing."

FABULOUS FAKES
WHO KEPT IT REAL IN 2007? NOT THESE FOLKS

THE HILLS
The MTV "reality" show. Yeah, right.

LARS AND THE REAL GIRL
If by "real girl" you mean pulse-less and plastic.

BEAR GRYLLS
The Man vs. Wild survivalist was accused of onscreen trickery.

JULY REDBOOK
A Faith Hill cover retouched to nonhuman levels.