Dec. 24, 2025, 7:01 a.m. ET
Hollywood had its fair share of highs in 2025, but it was also dealt a series of crushing losses.
The world of music was forced to say goodbye to a slew of trailblazing maestros with the shocking deaths of soul songstress Roberta Flack, reggae pioneer Jimmy Cliff, neo-soul crooner D’Angelo and Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne.
Cinema and television were also left bereft following the deaths of genre-defining icons, including director David Lynch, movie star Val Kilmer and leading lady extraordinaire Diane Keaton.
Meanwhile, the harrowing deaths of Gene Hackman and Rob Reiner, both of whom were found dead alongside their longtime spouses, sparked widespread grief and scrutiny as authorities sought to demystify the bewildering circumstances surrounding their deaths.
Here’s a look back at some of the most notable celebrity deaths of 2025.
David Lynch
David Lynch, the storied filmmaker lauded for his experimental surrealist style, died on Jan. 16 at age 78.
A month after his death, it was revealed that the Oscar-nominated director died of cardiac arrest due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to TMZ and The Independent. Lynch had previously revealed he was diagnosed with emphysema, a lung disease caused primarily by smoking, in 2020.
Lynch was the mastermind behind “Twin Peaks,” a cult-classic television series that brought film-like surrealism to the small screen. His other notable works included the movies “Mulholland Drive,” “The Straight Story” and “Lost Highway.”
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack, the R&B-jazz powerhouse who gained acclaim with her soulful style, died on Feb. 24 at the age of 88. The singer’s death was due to cardiac arrest, Flack’s manager Suzanne Koga told The New York Times.
Prior to her death, Flack had been battling ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which prevented her from singing and made even speaking difficult. She retired from singing professionally in 2022 until her death.
Flack, who polished her singing prowess in Washington D.C. nightclubs in the 1960s, achieved a three-year stretch of hits in the 1970s with “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” “Killing Me Softly with His Song” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” Her debut album, 1969’s “First Take,” is regarded as a classic, landing at No. 451 on Rolling Stone’s 2020 list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman, the intense character actor who won two Oscars in a more than 60-year career, died alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa, in February after the couple’s bodies were discovered by police at their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on Feb. 26.
The mysterious circumstances surrounding Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths led to a sweeping investigation, which included the release of police bodycam footage detailing the conditions of the pair’s residence and Arakawa’s online activity in the weeks leading up to their deaths.
New Mexico’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Heather Jarrell, said the office’s investigation found that Hackman, 95, died of natural causes. The acclaimed actor also had heart disease and complications caused by Alzheimer’s disease. Meanwhile, Arakawa, 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease that is contracted by contact with mouse droppings.
Michelle Trachtenberg
Michelle Trachtenberg, a millennial mainstay with memorable roles in “Gossip Girl,” “Harriet the Spy” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” died Feb. 26 at age 39 after the actress was found dead in a New York City luxury apartment.
Two months after Trachtenberg’s death, New York City’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner revealed the actress died due to complications of diabetes mellitus, a disease characterized by inadequate control of glucose levels in a person’s blood.
Trachtenberg started her career at 3 in television commercials and rose to fame as a child star. After several appearances on Nickelodeon, including a recurring a role on “The Adventures of Pete & Pete,” Trachtenberg landed the title character in 1996’s “Harriet the Spy,” which made history as the first feature film produced by the children’s network.
Angie Stone
Angie Stone, the pioneering hip-hop and neo-soul singer, died in a car crash on March 1 at age 63.
Stone was traveling with members of her band from Mobile, Alabama, to Atlanta when their van collided with a semi-truck on Interstate 65 about five miles south of Montgomery, according to police and her record label.
The Grammy-nominated singer rose to prominence in the 1970s as a member of female rap group The Sequence before a solo career that produced hits like “Wish I Didn’t Miss You.” She was also a member of the R&B trio Vertical Hold.
Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer, the Gen X movie icon and versatile leading man, died of pneumonia on April 1 at age 65.
Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and later recovered, the actor’s daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, told The New York Times and The Associated Press at the time of his death. The actor had battled the disease publicly for much of the past decade, permanently losing his voice to a tracheotomy, but continuing to act and write.
Kilmer was a magnetic presence in Hollywood, earning global acclaim with genre-defying roles that spanned comedy, drama, action and fantasy. Some of his most memorable films include “Top Gun,” “Batman Forever,” “The Doors” and “Heat.”
Sly Stone
Sly Stone, the Sly and the Family Stone frontman and funk music pioneer, died on June 9 at age 82.
According to Stone’s family, the eclectic singer-songwriter died following a “prolonged battle” with COPD, a chronic lung condition that can cause difficulty breathing, and “other underlying health issues.”
The music of Stone’s band the Family Stone, a groundbreaking multiracial and multigendered group, went on to become a touchstone for generations of musicians. Among Stone’s oft-covered hits are “I Want to Take You Higher,” “Hot Fun in the Summertime,” “Stand!” and the infectious and phonetically titled funk anthem, “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).”
Brian Wilson
Beach Boys singer Brian Wilson, whose sunny surf-rock songs helped define pop music in the ’60s, died on June 11 at age 82.
