Serena Williams made a surprise appearance at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, leaving fans excited and stunned by her on-stage moment. The tennis star, 43, was seen practicing her moves backstage while getting her hair and makeup done before taking the stage at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9.
She shared a video of the behind-the-scenes excitement on Instagram, where she expressed her thrill, writing, “Let’s go Super Bowl halftime??! I died a little! .”
Fans were quick to praise Williams for her performance. One wrote, “Girl you killed it!! ,” while another added, “You ate that!!!!! Wimbledon memories!!! .”
During the halftime show, Williams appeared on stage during Kendrick Lamar’s performance of “Not Like Us,” a song that references rapper Drake. Lamar, 37, introduced the track by joking about playing songs that could lead to lawsuits, seemingly referencing a recent defamation suit filed by Drake against him.
Lamar’s inclusion of Williams, a fellow Compton native, carried extra weight, as she and Drake had dated briefly around 2011. Fans were quick to notice the significance of Williams’ appearance, with one person writing on X, “Ok I lied SERENA WILLIAMS doing a CRIP WALK on Drake’s tomb (this performance) was THE BEST thing I’ve ever seen.”
Another fan shared, “Serena Williams, Drake’s ex-girlfriend, crip walking to #TheyNotLikeUs is diabolical.” On her Instagram post, one person commented, “Way to get yo lick back!!”
Samuel L. Jackson also made an appearance during the halftime show, dressed as Uncle Sam to introduce Kendrick Lamar. In addition to “Not Like Us,” Lamar performed some of his biggest hits, including “HUMBLE.” and “Squabble Up.” SZA, who was announced as a special guest, joined Lamar for a performance of “All the Stars.”
The 2025 Super Bowl, featuring a matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, aired on Fox on Sunday, February 9.
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