Actors' Final Tweets Before They Died

Since the first movie stars existed, audiences have felt unusually connected to Hollywood's biggest and brightest names. We follow their careers from television to movies and back again. We watch their interviews and often feel like we know them as well as anyone we know in real life. So when our favorite stars die it can be like losing a friend, and audiences — sometimes feeling like they've lost a member of their own family — go looking for solace. These days, that might come by perusing their social media accounts, which preserve their lives in a timeline of words and pictures. And one of the most common platforms for stars to use is X, formerly known as Twitter.

In the wake of a star's passing, it's not uncommon for their last tweets to make the news. Often it's a message that takes on added meaning after their death, and fans and well-wishers leave heartfelt goodbyes in the comments. Many Hollywood stars have left behind final words for all to see, and we've found the last tweets from some of your favorite actors, presented here as a way of commemorating their lives.

There were few deaths in Hollywood more shocking than the passing of Chadwick Boseman in August 2020. Not just because he'd just starred in the billion-dollar blockbuster "Black Panther," but because he had hidden his cancer diagnosis from the public, and by all accounts from some of his closest confidantes. And at just 43 years old, Boseman's future seemed bright — he was an Oscar nominee whose best work still seemed ahead of him. 

When he died, it was announced on Twitter by his family in a post that has since become the most-liked in the history of the platform as of 2023. But Boseman's final words on Twitter weren't sad, nor the kind of emotionally resonant parting words that some might expect. Instead, they were words of celebration as he encouraged his followers to vote in the then-upcoming 2020 presidential election. Saying only "YES," with a few clapping emoji, Boseman posted a photo of himself at a charity event while embracing 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris. With a couple of hashtags, Boseman expressed his support for Harris and the campaign of Joe Biden.

Posted on Twitter on August 11, the final tweet from Boseman came a little more than two weeks before he died. Though rumors had been swirling that he wasn't in good health, which proved to be true, Boseman's social media lit up with hope and joy, ensuring he left behind a legacy of grace and positivity. 

Leonard Nimoy is more than just the actor who played Mr. Spock on "Star Trek"; he was also responsible for the character's iconic Vulcan salute, which came straight from his childhood. Accompanied by the phrase "Live long and prosper," the gesture became a universal greeting known the world over, and Nimoy himself made it his personal mantra — on social media, he often signed off his messages to fans with the acronym "LLAP." He did so again when he signed off for good, just days before his death in February 2015 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a respiratory disorder that was the result of decades of smoking. 

In his final message, a mere five days before his passing, Nimoy took to Twitter to leave one last message of eternal wisdom. "A life is like a garden," Nimoy wrote. "Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP." A message to savor every experience was especially moving coming so close to his passing, and it's possible that Nimoy was acutely aware that his final day was on the horizon. It was almost as if he was telling his loved ones, family, friends, and fans that he would always remain with them, in their thoughts and cherished memories. Considering the part he played in television history, and the impact he had on countless viewers — not to mention pop culture itself — he can rest easy knowing he'll live for many, many years to come.

A four-time Grammy Award-winner, Olivia Newton-John produced more than 20 albums during her career, earning fame thanks to hit singles like "Physical" and "Heart Attack." But she still might be best known in Hollywood for her role in the original big screen version of the musical "Grease," where she starred opposite John Travolta, as well as her leading role in the infamous 1980 fantasy musical "Xanadu." She also had a career on television, with one of her final on-screen performances coming in an episode of "Glee." In 2017, she announced that a previous cancer diagnosis that had been in remission for more than two decades had returned, and she passed away in August 2022.

Twitter wasn't Newton-John's favorite place to post on social media, and after her cancer returned she slowed down her messages to fans. Her final tweet came in late 2019, when she used her platform to congratulate fellow singer Taylor Swift on her wins at that year's American Music Awards, where she broke Michael Jackson's record for the most awards in the history of the ceremony. "Congratulations [Taylor Swift]," Newton-John wrote. "Fantastic and well deserved acknowledgement of your incredible talent." She signed off with "Much love and light, Olivia xx" as she showed support for the biggest pop star of the next generation.

