We’ve lost some of the world’s best actors and storytellers this October—names that shaped our screens and soundtracks. With the chaos of daily life, it’s easy to miss the news. So here’s who we’ve heartbreakingly said goodbye to in October 2025.
Tchéky Karyo
Tchéky Karyo, the French-Turkish actor with that unmistakable stare, passed away on October 31 at 72. Born in Istanbul in 1953, he built his career in Paris, snagging a César in 1982 for The Balance before becoming Hollywood’s go-to for intensity in GoldenEye, La Femme Nikita, and The Missing.
Floyd Roger Myers Jr.
Floyd Roger Myers Jr., remembered for playing young Will on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, died on October 29 at 42 after a heart attack. He also portrayed a young Marlon Jackson in The Jacksons: An American Dream and later co-founded Fellaship Mens Group to support men’s mental health.
Jane Goodall
Dr Jane Goodall has died at 91, leaving behind a legacy that started with a toy chimp named Jubilee. At a young age, she wandered into Tanzania’s forests and proved that chimps use tools. From National Geographic fame to cracking jokes on The Simpsons, she never stopped fighting for the planet.
Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton, 79, has died in Los Angeles, leaving behind an amazing filmography. Born Diane Hall in 1946, she ditched sunny California for Broadway’s Hair, charmed Woody Allen, won an Oscar for Annie Hall, and made awkward cool.
John Lodge
John Lodge, the 82-year-old bassist and songwriter who gave The Moody Blues their groove, has died. His family said he “peacefully slipped away surrounded by his loved ones and the sounds of the Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly.”
John Woodvine
John Woodvine has died at 96, his agent confirming he passed peacefully at home. The An American Werewolf in London star graduated from RADA in 1953 and could make Macbeth sound like a pub brawl. He even won an Olivier in 1987 for being the perfect Falstaff.
Ben Lewis
Ben Lewis, the Australian actor who made the Phantom’s mask his own, has died in Sydney at 46 after battling bowel cancer. Born in London in 1979, he went from Urinetown to Love Never Dies and beyond. Friend Todd Woodbridge called him “a true talent and a dear mate.”
Ron Dean
Ron Dean, 87, the Chicago native whose voice sounded like it had survived every Cubs season, has died. Director Andrew Davis called him “the essence of what Chicago talent represented.” From The Breakfast Club to The Dark Knight, Dean made even the smallest roles feel like the city was talking back.
Jilly Cooper
Jilly Cooper, 88, has died after a sudden fall. Her Rutshire Chronicles sold millions, turned “bonkbuster” into a genre, and gave us Rupert Campbell-Black. Her kids called her “the shining light in all of our lives.”
Ken Jacobs
Ken Jacobs, 92, has died in Manhattan from kidney failure. Born in Brooklyn in 1933, the experimental filmmaker spent six decades turning film into controlled chaos. From Tom, Tom, the Piper’s Son to Star Spangled to Death, he made audiences question whether they were watching art.
Xavier Durringer
Xavier Durringer, 61, has died of a heart attack at his home in southern France. The Conquest director made a film about Sarkozy while Sarkozy was still president, which was a very bold move at the time. From Chok-Dee to Don’t Leave Me, his work mixed grit and humour.
Kimberly Hébert Gregory
Kimberly Hébert Gregory, 52, has died, leaving behind a career built on sharp wit and fearless honesty. Her ex-husband, Chester Gregory, called her “brilliance embodied.” From stealing Vice Principals as Dr. Belinda Brown to scene-stealing in Better Call Saul, she never missed a beat.
Leigh Anne Brodsky
Leigh Anne Brodsky, 67, has died in New York City. The Chicago native helped Nickelodeon turn SpongeBob, Dora, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into billion-dollar playground staples. Inducted into the Licensing Hall of Fame in 2011, she once said her goal was simple—“make kids smile and parents spend.”
Patricia Routledge
Dame Patricia Routledge has died at 96, her agent saying she passed peacefully in her sleep. Born in 1929, she gave Britain Hyacinth Bucket—“It’s pronounced Bouquet!”—and became TV royalty. From Keeping Up Appearances to Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, she made ordinary lives unforgettable and comedy look effortlessly proper.
Drew Struzan
Drew Struzan, 78, has died, leaving behind a body of work that defined how movie magic looked before you even bought the ticket. Born in Oregon City in 1947, he went from sketching album covers for Alice Cooper and the Bee Gees to painting Hollywood’s imagination—Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, E.T., Blade Runner, The Goonies, and more. His brush gave faces to legends and turned film posters into art you’d actually frame. Struzan once said he painted “the movies we dreamed of seeing.” Turns out, he painted the ones we’ll never forget.
D’Angelo
D’Angelo, 51, has died after a private battle with cancer. Born Michael Eugene Archer in Richmond, Virginia, on Feb. 11, 1974, he was playing piano by age three and redefining soul by his twenties. Brown Sugar and Voodoo didn’t just top charts—they changed them. Collaborating with Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Q-Tip, D’Angelo fused gospel, funk, and hip-hop into something unmistakably his own. After years away, he returned with 2014’s Black Messiah, a charged and fearless statement that proved he hadn’t lost a note. Four Grammys, 14 nominations, and a generation of imitators later, his groove still echoes everywhere.
Ace Frehley
Ace Frehley, Kiss’s original Spaceman, has taken his final bow at 74 after a fall at his New Jersey home. The Bronx-born guitarist, who first picked up a guitar at 13, gave rock fans “Shock Me,” “New York Groove,” and a reminder that sometimes the loudest voice comes from six strings.
Samantha Eggar
Samantha Eggar, who could terrify, charm, and outwit anyone on screen, has died at 86. The London-born actress broke through in The Collector (1965), snagging Oscar, Cannes, and Golden Globe nods. From Doctor Dolittle to Cronenberg’s The Brood, she proved one thing—elegance and edge can absolutely share a screen.
Ike Turner Jr.
Ike Turner Jr., son of Tina Turner and Ike Turner, has died at 67. Born in 1958, he grew up surrounded by music royalty and made his own mark, winning a Grammy in 2007 for producing Risin’ With the Blues. He later toured with The Love Thang Band, keeping rhythm in his blood.
Daniel Naroditsky
Daniel Naroditsky, the 29-year-old chess grandmaster who somehow made Sicilian Defense sound fun, has died, according to a statement from the Charlotte Chess Center. Born in the Bay Area, he was teaching checkmates by 14, writing for Chess Life, and racking up half a million YouTube followers. “Hop into my stream for great chess, good tunes, and an amazing community!!” he once wrote. And people did — thousands learned to love chess because of him.
Maria Riva
Maria Riva, daughter of Hollywood legend Marlene Dietrich, passed away on October 29 at 100. A two-time Emmy nominee, she starred in Suspense and Studio One, then decades later popped up in Scrooged. Offscreen, she penned a 1992 memoir about her mother that became a hit with classic film fans.
Prunella Scales
Prunella Scales, the sharp-tongued Sybil Fawlty from Fawlty Towers, died on October 27 at 93. Beyond the chaos of the seaside hotel, she shined in Howards End, The Boys From Brazil, and Johnny English. In 1992, she earned a CBE for her stellar contribution to British drama.
