July 2025 hit Hollywood like a bad sequel nobody asked for. While everyone obsessed over Sean and Allyshia’s “are they or aren’t they” drama, the real heartbreak happened offscreen. Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Ozzy Osbourne, and Hulk Hogan, three icons from three worlds, signed off for good, reminding us fame doesn’t outlast farewell. Here’s a list of famous Hollywood actors who died in 2025.
Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton, who died at 79 in Los Angeles, made being awkward an art form and turtlenecks a lifestyle. Born Diane Hall in 1946, she went from Hair on Broadway to Annie Hall on the big screen, winning an Oscar and proving authenticity could outshine Hollywood polish any day.
Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer, who died at 65 on April 1 from pneumonia, left behind a filmography every actor dreams of. From Top Secret! and Tombstone to Heat and The Doors, he could do it all. His final bow came in Top Gun: Maverick—a fitting reunion with Tom Cruise and cinematic immortality.
Robert Redford
Robert Redford died at 89 on September 16, 2025, at his Utah home, leaving behind a career that defined American cinema. From Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to All the President’s Men, he embodied cool with substance. Then he directed Ordinary People and proved legends don’t peak—they evolve.
Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman checked out at 95 on February 26, 2025, in Santa Fe, leaving behind a film legacy taller than his Superman co-star. From Bonnie and Clyde to Unforgiven, he never missed. But let’s be honest—you still hear him yelling, “I am a genius!” and instantly picture that perfect bald Lex Luthor grin.
Terence Stamp
Terence Stamp, who died on August 17, 2025, at 87, never escaped General Zod—and honestly, why would he want to? The man behind Billy Budd, The Collector, and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert once laughed, “I can’t go out on the street in London without somebody saying, ‘It’s Zod!’” Kneel, indeed.
Graham Greene
Graham Greene, who died at 73 on September 1, 2025, spent over four decades showing Hollywood what authenticity looks like. From Dances With Wolves to The Last of Us and Echo, he gave every role soul. Off-screen, he championed Indigenous storytelling, once saying, “My people are very funny.” He proved it.
Joan Plowright
Dame Joan Plowright, who died peacefully at 95 on January 16, brought warmth and dignity to every role. From Jane Eyre to 101 Dalmatians, where she charmed as Nanny, she carried the quiet power of true stage royalty—graceful, grounded, and unforgettable without ever trying to be.
Michelle Trachtenberg
The TV world lost a familiar face on February 26, 2025. The 39-year-old star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl died after a liver transplant and diabetes complications. Her run was short, but she proved you don’t need decades to make people remember your name.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 54, tragically drowned in Costa Rica, ending a career that stretched far beyond The Cosby Show. From Malcolm & Eddie to Sons of Anarchy and Suits, he kept evolving. Oh, and he won a Grammy too—because apparently being Theo Huxtable wasn’t impressive enough.
Michael Madsen
Michael Madsen, forever Mr. Blonde, built a career where grit met poetry. From Reservoir Dogs to Kill Bill: Volume 2 and The Hateful Eight, he defined cool without trying. Yet beyond Tarantino’s world, he slipped into Thelma & Louise, Sin City, and even Bond’s Die Another Day—then went home to write verse.
Julian McMahon
Julian McMahon, who died of cancer at 56 in Clearwater, Florida, lived more lives than most superheroes. The son of former Australian Prime Minister Sir William McMahon, he ditched modelling for mayhem as Cole in Charmed, Dr. Troy in Nip/Tuck, and—of course—Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four. Quite the résumé for a villain.
Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan died at 71, leaving behind more than just ripped shirts and “brother!” catchphrases. With 12 world titles, Rocky III, and even Hogan Knows Best, he turned wrestling into prime-time entertainment. The bandana, the mustache, the swagger—he wasn’t playing a character. He was, unapologetically, Hulk Hogan.
Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne, the 76-year-old “Prince of Darkness,” took his final bow, leaving behind a career louder than any amp. From Paranoid to No More Tears, he turned chaos into art. Fired, rehired, televised, and immortalized, Ozzy didn’t just shape metal—he made it mainstream, bats and all.
Richard Chamberlain
Richard Chamberlain, who died after a stroke, earned his crown as “the king of the miniseries.” From Shōgun to The Thorn Birds, he made TV feel cinematic long before streaming did. His performances didn’t just fill screens—they lingered, reminding you why prestige television existed long before the hashtag.
Kelley Mack
Kelley Mack, gone too soon at 33 on August 2, 2025, left her mark on The Walking Dead and far beyond. Between acting, producing, and voice work, she crammed more creativity into a decade than most manage in a lifetime—a reminder that impact isn’t measured in years, but in moments.
Alon Abutbul
Navid Negahban, who died at 60, built a career that stretched from Israeli cinema in the ’80s to Hollywood heavyweights like Munich, Body of Lies, and The Dark Knight Rises. On TV, he grounded shows like Homeland and Snowfall—the kind of actor who made every scene feel lived in.
Paula Shaw
Paula Shaw, who died on September 10, 2025, at 84, was Hallmark royalty before Hallmark even knew it. From Cedar Cove to decades of TV classics like Little House on the Prairie and Starsky and Hutch, she did it all. Horror fans, of course, remember her as Mrs. Voorhees in Freddy vs. Jason.
George Wendt
George Wendt, who died of cardiac arrest on May 20, 2025, at 76, will always be “Norm!” from Cheers. But beyond the bar stool, he tackled drama in Guilty by Suspicion and Someone’s Watching Your Dreams. Wendt proved you could make people laugh and still hit them right in the feelings.
