In memory of the celebrities who’ve died this year, including “Dawson’s Creek” teen heartthrob James Van Der Beek, beloved actress Catherine O’Hara, and “The Thing” star T.K. Carter.

Celebrity deaths 2026: Remembering the stars who died this year

In memory of the celebrities who've died this year, including "Dawson's Creek" teen heartthrob James Van Der Beek, beloved actress Catherine O'Hara, and "The Thing" star T.K. Carter.

By Jillian Sederholm

Jillian Sederholm

Jillian Sederholm is news director at *. *She has worked at EW for more than eight years. Jillian has previously worked as a reporter, social media editor, and homepage producer at NBC News, Digital First Media, Newsday, and Random Lengths News.

EW's editorial guidelines

on May 23, 2026 6:47 p.m. ET

Catherine O'Hara on 'Schitt's Creek,' James Van Der Beek on 'Dawson's Creek,' and T.K. Carter in 'The Thing'. Credit:

STEVE WILKIE/Pop TV; Everett; Universal

In 2026, Hollywood is saying goodbye to beloved entertainers across television, films, music, and more.

Among the famous figures whose deaths were announced in the beginning of the year are *Grey’s Anatomy *and* Euphoria *star Eric Dane, teen heartthrob James Van Der Beek, beloved *Schitt's Creek *and* Home Alone *actress Catherine O'Hara, Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir, *The Thing *and* Punky Brewster* star T.K. Carter, *Dilbert* creator Scott Adams, and Valentino Garavani, the iconic fashion designer who appeared in *The Devil Wears Prada.*

Read on to remember the lives and careers of the stars who have died in 2026.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our ******EW Dispatch newsletter*****.******

Grizz Chapman

Grizz Chapman on '30 Rock'.

Ali Goldstein/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

Grizz Chapman, the actor best known for playing the fan-favorite character Grizz on *30 Rock*, died May 22. He was 52. Chapman made his acting debut in the pilot for *30 Rock*, in which he portrayed the soft-spoken bodyguard of Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan). Chapman's other roles included parts in Jodie Foster's *Money Monster*, which also starred George Clooney and Julia Roberts, and *The Cobbler,* starring Adam Sandler. He also acted on shows like *The Blacklist*, *The Good Fight*, and *Blue Bloods*.

Rob Base in New York in 1989.

Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Rob Base, the rapper who teamed up with DJ E-Z Rock to create the classic hip-hop song "It Takes Two," died on May 22 after a private battle with cancer. He was 59. Born Robert Ginyard, Base passed away peacefully while surrounded by family, according to a statement posted to his Instagram account.

Michael Keating

Michael Keating on 'Blake's 7'.

Don Smith/Radio Times/Getty

Michael Keating, the actor known for his work on British television, died May 21 at 79. After beginning his acting career in the late '60s, Keating played thief Vila Restal on *Blake's 7*, the rebel Gourdy on *Doctor Who*, and the Rev. George Stevens on *EastEnders*.

Claudine Longet

Claudine Longet in 1970.

Actress and singer Claudine Longet, who fatally shot her Olympic skier boyfriend, Vladimir "Spider" Sabich, in 1976, died at 84, it was announced May 14. The former Las Vegas showgirl married musician Andy Williams in 1961 and regularly appeared on his TV shows, even after they split in 1970. She also released multiple albums and acted in projects including the 1968 Blake Edwards movie *The Party* and TV series such as *McHale's Navy* and *Hogan's Heroes*. In 1977, she was convicted of misdemeanor negligent homicide in the death of Sabich, which she said was an accident.

Clarence Carter

Clarence Carter in 1972.

Michael Putland/Getty

Clarence Carter, the soul singer, songwriter, and producer known for risqué songs like "Strokin'" died on May 13. He was 90. Carter was born in Montgomery, Ala., on Jan. 14, 1936. Blind from the age of 1, Carter rose to become a prolific songwriter and recording artist, scoring a Grammy in 1970 for the song "Patches" and having his 1986 single "Strokin'" feature in two films — Eddie Murphy's 1996 remake of *The Nutty Professor *and William Friedkin's 2011 crime film *Killer Joe*.

Michael Stone

Michael Stone in 1994.

Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Michael Stone, the brother of Sharon Stone, died after "an extended illness," the *Casino *actress announced on May 13. He was 74. Among his acting credits were *The Quick and the Dead *alongside Sharon, along with several other films. He had a three-episode arc on *The Bold and the Beautiful *and appeared on *CSI: Miami*. Michael's final movie appearance was in the 2022 film, *Destinos Opostos*.

Jason Collins

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty

Jason Collins, the first openly gay player in the NBA, died of brain cancer on May 12. He was 47. Collins, who revealed he was diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma in December 2025, made history in 2013 when he announced he was gay in a *Sports Illustrated* cover story, becoming the first publicly gay athlete to play in any of the four main North American sports leagues. During his 13-year career, the Stanford alum played for the New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards before returning to the Nets in 2014 after they had moved to Brooklyn. He retired that same year.

Donald Gibb in 'Revenge of the Nerds'.

20th Century Fox

Actor Donald Gibb, who was known for portraying nerd tormentor Ogre in the *Revenge of the Nerds *movies, died on May 12. He was 71. Known for his hulking stature, the actor also appeared in films such as *Conan the Barbarian* (1982), *Bloodsport *(1988), and *U.S. Marshals* (1998). On TV, he played parts on *1st & Ten*, *The A-Team*, *The X-Files*, *Seinfeld*, and many other series.

Rex Reed in 1973.

Slim Aarons/Getty

Rex Reed, the legendary film critic known for his sharp tongue, died on May 12 at 87. Reed born in Forth Worth, Texas, on Oct. 2, 1938, but made his name as a film critic in New York City, where he lived and worked for decades. He appeared in films like *Myra Breckenridge *and *Superman *before taking up his post as a film critic at the *New York Observer *in 1978, a post he kept until his death. Reed's acerbic and often vitriolic style courted controversy, but also garnered him a broad readership.

Brandon Clarke

Brandon Clarke during a Memphis Grizzlies game in 2025.

Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty

NBA player Brandon Clarke, a forward for the Memphis Grizzlies, died on May 11. He was 29. Clarke was one of the team's longest-tenured players, having been with the Grizzlies since 2019, when he was drafted 21st overall. He played just two games of his final season with the team, due to injuries to his knee and calf. In 2025, he founded the Brandon Clarke Foundation to help Memphis residents in need.

Jennifer Harmon

Jennifer Harmon on 'One Life to Live'.

ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Jennifer Harmon, the actress known for her role as Cathy Craig Lord on *One Life to Live*, died May 9 at 82. The soap opera star spent more than 100 episodes portraying the villainess, earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series. Harmon was also known for playing Chris Kirby in more than 300 episodes of *How to Survive a Marriage* , from 1974 to 1975. In addition to her TV success, Harmon enjoyed a prolific career on Broadway, appearing in more than 20 productions across several decades. She served as an understudy to such stars as Stockard Channing, Judi Dench, Jessica Lange, Marian Seldes, and Blythe Danner.

Daystar Television/X

Joni Lamb, the Christian broadcaster who founded Daystar Television, died May 7, at 65. Lamb and her late husband, Marcus — with whom she shared children Jonathan, Rachel, and Rebecca — founded Daystar Television Network in 1993. It started as a single station in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. While overseeing the network, Lamb helped turn it into one of the largest Christian television networks in the world. She appeared on Daystar for almost four decades as a broadcaster, working to spread the Gospel to millions of Christians. She wrote several books* *and hosted the show *Joni Table Talk*, on which she tackled "tough, relevant topics to reveal Godly solutions for today's complex problems," according to her Daystar biography. *Joni Table Talk *was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Special in 2012.

Michael Pennington

Michael Pennington in 'Return of the Jedi'.

Michael Pennington, the British actor known for his six-decade stage career as well as his roles in the *Star Wars* film *Return of the Jedi* and the Margaret Thatcher biopic *The Iron Lady*, died on May 7, at 82. Born in Cambridge and raised in London, Pennington was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and a co-founder of the English Shakespeare Company. He played military officer Moff Jerjerrod in *Jedi* and Labour leader Michael Foot in *Iron Lady*.

Dave Benett/Getty

*The Only Way Is Essex *star Jake Hall died at 35 following an accident in Majorca, Spain, on May 6. Hall joined the cast of the popular British reality series in* *2015, where he dated and later broke up with his fellow costar Chloe Lewis. He is survived by his daughter, River, whom he shared with his ex Misse Beqiri.

