The people and brands who made a mark in 2025 weren’t just riding viral moments – they fundamentally shifted how we talk, think and behave.
This series celebrates who our experts believe shaped culture in 2025. Some will have been capturing attention for the first time – some may have broken through before and are breaking through again. Because cultural endurance isn’t just about arrival. It’s about reinvention, resilience and knowing when to make your move.
Today it’s the final choice of our Brand Futures Director, Jess MacIntyre. She picks a man who has Cultural Endurance in spades, and proved in 2025 that viral fame doesn’t just belong to Gen Z.
Richard E. Grant
The Breakthrough Moment
Grant was a true dual acting and fashion threat in 2025. He was recruited by Burberry for their Summer 2025 campaign and walked in the brand’s London Fashion Week show, and was also cast in Lena Dunham’s Netflix series Too Much, which premiered July 2025. It elevated his cultural capital significantly.
The Cultural Shift
Grant proved that viral fame doesn’t belong to Gen Z – and that authentic joy, consistency and strategic timing can turn a respected actor into a cultural phenomenon.
Why Richard E. Grant Matters
Long-term cultural investment paying off: Grant isn’t new to social media. Since 2019 he’s been using his British charm to laugh, cry and connect with fans, sharing genuine career highs and vulnerable lows. He’d built steady cultural equity, but it was falling out of the limelight that made his return so powerful.
Authenticity as fuel, not performance: When some funny social posts about feeling genuinely positive went viral, it wasn’t manufactured – it was real. That authenticity had a tangible impact on his career in 2025 – the fashion and film industries are hungry for real, smart talent that connect with audiences. Grant delivers both.
Strategic cultural timing: Grant’s resurgence coincided with a broader cultural appetite for joy, sincerity and substance over cynicism. He didn’t chase the zeitgeist – he embodied it. That’s the difference between going viral and building lasting relevance.
The Endurance Play
Grant proves that viral moments mean nothing without years of cultural groundwork. He didn’t suddenly become relevant – he became visible at the right time because he’d been consistently showing up as himself. That’s cultural endurance, not cultural luck.