Supporting the leading ladies of "Sex and the City" was Willie Garson as Stanford Blatch, a talent agent who is best friends with Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshaw. He starred in all six seasons of the original series that launched in 1998, then appeared in the cast of both "Sex and the City" movies. He returned again to play Blatch in Season 1 of the 2021 HBO Max revival "And Just Like That..." but died just a few months before the new series debuted.

Garson, who passed in late September 2021 at the age of 57, had left a final message on Twitter a few weeks earlier that became bittersweet with his death. In the message, he said plainly, in all caps, to "be kind to each other ... always. Love to all. Approach kindness." It's unknown if Garson knew his last days was coming, as the cause of his death was never released, but either way, the tweet's touching message of love and goodness revealed the actor as a man hoping to pass on his kindness to others and set a good example for all to follow. The tweet has since been shared more than 12,000 times, ensuring that his message was spread across the world.

Carrie Fisher's indomitable spirit was a key reason why the character of Princess Leia resonated with audiences, particularly girls and women. Her fierce attitude and independent streak were on full display in the role, because that's who Fisher really was. While she had plenty of struggles, it was her strength and determination that led her through life, along with her irreverent sense of humor. And all of those qualities were on full display on her Twitter as she offered regular musings on the peculiarities of existence.

In December 2016, not long after she'd completed filming for "Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi," Fisher passed away at age 60, four days after suffering from cardiac arrest on an airplane. Her last tweet, released to her millions of followers less than a week before her death, was full of her customary wit: A photo of herself standing in front of the Charles Dickens Lounge in England, with a message delivered in a strange emoji speak that proved difficult for many to decipher, but seemed to translate to "People have aged so much you can't even get them to do motion capture — as though these folks are disobedient. Auditions are held. Gary didn't get cast." 

The first portion appeared to be a quote from "Rogue One" director Gareth Edwards, with her added commentary mocking the idea that she couldn't play Princess Leia, who was brought back in "Rogue One" via CGI, in a cameo that Fisher thought was actual footage.

Comedian Bob Saget started out as a crass, vulgar stand-up comic (as explored in The Untold Truth of Bob Saget), but in 1987 he put away his raunchy jokes and became a family sitcom star in "Full House." In 1989 he also began hosting "America's Funniest Home Videos," and by the mid-1990s he was "America's Dad." In the 2000s he took on a central role in "How I Met Your Mother," and in 2016 he returned to the role of Danny Tanner in "Fuller House" on Netflix. But his life came to an abrupt end in 2022 from complications caused by a fall, leaving family, friends, and fans devastated.

For those who hadn't kept up with Saget's career, his Twitter account showed mourners that he was as active as ever right up until his final days. In his last tweet, sent out on the very day of his death, Saget posted a photo of himself at a concert hall in Florida where he'd just performed, excited to be returning to stand-up. "Loved tonight's show @PV_ConcertHall in Jacksonville. Appreciative audience. Thanks again to @RealTimWilkins for opening. I had no idea I did a 2 hr set tonight. I'm happily addicted again to this sh**. Check http://BobSaget.com for my dates in 2022." 

It's not often that an actor dies midway through filming one of Hollywood's biggest movies, but it happened in November 2013 when "The Fast and the Furious" star Paul Walker was killed in a car crash alongside a friend, Roger W. Rodas. The incident didn't happen on the set, but it did happen while Walker was in the middle of filming "Furious 7," and the cast and crew were never the same after Walker's death. While they did manage to get the film completed without the actor, his death had many looking for answers.

Perusing his Twitter page, though, fans could see what a bright and positive person Walker was. Always eager to bring excitement to his followers, Walker frequently promoted not just his own work, but those of his friends, too, happy to uplift those around him. So it was fitting that, in his final post just after Thanksgiving, Walker posted an image of him, Vin Diesel, and Tyrese Gibson from the "Fast and the Furious" films to get fans hyped. With the hashtag "FastFridays," Walker said, "The boys are back, will you be ready?" Sadly, Walker would make his final appearance in the franchise after his death, in the 2015 sequel that used CGI — and his brother as a body double — to complete his unfinished performance.