Jonathan Tiersten

Jonathan Tiersten in 2011.

Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic

Actor Jonathan Tiersten, known for his role in the cult favorite slasher movie *Sleepaway Camp *(1982), died at 60, it was announced on May 5. Born in 1965 in Queen, N.Y., Tiersten started his film and television career as a teenager in the 1980s, first with an uncredited bit part on the soap opera *Another World*. Following his role in *Sleepaway Camp*, he made just two television guest appearances before largely retiring from acting. After coming back to the screen for *Return to Sleepaway Camp *in 2008, he became a B-movie horror staple, with credits including *The House That Wept Blood* (2016) and *Last American Horror Show: Volume II*.

Alex Ligertwood

Alex Ligertwood performs with Santana at the Mountain Aire Festival on Aug. 23, 1987.

Ed Perlstein/Redferns/Getty

Scottish musician Alex Ligertwood, best known for providing lead vocals for Santana over several decades, died on May 1, at his Santa Monica, Calif., home. He was 79. Ligertwood served as Santana's lead singer on and off between 1979 and 1994, featuring on albums such as *Marathon* and *Zebop!*. He sang on tracks like "You Know That I Love You," "Winning," "Hold On," and "Say It Again," and co-wrote songs like "Somewhere in Heaven," "Brightest Star," and "Make Somebody Happy." Born in Drumchapel, Glasgow, he also performed with other groups, including German tribute band the Magic Of Santana, as well as Senate, the Jeff Beck Group and the Average White Band. In 2019, Ligertwood released a solo album, *Outside the Box*. He performed his final show just two weeks before his death.

Gwen Farrell Adair

Gwen Farrell on 'M*A*S*H*' in 1974.

20th Century Fox Television/Courtesy Everett Collection

Best known for her credits on *M*A*S*H*, actress Gwen Farrell Adair died of natural causes at age 94 on April 30 in Sherman Oaks, Calif. Adair made her screen debut in the second episode of *M*A*S*H* in 1972, playing an uncredited nurse. She went on to appear in more than a dozen episodes in the medical dramedy's first season and was later credited as Nurse Butler, Nurse Wilson, Lt. Baker, Nurse Able, Nurse Gwen, and an anesthetist across seven more of the show's 11 seasons. She made her film debut in 1972 in the blaxploitation movie *Black Gunn* and went on to appear in small roles in films like *The Towering Inferno*, *Coffy*, *Soylent Green*, *Earthquake*, and *Billy Jack Goes to Washington*. Adair switched up her career in 1980 when she entered the boxing world as a referee.

David Allan Coe

David Allan Coe.

Paul Natkin/WireImage

Country music singer David Allan Coe, known for hits like "The Ride" and "You Never Even Called Me by My Name," died on April 29. He was 86. Coe was part of country's outlaw movement, releasing renegade singles that pushed societal buttons. He was often criticized for using racist slurs in his earlier music, which he later attempted to distance himself from. Coe also wrote material for other artists, including Johnny Paycheck's hit "Take This Job and Shove It."

Roger Sweet, the toy designer credited with He-Man and the *Masters of the Universe* toy line, died at 91 on April 28. Sweet was previously diagnosed with dementia and moved into a memory care facility earlier this year. Born in 1935, Sweet studied at Institute of Design before becoming a lead designer at Mattel's Preliminary Design Department in the 1970s. The company launched He-Man in 1981, inspiring a line of comics, animated shows, and live-action movies. Sweet chronicled the creation of He-Man in his 2005 book *Mastering the Universe*.

Gerry Conway

Gerry Conway in New York City on Oct. 7, 2019.

John Lamparski/Getty

Gerry Conway, the comic book writer who created Marvel superheroes like the Punisher and DC characters like Firestorm, died at 73 on April 27. Conway wrote a key run on *The Amazing Spider-Man* comic series in the 1970s that included the death of Gwen Stacy and the introduction of the Jackal, and he served as editor-in-chief of Marvel for a brief period in 1976. Conway's comics for DC also introduced characters like Power Girl, Jason Todd, Killer Croc, and Vixen. Conway worked as a screenwriter, as well, on movies such as *Fire and Ice* and *Conan the Destroyer*. His TV credits included *Law & Order: Criminal Intent*, *Matlock*, and *Diagnosis Murder*.

Dylan Carter

Trae Patton/NBC via Getty

Dylan Carter, a young musician who competed on the 24th season of *The Voice*, died in a car accident on April 26. He was 24. Carter was 20 when he took the stage for *The Voice* season 24, making a memorable TV debut when his blind audition earned him a four chair turn from judges Reba McEntire, Niall Horan, John Legend, and Gwen Stefani. He sang Whitney Houston's "I Look to You," which he later explained had a very special meaning because it was in tribute to his mother, who had died the year prior. Carter ultimately selected McEntire as his mentor, and ended his run on the NBC competition series weeks later in the Battle Rounds. After *The Voice*, he continued performing in the Lowcountry area and supported The Local Voice — a non-profit he was a co-founder of that provides care to women fighting breast cancer — by taking part in benefit events.

Nedra Talley Ross

Nedra Talley Ross of the Ronettes.

Jim Spellman/WireImage

Nedra Talley Ross, the last surviving member of the iconic 1960s girl group the Ronettes, died on April 26. She was 80. Raised in New York's Spanish Harlem, the trio — composed of sisters Veronica "Ronnie" Spector and Estelle Bennett and Talley Ross, their cousin — were known for their distinctive blend of pop, R&B, and rock & roll. Together with producer Phil Spector, they pioneered the dense, orchestral "Wall of Sound," which marked a milestone in the development of modern pop music. They released a string of beloved classics, including "Baby, I Love You," "(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up," "Walking in the Rain," and their biggest hit, "Be My Baby," which reached No. 2 on the *Billboard* pop singles chart and is widely considered one of the greatest songs in pop history. After the Ronettes disbanded in 1967, Talley Ross performed as a solo artist, recording a contemporary Christian album, *Full Circle,* in 1978.

Dylan Carter

Dylan Carter on 'The Voice'.

Greg Gayne/NBC via Getty

Dylan Carter, a musician and contestant on season 24 of *The Voice*, died on April 25 in a car crash in South Carolina. He was 24. During his audition on the NBC reality competition show, he earned a chair turn and emotional responses from judges Reba McEntire, Niall Horan, John Legend, and Gwen Stefani while singing Whitney Houston's "I Look to You.” McEntire told him, “So much emotion, and I saw it and I felt it when you were singing.”

Echoes/Redferns

Tony Wilson, the musician known for his work with the British soul band Hot Chocolate, died April 24, at 89. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Wilson moved to the U.K. in his 20s and linked up with Errol Brown. Together they would write Hot Chocolate's biggest hits, including "Love Is Life," "You Could Have Been a Lady," "Emma," and "Brother Louie." Their most iconic track, 1975's "You Sexy Thing," peaked at No. 3 on the *Billboard* Hot 100 and was memorably used in the films *Boogie Nights* and *The Full Monty*.

Beau Starr in 'Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers'.

Galaxy International Releasing/Courtesy Everett

Beau Starr, an actor best known for his role as Sheriff Ben Meeker within the *Halloween* film franchise, died April 24 of natural causes. He was 81. Starr got his acting start playing various characters on the half-hour sketch comedy show *Bizarre*, which starred Bob Einstein and featured comedians like Howie Mandel. From there, Starr went on to have small roles on series such as *TJ Hooker*,* Cagney & Lacey*,* Three's Company*,* Knight Rider*,* Remington Steele*,* The A-Team*,* MacGyver, *and *Night Court*. He appeared in several films, including *Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers* (1988) and *Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers* (1989). He was also cast in Martin Scorsese's 1990 classic *Goodfellas*, and was known for his long-running role in the show *Due South* as Lt. Harding Welsh.

Darrell Sheets

Darrell Sheets in Tustin, Calif. in 2012.

Albert L. Ortega/Getty

Darrell Sheets, who starred on over 160 episodes of the popular A&E reality series* Storage Wars*, died on April 22. He was 67. A native Californian, Sheets regularly appeared as a buyer, often accompanied by his son, Brandon, across the first 15 seasons of *Storage Wars*. He earned the nickname "The Gambler" for his high-risk approach to bidding and possessed rare items in his collection, from original works by Picasso to a letter from President Abraham Lincoln.

