Actors Who Have Died In 2025 So Far

Actors are some of the most beloved celebrities in popular culture, which is why it somehow hits harder when one of them dies. While any death is a tragedy, losing a public figure whose work onscreen has been enjoyed for years is often devastating to millions of fans around the world. Despite most fans never having the opportunity to meet them, it's not uncommon for people to mourn an actor's passing. 

Sadly, actors do succumb to the same illnesses, accidents, and age-related causes of death that can impact anyone. Still, it's difficult to come to terms with a famous actor's demise because, while the people closest to them certainly feel their passing the hardest, the people who love their work may feel like they know the person as well. There's also a sadness in knowing that whether it's Michelle Trachtenberg or Gene Hackman, they'll never appear in anything new again. Even in the case of someone who's already retired from acting, knowing they're gone makes their body of work all the more important to the people who adored them. 

Many actors, some famous, some not so well-known, and one or two who were nothing less than giants in the field, have died in 2025. Many of their deaths were unexpected. Here's every actor who's died in 2025 so far.

Bill Byrge was a character actor who spent nearly the entirety of his career working alongside Ernest P. Worrell, playing the character Bobby in numerous projects. His first role came in 1985's "Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam" as an unnamed gas station attendant. After that, Byrge appeared in "Ernest Saves Christmas," the television series "Hey Vern, It's Ernest!," and three subsequent films in the 1990s.

After the "Ernest" franchise ended with Worrell's passing in 2000, Byrge did little acting, returning to his prior work as a librarian. He appeared in one direct-to-video film, reprising his role as Bobby in "Billy and Bobby the Wacky Duo on Vacation." In the film, Bobby goes on a road trip with Billy, but must learn to drive before that can happen, and various wacky antics ensue.

After this, he popped up in several music videos and theater productions but remained largely absent from popular culture for the past few decades. A respected member of his town of Nashville, Tennessee, Byrge died on January 9, 2025, at the age of 86. His cousin, Sharon Chapman, announced his passing on Facebook.

After catching the acting bug early, Leslie Charleson landed a role on the soap opera "A Flame in the Wind," but it wouldn't be her last. Charleson found her way to "As the World Turns," and followed this performance in a plethora of popular programs throughout the 1960s and '70s. Still, despite all of her work in various television series, she's probably best remembered for playing Monica Quartermaine in "General Hospital."

When she joined the cast, the show was on the decline, but she helped turn it around. Charleson had the opportunity to be one of those actors who played the same character for decades, and throughout her time in "General Hospital," she received numerous high-profile award nominations for her work. Of course, that wasn't the only program to feature Charleson, whose career spanned nearly 60 years and included guest starring roles on "Happy Days," "The Rockford Files," "Dharma and Greg," and "Friends."

Charleson died on January 12, 2025, at the age of 79. Prior to her passing, she experienced several falls, limiting her mobility and requiring hospitalization. In one of these incidents, she sustained blunt head trauma, with her cause of death listed as such. The "General Hospital" Instagram announced her passing the day she died, paying tribute to her nearly 50-year run on the show.

Tony Slattery's impressive acting career kicked off in the early 1980s, when he joined his friend and fellow actor, Stephen Fry, in the University of Cambridge's Cambridge Footlights, the university's popular sketch comedy troupe. Other notable members included Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson, and many more. From there, Slattery launched his career in television, where he landed many popular roles.

He's probably best known for his brilliant improvisational skills displayed on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" Slattery worked as a series regular for many years, which helped him find employment in other areas of the entertainment industry. Outside of comedy, Slattery landed roles in several notable dramas, including "The Crying Game," "To Die For," and many others.

Slattery had several mental and physical health issues, including bipolar disorder and a dangerous cocaine addiction that derailed his life and career at times. He got his life back together with the help of his friends, and Fry documented his journey in "Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive." Slattery died on January 14, 2025, at the age of 65, two days after having a heart attack. His longtime friend, Fry, gave him a lovely tribute on the BBC's obituary series, "Last Word."

Before becoming more of a TV personality, Paul Danan first appeared the British television series "Hollyoaks." While he continued to act in a variety of television programs, he also delved into reality TV, becoming a contestant during the first season of "Celebrity Love Island." He returned for the second season and found his way to "Celebrity Big Brother" years later.

