From beloved icons to rising talents, these A-listers who passed away in 2025 left outsized marks on film and television. Below, we celebrate their work, milestones, and humanity with concise tributes that prioritize verified facts, respectful context, and enduring cultural impact.
Robert Redford Passed at Age 89
Actor, director, and Sundance founder Robert Redford died in 2025, closing a singular run that reshaped American independent cinema. After star turns in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, and All the President’s Men, he won an Oscar for directing Ordinary People and later anchored prestige hits like All Is Lost. Redford’s Sundance Institute and festival nurtured generations of filmmakers, expanding the marketplace for indie voices.
His environmental work and measured political engagement mirrored his understated screen presence, making him one of Hollywood’s most durable icons.
Jane Goodall Passed at Age 91
Jane Goodall, the visionary primatologist and conservationist, died at 91. Beginning in 1960 at Tanzania’s Gombe, she revolutionized science by documenting chimpanzee tool use, complex social bonds, and rich emotional lives—blurring lines once thought firm between humans and other animals. Through the Jane Goodall Institute and Roots & Shoots, she inspired global environmental activism, emphasizing hope and practical action. Goodall’s plainspoken storytelling connected research to ethics, making wildlife protection mainstream.
Tributes hailed a scientist who changed what we know and how we care. Her life’s work remains a template for curiosity, empathy, and perseverance.
Gene Hackman Passed at Age 95
Two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman died in 2025 at 95, leaving a muscular, versatile body of work spanning The French Connection, Unforgiven, The Conversation, and Hoosiers. He specialized in flawed, fiercely human men—cops, outlaws, coaches—delivered with coiled intensity and wry humor. After a late-career flourish, he retired from acting in the mid-2000s, turning to writing yet remaining an unshakeable reference point for craft and credibility.
Colleagues lauded his discipline; audiences remembered an everyman with volcanic force. He exits as one of American cinema’s most convincingly real screen presences.
Ozzy Osbourne Passed at Age 76
Ozzy Osbourne, heavy metal’s “Prince of Darkness,” died July 22, 2025, at 76. As Black Sabbath’s original frontman, his voice helped define the genre’s doom-laden power; a wildly successful solo career followed, birthing arena anthems and guitar-hero showcases. Beyond music, The Osbournes made him a reality-TV folk hero, revealing humor beneath the menace. Health struggles—including Parkinson’s—shadowed his later years.
Yet he returned for a final hometown farewell before Birmingham staged an emotional public goodbye. Musicians worldwide saluted a trailblazer whose influence remains stitched into rock’s DNA.
Pope Francis Passed at Age 88
Pope Francis, the first Jesuit and first Latin American pontiff, died on April 21, 2025, at age 88. His 12-year papacy emphasized mercy, humility, and social justice, while confronting clerical abuse and championing migrants and the poor. Francis pushed cautious reforms and broadened dialogue with other faiths, even as traditionalists resisted. The Vatican said he died from a stroke followed by heart failure.
He requested modest funeral rites and burial at Santa Maria Maggiore rather than beneath St. Peter’s. His legacy includes a simpler papal style and a church more engaged with the margins.
Val Kilmer Passed at Age 65
Val Kilmer died April 1, 2025, at 65, his official cause of death listed as pneumonia with complications tied to past throat cancer treatment. A shapeshifter across tones and genres, he moved from pop-icon turns in Top Gun and Batman Forever to uncanny portraits like Jim Morrison in The Doors and a beloved, quotable Doc Holliday in Tombstone. In later years, he confronted illness with candor, chronicling his journey in memoir and documentary.
Tributes highlighted an adventurous performer who pursued risk over repetition and left indelible images across multiple generations.
Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea) Passed at Age 71
Hulk Hogan, pro-wrestling’s crossover superstar, died July 24, 2025, at 71. The mustachioed icon of the 1980s boom, he headlined WrestleManias, embodied “Hulkamania,” and helped launch WWE into mainstream spectacle. Later controversies never erased his role in transforming sports entertainment and inspiring multiple generations. Police in Clearwater, Florida, said first responders answered a cardiac arrest call; he was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Tributes from wrestlers and fans alike remembered a complicated legend whose charisma and catchphrases defined an era.