Samir Hussein/Getty

Alan Osmond, the oldest member of the Osmonds supergroup and brother of Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond, died at age 76 on April 21 after decades with multiple sclerosis. His wife of 51 years, Suzanne Pinegar Osmond, and their eight sons were by his side when he died, per CBS affiliate KUTV. A songwriter and performer, Alan helped to pen some of the biggest Osmond Brothers hits, including "One Bad Apple," "Crazy Horses" and "Are You Up There?" He additionally helped to establish the Children’s Miracle Network Telethon, which the *Salt Lake City Tribune* reported as having raised $2 billion for children’s hospitals in the United States.

David Wilcock

David Wilcock | Divine Cosmos/YouTube

David Wilcock, the extraterrestrial researcher and History Channel and YouTube personality, died on April 20. He was 53. Wilcock, who boasted 520,000 YouTube subscribers, was a regular on-air contributor and consulting producer on the History Channel's *Ancient Aliens*. He also published several books, including including 2014's *The Synchronicity Key: The Hidden Intelligence Guiding the Universe and You* and the 2011 work *The Source Field Investigations: The Hidden Science and Lost Civilizations Behind the 2012 Prophecies*.

Patrick Muldoon

Patrick Muldoon.

Patrick Muldoon, the actor known for his roles in film and TV projects like *Starship Troopers* and *Melrose Place*, died of a myocardial infarction, more commonly known as a heart attack, on April 19. He was 57. Born in San Pedro, Calif., Muldoon rose to fame after originating the role of Austin Reed on *Days of Our Lives*. He initially starred on the iconic soap opera from 1992 to 1995 before departing and returning to the show 2011–2012 after a 16-year gap. Muldoon continued making a mark on TV with several other major roles, such as Jeffrey Hunter on *Saved by the Bell*, the hunky diner manager who came in between fan-favorite endgame couple Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani Thiessen) and Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar). Muldoon also appeared opposite Robert De Niro and Morgan Freeman in the 2020 western *The Comeback Trail*, with Liam Neeson and Jessica Lange in 2022's *Marlowe*, and in the new crime thriller *Dirty Hands*, in which he reunited with *Starship Troopers* costar and ex-girlfriend Denise Richards.

Estate Of Keith Morris/Redferns

Guitarist Dave Mason, a founding member of the British rock band Traffic and who went on to have a successful solo career, died April 19. He was 79. Traffic was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, with officials citing that the band "dove into the psychedelic rabbit hole of their own minds." The writer of such songs as "Feelin' Alright?" and "We Just Disagree" collaborated with several other artists including Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac, and the Rolling Stones.

Rif Hutton on 'General Hospital'.

Nick Argo/ABC via Getty

Rif Hutton, the prolific character actor who portrayed Dr. Ron Welch on *Doogie Howser, M.D.*, died on April 18. He was 73. Hutton also played Lt. Cmdr. Alan Mattoni on *JAG* and played two different characters — Mary Mae Ward's son David and Lenny Caulfield — on *General Hospital*. The actor was also recognizable for his run of KFC commercials in the 1990s, in which he portrayed Russ Beeler. His other projects include *The Jeffersons*,* Full House*, *NCIS: Los Angeles*, *Remington Steele*, *Seinfeld*, * A Different World*, *Home Improvement*, *Night Court*, and *American Horror Story*.

Lee “Big Poppa” Najjar

Lee Najjar in 2009.

ANDREAS BRANCH/PMC via Getty

Lee "Big Poppa" Najjar, the ex of *Real Housewives of Atlanta* star Kim Zolciak, died April 18. He was 68. Najjar never physically appeared on the Bravo reality show, but he often financed Zolciak's extravagant lifestyle. The married man who was estranged from his wife, per Zociak, allegedly bought expensive gifts for the reality star, including a townhouse and a Range Rover.

Nathalie Baye

Nathalie Baye in 1982.

Bertrand LAFORET/Getty

Actress Nathalie Baye died on April 17, French President Emmanuel Macron announced. She was 77. She appeared in movies such as *Catch Me If You Can*, *Day for Night*, and *Downton Abbey: A New Era*, as well as in TV projects including HBO’s *And the Band Played On*. Baye was the winner of four César Awards — France’s Oscar — beginning in 1981, when she won the trophy for best supporting actress in *Every Man for Himself*, and ending with a best actress win for 2006's *The Young Lieutenant*.

Nadia Farès in 2024.

Marc Piasecki/WireImage

Nadia Farès the celebrated French star of films like *The Crimson Rivers*, *Storm Warning*, and *On The Line*, died at 57 on April 17. "France has lost a great artist, but for us, it is above all a mother that we have just lost," Farès daughters noted when announcing their mother's death to the French news agency AFP. Farès starred in several films by the filmmakers Romuald Boulanger and Claude Lelouch, and was gearing up to write and direct her first feature.

Mariclare Costello

Mariclare Costello in the 1971 film 'Let's Scare Jessica to Death'.

Paramount Pictures/Getty

Mariclare Costello, star of *The Waltons*, died in Brooklyn on April 17 at the age of 90. The lifetime member of the Actors Studio was born in Peoria, Illinois, and went on to become an original member of the Lincoln Center Repertory Company in New York, where she starred in several Broadway productions. After she and future husband, Allan Arbus, met in an acting class, the two moved to Los Angeles, where Costello embarked on a screen career, appearing in films and TV shows such as *Kojak*, *Little House on the Prairie*, *Murder She Wrote*, *Chicago Hope*, and *Judging Amy* in addition to the *The Waltons*, on which she played Rosemary Hunter.

Warner Brothers-Seven Arts/Getty

Joy Harmon, the actress best known for her performance as the car wash girl in *Cool Hand Luke*, died April 14. She was 87. In addition to the Paul Newman-led crime drama, she also starred in *Village of the Giants*, *One Way Wahine*, and *Angel in My Pocket*. She later went on to open Aunt Joy’s Cakes, a wholesale bakery in Burbank, Calif., that delivers deserts to craft services at film studios.

Asha Bhosle in 2024.

Prodip Guha/Getty

Bollywood legend Asha Bhosle died on April 12. She was 92. A global singing sensation, Bhosle's voice became a staple within the Indian film industry as a playback singer. Her verstaile work scored her dozens of prominent awards in her home country, in addition to two Grammy nominations. Bhosle's vocal styling, actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas said, helped "shape the emotional landscape of an entire nation," and her credits stretched back to the 1940s. In Bhosle's later life, she acted as well, starring in the movie *Mai*.

John Nolan in 2015.

Mireya Acierto/FilmMagic

John Nolan, the English actor best known for his collaborations with his nephews Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, died on April 11. He was 87. Nolan portrayed Wayne Enterprises board member Douglas Fredericks in *Batman Begins* and *The Dark Knight Rises*, both directed by Christopher, with the latter co-written by Jonathan. He also appeared on several episodes of the series *Person of Interest*, which Jonathan created. His other credits included Christopher's films *Following* and *Dunkirk*, as well as the supernatural horror movie *Terror* and the romance film *The World Is Full of Married Men*. Nolan's final screen role came in a 2024 episode of *Dune: Prophecy*.

Dolly Martinez

'My 600-lb Life' star Dolly Martinez.

*My 600-lb Life*'s Dolly Martinez died on April 11 at the age of 30. Martinez's mother, Staci Thurman, later revealed the reality star died of congestive heart failure. Martinez is known for her appearance on season 10 of the TLC reality show, which documents the years-long journey of individuals who weigh more than 600 pounds as they strive to lose weight and potentially undergo gastric bypass surgery. In her 2021 episode, Martinez weighed just under 593 pounds and relied on supplemental oxygen. She ultimately lost 40 pounds on the show and was not approved for the weight-loss procedure.

Afrika Bambaataa

Afrika Bambaataa in 1983.

David Corio/Redferns

Afrika Bambaataa, the legendary DJ and producer who helped shape the sound of hip-hop in the 1970s and '80s, died April 9, at 68. Born Lance Taylor in the Bronx, Bambaataa was best known for his early hip-hop work, most notably his 1986 album *Planet Rock*. He was a founder of the Universal Zulu Nation, a creative collective that eventually counted artists like Queen Latifah, Ice Cube, Q-Tip, Ice T, and Fat Joe among its ranks. Bambaataa's legacy was later tarnished by multiple allegations of child sexual abusea. He denied all wrongdoing but eventually lost a civil case in 2025 after failing to respond to a New York lawsuit.

Michael Patrick

Michael Patrick.

