You’re halfway through a rewatch and freeze: familiar face, credit roll, then a Google search that says they died in December 2025. No viral headlines. No trending tributes. Just gone. That’s the strange quiet of some celebrity deaths this month. December 14 brought the shocking double death of Rob Reiner, 78, and wife Michele Singer Reiner. French screen legend Brigitte Bardot died at 91 on December 28. Actor Pat Finn, known from The Middle and Friends, passed at 60 on December 22. Filipino screen icon Bing Davao, 65, died on December 20.
Brigitte Bardot – December 28
Brigitte Bardot died on December 28, 2025, aged 91, at home in France. You know the hair, the bikini, the attitude. And God Created Woman changed cinema in 1956 and annoyed everyone important. She quit acting in 1973, chose animals, and never softened her opinions. “It was the first film where I was really myself. Before that, I was systematically tizzied up, beehived, corseted and bullied. I was fed up. Juliette, the lead, was me. Vadim had given me carte blanche and the freedom to do my own hair and make-up, and to dress, walk, and dance how I wanted to,” she once said.
Don Bryant – December 26
Don Bryant died December 26, 2025, at 83. You know his pen from Memphis soul gold. With wife Ann Peebles, he co-wrote “I Can’t Stand the Rain,” her 1973 smash. Later, he grabbed the mic with the Bo-Keys, proving great songs age better than vinyl and still sound dangerous loud.
Mickey Lee – December 25
Reality TV personality Mickey Lee died on December 25, 2025, after multiple cardiac arrests. She was 35. Fresh off season 27 of Big Brother, which aired summer 2025, Lee survived to Week 8. Viewers argued nonstop. Love her mess or hate it, you still watched. That mattered more than polls.
Perry Bamonte – December 24
Perry Bamonte died on December 24, 2025, at his England home after a short illness. He was 65. You heard his guitar and keys with The Cure from 1990 to 2005, then again recently, on Friday I’m in Love and A Letter to Elise, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.
Adam the Woo – December 22
Adam the Woo, born David Adam Williams, died December 22, 2025, at 51, at his Celebration, Florida home. For nearly 20 years, you watched him roam theme parks, filming sites, and empty places, smiling, waving, saying, “Join me, shall you?” He was an internet legend.
Pat Finn – December 22
Actor Pat Finn died on December 22, 2025, at his Los Angeles home after a battle with bladder cancer. He was 60. You saw him everywhere, from The Middle to Friends, but fans still laugh hardest at his Seinfeld fur-coat fiasco.
Chris Rea – December 22
English singer Chris Rea died in London on December 22, aged 74, after a short illness. You know the voice: “Driving Home For Christmas,” “The Road to Hell,” “Josephine.” Across 40 years, he dropped 20 albums. The Road to Hell and Auberge hit UK number one during his long career.
Vince Zampella – December 21
Vince Zampella, co-creator of Call of Duty, died in a car accident on December 21. He was 55. You’ve played his work, maybe weekly. From founding Infinity Ward and Respawn with Jason West to steering Battlefield at EA, his games shaped how you shoot, squad up, and lose sleep.
James Ransone – December 19
James Ransone, 46, died by suicide on December 19. You remember him as Ziggy Sobotka on The Wire season two. Horror fans caught his later turn in It Chapter Two, V/H/S/85, and Black Phone 2. He also showed range in Generation Kill and Small Engine Repair. Across film and television.
Greg Biffle – December 18
Former Greg Biffle died in a plane crash on December 18. He was 58. His wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder also died. NASCAR named him among its 75 greatest drivers. He won 54 stock-car races and history-winning O’Reilly Auto Parts and Craftsman Truck Series both titles.
Peter Arnett – December 17
Peter Arnett changed war reporting by writing like you were there, boots dusty, nerves shot. The New Zealand journalist won a 1966 Pulitzer for Vietnam, then kept going. Fifteen wars. Saddam. Bin Laden. He died December 17 in California, after prostate cancer. Journalism felt louder with him Back when facts.
