From the most iconic comics, musicians, and actors of our time to TikTok stars to the first
female Secretary of State, we've lost many famous faces so far in 2022.
On August 5, 2022, Anne Heche was critically injured in a car crash
in Los Angeles. Then on August 12, she was declared legally dead from
oxygen deprivation to the brain. The 53-year-old actor had been stable
after being cut free from the wreckage, but on the way to the hospital, she slipped into a coma.
Heche was known for starring in a variety of films over her 29-year career, including the
1998 remake of Psycho and the action comedy Six Days, Seven Nights. A rep for her family told TMZ,
"We have lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend.
Anne will be deeply missed, but she lives on through her beautiful sons,
her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy."
Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, a former partner of Heche's, paid her respects by tweeting,
"This is a sad day. I'm sending Anne's children, family, and friends all of my love."
Grammy Award-winning singer and actress Olivia Newton-John, best known as the straight-laced
Sandy in the classic movie musical Grease, passed away on August 8 at the age of 73.
She died peacefully surrounded by her loved ones. Her husband John Easterling wrote on Facebook,
"Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast
cancer. Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the
Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer."
Her Grease co-star John Travolta also paid tribute, as he wrote on Instagram,
"My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better. Your impact was incredible. I
love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again.
Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John!"
"Tell me about it, stud."
On May 26, Ray Liotta passed away at the age of 67. At the time,
he was filming a movie in the Dominican Republic. His career shot to superstardom
when he played Shoeless Joe Jackson in the 1989 baseball classic Field of
Dreams and then mobster Henry Hill in Goodfellas the following year.
Throughout his career, Liotta played a wide range of characters, as he worked hard to avoid
being typecast. His fiancée Jacy Nittolo memorialized him on Instagram by writing,
"My life these past couple of years have been nothing but truly magical.
Ray and I share a deep love that I will cherish in my heart forever [...] He was
the most beautiful person inside and out that I've ever known... and even that is an understatement."
On January 9, Bob Saget was found dead in his Orlando,
Florida hotel room at the age of 65 while in the midst of a
stand-up tour. In a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter, his family revealed,
"The authorities have determined that Bob passed away from head trauma. They have
concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something,
thought nothing of it and went to sleep."
From playing America's favorite dad on Full House to his more adult-oriented stand-up
comedy and everything in between, Saget made an indelible mark on the entertainment industry
throughout his career, which spanned over three decades. Tributes flooded social media from fans
and fellow celebrities, including his Full House daughters Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who shared,
"Bob was the most loving, compassionate, and generous man. We are deeply saddened
that he is no longer with us but know that he will continue to be by our side
to guide us as gracefully as he always has."
"Bob honestly has never had an unkind word for anybody,
and I love him, and I hope everybody else does."
On March 23 2022, the nation mourned the loss of Madeleine Albright,
the American diplomat who became the first woman to serve as United States secretary of state.
She passed away from cancer at the age of 84.
Born in 1937 in Prague in what was then Czechoslovakia,
Albright arrived with her family in the United States in 1948. Among her many accomplishments,
she was a notably strong-willed supporter of NATO intervention to stop the genocide in Kosovo.
On April 27, more than 1,400 people attended a service for Albright at
the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. The occasion was filled with cheers and laughter,
with Albright's three daughters, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack and Michelle Obama,
and President Joe Biden among those in attendance.
On March 30, Tom Parker of the British boy band The Wanted died at the age of 33.
Back in 2020 he'd been diagnosed with a stage 4 brain tumor.
With his wife Kelsey Hardwick by his side, he underwent treatment in Spain
and was able to join his bandmates on the second leg of their U.K. comeback tour.
But unfortunately, his cancer had spread to other parts of his body.
During the band's March 17 performance in Liverpool, two weeks before Parker's death,
he needed to sit while on stage. After his passing, his wife wrote on Instagram,
"Our hearts are broken, Tom was the center of our world,
and we can't imagine life without his infectious smile and energetic presence."
"With Tom, it was like, even the final moments were magical. That's the sort of person he was."
Ivana Trump was so much more than a socialite. Donald Trump's wife from 1977 to 1992,
she was also a champion skier, model, and businesswoman. On July 14,
she was found dead at the bottom of her New York City apartment
stairs. The official cause of death was blunt impact injuries to her torso. She was 73.
Soon after the news broke, her former president
ex-husband took to his social media platform Truth Social and wrote,
"She was a wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman, who led a great and inspirational life."
And their three children released a joint statement that read,
"Our mother was an incredible woman — a force in business, a world-class athlete,
a radiant beauty, and caring mother and friend."
On January 6, Hollywood mourned the loss of the legendary Sidney Poitier. He died at the age of
94 from a combination of cardiopulmonary failure, Alzheimer's dementia, and prostate cancer.