Michael Patrick/Facebook

Michel Patrick, an Irish actor who starred in several high-profile Shakespearean stage productions, and appeared on series like* Game of Thrones *and *This City*, died at 35 on April 7. Educated at Cambridge, Patrick went on to appear in Royal Shakespeare Company productions of *Measure for Measure *and *The Taming of the Shrew*. He was diagnosed with the progressive neurological condition Motor Neurone Disease in 2023, eventually leading to him using a wheelchair. But he continued to act, giving an acclaimed turn as Richard III in a production of the Shakespearean tragedy at Belfast's Lyric Theatre in 2024.

Dee Freeman in 2019.

Paul Archuleta/Getty

Actress Dee Freeman, known for her appearances on *The Young and the Restless*, *Pretty the Series*, and Tyler Perry's *Sistas*, died on April 2. She was 66. The Louisiana native made her television debut in a 1995 episode of *Coach* and went on to rack up an impressive list of TV credits, including in shows such as *Seinfeld*, *Kenan & Kel*, *The X-Files*, *Bones*, *Dexter*, *NCIS: Los Angeles*, and *Reasonable Doubt*. Her film credits included *Red Meat *(1997), *My Baby's Daddy *(2004), and *Freezer Burn *(2007). She had over 80 stage credits, as well, and starred in the one-woman show *Poison Gun*.

Mary Beth Hurt

Mary Beth Hurt in 'Interiors' (1978).

United Artists/Rollins-Joffe/Kobal/Shutterstock

Mary Beth Hurt, the acclaimed star of films by Martin Scorsese, Joan Micklin Silver, and her husband of 43 years, Paul Schrader, has died at 79. Her death was announced in a joint Facebook post by Schrader and their daughter, Molly Schrader, on March 29. One of the most sought after actresses of the 1980s and '90s, Hurt racked up three Tony nominations, starred in Oscar-winning and nominated films like *The Age of Innocence*, *The World According to Garp*, *Six Degrees of Separation*, and four films by Schrader, including 1992's *Light Sleeper*.

Alex Duong in 2021.

Michael S. Schwartz/Getty

Alex Duong, the comedian and actor who starred on several episodes of *Blue Bloods, *died at 42 on March 28. Duong was known as a fixture of the Los Angeles comedy scene, due to frequent gigs at the world-famous Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip. He also made appearances on several TV shows, including *Everybody Hates Chris*,* Dexter*,* Death Valley*, and* Pretty Little Liars*. After he was diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of tissue cancer, stars such as the *Daily Show*'s Ronny Chieng came together for an L.A. benefit show in his honor.

James Tolkan

Universal Pictures

James Tolkan, an actor best known for his turns in *Back to the Future* and *Top Gun*, died March 27. He was 94. The actor's credits date back to the 1960s and include movies *The Amityville Horror* (1979), *Dick Tracy* (1990), and *Problem Child 2* (1991). On TV, he appeared on series such as *The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air* and *The Wonder Years*.

Dash Crofts in 1975.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Dash Crofts, one half of the soft-rock duo Seals & Crofts, died on March 25. He was 87. Crofts rose to prominence in the 1970s with his chief collaborator, Jim Seals. The pair, who followed the Baha’i faith and infused religion into their music, are best known for the easy-listening classic "Summer Breeze," off their 1972 album of the same name, and the jazzy "Diamond Girl," off the 1973 album of the same name. In 1974, soon after the Supreme Court issued its decision in *Roe* v. *Wade*, they put out the controversial anti-abortion track "Unborn Child." After the release of 1980's *The Longest Road*, Seals & Crofts went on hiatus, but by the end of the decade they had reformed, and toured North America for several years until they officially disbanded in 1992. Crofts released his only solo record, *Today*, in 1998 before reuniting with Seals for their final album, *Traces*, in 2004*. *Seals died in 2022.

Barry Caldwell

Barry Caldwell.

Paul Dini/Facebook

Barry Caldwell, who worked on animated series such as *Animaniacs*, *Pinky and the Brain*, and *Tiny Toon Adventures*, as well as the movie *Osmosis Jones*, died at 68, a friend revealed March 24. The animation legend's latest project had been Disney Jr.’s *Ariel*.

Mel Schilling

Mel Schilling in London on Nov. 24, 2025.

Hoda Davaine/Getty

Mel Schilling, the psychologist who served as a dating expert on Australia's reality series *Married at First Sight*, died March 24 following a battle with colon cancer. She was 54. Schilling appeared on 12 seasons of the Australian iteration of *Married at First Sight* between 2016 and 2026. She also appeared on over 30 episodes of the U.K. version of the show, and guested on game shows like *The Weakest Link* and *Countdown*.

Valerie Perrine

Valerie Perrine at her home in Los Angeles in 2013.

Anne Cusack/Los Angeles Times via Getty

Valerie Perrine, who starred in 1978's *Superman*, died on March 23. Perrine, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2015, was 82. After making her acting debut as adult film actress Montana Wildhack in 1972's *Slaughterhouse-Five*. Perrine had her breakout moment in 1974's *Lenny*, Bob Fosse's biopic of Lenny Bruce that starred Dustin Hoffman as the trailblazing comedian. Perrine was Oscar-nominated for her role as his stripper wife, Honey. She starred in 1978's *Superman* as Eve Teschmacher. Perrine became a television staple in the '90s, guest-starring on hit series including *Northern Exposure*, *Homicide: Life on the Street*, and *ER*.

Rebecca Sapp/WireImage

Chip Taylor, the songwriter behind "Wild Thing," died on March 23. He was 86. Born James Wesley Voight, Taylor was the brother of Jon Voight and geologist Barry Voight, and the uncle of Angelina Jolie and actor James Haven. Besides "Wild Thing," Taylor penned "Angel of the Morning," which was interpolated by Shaggy for his 2001 hit "Angel." Taylor, who also released his own albums and founded Train Wreck Records, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2016.

Ronnie Bowman

Ronnie Bowman/Instagram

Ronnie Bowman, the bluegrass musician who performed with the Lonesome River Band, died March 22 after a motorcycle accident in Nashville. He was 64. Bowman released five solo albums between 1994 and 2019, and served as the vocalist and bassist for the Lonesome River Band. He wrote songs that were performed by Chris Stapleton, Lee Ann Womack, and Kenny Chesney. He also collaborated with the likes of Alison Krauss, Loretta Lynn, John Fogerty, and Jerry Douglas over the course of his career.

Jessie Jones

Legacy.com; Carin Baer / Warner Bros. / Courtesy of Everett Collection

Actress and playwright Jessie Jones died March 20 following a long illness. She was 75. Jones' television credits include beloved shows like* Night Court*,* Murphy Brown*,* Newhart*,* Who’s the Boss*,* Perfect Strangers*, and* Melrose Place*. She was also a successful playwright, co-creating the Off Broadway comedy *Dearly Departed* and penning multiple comedies like *The Sweet Delilah Swim Club*, *The Red Velvet Cake War*, and *Christmas Belles* with friends Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten.

Chuck Norris

Chuck Norris attends the Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia 2017. Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images

Chuck Norris, the action-movie icon who also starred on the hit TV series *Walker, Texas Ranger*, died on March 19. He was 86. Norris first gained fame as a champion martial artist before turning to acting and becoming a household name with movies like *The Delta Force*, *Missing in Action*, *Good Guys Wear Black*, *The Octagon*, *Lone Wolf McQuade*, and *Code of Silence*. He later became a television star with the CBS series *Walker, Texas Ranger*, which ran from 1993–2001. His final acting credit is the comedy *Zombie Plane*, which wrapped filming in 2025.

KiKi Shepard

KiKi Shepard in 2025.

manda Edwards/Getty

KiKi Shepard, the longtime host of *Showtime at the Apollo*, died March 16. She was 74. Aside from her starring role on *Apollo*, between 1987 and 2002, Shepard acted on Broadway, in movies such as *The Wiz*, and on TV. She appeared on *A Different World* (1991 and 1992), *Baywatch* (1993), *NYPD Blue* (2001 and 2002), *Grey’s Anatomy* (2024), and many other shows.

Jordan Wright

Jordan Wright/Instagram

*The Only Way Is Essex*star Jordan Wright was pronounced dead on March 14, after his body was discovered in a Thailand drainage canal. He was 33. The British reality TV star first came to prominence during his brief stint on the dating show *Ex on the Beach *in 2017. The following year, he made his debut on *The Only Way Is Essex*, appearing in 17 episodes. He eventually departed the show to return to his day job as a firefighter. Wright previously dated fellow British reality personality Vicky Pattison, who starred on *Geordie Shore*.

