Celebs Who Died In 2026

In 2025, a number of celebrities died, but unfortunately, a new year doesn't mean the circle of life halts, as 2026 has seen many beloved stars take their final curtain call. 

One unexpected glimmer that comes with the passing of a star is that we're often left with an extensive body of work to look back on. For some, that could be songs of theirs that touched our lives at exactly the right time. For others, it could be a character whose antics made us laugh with friends and family while binge-watching a series together (or even connect with strangers over social media). Sometimes, it's not the moments of laughter we remember the most, but the more heartbreaking emotions our favorite actors brought to the screen, reminding us we're not alone in what we're feeling. Reality stars and content creators aren't exempt from that, either — sometimes, just witnessing another person going through something we've experienced (or perhaps haven't experienced but have always wondered about) is a reminder of what it is to be human. 

Whatever these stars' unique contributions have been, they've certainly touched our lives in some way, and with that, it's time to give them the standing ovation they deserve.

Fans of Catherine O'Hara were heartbroken on January 30, 2026, when news broke that she had died after what was initially reported as "a brief illness" (via TMZ). Just over a week later, new details emerged revealing that the actor had been diagnosed with rectal cancer the previous year and that it was ultimately a pulmonary embolism that caused her death. 

Throughout her career, O'Hara played a number of memorable characters fans essentially grew up with, and in the wake of her unexpected passing — the actor was just 71 at the time of her death — fans flooded social media with tributes. Many of O'Hara's past colleagues also shared touching tributes to her. One particularly emotional post came from her "Home Alone" on-screen son Macaulay Culkin. The two were incredibly close, and some will even recall O'Hara speaking at Culkin's induction on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In response to her passing just over two years later, Culkin shared side-by-side pics from the ceremony and a scene from "Home Alone" to Instagram along with the caption, "Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more ... I love you. I'll see you later." O'Hara had also been a screen mom to Dan Levy on "Schitt's Creek," and in an Instagram post of his own, he gushed that even before then, she'd been a family friend thanks to her work with his dad and co-star, Eugene Levy. "Catherine was extended family before she ever played my family. It's hard to imagine a world without her in it," he penned.

In addition to her on-screen family, O'Hara was also survived by her husband Bo Welch and their two sons, Matthew and Luke Welch. We hope the massive outpouring of love gave them some peace. 

Not even two weeks after Catherine O'Hara's passing, "Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek died, as well. The actor was only 48 years old at the time of his death, which was also the result of colorectal cancer. 

Van Der Beek was open about his health issues, even sharing in 2025 that he wouldn't be able to join his "Dawson's Creek" co-stars for the hotly anticipated reunion. "This is the evening I'd been looking forward to MOST since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together ... So you can imagine how gutted I was when two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out of commission and keep me grounded at the worst possible moment," he shared in an Instagram post. Van Der Beek also noted that he had been especially looking forward to thanking his fans and former co-stars for their support since his cancer diagnosis in 2024. Even so, he shared that he felt all the love in absentia. "I will be beaming and receiving from afar in a bed in Austin," he penned. 

As fans will know, Van Der Beek and his wife Kimberly shared six children, daughters Olivia, Annabel Leah, Emilia, and Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah. The actor also made it clear that he lived an incredibly normal life and that his wife and kids were his top priority. Van Der Beek regularly shared videos of special moments with his loved ones, like impromptu hikes, trick-or-treating photo dumps, and snaps of a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Egypt. Van Der Beek is certainly gone too soon, but there's no question that the time he did share with loved ones was special, and we hope his family and friends find some comfort in that. 

In a February 16 Facebook post, Robert Duvall's wife shared the devastating news that the "Godfather" actor had passed away. The Oscar winner was 95 at the time of his death.

Shortly after announcing his passing on Facebook, Luciana Duvall shared another statement with CNN by way of her late husband's PR firm. In that, the family requested that Robert be remembered for the things he loved most. "Do so in a way that reflects the life he lived by watching a great film, telling a good story around a table with friends, or taking a drive in the countryside to appreciate the world's beauty," the statement read in part.