Gil Gerard – December 16
A rare and aggressive form of cancer took the life of actor Gil Gerard on 16 December 2025. Many fans saw the 82-year-old actor as a childhood hero thanks to his portrayal as Buck Rogers in both the 1979 film and its subsequent television adaptation. He had a five-decade career in Hollywood before delivering his final role in 2019.
Joe Ely – December 15
Joe Ely died on December 15, 2025, at 78, at his home in Taos, New Mexico, after pneumonia and complications from Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Born February 9, 1947, in Amarillo, he came up in Lubbock, then helped form the Flatlanders with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. By the late 1970s, his solo work mixed road grit with sharp stories. He even sang Spanish vocals on the Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” Kyle Young of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum said Ely “performed American roots music with the fervor of a true believer who knew music could transport souls.”
Anthony Geary – December 14
General Hospital star Anthony Geary died on December 14th from complications related to surgery he underwent just three days before his passing. The actor earned himself eight Daytime Emmys for his role as Luke Spencer, a hitman who falls in love with and marries one of his victims. Their onscreen wedding in 1981 was the most-watched soap opera episode in American television history, with 30 million viewers, even if their love story was far from perfect.
Rob Reiner – December 14
Rob Reiner had his biggest success in Hollywood behind the camera, but he brought the same charm and comedic talent to his occasional acting roles. In addition to his role as Michael “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family, Reiner also appeared in big hits like Sleepless in Seattle and The Wolf of Wall Street. Reiner had rolled out his final performance before his life was taken on December 14, 2025. His wife, photographer Michele Singer, was also killed in the tragic events.
Bob Burns III – December 12
Bob Burns III wore many different hats in the entertainment industry. Sure, he had roles in many sci-fi/horror films and TV shows as either monsters or gorillas, but he was also a consultant, producer, archivist and historian for many more movies in the genres. Sadly, Burns passed away on December 12, 2025, at the age of 90.
Peter Greene – December 12
Peter Greene was cast as a villain in almost every project he appeared in, including his most memorable roles in Pulp Fiction and The Mask. Unfortunately, the actor passed at age 60 in a gory scene that could have been straight out of one of his movies. Greene was reportedly found lying face down with “blood everywhere” and a note near his body that read, “I’m still a Westie.” The mystery of his death has yet to be solved.
May Britt – December 11
May Britt died December 11, 2025, aged 91, in Tarzana. From Swedish teen discovered in Rome to Fox contract player, she stole scenes in The Young Lions and The Blue Angel. Then Hollywood panicked when she married Sammy Davis Jr. in 1960. You know the rest. History caught up eventually.
Stanley Baxter – December 11
The Scottish actor, comedian, impressionist and author Stanley Baxter died on December 11th, just months short of reaching a century. Though the actor technically never made it to the glitz and glam of Hollywood, he had a career and legacy that could rival some of the biggest stars in the comedic world. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in British comedy, and that says a lot.
Jeff Garcia – December 10
Jeff Garcia’s life was cut short at age 50 after a series of health complications, including a collapsed lung, pneumonia, and a stroke. The stand-up comedian was a regular on the Laugh Factory while honing his voice acting career. Garcia was the voice behind several beloved animated characters, from Sheen Estevez onJimmy Neutron: Boy Genius to Pip the Mouse on Barnyard.
Jacques Nadeau – December 10
Jacques Nadeau spent 35 years shooting Quebec as it lived. He died December 10, aged 72, after cancer spread. You’ve seen his René Lévesque billiards shot, cigarette dangling. From Le Devoir to The New York Times, his frames taught you to look closer.