Phil Campbell

Phil Campbell attending the Kerrang! Awards at Islington Town Hall, London.

David Parry/PA Images via Getty

Phil Campbell, guitarist for storied heavy metal band Motörhead, died on March 14 at the age of 64 following "a long and courageous battle in intensive care after a complex major operation,” according to the musician’s family. Campbell was the longest-tenured guitarist in Motörhead's history, recording 16 albums with the band before lead singer Lemmy Kilmister died in 2015.

John Alford outside of St. Albans Magistrates' Court in Hertfordshire, England in 2025.

Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty

John Alford, who starred on the British series *Grange Hill* and *London Is Burning*, was found dead in his jail cell at the HM Prison Bure in Norfolk, England, on March 13. He was 54. Born John Shannon, Alford was convicted of sexually assaulting two teenage girls in 2024 and sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison, two months of which he served before his death.

Ernie Anastos

Ernie Anastos in New York City in 2012.

Theo Wargo/Getty

Ernie Anastos, the revered *Eyewitness News* anchor and talk show host who racked up more than 30 Emmy Awards across his decades-long career, died on March 12. He was 82. Anastos climbed the ranks from radio reporting at WRKO-AM in Boston in the mid-1970s to anchoring major programs on New York-area networks like WABC-TV and WNYW. He was awarded honorary degrees from five different colleges.

Judy Pace in 'Cotton Comes to Harlem' in 1970.

Judy Pace, the trailblazing model and actress whose work in *Peyton Place*, *Brian's Song*, and more* *opened doors for Black women in Hollywood, died on March 11. She was 83. After getting her start in the William Castle shocker *13 Frightened Girls*, Pace landed groundbreaking roles in social dramas like *Peyton Place*, a TV adaptation of the scandalous 1957 film, and ABC's *The Young Lawyers*, which won her the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for the role in 1970.

Tommy DeCarlo

Daniel Knighton/Getty

Tommy DeCarlo, 60, the lead singer of Boston, died March 9, his family revealed on Facebook. A longtime fan of the rock band's early lineup, beginning when he was 12 in 1977, DeCarlo covered many of the band's songs on his own in the '90s. Following the 2007 death of the band's original lead singer, Brad Delp, DeCarlo shared a song about Delp on his MySpace page. He ended up landing an audition for the group, which led to him taking on the role of lead singer on its future concert tours.

“Country” Joe McDonald

Country Joe McDonald performs on stage at Woodstock Revival Festival, Jaap Edenhal, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 27th September 1979.

Rob Verhorst/Redferns

"Country" Joe McDonald, the Woodstock legend whose band Country Joe and the Fish helped define the '60s counterculture music scene, died on March 7. He was 84. McDonald, who penned the anti-Vietnam War anthem "I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag," garnered acclaim for his solo set at Woodstock in 1969, where he led the crowd in a singalong of "The Fish Cheer," encouraging them to spell out the word "f---," despite previously being arrested for such "vulgarity" at prior concerts. The performance was later immortalized as part of the acclaimed 1970s documentary *Woodstock*.

Jennifer Runyon Corman

Jennifer Runyon Corman in 'Ghostbusters'.

Jennifer Runyon Corman, best known for her role as Gwendolyn Pierce on the classic sitcom *Charles in Charge*, died on March 6. She was 65. The daughter of legendary Chicago radio DJ Jim Runyon, she found success early into her screen acting career by playing Scott Baio's college crush on *Charles in Charge*. She went on to make a memorable turn as a student participant in *Ghostbusters*' psychokinetic test scene before retiring from Hollywood in the early 1990s to raise her son, Wyatt, and daughter, Bayley.

Jane Lapotaire

Jane Lapotaire has died.

Karwai Tang/WireImage

Actress Jane Lapotaire, known for her work on *The Crown* and *Downton Abbey*, as well as on the stage, died March 5 at 81. The prolific actress, whose credits date back to the '60s, gained attention for playing Marie Curie in the 1977 BBC miniseries *Marie Curie*. She portrayed musician Edith Piaf the next year, in the original production of *Piaf*, for which she won the Tony Award. She took on the parts of Princess Irina in a 2014 episode of *Downton Abbey* and of Princess Alice in the third season of *The Crown* in 2019.

Corey Parker

Corey Parker plays Josh on 'Will & Grace'.

Chris Haston/NBCU

Corey Parker, known to TV audiences for his role as Grace's boyfriend Josh on *Will & Grace* in 2000, died March 5, his rep confirmed to **. He was 60. Parker's acting credits also included movies *Friday the 13th: A New Beginning* (1985) and 1988's *Biloxi Blues*. On TV, Parker appeared on shows such as *Thirtysomething* and *Love Boat: The Next Wave*. He began teaching acting in 2000.

Stephen Hibbert

Stephen Hibbert in 2019.

Albert L. Ortega/Getty

Actor Stephen Hibbert, who played "The Gimp" in *Pulp Fiction*, died on March 2. He was 68. Hibbert was born in Fleetwood, England, and got his start in the industry working as a writer on *Late Night With David Letterman*. He appeared on *Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me* and guest-starred on the TV series *Just Shoot Me. *But he was most well-known for a small role in Quentin Tarantino's 1994 hit, in which he is shown in a zipped-up leather mask.

Chase Pistone

Chase Pistone, driver of the #9 NTS Motorsports Chevrolet waits in the garage after practice for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Drivin' for Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park on June 14, 2014 in Madison, Ill.

Dilip Vishwanat/NASCAR via Getty

Chase Pistone, a former NASCAR driver and grandson of racing legend “Tiger” Tom Pistone, has died. He was 42. His older brother Nick Pistone shared the news in a Facebook post on March 2. Pistone began learning the sport at age six and, over the course of his career, won 80 feature events in Legends, Late Model, and USAR racing. After a seven-year hiatus, he returned to the track for one final year in 2014, where he competed in NASCAR's Nationwide series and Camping World Truck series. He was also the owner of CP Inc., which won several racing championships over the years.

Neil Sedaka in 1976.

George Wilkes/Hulton Archive/Getty

Neil Sedaka, the prolific singer-songwriter behind hits like 1960's "Calendar Girl" and 1962's "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," and whose work was recorded by musicians including Connie Francis, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and Cher, died on Feb. 27. He was 86. Born in Brooklyn, Sedaka sold 40 million records between 1959 and 1963, making him the second-highest-selling recording artist behind Presley. After a successful run in the '60s, he had a career resurgence in the 1970s, reaching No. 1 with the tracks "Laughter in the Rain" and "Bad Blood" (a collaboration with Elton John), and co-writing the pop classic "Love Will Keep Us Together," made famous by Captain & Tennille. A five-time Grammy nominee, Sedaka was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1978 and inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983.

Carrie Anne Fleming

Carrie Anne Fleming at the 2014 Leo Awards in Vancouver on June 1, 2014.

Andrew Chin/Getty

Carrie Anne Fleming, the Canadian actress best known for playing Candy Baker on *iZombie*, died Feb. 26. She was 51. Fleming also portrayed Karen Singer on two episodes of *Supernatural* and appeared in two episodes of another CW show, *Supergirl*, as a shopkeeper. After beginning her career with a role in the TV movie *Viper* and an uncredited part in *Happy Gilmore*, Fleming appeared on shows like *Smallville*, *The L Word*, *The 4400*, and *Stargate SG-1*. She also also acted on stage in several theater productions in British Columbia, including *Romeo and Juliet, Steel Magnolias, *and *Fame*.

Todd Meadows

'Deadliest Catch' star Todd Meadows.

Captain Rick Shelford/Instagram

*Deadliest Catch* deckhand Todd Meadows died Feb. 25 after falling overboard. He was 25. Captain Rick Shelford, who stars on the Discovery Channel series that documents crab fishermen at work in the Bearing Sea, noted that Meadows was the newest member of the show's crew and that "his love for fishing and his strong work ethic earned everyone's respect right away."

Bobby J. Brown

Bobby J. Brown on 'The Wire'.

*The Wire* actor Bobby J. Brown, who played Officer Bobby Brown on the acclaimed HBO series, died on Feb. 24 at 62 in a barn fire. Born in Washington, D.C., Brown trained at New York City’s American Academy of Dramatic Arts after competing as a boxer. He made his debut in an episode of *Homicide: Life on the Street*. He eventually went on to direct documentaries, including *Off the Chain*, which explored the widespread abuse of American pit bull terriers.