Throughout most of his career, Danan didn't play anyone other than himself, appearing in programs like "Celebrity Coach Trip" and "Farage," which was his last appearance before his untimely death. Danan dealt with various addictions to a variety of legal and illegal substances, revealing he'd been to rehab over 10 times by 2022.

As a result, Danan's health declined, and he nearly died from respiratory failure in mid-2024. He survived, but on January 15, 2025, Danan died at the age of 46. Soon after his passing, The Daily Mail reported that Danan died following a slip and fall in his apartment. His death wasn't treated as suspicious, nor did his passing appear to be related to the use of any illicit substances, as Danan was working at his recovery at the time.

Dame Joan Plowright began her acting career on the stage in South London in the 1940s. While she continued to work in theater throughout her life, she didn't remain there. Her feature film debut came in 1956's "Moby Dick," and she worked alongside the venerated Laurence Olivier, whom she eventually married. Plowright was one of the most distinguished actors of her generation, and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for her work.

Plowright acted in feature films of all genres, including animated movies like "Curious George" and "Dinosaur" and live-action efforts such as "Dance with Me" and "Enchanted April," for which she earned an Academy Award nomination. Plowright was a working actor for more than 60 years, with a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, and many others among her numerous accolades.

Plowright retired from acting in 2014 due to macular degeneration but returned once more in 2018's "Nothing Like a Dame" documentary. She died on January 16, 2025, at the age of 95. Plowright's family confirmed her death in a statement, writing (via Entertainment Weekly), "She enjoyed a long and illustrious career across theater, film, and TV over seven decades until blindness made her retire."

Bob Uecker wasn't a typical actor: he started out as a professional baseball player with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956. He played for numerous teams before retiring from the game to serve as the play-by-play announcer for the Milwaukee Brewers — a job he held for 54 seasons. "Mr. Baseball," as he was called, began acting in the 1980s, having joined the cast of "Mr. Belvedere."

Uecker also played versions of himself in several television series and films, notably calling the games in the two "Major League" movies, though his character went by the name Harry Doyle. He continued acting into the 21st century but primarily switched to voiceover work, finding gigs on shows like "Futurama," "Teen Titans Go!," and "Monsters at Work," which was his last credited acting role.

Uecker began receiving treatment for small cell lung cancer in 2023, but his family kept this information private until his passing on January 16, 2025, at the age of 90. The Milwaukee Brewers mourned his passing on social media and shared his family's announcement of Uecker's death on X (formerly Twitter), in which they wrote that his "humor and voice transcended the game, but to us, he was so much more."

Raised in Montana, Spanish actor Francisco San Martin launched his professional acting career on the set of "Days of Our Lives" in 2010. He appeared in 59 episodes, playing both Dario Hernandez and Javier Rodriguez. San Martin kept his soap skills honed, finding work on "The Bold and the Beautiful" and the American telenovela satire "Jane the Virgin," where he played a character named Fabian in seven episodes.

In 2016, San Martin appeared on "Afterbuzz TV" to speak about his time on "Days of Our Lives," explaining his love for the show: "I grew up watching 'Days,' which was crazy. When I was living in Montana when I was a kid from the age of 5 to 13, I would watch 'Days' all the time. ... I got such a kick out of it. I was pretty young. I would watch it every time I got back from school."

This left the young actor starstruck for most of his time working on the show alongside many of his childhood idols. San Martin continued working as an actor, with his most recent credit being the short film "Dot" in 2022. He died by suicide on January 16, 2025, at the age of 39.

Jan Shepard was a prolific character actor who launched her career in the early 1950s. Much of her work was in various series on the small screen, primarily in single-episode walk-on roles. While most of her appearances on shows like "Perry Mason," "Rawhide," and "Bonanza" consisted of fewer than three episodes, she was a regular on the daytime soap opera "The Clear Horizon," appearing in over 250 episodes between 1960 and 1962.

Westerns — some two dozen of them — took up much of Shepard's career. But she also worked with many notable performers, including two films with Elvis Presley, and she also turned up in B-movies like "Attack of the Giant Leeches" and others. Shepard retired from acting in the early 1970s, having appeared in nearly 90 projects throughout her career. Her last credited role was as Claire Amazeen in a single episode of "The Rookies."

