Chinese New Year: What Was Trending Last Time the Year of the Sheep Began

— -- Tonight is Chinese New Year's Eve, and tomorrow will bring a new Chinese calendar year -- the Year of the Sheep.

The Chinese zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle, so it's been a dozen years since the last time the Year of the Sheep began in February 2003. The Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar, so the date on the solar calendar changes from year to year. In 2003, it fell on Feb. 1.

So what was happening in pop culture 12 years ago?

1. Ben Affleck was number one at the box office.

In 2003, who would have thought Ben Affleck would become an Oscar winner?

This time 12 years ago, Affleck was topping the box office in "Daredevil." The action flick took first place at the box office for President's Day weekend, Feb. 14 to 16, 2003, according to boxofficemojo.com.

But the film is significant for a much bigger reason -- he and co-star Jennifer Garner fell in love on the set. And now, 12 years later, the Hollywood power couple is married with three kids.

In the past few years, Affleck's career has skyrocketed. "Argo," which he starred in and directed, won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2013.

Bonus throwback: An actor starring in the second-place movie that weekend in 2003 also went on to win an Oscar. Matthew McConaughey, who won Best Actor for "Dallas Buyers Club" last year, starred in the 2003 President's Day weekend box office runner-up, "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days."

2. Jennifer Lopez had the number one song.

Speaking of Ben Affleck, 12 years ago Affleck was dating Jennifer Lopez, who had the top song on the Billboard charts the same weekend that "Daredevil" topped the box office. On Feb. 15, 2003, Lopez's song "All I Have," featuring LL Cool J, was number one, according to billboard.com

In 2015, Lopez is still dominating the music charts and appears as a judge on "American Idol." She's also mom to two children with ex-husband Marc Anthony.

Bonus throwback: Do you remember who won "American Idol" in spring 2003? It was Ruben Studdard, followed by runner-up Clay Aiken. Studdard is still in the music biz while Aiken is in politics -- he even ran for Congress in 2014.

3. The youngest Oscar nominee hadn't been born.

With Affleck and Lopez still in the entertainment industry spotlight, it may seem like not much has changed these past 12 years, but this should put it in perspective:

Quvenzhané Wallis, the youngest person ever to be nominated for an Academy Award, hadn't even been born in February 2003. The actress, who nabbed an Oscar nomination for "Beasts of the Southern Wild" in 2013, was born in August of 2003.