Robert Carradine

Robert Carradine.

Albert L. Ortega/Getty

Actor Robert Carradine, who starred in the *Revenge of the Nerds* films of the '80s, as well as the *Lizzie McGuire* TV show and movie in the 2000s, died Feb. 23. He was 71. His many other acting projects included the movies *Mean Streets* (1973), *Coming Home* (1978), and *The Long Riders* (1980), which also featured his brothers David, who died in 2009, and Keith.

Robert Cosby Jr.

Robert Cosby Jr. on 'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City'.

Robert Cosby Jr., the son of *The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City*’s Mary Cosby, died Feb. 23. He was 23. The younger Cosby had made multiple appearances on the Bravo show to discuss his substance-abuse problems with his mom.

Luci4/Instagram

Los Angeles rapper Luci4, whose real name was James Dear, died Feb. 22 in Los Angeles. He was 23. Dear’s 2021 song "Bodypartz" remained popular for years, having racked up more than 4.3 million views on YouTube and being certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2024. The influential artist released multiple albums and singles over the past several years, including last year's album *VampMania 3*.

Willie Colón

Willie Colón performs in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Nov. 12, 2016.

GV Cruz/WireImage

Willie Colón, the iconic New York salsa musician and social activist, died Feb. 21. He was 75. Born to Puerto Rican parents in the South Bronx, Colón released over 60 albums between 1967 and 2013, fusing salsa with jazz, rock, and other Latin American and Caribbean rhythms. Colón played the trombone, trumpet, and bass, and also served as a vocalist, producer, and arranger. He also acted in projects like *Miami Vice*, *The Cosby Show*, *It Could Happen to You*, and *Vigilante*.

Eric Dane as Mark Sloan on 'Grey's Anatomy'.

Bob D'Amico/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Eric Dane, *Grey's Anatomy*'s beloved McSteamy, died on Feb. 19, less than a year after he publicly disclosed his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He was 53. Dane made his *Grey's* debut exactly 20 years before his death on season 2 of the medical drama, playing hunky plastic surgeon Dr. Mark Sloan, and soon became a series regular and a fan-favorite character. His other credits include the shows *Euphoria*, *Charmed*, and *Gideon's Crossing, *and the films *X-Men: The Last Stand, Burlesque*, *Valentine’s Day, Marley & Me, *and* The Last Ship.***

Lil Poppa in Atlanta in 2024.

Prince Williams/WireImage

Lil Poppa, the prolific Georgia rapper who scored hits with songs like "Love & War" and "Purple Hearts," died on Feb. 18 at the age of 25. The Jacksonville-based musician, born Janarious Mykel Wheeler, broke out with the 2016 single "Fall Off" when he was only 15. He proceeded to release numerous singles, albums, and mixtapes, signing to "No Fake Love" rapper Yo Gotti's Collective Music Group imprint.

Jordan James Parke

Jordan James Parke.

Jordan James Parke/Instagram

Jordan James Parke, 34, who appeared on TV’s *Botched*, died Feb. 18 in London. He had famously spent an estimated $150,000 to look like his idol, Kim Kardashian. The self-described "Lip King" had told British newspaper *The Sun* that his look was "all about the shock factor."

Robert Duvall

Robert Duvall in 1981.

Chuck Fishman/Getty

Robert Duvall, the legendary actor who starred in films like *Apocalypse Now* and TV series like *Lonesome Dove*, died Feb. 15 at the age of 95. His wife, Luciana Pedraza, announced the news via social media, writing that the actor "passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort." Duvall received numerous accolades for his work, including an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, and four Golden Globes.**

Tim Very performing with Manchester Orchestra in 2015.

Paul R. Giunta/WireImage

Drummer Tim Very's bandmates in the American indie rock band Manchester Orchestra announced Very died Feb. 14 at the age of 42. No cause of death was given at the time. Very was remembered by bandmates Andy Hull, Robert McDowell, and Andy Prince as "an undeniable light that was only matched by his dedication and love for the craft that he was clearly put on earth to do." The son of a drummer, Very played on four Manchester Orchestra albums since he joined the band in 2011.

Cass Lacelle

Cass Lacelle on 'Grand Cayman: Secrets in Paradise'.

Disney/Jeff Daly

Cass Lacelle, who starred on the Freeform reality series *Grand Cayman: Secrets in Paradise*, died on Feb. 11 at 34. Born in 1991 and raised in Vancouver, Lacelle moved in 2016 to the Cayman Islands, where she founded the marketing agency Electric Media Group and eventually joined the cast of *Grand Cayman*, which ran for one season on Freeform in 2024.

Bud Cort in 'Harold And Maude'.

FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty

Bud Cort, the character actor who starred in *Harold and Maude, *died on Feb. 11 at age 77. After a small, but notable, role in Robert Altman's *M*A*S*H *film, he played the lead in *Brewster McCloud *before headlining the quirky comedy *Harold and Maude, *about his character Harold's May-December friendship-turned-romance with Ruth Gordon's 79-year-old Holocaust survivor, Maude. Cort later appeared in *Heat, Dogma, But I’m a Cheerleader, Coyote Ugly *and *The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou.*

James Van Der Beek

James Van Der Beek in 2020.

Michael Buckner/Getty

*Dawson’s Creek* star James Van Der Beek died on Feb. 11 after a battle with colorectal cancer. He was 48. Van Der Beek played the lead role of Dawson Leery in the teen drama for six seasons, from 1998 to 2003, alongside Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson. On television, he later played a fictionalized version of himself *Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23, *and made memorable appearances on shows like *How I Met Your Mother, One Tree Hill, Mercy, Friends With Better Lives, Pose, *and*Overcompensating. *He also competed on *Dancing With the Stars *and* The Masked Singer. *The father of six also starred in the films *Varsity Blues,* *The Rules of Attraction, Texas Rangers, *and *Downsizing, Bad Hair, *plus cameos in *Scary Movie* and *Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back*.**

Shelly Desai

Shelly Desai at the New York premiere of 'Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2' on April 11, 2015.

Brent N. Clarke/FilmMagic

Shelly Desai, the Indian American actor who played Hwang on *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia*, died Feb. 10. He was 90. Desai played small roles in films like *Thelma & Louise*, *Phantom of the Paradise*, *Escape From L.A.*, and *Toys*. He also appeared in episodes of *Star Trek: The Next Generation*, *Curb Your Enthusiasm*, *NYPD Blue*, *Ugly Betty*, and *Archer*. Desai recurred as Carlos on *Men of a Certain Age* and provided voiceover on *Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?*

Blake Garrett

Blake Garrett in 'How to Eat Fried Worms' in 2006.

Gran Via/New Line/Imagine Ent/Walden

Blake Garrett, who costarred in the 2006 movie *How to Eat Fried Worms*, which was adapted from the beloved 1973 children's book by Thomas Rockwell, died Feb. 8. He was 33. As a child, Garrett had also toured with Barney, the iconic purple dinosaur, and appeared in *Barney's Colorful World, Live!* in 2004.**

Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down performs at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre in Sterling Heights, Mich., on Aug. 7, 2021.

Scott Legato/Getty

Brad Arnold, the lead singer and longest-tenured founding member of the hard rock band 3 Doors Down, died at 47 on Feb. 7 following a battle with cancer. Arnold wrote the group's biggest single, "Kryptonite," during algebra class in his senior year of high school. The track helped launch the band's debut album *The Better Life* to massive success in 2000. 3 Doors Down went on to release five more albums between 2002 and 2016, with two of them reaching the No. 1 spot on the *Billboard* 200 chart.

Greg Brown (center), with his fellow members Cake, in 1995.

Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Greg Brown, a founding member of the rock group Cake, died Feb. 5. He was 56. The guitarist wrote the band's first big song, "The Distance," which was released in 1996. He departed the group after the album the song was on, *Fashion Nugget*, was released — although he made a brief return in 2011. He was also a member of the act Deathray, which he formed with Cake's Dana Gumbiner.

LaMonte McLemore

LaMonte McLemore.

Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic

LaMonte McLemore, who co-founded music's the 5th Dimension and provided bass vocals, died Feb. 3, at 90. The group had a string of hits mostly in the '60s, including 1969's "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In," which was named Record of the Year at that year's Grammys. "(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All" and "Wedding Bell Blues" were among their other beloved songs.

Fred Smith performing with Television at the Hammersmith Odeon in London in May 1977.