Shepard married fellow actor Ray Boyle in 1954, having worked together on "Death Valley Days," and they remained together until his death in 2022. On January 17, 2025, Shepard died from pneumonia brought on by respiratory failure; she was 96. Her son, prop master Brandon Boyle, told The Hollywood Reporter, "She was a good one and will be dearly missed."

Long before she began acting, Marianne Faithfull was one of the U.K.'s most celebrated singers. Her song "As Tears Go By" made her a leading female artist in the United States during the so-called "British Invasion" of the 1960s. Throughout her singing career, Faithfull released numerous hit songs and albums, earning a Grammy nomination for her 1979 album "Broken English."

Faithfull made the jump to acting in the 1960s, appearing in various TV movies, television series, and feature films. She played Ophelia in "Hamlet" in 1969 and also worked in the theater well into the 2000s. Faithfull popped up in all manner of movies over the years, including "Marie Antoinette," "The Girl from Nagasaki," and "Dune: Part One," where she lent her voice to the Bene Gesserit ancestors.

Faithfull continued voice acting, with her final credit as the narrator in 2023's "Wild Summon." She died on January 30, 2025, at the age of 78, following many years of ill health brought on by substance abuse, heavy smoking, and other issues. She survived breast cancer and emphysema and nearly died from COVID-19 in 2020, but lived another five years after that. Her cause of death was not made public.

Lee Joo-Sil was a South Korean actress best known in her native country, but the world met her through "Squid Game," where she played the mother of police officer Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon). Still, that was only one credit in a long career that began in the theater in 1965, when Lee appeared in Shakespeare's "Macbeth" and Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman," among others.

Lee was also a frequent player in various K-dramas, including "Someday," "Loving You a Thousand Times," and many others. Of course, she wasn't limited to television and worked in a number of popular films, including "Train to Busan," "Commitment," and "Black House." "Squid Game" was the final credited role of Lee's 60-year career.

Breast cancer nearly cost Joo-Sil her life in the 1990s, but she survived and continued acting until she was diagnosed in 2024 with stomach cancer, which is what ultimately took her life. Joo-Sil died at her family home on February 2, 2025, at the age of 81. She'd been diagnosed only three months prior to her passing.

If you've ever seen some of director Woody Allen's greatest movies from the 1960s and '70s, it's likely that you're familiar with Tony Roberts. He was a frequent collaborator with Allen, appearing in six of his films, including "Annie Hall" and "Stardust Memories." Roberts began his professional acting career in the early 1960s, appearing in various television series before transitioning to film in 1971's "The Million Dollar Duck."

Not long after, he found his way to Allen's attention, appearing in both the Broadway production and film version of the writer-director's "Play It Again, Sam." In addition to his work with Allen, Roberts also scored roles in "Serpico" and "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three." A frequent guest star on TV and performer on the New York stage, earning two Tony nominations, Roberts was also in demand for voiceover work, lending his voice to the 1994 audiobook productions of the original "Star Wars" trilogy.

Roberts worked sporadically in the 2000s and 2010s, appearing in a handful of movies and television series, with the 2017 TV movie remake of "Dirty Dancing" listed as his last credited appearance. Roberts died from lung cancer on February 7, 2025, at the age of 85.

Peter "Navy" Tuiasosopo began his career as a professional football player. He played center for Utah State before making the move in 1987 to the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams. His football career was brief, lasting only two years, but he then managed to find work in the entertainment industry. Tuiasosopo first appeared in the 1991 football comedy "Necessary Roughness."

From there, Tuiasosopo popped up in everything from "Street Fighter" and "Charlie's Angels" to "New Girl" and "Ray Donovan." He also found his way onto a number of high-profile movie sets, including "The Scorpion King," "Austin Powers in Goldmember," "The Fast and the Furious," and many more. Throughout the 21st century, most of Tuiasosopo's work was on television, and his last credit came in a 2021 episode of "Magnum P.I."

On February 10, 2025, Tuiasosopo died from heart complications at the age of 61. His son, Manoah, shared the news of his father's passing on Facebook, writing, "With a heavy heart, my family and I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. Our father, Peter N. Tuiasosopo, passed away this morning. ... My dad lived an amazing life, and in no way does his impact stop there."

Sometimes, actors appear in dozens of films and series without anyone knowing their names, and this applies to Biff Wiff. He began his acting career in 1986 and didn't conduct a single interview until 2021. Despite this, Wiff had appeared in over 60 television series and feature films, most often playing minor roles, though he played Santa Claus numerous times during his career.

