{"id":31002,"date":"2025-07-18T10:39:44","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T08:39:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tremhost.com\/blog\/?p=31002"},"modified":"2025-07-18T10:39:44","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T08:39:44","slug":"top-10-unexpected-internet-celebrities-of-2025-and-where-they-are-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tremhost.com\/blog\/top-10-unexpected-internet-celebrities-of-2025-and-where-they-are-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 Unexpected Internet Celebrities of 2025 (and Where They Are Now)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The internet has a knack for making stars out of the most unlikely people (and sometimes, animals). 2025 was no exception\u2014this year introduced the world to a new crop of viral sensations whose stories are as surprising as they are inspiring. Wondering what happened after the memes faded and the likes poured in? Here\u2019s a look at the top 10 unexpected internet celebrities of 2025\u2014plus where they are now.<\/p>\n

\n

1. The Grocery Store Dance Grandad (Walter \u201cWally\u201d Evans)<\/strong>
\nThen:<\/em> Wally\u2019s impromptu dance to a classic disco hit, caught by his grandson on aisle 7, had everyone grooving.
\nNow:<\/em> Wally\u2019s \u201cSenior Shuffle\u201d classes are a nationwide hit, and he\u2019s become the face of an active-aging campaign.<\/p>\n

2. The Cat Lawyer (Felix the Tabby)<\/strong>
\nThen:<\/em> When a lawyer accidentally joined a Zoom hearing with a cat filter, his actual pet became the unwitting meme star.
\nNow:<\/em> Felix\u2019s Instagram boasts over 2 million followers, and he \u201cpublishes\u201d weekly legal advice (with help from his owner).<\/p>\n

3. The Bubble Tea Barista (Jules Nguyen)<\/strong>
\nThen:<\/em> Jules\u2019 mesmerizing boba-making videos were everywhere, thanks to their hypnotic \u201cboba drop\u201d slow-mos.
\nNow:<\/em> Jules opened a boutique bubble tea shop in LA and was featured on a Netflix docuseries about food trends.<\/p>\n

4. The Unexpected Poet (Samira Patel)<\/strong>
\nThen:<\/em> A thread of Samira\u2019s quirky, heartfelt poems for strangers on the subway stole Twitter\u2019s heart.
\nNow:<\/em> She\u2019s published her first poetry collection and hosts virtual \u201cpoetry parties\u201d with fans around the globe.<\/p>\n

5. The Sleepwalking Chef (Liam O\u2019Donnell)<\/strong>
\nThen:<\/em> Viral TikToks of Liam cooking elaborate midnight snacks in his sleep had viewers both amused and concerned.
\nNow:<\/em> Liam leveraged his fame into a cookbook (\u201cDream Dishes\u201d) and speaks out for sleep disorder awareness.<\/p>\n

6. The Dog Who Paints (Buttons the Beagle)<\/strong>
\nThen:<\/em> Buttons\u2019 abstract paw-print paintings sold out within minutes after his owner posted a time-lapse video.
\nNow:<\/em> Buttons\u2019 art raises money for animal shelters, and he \u201copened\u201d a canine art gallery (yes, really).<\/p>\n

7. The Ramen Reviewer (Danny \u201cSlurp\u201d Chen)<\/strong>
\nThen:<\/em> Danny\u2019s over-the-top, ASMR-style ramen tastings became a comfort-watch for millions.
\nNow:<\/em> He\u2019s traveled to Japan for a ramen pilgrimage, signed a deal for a travel-food show, and launched his own noodle brand.<\/p>\n

8. The DIY Fashion Teen (Maya Gomez)<\/strong>
\nThen:<\/em> Maya\u2019s upcycled runway looks, made from thrifted curtains and tablecloths, inspired the #TrashToTrend movement.
\nNow:<\/em> Her designs were featured at Fashion Week, and she\u2019s planning a sustainable fashion line.<\/p>\n

9. The Accidental Meteorologist (Tommy Brooks, Age 7)<\/strong>
\nThen:<\/em> Tommy\u2019s adorable, unscripted weather \u201creports\u201d on his family\u2019s porch became a daily highlight online.
\nNow:<\/em> He\u2019s a junior ambassador for a climate education nonprofit and landed a guest spot on national morning TV.<\/p>\n

10. The Viral Busker (Lola Santiago)<\/strong>
\nThen:<\/em> A passerby\u2019s video of Lola\u2019s soulful rendition of a classic ballad in a subway station caught the world\u2019s attention.
\nNow:<\/em> Lola released her debut EP, opened for a major artist on tour, and continues to perform at pop-up gigs worldwide.<\/p>\n

\n

Final Thoughts<\/strong>
\n2025 proved, yet again, that anyone can become a star in the digital age\u2014from dancing grandads to sleepwalking chefs. Their stories remind us that the internet is as unpredictable as it is inspiring. Who knows who\u2019ll be next?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The internet has a knack for making stars out of the most unlikely people (and sometimes, animals). 2025 was no exception\u2014this year introduced the world to a new crop of viral sensations whose stories are as surprising as they are inspiring. Wondering what happened after the memes faded and the likes poured in? Here\u2019s a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1771,"featured_media":31003,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-31002","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-life"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tremhost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tremhost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tremhost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tremhost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1771"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tremhost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31002"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tremhost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31002\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31004,"href":"https:\/\/tremhost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31002\/revisions\/31004"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tremhost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tremhost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tremhost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tremhost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}