Michael Putland/Getty

Fred Smith, the bassist for the rock band Television and a founding member of Blondie, died at 77 on Feb. 5. Smith was the original bassist in the first Blondie lineup, which also included Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, and Billy O'Connor, in 1974. He left the group less than a year later to replace Richard Hell in Television, who were already a mainstay at New York's CBGB club with members Tom Verlaine, Richard Lloyd, and Billy Ficca. He provided bass and backing vocals on all three of Television's studio albums: 1977's *Marquee Moon*, 1978's *Adventure*, and 1992's *Television*.

Chuck Negron

Scott Dudelson/Getty

Three Dog Night founding member Chuck Negron died at 83 on Feb. 2. The vocal trio would go on to become one of the most popular bands of the late '60s and '70s, recording 10 albums and releasing songs like "Joy to the World," "One," and "Old Fashioned Love Song," with Negron on lead vocals. He also launched his own solo career in 1995, releasing seven albums and actively touring until the COVID-19 pandemic.

Billy Bass Nelson

Billy Bass Nelson of Parliament-Funkadelic in 1971.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Parliament-Funkadelic member Billy Bass Nelson died on Jan. 31. He was 75. Nelson was recruited by George Clinton as a teen for his doo-wop band, the Parliaments. The group later took on a funkier R&B and rock sound and was branded Funkadelic by Nelson. Later, as Parliament-Funkadelic, the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Catherine O’Hara

Catherine O'Hara at the Emmy Awards in 2024.

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

Comedy legend Catherine O'Hara, known for her roles in* Home Alone, Beetlejuice, Schitt's Creek*, and* *several Christopher Guest mockumentaries, died Jan. 30, at 71. After beginning her comedy career as a member of *Second City Television (SCTV) *— and passing on starring on *Saturday Night Live, *O'Hara further made a name for herself with roles in* After Hours, Heartburn*, stepmother Delia Deetz in *Beetlejuice* and its sequel, *Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind,* *For Your Consideration, *and, of course, the *Home Alone *movies. She most recently appeared in the action film *Argylle,* and TV shows *The Last of Us *and *The Studio.***

Demond Wilson

Demond Wilson on 'Sanford and Son'.

NBCU Photo Bank

Demond Wilson, the actor known for playing titular son and straight man Lamont on the iconic '70s sitcom *Sanford and Son*, died Jan. 30, at 79. Born in Valdosta, Ga., Wilson moved to New York in his youth, studying tap dancing and ballet, and went on to serve in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. His other TV credits included *All in the Family*, *Mission: Impossible*, *Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In*, *Baby… I'm Back*, *The Love Boat*, and *The New Odd Couple*.

Elyse Donalson

Elyse Donalson.

Courtesy of the Donalson family

Elyse Donalson, the character actress who appeared in projects like *Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers* and *The X-Files*, died Jan. 28. She was 78. Donalson began her screen career in a 1983 episode of *Wizards and Warriors*, and went on to play small parts on shows like *St. Elsewhere*, *Matlock*, *Quantum Leap*, *JAG*, and *Beverly Hills, 90210*. The actress played a patient in a sanitarium who scares Paul Rudd's character Tommy Doyle in *The Curse of Michael Myers*.

Charity Pierce

Charity Pierce on 'My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now'.

Charity Pierce, whose weight loss journey was documented in a season 3 episode of *My 600-lb Life*, died on Jan. 27. She was 50. Pierce's daughter, Charly Jo, announced her death in an emotional Facebook post, sharing that her mother was surrounded by loved ones when she passed. “Charity fly high momma,” Charly Jo wrote. “I hope you know how much I love you and how grateful I was to be able to be by your side while you took your last breath."

Sly Dunbar in 1984.

David Corio/Getty

Sly Dunbar, a Grammy-winning reggae drummer, died on Jan. 26 at 73. As one half of the duo Sly & Robbie, along with late bassist Robbie Shakespeare, the Jamaican musicians created reggae rhythms used by the likes of Bob Marley, Mick Jagger, and Bob Dylan.

Gabe Lopez; RuPaul on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'.

Gabe Lopez/Instagram; MTV

Emmy-nominated *RuPaul's Drag Race* crew member and songwriter Gabe Lopez died on Jan. 25 after a "brief but intense battle with lymphoma," according to his mother. Lopez received recognition for his behind-the-scenes work mixing sound for the reality competition's popular 2023 musical episode, "Wigloose: The Rusical!," putting a drag spin on 1980's classic *Footloose. *He also worked on *Queen of the Universe*, *The Bitch Who Stole Christmas*, *Monster High: The Movie*, *The Other Two,* and the *Las Culturistas Culture Awards.***

Guy Hovis with then-wife Ralna English on 'The Lawrence Welk Show'.

Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Guy Hovis, a musician who frequently appeared on *The Lawrence Welk Show*, died on Jan. 22. He was 84. Hovis performed numerous times on the popular musical variety show alongside then-wife Ralna English, beginning in 1969 and throughout the 1970s.

Francis Buchholz

Francis Buchholz and Rudolph Schenker of Scorpions in 1984.

Paul Natkin/Getty

Bassist Francis Buchholz, a member of German rock band Scorpions, died on Jan. 22 of cancer. He was 71. Buchholz played with the band behind hits like "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and "Wind of Change" for nearly two decades.

Jardyn ‘Pee Wee’ Walker

Jardyn 'Pee Wee' Walker.

Former reality TV star Jardyn Walker was found shot to death in Missouri on Jan. 21. He was 23. Under the nickname "Pee Wee," Walker was a contestant on Zeus Network reality dating series *Two Ways With Erica Mena, *featuring *Love & Hip Hop: New York* and *Atlanta *alum Erica Mena looking for love. Walker placed fourth overall on the competition in 2025.

Kevin Johnson

Defensive lineman Kevin Johnson plays with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1995.

George Gojkovich/Getty

Former NFL player Kevin Johnson was found dead on Jan. 21 from blunt head trauma and stab wounds. He was 55. Johnson played as a defensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles and the then-Oakland Raiders in the 1990s.**

Rob Hirst of Ghostrighters and Midnight Oil performs in 2007.

Gaye Gerard/Getty

Midnight Oil co-founder and drummer Rob Hirst died on Jan. 20 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 70. Hirst helped write many of the Aussie band's hit songs, including "Beds Are Burning," "Blue Sky Mine," "Forgotten Years," "The Dead Heart," and "King of the Mountain."

Charles C. Stevenson Jr.

Charles C. Stevenson Jr. as Smitty and Megan Mullally as Karen on 'Will & Grace'.

Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty

Charles C. Stevenson Jr., the character actor best known for playing Smitty the bartender on *Will & Grace*, died Jan. 19 in Camarillo, Calif. He was 95. Though he didn't begin his acting career until he was 50, Stevenson still netted over 100 screen credits across his four-decade career, appearing on shows like *The Office*, *Glee*, and *Shameless*. Stevenson also acted in movies such as *The Naked Gun*, *Ed Wood*, *Men in Black*, *Pleasantville*, and *Ghost World*. Other TV credits include *Cheers*, *Scrubs*, *Gilmore Girls*, *House*, *Dynasty*, *L.A.*, *Baywatch*, *Melrose Place*, *Boy Meets World*, *My Name Is Earl*, and more.

Kim Vō in 2009.

Isaac Brekken/WireImage

Celebrity hairstylist and reality TV star Kim Vō died on Jan. 19 after an eight-year battle with colorectal cancer. He was 55. In addition to serving as a popular colorist and hairstylist for the Hollywood elite, Vō served as a judge on Bravo's *Shear Genius* and starred on Paramount+'s *Blowing LA.***

Valentino Garavani

Valentino Garavani with Meryl Streep in 'The Devil Wears Prada'.

20th Century Fox

Fashion designer Valentino Garavani, founder of the Valentino brand, who also appeared in *The Devil Wears Prada*, died on Jan. 19 at his home in Rome. He was 93. The fashion visionary founded his namesake brand in 1960, gaining widespread popularity thanks to former first lady Jackie Kennedy wearing his designs. Garavani appeared in 2006's *The Devil Wears Prada *alongside Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. He also appeared in the feature documentary about his life, *Valentino: The Last Emperor, *before his 2008 retirement.**

Roger Allers

Roger Allers in 2023.

Phillip Faraone/Getty

Animator, screenwriter, and filmmaker Roger Allers died on Jan. 17. He was 76. Allers co-directed 1994's animated blockbuster *The Lion King*, and later co-wrote the libretto for the movie's Broadway musical adaptation, which was nominated for Best Book of a Musical at the 1998 Tony Awards. He also worked on films like *Beauty and the Beast*, *Aladdin*, and *Lilo & Stitch* as an animator, storyboard artist, and story editor.