Countless of Robert's friends also shared beautiful tributes in the star's honor. In a statement to AP, his "Godfather" co-star Al Pacino gushed, "It was an honor to have worked with Robert Duvall. He was a born actor as they say, his connection with it, his understanding and his phenomenal gift will always be remembered." Viola Davis, who'd worked with Robert in "Widows," shared in an Instagram post, "Greatness never dies. It stays ... as a gift. Rest well, sir. Your name will be spoken." Robert's "Hustle" co-star Adam Sandler also penned a sweet Instagram caption that noted in part, "One of the greatest actors we ever had. Such a great man to talk to and laugh with. Loved him so much. We all did." It's incredibly special to have touched so many people's lives, both personally and through his art, and we hope that brought Luciana some peace as she navigated this tremendous loss. After all, as she said in her Facebook post, "To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything."

February 17 was a difficult day for many, with news breaking that civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson had died at the age of 84. In a statement posted to Instagram, Jackson's family did not share his exact cause of death. However, they did confirm that he was "surrounded by family" at the time of his passing. 

Tributes to Jackson and his legacy poured in soon after his family's announcement. A joint statement Barack and Michelle Obama shared to Instagram lauded Jackson's work in advancing civil rights, while also sharing a more personal note. "Michelle got her first glimpse of political organizing at the Jacksons' kitchen table when she was a teenager. And in his two historic runs for president, he laid the foundation for my own campaign to the highest office of the land," the former president wrote, adding that the Jackson and Obama families had become close over the years. Rev. Al Sharpton also shared a number of touching tributes in his friend and mentor's honor, even reminding his followers that he'd met Jackson when he was only 12 and serving as a youth preacher. "Jesse Jackson has mentored me ever since," he shared in a video for MS Now. 

In his later years, Jackson's family was forthcoming about some of the health woes he'd experienced, like a diagnosis with progressive supranuclear palsy, which had initially been diagnosed as Parkinson's disease more than a decade prior. The family also shared when Jackson and his wife were hospitalized with COVID in 2021. Through it all, the reverend's followers made a point of sharing their love for him and it's a blessing he got his flowers and recognition while he was still with us. 

"Grey's Anatomy" alum Eric Dane tragically died on February 19, a few months shy of the one-year anniversary of his announcement that he'd been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). 

Dane would go on to share some of the heartbreaking effects of his disease in a June 2025 interview for "Good Morning America." Speaking of the moment he received his ALS diagnosis, he admitted, "I will never forget those three letters. It's on me the second I wake up." The actor also shared that he had lost use of his right arm, and was expecting the same to happen to his left arm and both legs in the coming months. That December, the actor joined the board of Target ALS, sharing in a statement, "This disease takes something from me every day. But I won't let it take my spirit." Dane also shared that he was committed to helping find treatment for the disease, and was inspired by what the foundation was already doing to "change what it means to get an ALS diagnosis."

Sadly, Dane died two months later, leaving behind the two daughters shared with wife Rebecca Gayheart. Throughout his illness, Gayheart and their girls played a huge role in the "Euphoria" star's life, and in his "Good Morning America" interview, he teared up sharing how much his estranged spouse's presence meant to him. "I talk to her every day. We have managed to become better friends and better parents, and she is probably my biggest champion and my, my stalwart supporter," he said. As heartbreaking as his passing is, we're glad to know Dane had the support of the people he loved most right to the end and we can only hope his enduring spirit brought them some much-needed peace. 

This slide includes mention of suicide. 

"Lizzie McGuire" fans across the globe were left heartbroken in late February 2026, when news broke that beloved TV dad Robert Carradine had died. The actor was just 71 at the time of his passing and though his cause of death was not immediately shared, Page Six later revealed that he had died by suicide. 

While Disney fans likely know Carradine best for his work in "Lizzie McGuire," he had a lengthy career stretching back to the '70s. His notable projects included "Revenge of the Nerds" and "The Cowboys" (both the film and the spinoff series). Carradine also had a number of projects in the pipeline at the time of his death. "The Driver," for instance, had yet to start filming before he died. Speaking to the Daily Mail, the film's director, Connie Lamothe, shared that Carradine had become fairly quiet a few weeks prior to his death, but he'd been incredibly excited to play a starring role. Lamothe said the production was devastated by Carradine's death and the movie would be dedicated to his memory. 