Wiff's first interview came as a result of his work on "I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson," where he played Santa and other characters. Wiff also appeared in a handful of episodes of the new "Night Court," having played a different character in one episode of the original series. His credits include single appearances on a multitude of shows like "Roseanne," "Roswell," and "Desperate Housewives."

More recently, Wiff landed work in "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and continued acting well into 2024. Wiff had been diagnosed with cancer and began treatment the previous year, and his friends set up a GoFundMe on his behalf. On February 12, 2025, Wiff died from the disease at age 76. His friends, management agency, and co-stars shared tributes about Wiff after his passing.

Kim Sae-ron began her career as a child model before transitioning into acting via 2009's "A Brand New Life" at the age of nine. She continued acting, primarily appearing in popular K-dramas and feature films. Some of her best-known work in the movies included "The Man from Nowhere" and "A Girl at My Door," but television was where she spent most of her career.

Some of the more notable K-dramas Kim performed in were "Leverage," "Glamorous Temptation," and "Bloodhounds," which was her final credit. In 2022, Kim's career was effectively destroyed when she crashed her car while under the influence of alcohol, resulting in a conviction and a fine of 20 million won (around $14,000). As a result, Kim was dropped from "Bloodhounds" and unable to find additional work in South Korea. 

Kim was ostracized online and became the subject of harassment, a known issue in South Korea which took an emotional toll on the actor. Without acting work available to her, she worked at a cafe and largely faded from the public eye. She reportedly changed her name to Kim Ah-im and was planning on opening a business while attempting to return to working as an actor, but instead died by suicide at the age of 24 on February 16, 2025.

A good character actor is someone who can disappear into just about any role and leave the audience none the wiser. This was certainly true of Peter Jason, who played a myriad of different characters throughout his six-decade career. Jason often played authority figures, whether they were in members of the military or in law enforcement, and throughout his time as an actor, he appeared in more than 160 feature films.

While movies made up most of Jason's work, he wasn't shy about the small screen and popped up in nearly 100 different series. Some of his more noteworthy performances came in films like "48 Hrs.," "Mortal Kombat," and "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom." In television, he showed up in a variety of programs, including "Deadwood," "NCIS," "Longmire," and many others.

Jason died of cancer on February 20, 2025, at the age of 80. His passing was followed by tributes from his many friends and collaborators, including director John Carpenter, whom he had worked with many times over the years. Billy Zane wrote on Instagram that his "dear friend, the brightest light, most generous soul, and gregarious of men, the supremely talented and kind Peter Jason has left the set."

Alice Hirson began working in the theater before moving to film and television, where she spent most of her career. While she had many roles throughout her 70-year career, Hirson is probably best known for playing Mavis Anderson on "Dallas" for several years in the 1980s. Another notable TV role was that of Ellen DeGeneres' mom, Lois, on "Ellen."

Hirson also found work in feature films, including roles in "Blind Date," "Private Benjamin," "Revenge of the Nerds," and a number of TV movies. She also did a lot of work in video games, providing the voice for several characters in "Murdered: Soul Suspect" and "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim." But Hirson's career still included numerous theater productions, including three performances on Broadway.

Hirson retired from acting in 2021, ending her career with nearly 90 film and television credits to her name. On February 14, 2025, she died of natural causes at the age of 95. Her son, Broadway playwright David Hirson, said that his mother primarily defined herself as a stage actor, adding that he was impressed by her ability to raise a family while pursuing a full-time profession that often involved long hours on set.

Few actors enjoy the variety of roles Lynne Marie Stewart played throughout her six-decade career. She's probably best known for playing Miss Yvonne, "The Most Beautiful Woman in Puppetland," on the hit TV series "Pee-wee's Playhouse," though she first played the character on "The Pee-wee Herman Show." 

Of course, she didn't limit herself to children's television during her robust film and TV career, which began in the 1970s and included parts in movies and shows like "The Running Man," "American Graffiti," and the "M*A*S*H" television series. Other popular shows she guested on included "Laverne and Shirley," "The Golden Girls," and "Night Court." These days, she's probably best known for playing Bonnie Kelly, Charlie's (Charlie Day) mom on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."