James Carter Cathcart
James Cathcart, the voice behind Pokémon icons Gary Oak, Meowth, James, and Professor Oak, died on July 8 after battling throat cancer. He retired in 2023, leaving behind a legacy that defined childhoods everywhere. For millions of fans, his voice was the sound of Saturday mornings.
Loni Anderson
Loni Anderson died at 79 after a long illness, leaving behind a career as unforgettable as her smile. As Jennifer on WKRP in Cincinnati, she redefined the blonde TV archetype, then turned heads again as Jayne Mansfield in the ’80s—with a pre-fame Arnold Schwarzenegger stealing a few scenes of his own.
Joe Don Baker
Joe Don Baker, who died of lung cancer at 89 on May 7, 2025, built a six-decade career on grit and presence. From Cool Hand Luke to Mud, he played the kind of tough guys who didn’t need speeches—they just walked in, stared you down, and stole the scene.
Valerie Mahaffey
Valerie Mahaffey, who died of cancer at 71, lit up screens big and small. From The West Wing and Seinfeld to ER and Frasier, she always stood out. But it was her turn as Eve in Northern Exposure—the role that won her an Emmy—that cemented her place in TV history.
Rene Kirby
Rene Kirby, who died on July 11, 2025, at 70, spent two months in the hospital before his final curtain. A former gymnast turned actor, he’s best remembered as Walt in Shallow Hal—a role that let his humor and heart shine through, both on-screen and off.
Peter Jason
Robert Desiderio, who died of cancer on February 20, 2025, at 80, brought quiet intensity to every role. Whether as Con Stapleton in Deadwood or Dr. Paul Leahy in John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness, he was the kind of actor who didn’t need the spotlight to own the scene.
David Kaff
David Kaff, who died at 79, lived the dream twice—first as Rare Bird’s keyboardist behind the million-selling hit Sympathy, then as Viv Savage in This Is Spinal Tap. His perfectly dry “Have a good time… all the time” became comedy legend, and yes, he actually rocked SNL with the band in 1984.
Tom Troupe
John Troupe, who died at 97 on July 20, made a career out of memorable moments. With guest roles in Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, and Cheers, he wasn’t the loudest name in the credits—but he was the kind of actor you instantly recognized, even if you didn’t know why.
Connie Francis
Connie Francis, who died at 87, was pop royalty before the term even existed. With hits like Stupid Cupid, Who’s Sorry Now?, and Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool, she became the first woman to top the Billboard Hot 100—selling over 200 million records and soundtracking the heartbreak of a generation.
Tony Roberts
Wallace Shawn, who died of lung cancer at 85 on February 7, was more than just Woody Allen’s frequent collaborator—he was a Broadway lifer with unmatched wit. For over forty years, he juggled sharp dialogue and quirky charm, proving brains and humor make the best double act.
Francisco San Martin
Iván Hernández, who died at 39 on January 16, packed plenty into a short career. From Days of Our Lives to Jane the Virgin and Behind the Candelabra, he left an impression that outlasted his time on screen—a reminder that presence, not longevity, defines a performer.
Rick Hurst
Rick Hurst, who died unexpectedly at 79 on June 26, made his mark across generations. As Deputy Cletus Hogg in The Dukes of Hazzard, he brought small-town charm to primetime, and through his son Ryan in Sons of Anarchy, his legacy rolled on—proof that talent can run in the family.
Kenneth Colley
Kenneth Colley, who died of pneumonia on June 30, pulled off one of cinema’s strangest résumés—playing both Jesus in Monty Python’s Life of Brian and Admiral Piett in The Empire Strikes Back. From holy robes to Imperial command, few actors balanced comedy and control quite like he did.
John Woodvine
John Woodvine, who died peacefully at 96, never just performed—he commanded. A RADA graduate from 1953, his Macbeth could scare a room sober. Best known for An American Werewolf in London, he also won an Olivier in 1987 for his Falstaff, proving wit and gravitas can share the same stage.
Ben Lewis
Ben Lewis, who died at 46 in Sydney after battling bowel cancer, left an indelible mark on musical theatre. Born in London in 1979, he stole hearts in Urinetown and wore the Phantom’s mask in Love Never Dies with unmatched presence. Friend Todd Woodbridge called him “a true talent and a dear mate.”
Ron Dean
Ron Dean, who died at 87, was Chicago through and through—tough, loyal, and a little world-weary. Director Andrew Davis once said he was “the essence of what Chicago talent represented.” From The Breakfast Club to The Dark Knight, Dean didn’t just act; he sounded like the city telling its own story.
Kimberly Hébert Gregory
Kimberly Hébert Gregory, who died at 52, brought truth and electricity to every role. As Dr. Belinda Brown in Vice Principals or in Better Call Saul, she owned the screen with fearless precision. Her ex-husband, Chester Gregory, called her “brilliance embodied,” and audiences everywhere knew exactly what he meant.
Patricia Routledge
Dame Patricia Routledge, who died peacefully at 96, made perfection look effortless. Born in 1929, she gave Britain Hyacinth Bucket—“It’s pronounced Bouquet!”—and became sitcom royalty. From Keeping Up Appearances to Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Routledge turned ordinary life into comedy gold, delivering laughs with precision only she could manage.
Brad Everett Young
Brad Everett Young, who died at 46 on September 15 from injuries in a car crash, left more than his Grey’s Anatomy cameo behind. His publicist Paul Christensen said, “Brad’s passion for both the arts and the people behind them was unmatched.” Through Dream Loud Official, that passion still speaks.
Randy Boone
Randy Boone, who died at 83 on August 28, was a familiar face to Western fans. As Randy Benton on NBC’s The Virginian, he strummed his guitar and rode into TV history. His wife, Lana, confirmed his passing—closing the chapter on one of television’s most easygoing cowboys.