Claudia Cardinale Passed at Age 87
Claudia Cardinale, the luminous Italian star of 8½, The Leopard, and Once Upon a Time in the West, died September 23, 2025, at 87. Born in Tunis to Sicilian parents, she became a pan-European icon, working with Fellini, Visconti, and Leone while maintaining a fierce independence about roles and image. Her career spanned more than a hundred credits, balancing voluptuous charisma with grounded intelligence.
Honors included Venice’s Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement and UNESCO ambassadorship. Cardinale’s screen presence—magnetic, modern, and effortlessly grand—remains a cornerstone of postwar cinema.
Diane Keaton Passed at Age 79
Diane Keaton, Oscar winner for Annie Hall and durable star across five decades, died at 79. A hallmark of New Hollywood and later studio rom-coms, she balanced quirk and emotional intelligence in The Godfather saga, Baby Boom, Something’s Gotta Give, and beyond. Her menswear-inspired style became iconic; offscreen she wrote candid memoirs and championed historic preservation. Tributes from collaborators like Nancy Meyers underscored her originality and fearlessness.
Keaton’s screen presence—wry, honest, vulnerable—remains deeply woven into American movie memory. She remains on of Hollywood's most famous faces.
Brian Wilson Passed at Age 82
Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys’ visionary composer-producer, died June 11, 2025, at 82. He elevated pop with symphonic harmonies and studio wizardry, culminating in Pet Sounds and “Good Vibrations.” Wilson’s life braided genius and struggle—debilitating mental illness, creative exile, and redemptive returns—yet his melodies remained lodestars for artists from Paul McCartney to contemporary indie auteurs.
Late-career tours, solo work, and renewed appreciation cemented his place as a peerless architect of feeling in sound. With his passing, American music lost a singular heart tuned to joy, longing, and Californian light.
Dick Cheney Passed at Age 84
Former Vice President Dick Cheney died in 2025 at age 84. A towering Republican figure, he shaped post-9/11 U.S. policy as George W. Bush’s influential second-in-command, advocating the Iraq invasion and expansive executive authority. Before the White House, Cheney served as defense secretary during the Gulf War and represented Wyoming in Congress. His hawkish realism, secrecy, and unapologetic defense of hard-edge counterterrorism defined his public image.
Even after leaving office, he remained an unbowed voice for muscular national security, sparking debates over power, civil liberties, and America’s role abroad that endured long beyond his tenure.
Loni Anderson Passed at Age 79
Loni Anderson, television’s glamorous comedic star of WKRP in Cincinnati, died August 3, 2025, at 79. Her pitch-perfect turn as receptionist Jennifer Marlowe subverted stereotypes with wit and self-possession, earning multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. Anderson’s screen magnetism extended to TV movies and voiceover work, while her highly public personal life kept her tabloids-famous. In later years, she leaned into advocacy and nostalgia appearances, warmly embracing fans who grew up watching.
Her death—just days before her 80th birthday—sparked affectionate reassessments of a savvy performer and pop-culture fixture.
Wink Martindale Passed at Age 91
Game-show legend Wink Martindale’s genial mastery of television’s friendliest format endeared him to generations. Beginning as an Elvis-boosting DJ, he hosted more than a dozen series and became shorthand for smooth, good-natured showmanship. His April 15, 2025, death at 91 prompted retrospectives underscoring how his voice, pacing, and rapport shaped Tic-Tac-Dough and High Rollers at their peak.
For many, Martindale embodied a gentler kind of TV—lively, communal, and relentlessly upbeat—that still comforts in reruns and clips today.
Michelle Trachtenberg Passed at Age 39
Michelle Trachtenberg, remembered for Harriet the Spy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Gossip Girl, died February 26, 2025, at 39. Initially listed as “undetermined,” the New York City medical examiner later ruled complications from diabetes as the cause. A child-star standout who transitioned to teen and adult roles, she also appeared in EuroTrip and 17 Again. Co-stars shared tributes noting her sensitivity and talent.
Her sudden death shocked peers and fans who’d grown up alongside her screen work, sparking new appreciation for the range she displayed early and often.
Sly Stone Passed at Age 82
Sly Stone, the reclusive mastermind behind Sly and the Family Stone, died June 9, 2025, at 82. His multiracial, gender-mixed band fused funk, rock, soul, and psychedelia into a radical, joyous new pop language—“Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).” The ecstatic sound masked an often turbulent personal life, but his innovations powered everything from Parliament-Funkadelic to Prince.