A pioneering angry comedian who paved the way for the likes of Lewis Black, Larry David, and Bill Burr, self-styled actor Don Rickles was sometimes known by the moniker "The Merchant of Venom." Known to younger audiences as the voice of Mr. Potato Head in the "Toy Story" films, Rickles was recognized for his infamous Hollywood roasts, where he'd rake some of the biggest names in Tinseltown over the proverbial coals to the delight of millions. He was a regular on "The Tonight Show" for decades, and had two shows that bore his name, both titled "The Don Rickles Show."

In April 2017, Don Rickles closed out his six decades on screen when he passed away peacefully at the age of 90. About a month earlier, Rickles had posted on Twitter one last time, with a message that showed just what a kind and loving person he really was beneath the veneer of his viciously mocking comedy. He took the time to highlight the person he loved in life the most: "We are celebrating our 52nd Wedding Anniversary March 14th," Rickles announced to his followers. "Happy Anniversary my dear wife, Barbara. You are my life." As fate would have it, Barbara Rickles passed away four years later, on their anniversary — March 14, 2021.

One of the greatest comedians of his generation, Robin Williams blasted onto the screen thanks to "Mork and Mindy" and stayed for decades. Star of such films as "Good Morning, Vietnam," "Dead Poets Society," and "Mrs. Doubtfire," among countless others, Williams was capable of more than comedy but was always willing to do whatever it took to make an audience laugh. What many didn't realize, however, was that Williams' tragic true-life story included serious problems with depression, and in August 2014 he lost his life to suicide.

Stunned and grief-stricken fans who went to Williams' Twitter page following his death were greeted by an emotional last message — a letter to his daughter Zelda. Reposting a message he'd also dropped on his Instagram, his last tweet included a photo of him and his daughter as a small child as he told his followers, "Happy Birthday to Ms. Zelda Rae Williams! Quarter of a century old today but always my baby girl." Posted on July 31st, 2014, his daughter's 25th birthday, the tweet was sent out just 11 days before he took his own life.

Like Don Rickles, Gilbert Gottfried made a career as something of an insult comic. With a wild and crazy public persona, Gottfried was never afraid to speak his mind, from controversial hot takes to profanity-laden jokes about natural disasters and terrorist attacks. He got in trouble on more than one occasion for his remarks, was fired as the spokesperson for the Aflac insurance company, and forced to issue apologies several times throughout his career. So it was perfectly appropriate that prior to his death on April 12, 2022, the final tweet he released was mocking a pair of Hollywood heavyweights, drawing ire from fans of both.

That tweet came roughly two weeks before Gottfried died, when he took to the social media platform to post a selfie of himself with "SNL" veteran and fellow stand-up comic Chris Rock. It came the day after the Oscars, when Will Smith stormed the stage to slap Rock for an offensive joke about Smith's wife. The incident made waves around Hollywood, and while fans and professionals alike were taking sides, Gottfried used the opportunity to belittle both Smith and Rock. 

"Which is the worst crime?" Gottfried asked facetiously. "Chris Rock being physically assaulted or Chris Rock telling a joke?" The last joke he left on Twitter, it was a customary cutting remark that showcased his willingness to poke fun at just about anything.

The death of a beloved actor is always cause for mourning in Hollywood, but it's especially heart-wrenching when that star is still in the prime of their career. In July 2013, "Glee" star Cory Monteith was found dead of a drug overdose in a Vancouver hotel, one of many actors in the Ryan Murphy series to pass away. Just 31 years old, Monteith was active on social media, and his Twitter page was often where he went to talk about his daily life, from the smallest anecdotes to his biggest news.

