--- title: Celebrity Side-Eye Photos: Michelle Obama, Rihanna, Beyonce description: Side-eye, that sidelong glance favored by shade queens, is finally being acknowledged by Merriam-Webster dictionary. canonical: https://time.com/4673876/side-eye-pictures/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-03-16T13:00:36.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:46:30.213Z og:title: A Recent History of Notable Celebrity Side-Eye og:description: From Anna Wintour to Michelle Obama og:url: https://time.com/4673876/side-eye-pictures/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: A Recent History of Notable Celebrity Side-Eye twitter:description: From Anna Wintour to Michelle Obama twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # A Recent History of Notable Celebrity Side-Eye  by [Cady Lang](/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Mar 16, 2017 1:00 PM CUT  by [Cady Lang](/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Mar 16, 2017 1:00 PM CUT [Side-eye](http://time.com/4184083/democratic-debate-bernie-sanders-side-eye/ "undefined"), that sidelong glance favored by [shade queens like Mariah Carey](http://time.com/4340106/mariah-carey-jennifer-lopez-nicki-minaj/ "undefined") devil-may-care rebels like [Rihanna](http://time.com/4653253/rihanna-azealia-banks-donald-trump/ "undefined"), is finally being acknowledged in the canon. As a part of [the latest additions to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary](http://time.com/4662821/merriam-webster-dictionary-throw-shade-meaning/ "undefined"), side-eye was inducted as one of more than 1,000 words and phrases (including humblebrag, photobomb and “throw shade”) that will now be gracing the pages of the dictionary. While Merriam-Webster is only now officially recognizing side-eye, this loaded look has always been the ultimate way to show you feel any number of things including annoyance, curiosity or suspicion without saying a word. With that in mind, here’s a look back at some of the most notable side-eye moments in recent history. ### Beyoncé  CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 16: Beyonce and Jay Z attend Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena on June 16, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) Jason Miller—Getty Images Queen Bey was the [talk of the Internet](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/beyonce-eyes-nba-finals%5Fus%5F576356f0e4b0853f8bf05cce "undefined") after a photo of her appearing to give serious side-eye to a Cavs fan while sitting courtside during the 2016 NBA Finals made the rounds; [a tweet by the fan in question revealed that the look was accidental](http://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a16200/beyonce-side-eye-at-nba-finals-game/ "undefined") and that he and Beyoncé had a good laugh about it afterwards. ### Anna Wintour  LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 20: Anna Wintour (C) and guests attend the ERDEM show during the London Fashion Week February 2017 collections at the Old Selfridges Hotel on February 20, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images) David M. Benett—Dave Benett/Getty Images _Vogue_‘s editor-in-chief is rarely seen without her trademark sunglasses, but she was spotted giving some epic side-eye sans shades during London Fashion Week at the Erdem show in February 2017. ### Rihanna  LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 12: Recording artist Rihanna attends The 59th GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on February 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS) Christopher Polk—Getty Images for NARAS The [baddest gal](http://time.com/4668545/rihanna-flask-grammys-2017/ "undefined") always freely lets her face do the talking, even if it means giving some side-eye, as seen here at the 2017 Grammy Awards. ### Hillary Clinton  Republican nominee Donald Trump (L) and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton exchange during the first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York on September 26, 2016\. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump face off in one of the most consequential presidential debates in modern US history with up to 100 million viewers set to tune in. / AFP / POOL / RICK WILKING (Photo credit should read RICK WILKING/AFP/Getty Images) AFP—AFP/Getty Images During the spirited presidential debates of 2016, Secretary Hillary Clinton [was noted](http://elitedaily.com/news/politics/clinton-trump-debate-memes/1624730/ "undefined") for what could be interpreted as dexterous use of side-eye. In the first debate she exhibited some well-placed side-eye toward her opponent, nominee Donald Trump. ### Michelle Obama > [](https://twitter.com/brentinmock/status/822539461900849153) The exiting First Lady Michelle Obama’s looks also [went viral](http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2017/01/20/michelle-obama-side-eyeing-melania-trump-inauguration-day-best-meme/96832526/ "undefined") during the 2017 presidential inauguration as people shared her “[offstage](https://twitter.com/brentinmock/status/822539461900849153 "undefined")” moments to process their stress about the transition of power. ### Mariah Carey  WATCH WHAT HAPPENS LIVE -- Pictured (l-r): Mariah Carey, Andy Cohen -- (Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) Bravo—NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images The ultimate shade queen has never shied away from throwing a charged glance, as seen most recently [during a chat about Jennifer Lopez and Nicki Minaj with Andy Cohen on _Watch What Happens Live!_](http://time.com/4340106/mariah-carey-jennifer-lopez-nicki-minaj/ "undefined") ### James Harden > [](https://twitter.com/jjvallejoa/status/663239265866743808) The [Houston Rockets star](http://time.com/4672815/qa-james-harden-tells-time-hes-the-worlds-best-player/ "undefined") is known for his big personality—and that’s more than apparent from his candid expressions. However, Harden’s best side-eye moment came from a court side interview that he did in November 2015, where he declined to give a reporter an answer and simply gave them [a very pointed side-eye](https://twitter.com/jjvallejoa/status/663239265866743808 "undefined"). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4673876/side-eye-pictures/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4673876/side-eye-pictures/"},"headline":"A Recent History of Notable Celebrity Side-Eye","datePublished":"2017-03-16T13:00:36.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:46:30.213Z","description":"From Anna Wintour to Michelle Obama","url":"https://time.com/4673876/side-eye-pictures/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Entertainment","Internet","celebrities","Culture"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Cady Lang","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/cady-lang/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4673876/side-eye-pictures/","name":"A Recent History of Notable Celebrity Side-Eye"}}]}] ```