Bruce Bilson

Bruce Bilson with granddaughter Rachel Bilson in 2004.

Frederick M. Brown/Getty

Emmy-winning TV director Bruce Bilson died on Jan. 16 at 97. Bilson, grandfather of actress Rachel Bilson, directed episodes of hit TV series, including *The Andy Griffith Show, Get Smart, The Patty Duke Show, The Odd Couple, *and* Hogan's Heroes.*

Kianna Underwood

Kianna Underwood on 'All That'.

Former child actress Kianna Underwood, best known for costarring on Nickelodeon's *All That*, died on Jan. 16, after being struck in a hit-and-run in New York. She was 33. Underwood appeared on the 10th season of the Nickelodeon kids' sketch show that originally starred Amanda Bynes and Kenan Thompson. She also appeared in 1999's *The 24 Hour Woman,* was cast in the original national tour of *Hairspray, *and did voice work on Bill Cosby's animated show *Little Bill *and 2001 TV movie *Santa, Baby.***

Kenny Morris

Siouxsie & the Banshees members Steve Severin, Siouxsie Sioux, John McKay, and Kenny Morris.

Fin Costello/Redferns

Drummer Kenny Morris, a member of Siouxsie and the Banshees, died on Jan. 15. He was 68. Morris played on the influential goth rock band's first two albums.**

Cartoonist Scott Adams poses with a life-sized cutout of his Dilbert character in 2014.

Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty

Cartoonist and *Dilbert *creator Scott Adams died on Jan. 13 after a battle with prostate cancer. He was 68. Adams created his defining comic strip in 1989, satirizing white collar work life. After finding mainstream success throughout the 1990s, *Dilbert* was dropped from newspapers across the U.S. in 2023 after its creator's racist comments, calling Black people a "hate group" and advising white people to "get the f--- away" from them.**

John Forté in 2025.

Theo Wargo/Getty

John Forté, a Grammy-nominated musician and producer who was a close collaborator with the Fugees, was found dead at his Massachusetts home on Jan. 12. He was 50. Forté helped produce and write two songs, "Cowboys" and "Family Business," on the influential hip-hop group's chart-topping 1996 album, "The Score." He also helped work on songs for Wyclef Jean's debut solo album, *Wyclef Jean Presents the Carnival, *before making his own album, *Poly Sci*, working with Jean and fellow Fugee Pras.**

Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin

Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin of Black Midi.

Jim Bennett/WireImage; Travis P Ball/Getty

Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, a co-founder and guitarist for British rock band Black Midi, died at age 26, his family announced on Jan. 12. The band released their debut album, *Schlagenheim*, in 2019, and was nominated for the Mercury Prize that same year. He stepped away from the group in 2021.

Yeison Jiménez

Yeison Jimenez performing in Miami on Oct. 7, 2023.

Johnny Louis/Getty

Colombian singer-songwriter Yeison Jiménez died on Jan. 10 in a plane crash, just hours before he was scheduled to perform. He was 34. The musician was one of the region's biggest names in pop music, or "música popular," a genre that blends traditional Mexican ranchera music with Colombian roots. Jiménez, who broke through with the 2013 track *Te Deseo Lo Mejor,* released eight albums over his lifetime.**

Bob Weir performing with the Grateful Dead in 1981.

Clayton Call/Redferns

Legendary Grateful Dead co-founder and rock guitarist Bob Weir died on Jan. 10 due to underlying lung issues after previously beating cancer, according to his daughter. He was 78. Weir and fellow guitarist Jerry Garcia formed the legendary jam band in 1965 with bassist Phil Lesh, keyboardist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, and drummer Bill Kreutzmann. Weir wrote or co-wrote the lyrics to some of the band's most famous tunes, including "Truckin'," "Sugar Magnolia," "Cassidy," and "Throwing Stones." He spent the next six decades touring, including three with the Dead, who became one of the highest-grossing American touring acts.

T.K. Carter in 2016.

Desiree Stone/Getty

Character actor T.K. Carter, best known for *Punky Brewster *and *The Thing*, died on Jan. 9 in his home. He was 69. Carter landed one of his most memorable roles in John Carpenter's 1982 sci-fi classic *The Thing, *as Nauls, the roller-skating cook aboard the Antarctic research station. He also played popular teacher Mike Fulton on *Punky Brewster. *Carter also appeared on *Good Morning, Miss Bliss, Dave,* *The Steve Harvey Show, The Sinbad Show,* *A Different World*, *Family Matters*, *NYPD Blue*, *Everybody Hates Chris*, and *How to Get Away with Murder. *Carter's final film role came in 2020's *The Way Back*, starring Ben Affleck.

Nickelodeon composer Guy Moon.

Guy Moon/Facebook

Emmy-nominated composer Guy Moon, who wrote music for Nickelodeon hits like *The Fairly OddParents*, *Danny Phantom*, and *SpongeBob SquarePants*, died Jan. 8 from injuries sustained in a car accident. He was 63. Moon also served as a music writer for *Big Time Rush*, *Back at the Barnyard*, and *The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy*. On the big screen, he composed scores for *The Brady Bunch Movie* and its sequel, and contributed to the soundtracks for *Minority Report*, *Fight Club*, and *Mystic Pizza*.**

Béla Tarr at the Filmoteca de Catalunya in 2024.

David Zorrakino/Europa Press via Getty

Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr, known for films like *Sátántangó* and *Damnation*, died on Jan. 6 at age 70. Recognized as a pioneer of the slow cinema movement, Tarr wrote and directed nine feature films throughout his career, beginning with his 1979 feature debut *Family Nest, *which won the Grand Prix at the Mannheim Film Festival, to 2011's *The Turin Horse.***

John Cunningham

John Cunningham.

ABC Photo Archives/Getty

John Cunningham, a veteran Broadway actor who starred in films like* Dead Poets Society* and *Mystic Pizza*, died Jan. 6. He was 93. A Dartmouth College graduate, he starred on stage in multiple Broadway productions including *Cabaret, Six Degrees of Separation, *and *Company* and on screen in films like* The Big Fix *and *School Ties*.

Elle Simone Scott

Elle Simone Scott in 2022.

Dave Kotinsky/Getty

*America's Test Kitchen* host Elle Simone Scott died on Jan. 5 after a long battle with ovarian cancer. She was 49. In addition to serving as the first Black woman to be a regular host of the hit PBS show, Scott authored bestselling cookbooks and hosted *The Walk-In* podcast.

Michael Reagan

Ron Sachs/Shutterstock

Michael Reagan, son of former President Ronald Reagan and his first wife, Jane Wyman, died after a battle with cancer on Jan. 4 at the age of 80. Born in Los Angeles to a single mother, Michael was soon adopted by Reagan and Wyman, but the couple split just a few years later. Reagan went on to marry Nancy Davis, with whom the actor had two more children. Michael would later clash publicly with one of them — Ronald Reagan Jr. — for comments the latter made about their father in his memoir.

Bret Hanna-Shuford

Bret Shuford and husband Stephen Hanna in 2023.

Slaven Vlasic/Getty

Broadway actor and influencer Bret Hanna-Shuford died on Jan. 3 of an aggressive form of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). He was 46. An actor in Broadway's *Beauty and the Beast* and *The Little Mermaid*, he was also one-half of the popular social media account Broadway Husbands, along with his spouse, Stephen Hanna-Shuford.**

Sidney Kibrick

Sidney Kibrick in 'Our Gang' circa 1935.

Silver Screen Collection/Getty

Former* Our Gang *child star Sidney Kibrick died Jan. 3. He was 97. Kibrick appeared in dozens of *Little Rascals* shorts in the 1930s and 1940s, first as unnamed children before turning up regularly as the character Woim, the sidekick of Tommy Bond's bully Butch. He retired from Hollywood as a teenager.**

Victoria Jones

Victoria Jones with dad Tommy Lee Jones at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014.

Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty

Actress Victoria Jones, the daughter of Oscar-winning actor Tommy Lee Jones, was found dead in a San Francisco hotel room on Jan. 1. She was 34. The actress appeared in her father's films* Men in Black II, The Homesman, *and *The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada,* as well as the Robin Wright-starring *Sorry, Haters*, and an episode of the TV series* One Tree Hill.*** 45

- Celebrities & Creators

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Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Celebrity”