Leading up to his death, Monteith littered his Twitter page with the same kinds of posts you'd see from anyone just going about their day. Sharing songs he was listening to, or showing support for his favorite hockey team, Monteith's last tweet came the day before he died — and it was the second of two where he talked about a curious new movie that was sweeping the country. "What the crap is a Sharknado," Monteith asked on July 12 before following with "oh. IT'S A SHARK TORNADO." Clearly, Monteith had been seeing the memes and chatter online about the trending film starring Tara Reid and Ian Ziering, had questions, and went and checked it out for himself.

While some fans might have hoped for Monteith's final message to be something poignant, his comments on "Sharknado" gave fans something silly to remember him by.

Patty Duke was one of the many musical stars of the 1960s to also find a career on television. During her time as a musician she released several albums, had a few hit singles, and also got her own TV series, "The Patty Duke Show." As an actor she was even more accomplished than as a singer, winning an Academy Award in 1963 for "The Miracle Worker" and being nominated for 10 Emmy Awards, winning three times. One of her final performances was a guest spot in a 2013 episode of "Glee" alongside Cory Monteith.

Three years later, Duke died at the age of 69. She was the mother of "The Lord of the Rings" star Sean Astin, who said in the wake of her death that her final days were anything but peaceful. You'd never know it, though, based on her last statement on Twitter (which has since been deleted). It was March 15, 2016, two weeks before her death, that Duke posted one last time to celebrate her wedding anniversary to her third husband Michael Pearce, who she married in 1986. "30 years ago today, Mike and I married," she wrote. "We having [sic] a very happy and quiet day. Love and hugs to all." If she was suffering at the end, Duke hid it well, choosing instead to show the world the remaining joys of her life.

"Friends" star Matthew Perry became the face of 1990s sarcasm playing Chandler Bing. But behind the smiles was a man suffering from depression and substance abuse, ongoing problems that prompted co-stars like Jennifer Aniston to intervene and get him help. Unfortunately, isues with drugs continued to plague Perry, and in October 2023, the star died from an overdose of ketamine. Once again, though, Perry was an actor who did his best to keep his personal struggles behind closed doors, choosing to show fans online his lighter side — and his Twitter posts reflected that.

Just prior to Perry's death — two days earlier, in fact — Perry had taken to Twitter, but not to discuss his problems, or even to promote an upcoming project. Humorously, Perry posted about his favorite films, while inviting his followers to have their own say. "Perfect Movies," Perry posited, before listing a pair of his choices. "1) Back to the Future, 2) Midnight Run, 3) _________?" He signed off the tweet with his typical signature, "-I'm Mattman." It was the last fans would hear from Perry on Twitter, and we're sure many fans picked one of his own films as "perfect movie" #3.

Some might only know comedian Charlie Murphy as the brother of Eddie Murphy, but while he was never a movie star, he did have quite a career himself. Arguably best known for his part in the ensemble cast of "Chappelle's Show," Murphy had roles in "Mo' Better Blues," "Jungle Fever," and "Harlem Nights" in the early '90s and was all over TV on shows like "Martin," "The Boondocks," and "Black Jesus," among others. In April 2017, less than a decade after his wife Tisha died of cervical cancer, Murhpy died of leukemia, and his brother Eddie dedicated his Netflix film "Dolemite is My Name" to him.

On April 11, the day before he died, Murphy offered sage words of wisdom on Twitter, likely knowing that the end was very near for him. "One to sleep on," Murphy began. "Release the past to rest as deeply as possible." If he did know that his final days were here, this is easily read as a man looking to make amends and come to terms with his life before the end. It was a sobering reminder that we should live with as much enthusiasm as possible, and rather than dwelling on past mistakes we should look to start a new chapter each day.

A childhood idol to millions thanks to playing the title role in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," Gene Wilder was one of the most eccentric comic actors of the '70s and '80s. He appeared in the groundbreaking Western comedy "Blazing Saddles" and starred in the iconic "Young Frankenstein," both for director Mel Brooks. Several times he was paired with the equally funny Richard Pryor in films like "Silver Streak" and "Stir Crazy." Wilder's final big-screen performance came alongside Pryor in 1991's "Another You," and following a trio of TV movies in 1999 — including "Alice in Wonderland," where he played Mock Turtle — he largely withdrew from Hollywood.

