Watch the Super Bowl halftime show's subtle tribute to Kobe Bryant
Sunday's Super Bowl halftime show seemingly did feature a tribute to Kobe Bryant as promised, albeit a much subtler one than expected.
After Jennifer Lopez and Shakira teased a "heartfelt" moment honoring the late Los Angeles Lakers star during Sunday's halftime show, viewers came away confused at the apparent lack of one by the end of the performance. But CNN and The Hollywood Reporter observed the halftime show did seem to include a tribute to Bryant: when "Let's Get Loud" began, a cross was lit up in the Los Angeles Lakers' colors.
During a press conference ahead of the halftime show, Lopez recalled being in the middle of rehearsing last week when she heard the news that Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, and seven others were tragically killed in a helicopter crash. "I think it's just affecting everybody so much because it's just reminding us how fragile life is and how we have to appreciate every single moment," she noted, per The Hollywood Reporter. Outside of the halftime show, a moment of silence for Bryant was also observed prior to the start of the game Sunday.
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Watch the apparent Bryant tribute in the halftime show below. Brendan Morrow
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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