Poitier starred in a number of groundbreaking films over the course of his career,
including Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night, and Lilies of the Field.
For his performance in Lilies, he became the first Black performer to win the Oscar for Lead Actor.
Poitier's daughter, also named Sydney but with a "y",
wrote an emotional tribute to honor her father on Instagram that read in part:
"There are no words for this. No real way to prepare for this. No prose beautiful enough,
no speech eloquent enough to capture the essence of my dad."
Comedian and actor Louie Anderson died at the age of 68 in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 21.
According to his manager, his cause of death was complications from diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
Anderson's career spanned nearly four decades,
which included memorable appearances in films like Coming to America and Ferris Bueller's Day
Off. Later in his career, he landed perhaps his most iconic role as Christine Baskets,
mother to Zach Galifianakis' characters on the FX series Baskets, which started airing in 2016
and won him an Emmy. As FX wrote in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter,
"We are so deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend,
Louie Anderson [...] He truly cared about his craft and was a true professional in every sense."
"Oh, I'm funny, too!"
In 2011, the reality series Braxton Family Values debuted on WE tv.
Audiences were introduced to the extended family of legendary singer Toni Braxton,
including her four sisters Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar. But sadly, on March 12,
the family suffered a devastating loss when Traci died from esophageal cancer at the age of 50.
Toni Braxton took to Facebook to share the news of her sister's death, as she wrote,
"It is with the utmost regret that we inform you of the passing of our sister, Traci.
Needless to say, she was a bright light, a wonderful daughter, an amazing sister,
a loving mother, wife, grandmother, and a respected performer. We will miss her dearly."
Traci was known for her singing skills, as well as occasional acting appearances on stage and screen.
In 2020, California teen Cooper Noriega started posting TikTok videos of himself lip-syncing to
popular songs, hopping on the latest dance trends, and performing funny sketches.
He managed to obtain 3.2 million TikTok followers within just two years. Sadly, his life was cut way
too short when in June, he was found dead in a Burbank, California parking lot at the age
of 19. His sister Parker took to her brother's Instagram page after his death, as she wrote,
"On behalf of our family, we want to thank you all for the kind words of our little coop.
His passing is an absolute tragedy to our family and loved ones."
As of August 2022, the cause of Noriega's death remains undetermined. Just days before
his passing, he announced that he'd started a Discord server dedicated to discussing mental
health and revealed that he'd been dealing with addiction since he was just 9 years old.
On January 20, the world said goodbye to a musical legend. 74-year-old Meat Loaf,
whose real name was Marvin Lee Aday, died after reportedly falling ill
with COVID-19. His family took to Facebook to remember him, writing,
"Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight
surrounded by his wife Deborah, daughters Pearl and Amanda,
and close friends [...] We truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through
this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man."
Over the course of his career, Meat Loaf sold millions of records worldwide , which
included iconic songs like "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" and "I'd Do Anything for Love."
He also had a notable acting career, in films like The Rocky Horror Picture Show,
Fight Club, and Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny.
"His name is Robert Paulsen! His name is Robert Paulsen!"
The music world let out a tragic collective sigh when news broke that longtime Foo
Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins passed away on March 25 at the age of 50. Hawkins was
found unresponsive in his hotel room in Bogota, Columbia, where the band was scheduled to play.
After a toxicology report, it was revealed that he had a variety of substances in his system,
including marijuana, antidepressants, and opioids.
A few months after his death, Hawkins' wife Alison shared a statement on Instagram
on behalf of herself and their three kids, as she wrote,
"Taylor’s endearing spirit and deep love of music will live on
forever through the collaborations he so enjoyed having with other musicians
and the catalog of songs he contributed to and created [...] It is now up to all of us
who loved him most to honor Taylor's legacy and the music he gave us."
On July 6, James Caan passed away from a heart attack and coronary artery disease
at the age of 82. The actor was best-known for his performance as the lovable hothead Sonny
Corleone in the Godfather films. His career on the silver screen spanned over 58 years,
with other memorable credits including the likes of Misery, Brian's Song,
and Elf. When his family announced his death on Twitter, they also wrote,
"The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences
and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time."
That post was punctuated with Caan's signature social media phrase,
as he was known for concluding his tweets by declaring "End of tweet."
Al Pacino also honored his Godfather co-star in a statement, by recalling,
"Jimmy was my fictional brother and my lifelong friend. It's hard to believe
that he won't be in the world anymore because he was so alive and daring.
A great actor, a brilliant director, and my dear friend. I'm gonna miss him."