Three years before his passing in August 2016, Wilder had briefly joined Twitter, posting a handful of times before stepping away from social media. He arrived in January 2013, posting, "This is all incredibly new to me so please be gentle," and followed it up with posts about his frustration with tweeting. His final post was on August 1, telling his followers simply, "I had a fruit salad as a mid morning snack." Though it might at first glance sound more like the rambling of an old man, those who knew his wickedly sardonic sense of humor might have pegged it for exactly the kind of mundane remark he'd make for a dry laugh.

The youngest actor on our list, 20-year-old Cameron Boyce was an emerging star thanks to roles in "Grown Ups," as well as his own series on the Disney Channel, "Jessie." He got his start on the soap opera spin-off "General Hospital: Night Shift," and was set for a breakout thanks to his leading role in "Descendants" and its two sequels. The future was bright for Boyce, but in July 2019 his life was cut tragically short thanks to a medical condition called sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) that caused a seizure in his sleep. 

On social media, Boyce tended to use Twitter as a place to repost his Instagram photos, often linking directly to the other platform. Sometimes those were images of his latest projects, other times it was photos from his day-to-day life, his friends and family, or images that documented his many travels. But his last post on Twitter actually came in June 2018, and it wasn't a repost at all. It was an announcement that something was wrong. "Welp. The day has finally come," Boyce said. "I've finally been hacked on Instagram." He wouldn't post again on Twitter, dying before he ever got the chance to return to the platform.

In the 1960s, Dennis Hopper was in some of the biggest TV shows and movies of the decade, appearing in episodes of "The Twilight Zone," "Wagon Train," "Bonanza," and "Gunsmoke" before his career-altering performance in "Easy Rider." Over the course of his six decades on screen, Hopper appeared in classics like "Apocalypse Now," "Speed" and "Blue Velvet," but also infamous bombs like "Waterworld" and "Super Mario Bros." Whether his movies were good or bad, he always gave it his all, and when he died in May 2010, he left behind an impressive filmography — and one final observation on Twitter.

In April 2009, several months before he was diagnosed with the prostate cancer that eventually took his life, Hopper went online to talk about a strange experience he had while traveling overseas in Asia. "In Japan there's a 20 foot picture of me endorsing one of my favourite hotels," Hopper told his followers. "Seeing it is surreal." While it was certainly a noteworthy moment for him, he couldn't let it pass without putting in a plug: "PS. Stay there, put food on my table!"

There are plenty of actors who will always be known for one project -- for playing an iconic character that became an indelible part of pop culture — and Adam West is one of them. For just three seasons he played the Caped Crusader on "Batman" in the 1960s, yet it became so popular during its run that it was impossible for West to be as well-known for anything else. He continued to be associated with the role for decades, voicing a different character in "Batman: The Animated Series" in the '90s and even the Batman-like hero Nighthawk in Marvel's "Super Hero Squad Show." In 2016 he returned to play Batman in a pair of direct-to-video animated movies.

Sadly, just a few months before the release of "Batman vs. Two-Face," West died from leukemia at the age of 88, after which the Bat-Signal was projected onto Los Angeles Hall in tribute to the fallen actor. Days before he died in June 2017, West posted to Twitter to show fans his latest convention appearance. In the tweet, West shared a photo of himself and Apple Computers co-founder Steve Wozniak, saying, "Great meeting the legendary @stevewoz at the San Jose comicon last weekend." Active right up until the very end, it seemed that there was little that West loved more than meeting his well-wishers and fans, and his final tweet was proof.