Three weeks following his death, Wilson’s death certificate revealed the iconic singer-songwriter died after experiencing several minutes of respiratory arrest at his Beverly Hills, California, home. Wilson had previously battled a slew of health issues that included neurodegenerative disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic respiratory failure and chronic kidney disease.
Wilson’s musical impact was towering. The sublime harmonizing on beach- and car-themed tunes such as “California Girls” or “Little Deuce Coupe” came to define the Southern California ethos, while the inspired orchestration on the Wilson-produced album “Pet Sounds” caused a bowled-over Beatles to respond with “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
Anne Burrell
Anne Burrell, the spunky chef and TV personality known for her decadeslong stint on the Food Network, died on June 17 at age 55 while at her home in New York.
A month after her death, the New York City medical examiner determined that Burrell died by suicide. The chef’s exact cause of death was acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine and amphetamine.
The Emmy-nominated host made her Food Network debut in 2005 on the cutthroat competition series “Iron Chef America,” serving as a sous chef for Iron Chef Mario Batali. She also hosted the shows “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef” and “Worst Cooks in America.”
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the Emmy-nominated actor best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” died on July 20 at age 54 following an accidental drowning off the coast of Costa Rica.
A preliminary investigation found that Warner, who was at Playa Cocles in the Limón province, was allegedly swept away by a current while in the Caribbean Sea. The actor was later rescued by bystanders and taken to shore, where he received treatment from the Costa Rican Red Cross, but he was declared dead at the scene.
In addition to eight seasons on the hit NBC sitcom as the son of Bill Cosby‘s Cliff Huxtable and Phylicia Rashad‘s Clair Huxtable, Warner was also known for his role as Malcolm McGee in the 1990s UPN sitcom “Malcolm & Eddie” and as Dr. AJ Austin on the Fox medical drama “The Resident” from 2018 to 2023.
Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne, the heavy metal pioneer and reality-TV icon, died on July 22 at age 76 in Birmingham, England, just weeks after reuniting with his band, Black Sabbath, for a final show.
Two weeks after the rocker’s death, Osbourne’s death certificate revealed that the singer died of an “out of hospital cardiac arrest,” as well as acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease with “autonomic dysfunction,” according to The New York Times and The Sun.
Nicknamed the “Prince of Darkness,” Osbourne was one of the most iconic figures in rock, molding the sound and perception of heavy metal with his one-of-a-kind voice and shocking antics. He followed his rock zenith with a reality-TV career, starring with his wife Sharon Osbourne and their A-list family on “The Osbournes” from 2002-2005.
Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress, filmmaker and author, died on Oct. 11 at age 79 after a bout of pneumonia.
A copy of Keaton’s death certificate, obtained by USA TODAY, revealed her “immediate” cause of death was primary bacterial pneumonia. A few days had passed between the onset of her illness and her death at a Santa Monica hospital.
Keaton broke through in Hollywood during the 1970s with her performance as Kay Adams-Corleone in “The Godfather” franchise, as well as later roles in “Annie Hall,” “Manhattan” and “The First Wives Club.” She also became known for her blend of emotion and eccentric likability in comedies such as “Baby Boom” in the 1980s, “Father of the Bride” in the 1990s and “Something’s Gotta Give” in the 2000s.
D’Angelo
D’Angelo, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and producer whose retro R&B sound epitomized the neo-soul movement of the mid-’90s, died on Oct. 14 at age 51 following a battle with cancer.
With his 1995 debut album “Brown Sugar,” the singer helped usher in neo-soul, an experimental branch of soul music known for its fusion with genres such as funk, jazz fusion, hip-hop and rock.
D’Angelo’s second album “Voodoo,” released in 2000, cemented his status as a pop culture sex symbol. The album’s provocative third single, “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” drew controversy for its suggestive music video, which featured a nude D’Angelo singing to the sensual track.
Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff, the Grammy-winning reggae icon best known for hits like “I Can See Clearly Now” and “The Harder They Come,” died in November at age 81.
Cliff died due to a seizure and pneumonia, the singer’s family confirmed in a statement on his Instagram page Nov. 24.
Cliff is hailed as one of Jamaica’s cultural icons alongside Bob Marley. He was also an actor, starring in the 1972 movie “The Harder They Come” and contributing to its soundtrack and the title song. The song and film became highly regarded for expanding reggae’s global reach.
Rob and Michele Reiner
Rob Reiner, the celebrated actor, director and producer whose work shaped American television and cinema for decades, died on Dec. 14 after he and his wife, photographer and producer Michele Singer, were found dead by police at the couple’s Los Angeles home.
Reiner and Singer’s deaths are currently under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. Their son, Nick Reiner, was taken into police custody and later charged with two counts of first-degree murder and a special allegation that he used a dangerous and deadly weapon, namely a knife, in his parents’ deaths.
Son of comedy legend Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner became famous in his own right for his portrayal of Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the groundbreaking ’70s sitcom “All in the Family.” He later transitioned to directing and created beloved films including “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Stand by Me,” “The Princess Bride,” “Misery,” “A Few Good Men” and “When Harry Met Sally…”
If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services.
Contributing: USA TODAY staff
