So far, 2025 has been a truly devastating year for the entertainment industry, particularly in Hollywood. And it’s not just Tinseltown: this year has gone through a particularly chaotic news cycle that, sometimes, eclipses even the most heart-wrenching personal tragedies. Unfortunately, this also means that we’ve lost some amazing actors this year, and no one could even process their loss as their legacies deserve. As we’re still reeling from the sudden departure of Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Ozzy Osbourne, here are 10 actors whose deaths unfortunately flew under the radar.
10. Julian McMahon
The star of Nip/Tuck and the OG Doctor Doom from the 2005 Fantastic Four film passed away on July 2 after an unpublicized battle with cancer. His sudden departure left fans speechless, especially since only McMahon’s loved ones knew about the severity of his illness.
9. Tony Roberts
A longtime Woody Allen collaborator and an incredibly accomplished Broadway actor, Tony Roberts had a busy career in the entertainment industry that lasted over four decades. The actor passed away from lung cancer at the age of 85 on February 7.
8. James Carter Cathcart
Cathcart shaped an entire generation with his voice alone, as the VA for Pokémon’s Gary Oak, Meowth, James, and Professor Oak. He retired in 2023 after a throat cancer diagnosis, passing away on July 8.
7. Francisco San Martin
San Martin’s career might have been brief, but he still landed some great roles in Days of Our Lives, Behind the Candelabra, and Jane the Virgin. Sadly, the 39-year-old Spanish-born actor took his own life on January 16.
6. Joan Plowright
Dame Joan Plowright’s unmatched tenderness made her an icon in the mid-90s, with appearances in dramas such as Jane Eyre, and even a memorable appearance as Nanny in the live-action 101 Dalmatians. She passed away peacefully at the age of 95 on January 16.
5. Rick Hurst
The one and only Deputy Cletus Hogg from The Dukes of Hazzard and father of Sons of Anarchy’s Ryan Hurst passed on unexpectedly on June 26. He was 79 years old.
4. Kenneth Colley
From playing Jesus in Monty Python’s Life of Brian to Admiral Piett in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Colley had an incredible acting range. He passed away from pneumonia earlier this year, on June 30.
3. Michelle Trachtenberg
Trachtenberg was an early-2000s sensation, becoming a legend with her roles in Buffy and Gossip Girl. She passed away unexpectedly following a liver transplant and complications from diabetes on February 26. She was only 39.
2. Tom Troupe
With guest roles in Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, and Cheers, Tom Troupe is a veritable icon of TV history. The veteran star passed away on July 20 at the age of 97.
1. David Kaff
Spinal Tap’s legendary keyboardist Viv Savage passed away on July 11. Kaff, who played the eccentric musician, reprised his role in live performances after the iconic 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap.
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