Jim Ward – December 10
Jim Ward had several hit animated series added to his voice acting credits. He gave fans unforgettable characters like Captain Qwark in Ratchet & Clank, Doug Dimmadome on The Fairly Odd Parents, and, for 90s kids, Stoker from Biker Mice from Mars. The Emmy Award winner sadly passed away this year on December 10th. Ward suffered complications from advanced Alzheimer’s disease that he had been battling for several years.
Sophie Kinsella – December 10
English author Sophie Kinsella died on December 10 at 55, two years after a glioblastoma diagnosis. You met her through the Shopaholic novels, though she debuted in 1995 as Madeleine Wickham with The Tennis Party. Her final book, What Does It Feel Like?, turned illness into story, quietly brave writing.
Béatrice Picard – December 9
Marie Thérèse Béatrice Picard, 96, passed peacefully on December 9, 2025, while sleeping. The talented Canadian actress had a career that spanned over six decades and included dubbed voice-over work for major animated characters like Marge Simpson and Disney’s Mamá Coco.
Raul Malo – December 8
Raul Malo, co-founder and chief songwriter of The Mavericks, died on December 8 after a year-long cancer fight. He was 60. If you blasted “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down” in the ’90s, you know his mix of country, pop, and Latin swagger rewired the genre.
Rachael Carpani – December 7
Rachael Carpani died at age 45 after a prolonged battle with a chronic illness. Though she was able to make a successful crossover to Hollywood in her late 20s, most fans around the world still fondly remember her as Jodi Fountain from the Australian television drama McLeod’s Daughters.
Martin Parr – December 6
Martin Parr spent more than 50 years pointing his camera at Britain and laughing with us, not at us. He once said, “I make serious photographs disguised as entertainment,” which feels like the perfect tagline for a man who turned soggy chips and seaside chaos into art people still argue about. Born in Epsom in 1952, he stormed into the spotlight with The Last Resort in New Brighton. Some hated seeing their picnics surrounded by litter. Parr shrugged. “Truth is subjective, but it’s the world how I found it.” He died at home in Bristol at 73, apparently watching football.
Michael Annett – December 5, 2025
Michael Annett packed a lot into 39 years. The Des Moines kid jumped into big-league racing, racking up 436 NASCAR starts and a 2019 win at Daytona in JRM’s No. 1 Chevy. That one’s still a bragging right. He also grabbed ARCA victories at Talladega in 2007 and Daytona in 2008. JR Motorsports said, “Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021,” and you can tell they meant it. NASCAR added he showed “determination, professionalism, and positive spirit.” You follow racing because of drivers like him.
Frank Gehry – December 5
Frank Gehry never treated a building like a quiet background prop. The Toronto-born architect, who died December 5, 2025 at 96 after a short respiratory illness, spent six decades proving cities could use a little drama. He once turned his own Santa Monica bungalow into a chaotic masterpiece, like he was testing how weird a home could get before the neighbors complained. Then came the titanium curves of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in 1997, which “redefined what a museum could look like.” Los Angeles scored the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Guy Bévert – December 4
Guy Bévert, drummer and singer with La Compagnie créole, died overnight December 3 to 4. He was 76. A stroke pushed him offstage in 2021. In the 1980s, the Caribbean group ruled radios with “Ça fait rire les oiseaux”, “La Machine à danser”, and “C’est bon pour le moral” everywhere.
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa – December 4
While 75-year-old Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa was known for his intense stare that could sear right into your soul, he could just as easily pull off the role of a laidback surfing grandpa (Johnny Tsunami) or sophisticated baron (Memoirs Of A Geisha) as he could a remorseless villain (Mortal Kombat). In fact, the Japanese American actor had a prolific career in Hollywood before he died from complications of a stroke on December 4, 2025.
Chad Aaron Spodick – December 4, 2025
Chad Spodick, remembered from Finding Prince Charming back in 2016, died on December 4 at 42. Friends shared the news on a GoFundMe page created to help his mom Felice and his pets. “Our hearts are shattered,” the post reads, describing a guy who cheered on everyone around him and spoiled his four dogs and his bird, Cosmo. Host Lance Bass posted, “He was such a kind sweet soul… Fly high my friend.” Chad left the Bachelor-style show in Week 6, but fans still remember him.