At the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, A-list performers honored his revolutionary grooves and inclusive vision—an American soundtrack to liberation and euphoria.
Brigitte Bardot Passed at Age 91
The world said a final goodbye to French cinema icon Brigitte Bardot, who reportedly passed away on December 28, 2025, at the age of 91. Known globally as a symbol of 1950s and '60s glamour, she rose to international fame in classics like And God Created Woman. After leaving the film industry in 1973, she dedicated her life to animal welfare, establishing a renowned foundation in her name.
Allegedly, she spent her final years in quiet solitude at her Saint-Tropez home, surrounded by her beloved pets. Her legacy as a trailblazing actress and passionate activist remains truly unforgettable.
Giorgio Armani Passed at Age 91
Giorgio Armani, the Italian designer who rewrote luxury with unstructured tailoring and cinematic minimalism, died September 4, 2025, at 91. His softly constructed jackets democratized elegance; his brand’s clean lines reshaped Hollywood red carpets and corporate wardrobes alike. A rare creative who also owned and ran his empire, Armani kept control—and quality—tight. Milan paid homage as fashion and business leaders saluted a statesman of style whose influence bridged decades.
“Re Giorgio” leaves a blueprint for modern chic: ease, restraint, and immaculate craft. He will be missed in the fashion world and beyond.
Loretta Swit Passed at Age 87
Loretta Swit, Emmy-winning star of MASH*, died May 30, 2025, at 87. As Maj. Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan, she transformed a caricature into a layered portrait of professionalism, vulnerability, and command, helping a landmark series marry humor to wartime critique. Swit’s career spanned stage and screen, complemented by devoted animal-rights advocacy and painting. Tributes recalled her trailblazing push for stronger female characters and her generosity to fans.
Nearly 125 million viewers watched MASH*’s finale; Swit’s indelible presence remains central to why it still resonates.
Robert Benton Passed at Age 92
Robert Benton, Oscar-winning writer-director of Kramer vs. Kramer and co-writer of Bonnie and Clyde, died May 11, 2025, at 92. A New Hollywood architect turned mainstream laureate, he won three Academy Awards across writing and directing, with later highlights including Places in the Heart and Nobody’s Fool. Benton’s actor-friendly sets and literate scripts made dependable showcases for performers from Dustin Hoffman to Paul Newman.
He also co-wrote Superman, evidencing a range from intimate dramas to pop spectacle. Film history remembers a craftsman with humane instincts and narrative clarity.
Peter Yarrow Passed at Age 86
Peter Yarrow, the singer-songwriter from Peter, Paul and Mary, died at 86. With crystalline harmonies on “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” “Blowin’ in the Wind,” and “If I Had a Hammer,” the trio’s folk anthems soundtracked civil-rights marches and antiwar rallies. Yarrow later founded Operation Respect, an anti-bullying nonprofit, extending activism into classrooms. His complicated legacy includes a 1970 conviction for taking indecent liberties with a minor—later pardoned—which resurfaced in obituaries.
Despite a murkey history, musically and culturally, he remained emblematic of folk’s intersection with moral protest.
David Lynch Passed at Age 78
David Lynch, the auteur behind Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, and Twin Peaks, died in January 2025 at 78. He fused suburban unease with dream logic to forge “Lynchian” cinema—eerily beautiful, funny, and terrifying at once. A painter, sound-designer, and meditator, he expanded storytelling’s texture across film, television, music, and digital art. Tributes emphasized his freedom to be strange and sincere simultaneously, making space for countless boundary-pushers after him.
Lynch exits as one of America’s most distinctive imaginations, his influence visible anywhere art risks the uncanny.
Bobby Whitlock Passed at Age 77
Bobby Whitlock, the singer–keyboardist and co-founder of Derek and the Dominos, died August 10, 2025, at 77. A Memphis native and early Stax associate, he helped craft Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, co-writing enduring cuts like “Bell Bottom Blues” and shaping the group’s gospel-tinged blues-rock. Whitlock also played on Eric Clapton’s solo debut and George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, later releasing solo albums and performing with partner Coco Carmel.
His manager confirmed he died of cancer. Musicians hailed a soulful catalyst whose harmonies and Hammond swells helped define an era.
