2025 has been a difficult year for pop culture royalty. Supporters have said goodbye to legends across TV, film, politics, social media, and more.
In mid January, award-winning director David Lynch, known for films like Mulholland Drive, Eraserhead, and Inland Empire, died at age 78.
Months later, we lost notable figures such as former MTV VJ Ananda Lewis, actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, iconic actor and director Robert Redford, civil rights activist Assata Shakur, actress Michelle Trachtenberg,
and James Ransone.
We pay tribute to these influential figures in pop culture who died this year. Here are the celebrities who died in 2025.
James Ransone, known for The Wire and Poker Face and also appeared in films such as It: Chapter Two, has died. He was 46. Ransone was found dead on Friday, Dec. 19. The suspected manner of death was suicide and the medical examiner’s case remains open, per TMZ.
Gene Hackman, known for his roles in 1992’s Unforgiven and The French Connection, died in February from heart disease. Hackman passed a week after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, passed from hantavirus.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner passed away on July 20 at the age of 54 after accidentally drowning in Costa Rica. A statement from the Judicial Investigation Agency revealed that Warner was body surfing at the time during a family trip when it happened.
Assata Shakur passed away on September 25 from “health concerns and advanced age,” according to a statement from Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Shakur was 78.
Spencer Lofranco, known for his role in Gotti, died on November 18, 2025, at the age of 33, in British Columbia, Canada. Spencer Lofranco’s death has not been publicly released.
Jeff Garcia died on December 10 at age 50. Garcia was previously hospitalized in late November with pneumonia. However, after he was discharged, his health problems persisted, leading to a collapsed lung and, ultimately, his death. Garcia was an accomplished voice actor known for his role as Sheen Estevez in Nickelodeon’s Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, famous for playing Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat, passed away at age 75 from stroke complications.
Dan McGrath, story writer and editor for The Simpsons and King of the Hill, died from stroke complications. He was 61.
Jane Goodall, English primatologist, anthropologist, and conservationist, and inspiration for Tarzan’s Jane, died on October 1 from natural causes. Goodall was 91.
Actress Kelley Mack died at age 33 of cancer on August 2. Mack was known for her roles on The Walking Dead and Chicago Med.
Australian actor Julian McMahon, known for Nip/Tuck, Charmed, and Fantastic Four, died on July 2, 2025, at age 56, in Clearwater, Florida, after a private battle with cancer.
Michael Madsen died from cardiac arrest, which was brought on by cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease, and chronic alcoholism. The Kill Bill actor was 67.
Barry Michael Cooper, acclaimed journalist and screenwriter known for New Jack City and Above the Rim, passed away in January 2025 at the age of 66. No cause of death has been revealed.
Jim Ward, voice actor known for his roles as Captain Qwark in the Ratchet & Clank franchise and Doug Dimmadome in Nickelodeon’s The Fairly OddParents, died at 66 due to complications from advanced Alzheimer’s disease. He passed away on December 10, 2025, in
Diane Ladd died from complications of chronic hypoxic respiratory failure due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The legendary actress was 89.
Kimberly Hébert Gregory, known for her role as Dr. Belinda Brown on HBO’s Vice Principals, died at the age of 52 on October 3, 2025
Actor Kenneth Colley died on June 30, 2025, at age 87, from pneumonia that developed after contracting COVID-19. Colley was known for his role as Admiral Piett in Star Wars.
Actor Harris Yulin died at 87 in June 2025 from cardiac arrest. Yulin was known for his roles in Ozark and Scarface.
George Wendt, the actor best known for his role as Norm on the sitcom Cheers, died from cardiac arrest at age 76.
Actor Charley Scalies, known for roles in The Wire and The Sopranos, passed away on May 1, 2025, at age 84, from Alzheimer’s complications.
Nicky Katt’s cause of death was suicide by hanging. The Dazed & Confused actor was found in his Burbank apartment on April 8, 2025.
Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead December 14 in their home. People report that the couple were killed by their son, Nick Reiner. Reiner was known for movies like The American President and Spinal Tap.