Steve Cropper – December 3
Steve Cropper, 84, passed away on December 3. You hear his guitar every time “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” “Knock on Wood,” or “In the Midnight Hour” hits your playlist. He co-wrote those hits while rocking with Booker T. and the M.G.’s, the Stax Records house band in early 60s Memphis.
Charles Shay – December 3, 2025
Charles Norman Shay lived more than most action movies promise. Born June 27, 1924, this Penobscot kid from Indian Island Reservation got drafted in 1943, trained as a medic, and by 19 he was splashing through chest-high waves on Omaha Beach rescuing guys under fire. Silver Star. French Légion d’Honneur. Oh, and captured in March 1945, then freed a few weeks later. He just kept going, serving through Korea like it was no big deal. In Normandy he became the friendly neighborhood elder reminding everyone that Native American soldiers mattered. “I guess I was prepared to give my life if I had to.”
Jo Ann Allen Boyce – December 3, 2025
Jo Ann Allen Boyce wasn’t just Cameron Boyce’s Nana. At 15, she walked into Clinton High School in Tennessee in 1956 with the rest of the Clinton 12, knowing full well that every hallway could turn hostile. That kind of courage doesn’t fade. Her family confirmed she passed away at 84 after pancreatic cancer, surrounded by loved ones in California. The Green McAdoo Cultural Center now features life-size statues of those students, a reminder of her strength. Cameron once said, “My Nana stuck up for what she believed in and did something amazing.” He wasn’t exaggerating. She showed her grandson how to change the world, and he listened.
Criscilla Anderson – December 2
Criscilla Anderson lived with purpose until December 2, at 45, after fighting colon cancer since 2018. You might remember her from Netflix’s 2020 show Country Ever After with her husband, country singer Coffey Anderson. She didn’t let treatments stop her from dancing, working or raising her kids.
Donyelle Jones – December 2, 2025
Donyelle Jones packed so much life into 46 years, you’d swear she had bonus levels. Born July 3, 1979, in LA, she hit national fame in 2006 on Season 2 of So You Think You Can Dance, finishing third but instantly unforgettable. She acted too, popping up in Be Cool and Spirited. Then cancer showed up in 2016, stage 3C and cruel. Chemo, double mastectomy, the whole nightmare. Yet she still found joy. July 2025, she taught again after four years away. Her family called her “A wife. A daughter. A sister. A friend. And a warrior who kicked cancer’s ass every single day she was here.”
Elden Campbell – December 2, 2025
Elden Campbell, the 7-foot big man Lakers fans called “Easy E,” died December 2 at 57. Born July 23, 1968, in Los Angeles, he turned Clemson University into his personal highlight reel from 1986 to 1990, finishing as the school’s top scorer. He joined the Lakers in 1990 as the 27th pick and spent nine seasons annoying opposing shooters with that calm, unbothered style. Byron Scott once joked, “He was just so cool, nothing speeding him up… He was such a good dude.” Cedric Ceballos posted, “This one hurt to the bone… Rest BIG EASY.” A champion with Detroit in 2004, always steady, always respected.
Adam McNaughtan – December 2
Adam McNaughtan never chased fame, yet Scotland can’t stop singing his stuff. Born in Glasgow’s East End, he turned everyday life into folk gems. Ever heard Jeely Piece or Skyscraper Wean? That’s him turning kids dodging sandwiches from tenement windows into a national anthem. He spent years teaching, performing and collecting songs—like your favourite encyclopedia, but with jokes and a guitar. When he died on December 2, his family said he didn’t want a funeral, just a “celebration of his life.” Fellow artists called him “legendary.” Peter Grant nailed it: “Thank you for the music.”
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