Patricia "Pat" Crowley Passed at Age 91
Pat Crowley, the Golden Globe-winning actress whose warmth lit up film and television for six decades, died September 14, 2025, in Los Angeles at 91 of natural causes. She headlined the 1960s sitcom Please Don’t Eat the Daisies, guested memorably on Friends, and recurred on Dynasty and Port Charles. Early film leads opposite celebrated co-stars showcased a deft blend of poise and comedic timing.
Obituaries praised her steady professionalism and friendly set presence. Crowley’s career traced TV’s evolution from studio backlots to prestige soaps—an enduring testament to classic screen charm.
Anne Burrell Passed at Age 55
Chef and TV personality Anne Burrell died June 17, 2025, at 55. A CIA-trained restaurateur turned Food Network favorite, she hosted Secrets of a Restaurant Chef and Worst Cooks in America, mentoring amateurs with brassy warmth and industry rigor. New York City’s medical examiner later ruled death by suicide due to acute intoxication. Fans and colleagues remembered her spiky-haired exuberance, cookbooks, and charitable efforts with City Harvest and Garden of Dreams.
Burrell brought restaurant technique to home kitchens—and heart to high-pressure television. Fans won't be forgetting her anytime soon.
Jeff Baena Passed at Age 47
The writer-director behind Life After Beth, The Little Hours, Horse Girl, and Spin Me Round died in Los Angeles on January 3, 2025, at 47. Authorities later confirmed the manner of death as suicide. Married to frequent collaborator Aubrey Plaza, Baena also co-wrote I Heart Huckabees and became a festival fixture for droll, off-kilter storytelling and generous ensemble work. Tributes praised his sensitivity to actors and meticulous craft.
An NYU film graduate who started as an assistant, he broke through with distinct comedies that traveled widely. His humane absurdism and gentle curiosity continue to resonate.
Julian McMahon Passed at Age 56
Known to U.S. audiences for Nip/Tuck, Charmed, and FBI: Most Wanted, the Australian actor died on July 2, 2025, in Clearwater, Florida, after a private battle with cancer. He was 56. McMahon’s wife confirmed his illness, and colleagues posted remembrances highlighting his generosity and professionalism on set. Across three decades, he balanced genre TV and crime procedurals with film roles.
He sustained an impressive and devoted fan base through leading-man charisma and long-running series arcs, leaving many fans sad at his passing.
Nicky Katt Passed at Age 54
A cult favorite for tough-edged turns in Dazed and Confused, Boston Public, The Limey, and Insomnia, Katt died in Burbank on April 8, 2025, at 54. His family and the Los Angeles County medical examiner confirmed his death was by suicide. A former child actor, Katt built a steady career alternating between indie films and network TV, often stealing scenes with caustic, memorable performances.
Tributes from collaborators emphasized his intelligence, humor, and craft. It's safe to say, he's left an unforgettable mark on Hollywood.
Devin Harjes Passed at Age 41
A versatile character actor best known as Jack Dempsey on Boardwalk Empire and Pete Baylor on Manifest, Harjes died in New York City on May 27, 2025, at 41, after a cancer diagnosis the previous winter. He stacked credits across TV and procedurals—including Blue Bloods, Daredevil, and Gotham—while moving between stage and indie films. Tributes from collaborators emphasized his focus, athleticism, and generosity.
He earned festival recognition, including honors at the Long Island International Film Expo and Italy’s Tolentino International Film Festival. Friends remembered a disciplined performer whose commitment to craft outpaced fame.
D’Angelo Passed at Age 51
Neo-soul architect D’Angelo (Michael Archer) died October 14, 2025, at 51, after a private battle with cancer. With Brown Sugar and Voodoo, he resurrected vintage soul while pushing rhythm forward—molten basslines, swung drums, gospel-blues vocals—reshaping R&B for decades. After a long, mythic hiatus, he returned with Black Messiah, its raw urgency aligning with a turbulent era.
Musicians—from Questlove to Flea—hailed a peerless feel player and songwriter who made groove a living, breathing organism. His catalog is small, but seismic; modern soul’s compass now points back to his singular pulse.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner Passed at Age 54
The Emmy-nominated star who grew up on The Cosby Show died on July 20, 2025, while vacationing with family in Costa Rica. Authorities confirmed the cause as accidental asphyxiation by submersion after a rip current; he was 54. Beyond Theo Huxtable, Warner stacked credits on Malcolm & Eddie, The Resident, Suits, and more, plus a Grammy in 2015 for spoken-word/R&B work.
