Movie star deaths 2026: Remembering the celebrities who died this 12 months

T.K. Carter,' Catherine O'Hara; Kianna Underwood T.K. Carter,' Catherine O'Hara; Kianna Underwood
T.Ok. Carter,' Catherine O'Hara; Kianna Underwood. Credit score:

Bobby Financial institution/Getty; Michael Kovac/Getty; Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

In 2026, Hollywood is saying goodbye to beloved entertainers throughout tv, movies, music, and extra.

Among the many well-known figures whose deaths had been introduced in January are beloved Schitt's Creek and Home Alone actress Catherine O'Hara, Grateful Lifeless founding member Bob Weir, The Factor and Punky Brewster star T.Ok. Carter, Dilbert creator Scott Adams, and Valentino Garavani, the long-lasting designer who appeared in The Satan Wears Prada.

Learn on to recollect the lives and careers of the celebrities who’ve died in 2026.

Get your every day dose of leisure information, movie star updates, and what to observe with our EW Dispatch e-newsletter.

01 of 30

Brad Arnold

Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down performs at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre in Sterling Heights, Mich., on Aug. 7, 2021
Brad Arnold of three Doorways Down performs on the Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre in Sterling Heights, Mich., on Aug. 7, 2021.

Scott Legato/Getty

Brad Arnold, the lead singer and longest-tenured founding member of the exhausting rock band 3 Doorways Down, died at 47 on Feb. 7 following a battle with most cancers. Arnold wrote the group's greatest single, "Kryptonite," throughout algebra class in his senior 12 months of highschool. The monitor helped launch the band's debut album The Higher Life to large success in 2000. 3 Doorways Down went on to launch 5 extra albums between 2002 and 2016, with two of them reaching the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart.

02 of 30

Fred Smith

Fred Smith performing with Television in London in May 1977
Fred Smith performing with Tv on the Hammersmith Odeon in London in Could 1977.

Michael Putland/Getty

Fred Smith, the bassist for the rock band Tv and a founding member of Blondie, died at 77 on Feb. 5. Smith was the unique bassist within the first Blondie lineup, which additionally included Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, and Billy O'Connor, in 1974. He left the group lower than a 12 months later to exchange Richard Hell in Tv, who had been already a mainstay at New York's CBGB membership with members Tom Verlaine, Richard Lloyd, and Billy Ficca. He supplied bass and backing vocals on all three of Tv's studio albums: 1977's Marquee Moon, 1978's Journey, and 1992's Tv.

03 of 30

Chuck Negron

Musician Chuck Negron, former singer of the classic rock band Three Dog Night
Chuck Negron.

Scott Dudelson/Getty

Three Canine Evening founding member Chuck Negron died at 83 on Feb. 2. The vocal trio would go on to change into some of the common bands of the late '60s and '70s, recording 10 albums and releasing songs like "Pleasure to the World," "One," and "Outdated Usual Love Tune," with Negron on lead vocals. He additionally launched his personal solo profession in 1995, releasing seven albums and actively touring till the COVID-19 pandemic.

04 of 30

Billy Bass Nelson

Billy Bass Nelson of Parliament-Funkadelic in 1971
Billy Bass Nelson of Parliament-Funkadelic in 1971.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Parliament-Funkadelic member Billy Bass Nelson died on Jan. 31. He was 75. Nelson was recruited by George Clinton as a teen for his doo-wop band, the Parliaments. The group later took on a funkier R&B and rock sound and was branded Funkadelic by Nelson. Later, as Parliament-Funkadelic, the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame.

05 of 30

Catherine O'Hara

Catherine O'Hara at the Emmy Awards in 2024
Catherine O'Hara on the Emmy Awards in 2024.

Gilbert Flores/Selection by way of Getty

Comedy legend Catherine O'Hara, identified for her roles in Residence Alone, Beetlejuice, Schitt's Creek, andseveral Christopher Visitor mockumentaries, died on Jan. 30 at age 71. After starting her comedy profession as a member of Second Metropolis Tv (SCTV) — and passing on starring on Saturday Evening Stay, O'Hara additional made a reputation for herself with roles in After Hours, Heartburn, stepmother Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice and its sequel, Ready for Guffman, Finest in Present, A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, and, after all, the Residence Alone films. She most lately appeared within the motion movie Argylle, and TV reveals The Final of Us and The Studio.

06 of 30

Sly Dunbar

Sly Dunbar in 1984
Sly Dunbar in 1984.

David Corio/Getty

Sly Dunbar, a Grammy-winning reggae drummer, died on Jan. 26 at 73. As one half of the duo Sly & Robbie, together with late bassist Robbie Shakespeare, the Jamaican musicians created reggae rhythms utilized by the likes of Bob Marley, Mick Jagger, and Bob Dylan.

07 of 30

Gabe Lopez

Gabe Lopez; RuPaul on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
Gabe Lopez; RuPaul on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'.

