Hollywood has sadly said goodbye to several beloved actresses in 2025, leaving fans heartbroken across the world. These Hollywood actresses who died in 2025 made an unforgettable impact on film and television, shaping generations of moviegoers.
Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton, who passed on October 11 at 79, was a legend of cinema. From belting through Hair in 1968 to winning an Oscar for Annie Hall, she made awkward cool. Even decades later, she still had audiences hooked in The First Wives Club and Something’s Gotta Give.
Pat Crowley
Patricia “Pat” Crowley, who passed away on September 14 in Los Angeles at 91, was television royalty before streaming was even a dream. The Dynasty and Please Don’t Eat the Daisies star once won a Golden Globe, and her son, Sony executive Jon Hookstratten, called her “a light Hollywood never dimmed.”
Paula Shaw
Paula Shaw, beloved by Hallmark Channel fans, passed peacefully on September 10 at 84, her workshop The Max confirmed. Whether guiding young actors or stealing scenes on screen, she made kindness look effortless. For decades, Paula proved that talent and heart were never meant to be separate things.
Polly Holliday
Polly Holliday, forever remembered for The Parent Trap and her iconic “Kiss my grits!” from Alice, passed away on September 9 in Manhattan at 88. Her friend and agent Dennis Aspland said pneumonia was suspected. Even after years of health struggles, she never stopped making people smile.
Danielle Spencer
Danielle Spencer, who won fans as Dee Thomas on What’s Happening!!, passed away on August 11 at 60 after battling cancer. Her costar Haywood Nelson called her “our brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior.” From sitcoms to saving animals, Spencer turned every chapter of her life into something meaningful.
Loni Anderson
Loni Anderson, the blonde bombshell who lit up WKRP in Cincinnati as Jennifer Marlowe, passed away in Los Angeles just days before her 80th birthday. Her publicist Cheryl J. Kagan confirmed she died after a long illness. Even off-screen, Anderson carried herself like television royalty.
Eileen Fulton
Eileen Fulton, who reigned over daytime TV as Lisa Grimaldi on As the World Turns for more than 50 years, died on July 14 at 91 after declining health. With equal parts charm and mischief, she turned soap opera storytelling into an art form long before anyone could binge it.
Lynn Hamilton
Lynn Hamilton, who brought grace and grit to Sanford and Son as Donna, passed away on June 19 at 95 of natural causes. Her team said her five-decade career “left an indelible mark on the world of entertainment.” From Broadway roots to TV fame, Hamilton always commanded the screen.
Renée Victor
Renée Victor, whose voice brought Abuelita in Coco and Lupita in Weeds to life, died on May 30 at 86 after battling lymphoma. Her agency said she passed surrounded by family in her Sherman Oaks home. Fierce, funny, and full of heart, Victor made audiences feel seen and loved.
Valerie Mahaffey
Valerie Mahaffey, the Emmy-winning star of Northern Exposure and Big Sky, passed away on May 30 at 71 after battling cancer. Her husband, Joseph Kell, said, “I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses.” Her charm was effortless, her legacy lasting.
Loretta Swit
Loretta Swit, who earned two Emmys as the unforgettable Major Houlihan on MASH*, died of natural causes on May 30 at 87 in her New York City home. Her publicist Harlan Boll confirmed the news, closing the chapter on one of television’s sharpest and most beloved icons.
Lorna Raver
Lorna Raver, the actress who terrified audiences in Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell, died on May 12 at 81. Her passing was announced in the Summer 2025 issue of SAG-AFTRA magazine. On-screen, she was haunting; off-screen, she was all heart—a true character actor in every sense.
Patty Maloney
Patty Maloney, who appeared in Little House on the Prairie, passed away on March 31 at 89 in Florida hospice care. Her brother, Dave Myrabo, said she’d suffered “several” strokes but lived without limits. “For a little person growing up in a big world, she did everything she wanted to do,” he said.
Michelle Trachtenberg
Michelle Trachtenberg, who stole hearts in Harriet the Spy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Gossip Girl, was found dead in New York City at 39. Police said no foul play was suspected. Friends and costars remembered her as funny, kind, and forever the little sister everyone wanted to protect.
Patty Maloney
Patty Maloney, who appeared in Little House on the Prairie, passed away on March 31 at 89 in Florida hospice care. Her brother, Dave Myrabo, said she’d suffered “several” strokes but lived without limits. “For a little person growing up in a big world, she did everything she wanted to do,” he said.
Michelle Trachtenberg
Michelle Trachtenberg, who stole hearts in Harriet the Spy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Gossip Girl, was found dead in New York City at 39. Police said no foul play was suspected. Friends and costars remembered her as funny, kind, and forever the little sister everyone wanted to protect.
Lynne Marie Stewart
Lynne Marie Stewart, best remembered from Pee-wee’s Playhouse and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, died on February 21 at 78. Her rep, Bette Smith, said doctors discovered a tumor near her liver and gallbladder just weeks after filming The Dink. “All she cared about was the art,” Smith said.
Joan Plowright
Dame Joan Plowright, the celebrated British actress and widow of Laurence Olivier, passed peacefully on January 16 at 95. Her family said she “enjoyed a long and illustrious career across theater, film, and TV over seven decades until blindness made her retire.” She remained pure class to the end.
Claudia Cardinale
After winning a beauty contest, Claudia Cardinale found herself at the Venice Film Festival—and in the right place at the right time. Cast in Luchino Visconti’s Rocco and His Brothers (1960) and later The Leopard (1963), she rose fast. By Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), she was pure Hollywood royalty.
Elaine Merk Binder
Elaine Merk Binder was just eight when she landed in Oz. One of the last surviving Munchkins from The Wizard of Oz, she joined the 1938 MGM production after what she called “my first big call for girls from a major studio.” Singing and dancing through “Come Out, Come Out,” she made movie magic.
Kelley Mack
Kelley Mack, remembered as Addy on The Walking Dead, passed away on August 2 at just 33 after battling a central nervous system glioma. Born Kelley Lynne Klebenow in 1992, she grew up chasing stories with a mini video camera. Across 35 roles—from Chicago Med to Delicate Arch—she proved unstoppable.
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