Stewart was also heavily involved in the Make-a-Wish Foundation, alongside her longtime friend and collaborator Paul Reubens. She died of cancer on February 21, 2025 at the age of 78, a month after her diagnosis found it had spread near her liver and gall bladder . After her passing, Day posted a tribute on Instagram: "The brilliant and talented Lynne Marie Stewart. Rest in peace. Thank you for all the years of laughter."

Michelle Trachtenberg began working in Hollywood as a child actor, first appearing in the Nickelodeon series "The Adventures of Pete and Pete." She remained on the show for two years before landing the lead in her breakout film, "Harriet the Spy." Trachtenberg continued working with Nickelodeon for several years, establishing herself as a prominent child actor before transitioning to more mature content.

She gained new fame on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer, " playing Dawn Summers, the younger sister of Sarah Michelle Gellar's titular lead. Trachtenberg then appeared in the comedy "EuroTrip" and the hit CW series "Gossip Girl" as Georgina Sparks, a recurring role which she held for several years. She also landed various film roles throughout her early 20s, including parts in "Ice Princess," "17 Again," and many others.

After making fewer appearances into the 2010s and beyond, while still maintaining a presence on social media, Trachtenberg died on February 26, 2025, at the age of 39. While her cause of death hasn't been reported and likely won't, as her family objected to an autopsy, she reportedly underwent a liver transplant not long before her passing, complications from which may have contributed to her death.

Not many actors have the level of success and widespread respect that Gene Hackman enjoyed throughout most of his life and career. Hackman began acting professionally in the 1960s after a four-year stint in the U.S. Marine Corps and a few years at the University of Illinois. He started out on the small screen in various television series before landing his first movie role in 1964's "Lilith," spending almost all of his career after that in films.

Hackman's filmography spanned five decades and included several cinema classics, with some of his more prominent roles coming in "Bonnie and Clyde," "The French Connection," "The Conversation," "The Poseidon Adventure," "Superman," "Hoosiers," "Unforgiven," and "The Royal Tenenbaums." Hackman was a prolific screen presence, often appearing in multiple films per year, until he retired in 2004 due to health reasons.

Hackman received numerous awards and nominations, winning two Academy Awards for his work in "Unforgiven" and "The French Connection." He died on February 26, 2025, at the age of 95, alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa, at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The circumstances were deemed suspicious by local authorities, and the investigation had yet to determine their causes of death as of March 2025.

David Johansen began his career not as an actor but as a singer and songwriter in the legendary but short-lived New York glam rock band the New York Dolls. A performer since the 1960s, Johansen later reinvented himself as Buster Poindexter, creating music in multiple genres and landing a spot in the house band on "Saturday Night Live." He made his way into acting in 1985 via a walk-on role in an episode of "Miami Vice."

Johansen wasn't a prolific actor compared to some transplants from the music industry, but he managed to secure roles in a number of television series and movies. He's probably best known for playing the Ghost of Christmas Past in 1988's "Scrooged," but he continued acting long after that, appearing in a variety of films, TV shows, and shorts for decades.

Johansen had to end his musical career in 2020, following a diagnosis of stage four cancer coupled with a brain tumor. Despite his prognosis, he survived for several years, though his health declined during that time. In November 2024, he broke his back, with his daughter launching a fundraiser to help pay for his treatment. Johansen died from cancer on February 28, 2025, at the age of 75.

While some fans may not recognize his face, plenty adored the work of George Lowe, a prolific voice actor and comedian who began his career in the 1980s. His first credited role is also the one for which he's best known: playing Space Ghost in "Cartoon Planet." That's a role he returned to numerous times throughout his career, in "Space Ghost Coast to Coast" and several more animated series and video games.

Of course, Lowe didn't limit his performances to a single character, acting in a variety of television series and portraying multiple characters in shows like "Robot Chicken" and "American Dad!" Lowe was also a frequent guest at conventions and would meet with his fans, signing autographs and taking photos at events all over the U.S..

Lowe died on March 2, 2025, at the age of 67. He'd been away from social media for about a year before his death. His longtime friend, Marvin Boone, posted a tribute on Facebook: "I'm beyond devastated. My Zobanian brother and best friend for over 40 years, George Lowe, has passed away after a long illness. He was a supremely talented artist and voice actor."

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

• Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

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

• Contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.