Gabe Lopez/Instagram; MTV

Emmy-nominated RuPaul's Drag Race crew member and songwriter Gabe Lopez died on Jan. 25 after a "transient however intense battle with lymphoma," based on his mom. Lopez acquired recognition for his behind-the-scenes work mixing sound for the truth competitors's common 2023 musical episode, "Wigloose: The Rusical!," placing a drag spin on 1980's basic Footloose. He additionally labored on Queen of the Universe, The Bitch Who Stole Christmas, Monster Excessive: The Film, The Different Two, and the Las Culturistas Tradition Awards.

08 of 30

Man Hovis

Guy Hovis with then-wife Ralna English on 'The Lawrence Welk Show'
Man Hovis with then-wife Ralna English on 'The Lawrence Welk Present'.

Disney Normal Leisure Content material by way of Getty

Man Hovis, a musician who continuously appeared on The Lawrence Welk Present, died on Jan. 22. He was 84. Hovis carried out quite a few instances on the favored musical selection present alongside then-wife Ralna English, starting in 1969 and all through the Seventies.

09 of 30

Francis Buchholz

Francis Buchholz and Rudolph Schenker of Scorpions in 1984
Francis Buchholz and Rudolph Schenker of Scorpions in 1984.

Paul Natkin/Getty

Bassist Francis Buchholz, a member of German rock band Scorpions, died on Jan. 22 of most cancers. He was 71. Buchholz performed with the band behind hits like "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and "Wind of Change" for almost 20 years.

10 of 30

Jardyn 'Pee Wee' Walker

Jardyn 'Pee Wee' Walker
Jardyn 'Pee Wee' Walker.

Zeus

Former actuality TV star Jardyn Walker was discovered shot to loss of life in Missouri on Jan. 21. He was 23. Underneath the nickname "Pee Wee," Walker was a contestant on Zeus Community actuality relationship sequence Two Methods With Erica Mena, that includes Love & Hip Hop: New York and Atlanta alum Erica Mena searching for love. Walker positioned fourth total on the competitors in 2025.

11 of 30

Kevin Johnson

Defensive lineman Kevin Johnson plays with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1995
Defensive lineman Kevin Johnson performs with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1995.

George Gojkovich/Getty

Former NFL participant Kevin Johnson was discovered useless on Jan. 21 from blunt head trauma and stab wounds. He was 55. Johnson performed as a defensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles and the then-Oakland Raiders within the Nineteen Nineties.

12 of 30

Rob Hirst

 Rob Hirst of Ghostrighters and Midnight Oil performs in 2007
Rob Hirst of Ghostrighters and Midnight Oil performs in 2007.

Gaye Gerard/Getty

Midnight Oil co-founder and drummer Rob Hirst died on Jan. 20 after a battle with pancreatic most cancers. He was 70. Hirst helped write most of the Aussie band's hit songs, together with "Beds Are Burning," "Blue Sky Mine," "Forgotten Years," "The Lifeless Coronary heart," and "King of the Mountain."

13 of 30

Kim Vō

Kim Vō in 2009
Kim Vō in 2009.

Isaac Brekken/WireImage

Movie star hairstylist and actuality TV star Kim Vō died on Jan. 19 after an eight-year battle with colorectal most cancers. He was 55. Along with serving as a well-liked colorist and hairstylist for the Hollywood elite, Vō served as a choose on Bravo's Shear Genius and starred on Paramount+'s Blowing LA.

14 of 30

Valentino Garavani

Valentino Garavani with Meryl Streep in 'The Devil Wears Prada'
Valentino Garavani with Meryl Streep in 'The Satan Wears Prada'.

twentieth Century Fox

Designer Valentino Garavani, founding father of the Valentino model, who additionally appeared in The Devil Wears Prada, died on Jan. 19 at his residence in Rome. He was 93. The style visionary based his namesake model in 1960, gaining widespread recognition due to former first woman Jackie Kennedy sporting his designs. Garavani appeared in 2006's The Satan Wears Prada alongside Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. He additionally appeared within the characteristic documentary about his life, Valentino: The Final Emperor, earlier than his 2008 retirement.

15 of 30

Roger Allers

Roger Allers in 2023
Roger Allers in 2023.

Phillip Faraone/Getty

Animator, screenwriter, and filmmaker Roger Allers died on Jan. 17. He was 76. Allers co-directed 1994's animated blockbuster The Lion King, and later co-wrote the libretto for the film's Broadway musical adaptation, which was nominated for Finest Ebook of a Musical on the 1998 Tony Awards. He additionally labored on movies like Magnificence and the Beast, Aladdin, and Lilo & Sew as an animator, storyboard artist, and story editor.

16 of 30

Bruce Bilson

Bruce Bilson with granddaughter Rachel Bilson in 2004
Bruce Bilson with granddaughter Rachel Bilson in 2004.

Frederick M. Brown/Getty

Emmy-winning TV director Bruce Bilson died on Jan. 16 at 97. Bilson, grandfather of actress Rachel Bilson, directed episodes of hit TV sequence, together with The Andy Griffith Present, Get Sensible, The Patty Duke Present, The Odd Couple, and Hogan's Heroes.

17 of 30

Kianna Underwood

Kianna Underwood on 'All That'
Kianna Underwood on 'All That'.