Comedian Gilbert Gottfried made quite the impression over the course of
his decades-long career. He was an iconic stand-up comic, but his most memorable role
might just be the voice of the macaw Iago in Aladdin. He passed away on April 12
at the age of 67. He'd reportedly been suffering from a genetic muscle disorder
called type II myotonic dystrophy. As his family memorialized him on Twitter,
"In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband,
brother, friend, and father to his two young children.
Although today is a sad day for all of us, keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert's honor."
Gottfried started his stand-up career in New York City when he was only 15 years old
before briefly joining the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1980. Jon Stewart was one
of the many celebrities who honored his colleague on social media, as he tweeted,
"Opening for Gilbert Gottfried at Carolines and
Princeton Catch was one of the great thrills of my early stand-up life.
He could leave you gasping for breath. Just indescribably unusually hilarious."
"The aristocrats!"
Actress Jossara Jinaro died in April 2022 from cancer at the age of 48. Her husband
Matt announced her death on her Facebook page with a lengthy tribute that read in part,
"Jossara was an amazing wife, mother, artist, and friend.
She had the most beautiful, kind soul and wouldn't take no for an answer."
Jinaro was best known for playing Rae on the NBC soap opera Passions from 2002 through 2007.
Her career also included stints on other TV shows like ER and Judging Amy, as well as a starring
role on the Hulu drama series East Los High. On top of all that, she showed up in some McDonald's
commercials, and her big screen work included the 2005 horror film The Devil's Rejects. After news
spread about Jossaro's death, Devil's Rejects director Rob Zombie took to Twitter to say,
"So sad to hear about the passing of Jossaro. She
was terrific in THE DEVIL'S REJECTS as Maria the maid of the Khaki Palms Motel.
Jossaro later joined us to provide some voice work on 3 From Hell."
The world was shocked when country music legend Naomi Judd, one half
of the mother-daughter duo the Judds, died on April 30 at the age of 76. Her daughters
Ashley and Wynonna took to Instagram to confirm the tragic news, as they wrote,
"We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness. We are shattered. We are
navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public."
The exact cause of death wasn't initially provided, but then on May 12,
Ashley revealed during an interview with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America
that her mother had taken her own life. She also explained,
"[My mother] obviously was suffering. And,
as such, her days up until that moment — were hurtful to her."
"Her brain hurt. It- it physically hurt."
Throughout The Judds' trailblazing music career, they had 14 number
one hits in addition to several industry accolades, including winning five Grammys,
nine Country Music Association Awards, and seven Academy of Country Music awards.
Celebrities and musicians worldwide took to social media to pay tribute to Naomi. She died just one
day before she and Wynonna were set to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
In 2019, a then-28-year-old Cheslie Kryst made history when she became the oldest woman to be
crowned Miss USA. This also marked the first time that Black women simultaneously held
the three major pageant titles of Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA.
Kryst would go on to become a New York correspondent with Extra,
as she continued to fight for social and criminal justice reform as a civil litigation attorney.
Alas, everything would soon come crashing down. In 2022,
fans were stunned to learn that she'd taken her own life on January 30. She'd
reportedly jumped from her Manhattan apartment building and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Among the outpouring of tributes that followed, the Miss USA organization tweeted,
"She was one of the brightest, warmest, and most kind people we
have ever had the privilege of knowing. Our entire community mourns her loss,
and our thoughts and prayers are with her family right now."
A few days after Kryst's death, her mother confirmed that she'd been
privately struggling with depression and had hidden it from everyone.
"She said, 'Mom, you did everything right
and nothing wrong.' And that was the peace and closure I needed."
On January 16, Jordan Cashmyer, who gained fame on the MTV reality series 16 and Pregnant in 2014,
died at the age of 26. Cashmyer had appeared on the show with her boyfriend Derek Taylor,
with the two of them becoming homeless after her parents kicked her out due to
her pregnancy. They eventually called it quits as a couple,
and Derek's mother had been given temporary custody of their daughter.
According to the Maryland Department of Health Office of Chief Medical Examiner,
Cashmyer's cause of death was fentanyl and cocaine intoxication. Over the years,
she'd reportedly gone to rehab for substance abuse on several occasions.
In a statement sent to USA Today, Cashmyer's rep Howard Wood remarked,
"This has been a very sad couple of days [...] I'm
honored to have been able to know and work with Jordan for many years
and wish life would have been kinder to her. I hope she is in a better place."
Other celebrities who have sadly passed away this year include:
Marnie Schulenburg
Lindsey Pearlman
John Stahl
Estelle Harris
Andy Fletcher
Jane Marczewski
Jak Knight
Mary Mara
Rae Allen
Lee Lawson
Lenny Von Dohlen
Mitchell Ryan
June Brown
Brad Johnson
Betty Davis
Liz Sheridan
Shirley Spork
Joanna Barnes