Tributes poured in from colleagues and institutions across the industry, and he was honored during the Emmys’ In Memoriam segment. He is survived by his wife and daughter.
Kelley Mack Passed at Age 33
Best known to genre fans as Addy on The Walking Dead (season 9), Mack died in Cincinnati on Aug. 2, 2025, at 33 after battling a central nervous system glioma. A Chapman University graduate with dozens of screen credits, she also appeared in Chicago Med, 9-1-1, and indie features. Family statements described her optimism during treatment and a posthumous role slated for release. Peers highlighted her kindness on set, comic instincts, and careful preparation.
Beyond acting, she mentored younger performers and supported animal rescues, leaving colleagues grateful for her professionalism and spirit.
Brad Everett Young Passed at Age 46
An actor-photographer whose credits included Grey’s Anatomy, Felicity, Beverly Hills, 90210, Boy Meets World, and Oscar-winner The Artist, Young died in a Los Angeles car crash last month at 46 after his vehicle was struck by a wrong-way driver. Alongside acting, he founded Dream Loud Official to boost arts education and photographed TV casts for major outlets, making him a familiar presence on both sides of the camera.
Colleagues remembered his kindness, upbeat energy, and tireless advocacy for creatives. Friends say his portraits made people feel seen, capturing community as much as celebrity.
Michael Madsen Passed at Age 67
The Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill mainstay died in Malibu on July 3, 2025, at 67; officials listed cardiac arrest as the cause. A prolific presence across four decades, Madsen’s iconic Mr. Blonde performance helped define modern crime cinema, while later collaborations with Quentin Tarantino and character turns in studio films and indies kept him constantly working. Tributes from co-stars highlighted his poetry, gravelly charisma, and commitment to independent projects he believed in.
Fans remembered a magnetic presence who brought danger and humor in equal measure, making even minor roles feel unforgettable.
Peter Navy Tuiasosopo Passed at Age 61
Known to ’90s kids as E. Honda in Street Fighter and to sports-comedy fans from Necessary Roughness, Tuiasosopo died on Feb. 10, 2025, at 61 due to heart complications, his family said. A trailblazer for Polynesian representation in mainstream film and TV, he stacked guest roles on Magnum P.I., Black-ish, and NCIS while mentoring younger performers. Tributes emphasized his generosity and pride in opening doors for others.
Community groups celebrated his outreach to students and athletes, noting his steady encouragement and humor. Friends said he measured success by impact, not attention, and left both behind.
Danielle Spencer Passed at Age 60
Best known as sharp-tongued Dee Thomas on the 1970s sitcom What’s Happening!!, Danielle Spencer died on August 11, 2025, in Richmond, Virginia, at 60 after a long battle with cancer. A beloved child star who survived a devastating car crash at 12, she later became a veterinarian, earning her D.V.M. from Tuskegee University in 1993 and advocating for animal welfare.
Spencer reprised Dee on What’s Happening Now!! and made select film appearances. Tributes celebrated her wit, resilience, and second act in medicine—proof that fame and purpose can harmonize.
Rudi Johnson Passed at Age 45
Former Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl running back Rudi Johnson died at 45 on September 23, 2025, in Florida. Team statements and widespread coverage marked the loss of a franchise great who posted three straight 1,300-yard seasons and set the Bengals’ single-season rushing record in 2005. Authorities indicated death by suicide; no foul play was suspected. Tributes from teammates and Auburn University, where he was 2000 SEC Player of the Year, underscored his relentless style and community work.
Fans remembered a battering runner whose consistency powered Cincinnati’s resurgence. If you or someone you know needs help, call 988.
Brett James Passed at Age 57
Brett James, the Grammy-winning Nashville songwriter and producer behind hits for Carrie Underwood (“Jesus, Take the Wheel”) and dozens more, died September 18, 2025, at 57 in a plane crash near Franklin, North Carolina. A former medical student turned hit-maker, he landed more than 20 No. 1 country singles, crossed into pop, and became a respected advocate for creators. Industry tributes highlighted his mentorship, melodic instinct, and lyric craft that elevated artists across eras.
ASCAP and peers memorialized a workhorse whose songs traveled from radio to arena sing-alongs with effortless emotional clarity.