Carradine was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the early 2000s. In their statement to Deadline confirming his passing, the family acknowledged this. "We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby's valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder," they shared. The statement also noted that, as devastating as Carradine's death was, they hoped it could "shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness." We are keeping the Carradine family and loved ones in our thoughts, and know his memory will live on through his work. 

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka's family shared a heartbreaking announcement that the star had died in a post to his Instagram on February 28. "Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Neil Sedaka. A true rock and roll legend, an inspiration to millions, but most importantly, at least to those of us who were lucky enough to know him, an incredible human being who will be deeply missed," the statement read. Sedaka died just two weeks prior to what would have been his 87th birthday. 

Sedaka first rose to prominence in the late 1950s, and in 1959, he earned a Grammy nomination in what was the award show's second iteration. He went on to be nominated four more times over the years for hits like "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" and "Love Will Keep Us Together." Sedaka was also the songwriter behind a number of timeless hits like "Stupid Cupid," which he wrote for Connie Francis, and ABBA's "Ring Ring," which he collaborated on alongside Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. 

In the wake of Sedaka's passing, countless music stars shared tributes in his honor. In an Instagram comment, Michael Buble penned, in part, "A hero. How lucky are we to have had your light shared with us. Have no doubt a kingdom was waiting for you." Josh Groban also shared a heartwarming message, calling Sedaka "as kind hearted as he was brilliant." Fellow songwriter David Foster also replied to the announcement, writing, "A giant even amongst the giants!! He proved melody is king!" We hope the stories of Sedaka's impact on the world gave his family some peace as they mourned. 

After decades of good-natured jokes about being indestructible, Chuck Norris, action star and "Walker, Texas Ranger" actor, died at age 86 — just over a week after celebrating his final birthday. 

The heartbreaking news of Norris' passing came in a March 20 Instagram post shared by his family. "It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning," their statement began. They declined to give the official cause of death, noting that they would prefer for that to remain private, but went on to add, "Please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace." Norris was hospitalized the day prior to his passing, with TMZ reporting that he'd required emergency care for an undisclosed medical issue while in Hawaii celebrating his birthday. 

Speaking of his birthday, Norris poked fun at his "tough guy" reputation in an Instagram video that day, which saw him spar with an opponent before switching to a selfie video where he explained, "I don't age — I level up." It was a testament to the actor's sense of humor, and we hope his family found some peace in the comments left by his fans once he did pass. "Chuck Norris didn't die, life got scared and ran away. RIP legend," wrote one. Another quipped, "G-d needed a new bodyguard." Others were more heartfelt, like one person who lauded the family's tribute to the late star, which had highlighted him as not just a star, but as "the heart of our family." "Imagine getting to the end of your life and having beautiful words like this written about you," a fan wrote. Norris certainly was loved. 

The same day Chuck Norris' family announced his death, another star also died: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" alum Nicholas Brendon. The actor's family shared the sad news in an Instagram carousel which included pictures of him with loved ones, as well as some of his artwork. "We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon. He passed in his sleep of natural causes," the statement began. It went on to mention his art and how it had become one of his greatest passions in the last few years of his life. "He was passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create. Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was," Brendon's family shared. 

As was reported by TMZ, a friend of Brendon's had been staying at his home at the time of his passing, specifically to help care for the actor. Brendon had faced a health scare that led to hospitalization for arrythmia and tachycardia in 2022, so it's possible that was why he required care, but his family did not confirm his cause of death. Heartbreakingly, the friend discovered Brendon's body. 

In wake of Brendon's passing, many have shared tributes in his honor. "I saw you Nicky. I know you are at peace, in that big rocking chair in the sky," his former co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar wrote on Instagram. Likewise, Alyson Hannigan penned, "My sweet Nicky, thank you for years of laughter, love and Dodgers. I will think of you every time I see a rocking chair. I love you." Fans also shared sweet comments, recalling times they met him, and sharing what his "Buffy" character, Xander Harris, meant to them.