8 Rising California Stars Who Saw A Big 2021

CALIFORNIA — A lot happened in 2021, and Californians made frequent appearances in the news cycle. Some burst onto the national scene for the first time, while other figures made leaps in their careers.

Here are eight California residents whose stock rose ahead of the new year.

1. Kamala Harris

The Oakland native and former California senator and attorney general was sworn in early in 2021 as the nation’s first woman, first Black and first Asian American vice president.

Harris, 57, has been floated as a potential presidential candidate in 2024.

2. Larry Elder

The longtime Los Angeles conservative talk radio host ventured into the political world in 2021 as a candidate to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom in the gubernatorial recall election.

Newsom prevailed in the recall by a comfortable margin, but Elder received the most votes out of the list of candidates to succeed Newsom should he be recalled.

Elder, 69, is mulling another run for the governorship in 2022 — which would set up a rematch with Newsom.

3. Kevin McCarthy

McCarthy, a Bakersfield native and the current minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, appeared poised to become the next speaker of the House should the Republicans take control in the 2022 midterm elections.

McCarthy, 56, is in his eighth term in Congress and has steadily risen up the GOP ranks.

4. Olivia Rodrigo

From “Driver’s License” to “Good for U,” Olivia Rodrigo provided one of the best post-breakup soundtracks of 2021.

The 18-year-old pop sensation’s debut album, “Sour,” spent a record five weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart and earned Rodrigo seven Grammy nominations.

Rodrigo was even invited to the White House in July as part of an effort to promote COVID-19 vaccinations among younger people.

5. Mayim Bialik

Mayim Bialik, the San Diego native and former "Big Bang Theory" star, earned quite the role this year: She was named one of the new co-hosts of TV's "Jeopardy!"

The competition to replace the late Alex Trebek initially went to the show’s producer, Mike Richards, but reopened after controversy surrounding Richards’ past.

Bialik, 46, was then named a co-host, along with Ken Jennings.

6. Britney Spears

The “Free Britney” movement was front and center in 2021, culminating in a judge’s order in a Los Angeles courtroom in November to terminate the pop star’s conservatorship after 13 years.

Spears’ legal battle with her father, Jamie Spears — who had been Britney Spears’ conservator since 2008 — drew legions of fans and ignited a debate over how conservatorships should be implemented. Spears had called the conservatorship “cruel” and “abusive.”

Spears, 40, was a teen pop sensation in the early 2000s. Her future plans are uncertain, but she told Rolling Stone that she wasn’t sure she wants to tour again.

8. Prince Harry And The Former Meghan Markle

The British royals and recent California residents made headlines in May during a sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which they discussed their rift with the royal household and accused a member of the royal family of voicing concerns about the skin tone of their baby, Archie, while Markle was pregnant.

The interview, seen by nearly 50 million people worldwide, and its bombshell revelations led to criticism of the royal family.

Meghan and Harry moved to Montecito, a seaside community near Santa Barbara, in 2020.