Famously fired from "Saturday Night Live," Norm Macdonald was the show's "Weekend Update" host for nearly five years, and became a legend after exiting the sketch comedy series in December 1997. Arguably more beloved after he left "SNL," he went on to front his own sitcom, "Norm" in 1999, and later provided voicework in animated favorites like "Skylander Academy" and "Mike Tyson Mysteries" as well as the live-action sci-fi comedy "The Orville." 

In his later years, Macdonald became active on social media and online, even hosting his own podcast that featured guests like Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman, and Roseanne Barr. On Twitter, Macdonald seemed to use the platform to talk about just about anything that was on his mind, no matter how small. A lot of his posts were about sports, oddly enough, including his many wagers on betting apps, in line with his well-chronicled gambling habits. 

It came to an end with his death in September 2021 from leukemia. His last tweet came a few months before he died, when it was revealed that he'd been ill for almost a decade. But that tweet showed that no matter how grim his diagnosis, he always had time for a little odds-making, posting about his betting picks. "Morikawa shoots a 64 to get to -9," he said, referring to pro golfer Collin Morikawa. "He was my pick for this week, but I laid off at last second due to injury concerns."

Audiences in the '80s knew her from "The Golden Girls," but Betty White was the queen of TV comedy decades before, having several shows of her own in the 1950s. Her supporting role in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and her subsequent sitcom "The Betty White Show" cemented her as one of TV's biggest stars. Famous for her surprisingly frank and often-times risque sense of humor, White only seemed to become more beloved the older she got, enjoying a late-career resurgence into her 80s and 90s. She finally called it quits after just under a century, passing away peacefully in her sleep on New Year's Eve, 2021 following a stroke on Christmas Day.

While many social media platforms aren't popular with the older set, White remained active on Twitter even as she approached her 100th birthday. That's exactly what she tweeted about in her final post, as she talked about getting close to the milestone just before she died. "My 100th birthday," White said (via the NY Post), mystified by the number. "I cannot believe it is coming up and People Magazine is celebrating with me! The new issue of People is available on newsstands nationwide tomorrow." Ironically, White didn't live to see her centennial, which fell just weeks after her death.

Cory Monteith wasn't the only "Glee" star to die long before their time. Following the show's end after six seasons, Naya Rivera went on to star in "Step Up: High Water," a YouTube Red original spin-off of the "Step Up" films. But ahead of filming for the show's third season (which later aired on Starz), Rivera went missing following a trip with her son Josey to a lake in California. Her body was found a week later and it was discovered that she'd drowned in the lake while swimming. 

As sad as the end of Rivera's life was, a peek at her Twitter reveals an even more gut-wrenching ending. Posted one day before she disappeared on July 8, 2020, the tweet was a simple photo of Rivera giving a kiss to her young son, accompanied by the words, "Just the two of us." Interviews with four-year-old Josey revealed that in her last moments, Rivera had saved her son from going under, helping him back into the boat at the cost of her own life. It was later revealed that Rivera often suffered from vertigo when in the water.

Comedian Richard Lewis came to fame in the 1980s thanks to frequent late-night talk show guest appearances. In 1989 he got his own show, "Anything but Love," which teamed him with former scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, but in 2000 he took on his greatest role yet: himself. In "Curb Your Enthusiasm" he played an exaggerated version of himself who, as Larry David's best anti-friend, showed up often to spar with his comic buddy. The role earned him a Screen Actor's Guild Award nomination, but after the show's final season debuted in 2024, Lewis died of a heart attack at the age of 76.

Lewis was always posting on Twitter, and just prior to his death on February 27, was eager to share with his fans glimpses of the upcoming last year of "Curb Your Enthusiasm." On February 19, Lewis posted one last tweet about the upcoming third episode of the season, along with a link to a Vanity Fair piece he was interviewed for. What makes the tweet all the more unsettling is that, after his death, Vanity Fair changed the headline of their February 18 story to read "Richard Lewis's Final Interview." Making the piece all the more poignant was Lewis saying in the interview, "I've had such an amazing life ... I'm a lucky man."

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, or is struggling or in crisis, contact the relevant resources below:

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

• Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.