Nickelodeon

Former youngster actress Kianna Underwood, finest identified for costarring on Nickelodeon's All That, died on Jan. 16, after being struck in a hit-and-run in New York. She was 33. Underwood appeared on the tenth season of the Nickelodeon children' sketch present that initially starred Amanda Bynes and Kenan Thompson. She additionally appeared in 1999's The 24 Hour Girl, was solid within the unique nationwide tour of Hairspray, and did voice work on Invoice Cosby's animated present Little Invoice and 2001 TV film Santa, Child.

18 of 30

Kenny Morris

Siouxsie & the Banshees members Steve Severin, Siouxsie Sioux, John McKay, and Kenny Morris
Siouxsie & the Banshees members Steve Severin, Siouxsie Sioux, John McKay, and Kenny Morris.

Fin Costello/Redferns

Drummer Kenny Morris, a member of Siouxsie and the Banshees, died on Jan. 15. He was 68. Morris performed on the influential goth rock band's first two albums.

19 of 30

Scott Adams

Cartoonist Scott Adams poses with a life-sized cutout of his Dilbert character in 2014
Cartoonist Scott Adams poses with a life-sized cutout of his Dilbert character in 2014.

Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle by way of Getty

Cartoonist and Dilbert creator Scott Adams died on Jan. 13 after a battle with prostate most cancers. He was 68. Adams created his defining sketch in 1989, satirizing white collar work life. After discovering mainstream success all through the Nineteen Nineties, Dilbert was dropped from newspapers throughout the U.S. in 2023 after its creator's racist feedback, calling Black individuals a "hate group" and advising white individuals to "get the f— away" from them.

20 of 30

John Forté

John Forté in 2025
John Forté in 2025.

Theo Wargo/Getty

John Forté, a Grammy-nominated musician and producer who was an in depth collaborator with the Fugees, was discovered useless at his Massachusetts residence on Jan. 12. He was 50. Forté helped produce and write two songs, "Cowboys" and "Household Enterprise," on the influential hip-hop group's chart-topping 1996 album, "The Rating." He additionally helped work on songs for Wyclef Jean's debut solo album, Wyclef Jean Presents the Carnival, earlier than making his personal album, Poly Sci, working with Jean and fellow Fugee Pras.

21 of 30

Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin

Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin of Black Midi
Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin of Black Midi.

Jim Bennett/WireImage; Travis P Ball/Getty

Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, a co-founder and guitarist for British rock band Black Midi, died at age 26, his household introduced on Jan. 12. The band launched their debut album, Schlagenheim, in 2019, and was nominated for the Mercury Prize that very same 12 months. He stepped away from the group in 2021.

22 of 30

Yeison Jiménez

Yeison Jimenez performing in Miami on Oct. 7, 2023
Yeison Jimenez performing in Miami on Oct. 7, 2023.

Johnny Louis/Getty

Colombian singer-songwriter Yeison Jiménez died on Jan. 10 in a aircraft crash, simply hours earlier than he was scheduled to carry out. He was 34. The musician was one of many area's greatest names in pop music, or "música common," a style that blends conventional Mexican ranchera music with Colombian roots. Jiménez, who broke by with the 2013 monitor Te Deseo Lo Mejor, launched eight albums over his lifetime.

23 of 30

Bob Weir

Bob Weir performing with the Grateful Dead in 1981
Bob Weir performing with the Grateful Lifeless in 1981.

Clayton Name/Redferns

Legendary Grateful Lifeless co-founder and rock guitarist Bob Weir died on Jan. 10 resulting from underlying lung points after beforehand beating most cancers, based on his daughter. He was 78. Weir and fellow guitarist Jerry Garcia fashioned the legendary jam band in 1965 with bassist Phil Lesh, keyboardist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, and drummer Invoice Kreutzmann. Weir wrote or co-wrote the lyrics to a few of the band's most well-known tunes, together with "Truckin'," "Sugar Magnolia," "Cassidy," and "Throwing Stones." He spent the following six a long time touring, together with three with the Lifeless, who grew to become one of many highest-grossing American touring acts.

24 of 30

T.Ok. Carter

T.K. Carter in 2016
T.Ok. Carter in 2016.

Desiree Stone/Getty

Character actor T.Ok. Carter, finest identified for Punky Brewster and The Thing, died on Jan. 9 in his residence. He was 69. Carter landed certainly one of his most memorable roles in John Carpenter's 1982 sci-fi basic The Factor, as Nauls, the roller-skating cook dinner aboard the Antarctic analysis station. He additionally performed common trainer Mike Fulton on Punky Brewster. Carter additionally appeared on Good Morning, Miss Bliss, Dave, The Steve Harvey Present, The Sinbad Present, A Completely different World, Household Issues, NYPD Blue, All people Hates Chris, and Get Away with Homicide. Carter's last movie function got here in 2020's The Manner Again, starring Ben Affleck.

25 of 30

Man Moon

Nickelodeon composer Guy Moon
Nickelodeon composer Man Moon.

Man Moon/Fb

Emmy-nominated composer Man Moon, who wrote music for Nickelodeon hits like The Pretty OddParents, Danny Phantom, and SpongeBob SquarePants, died on Jan. 8 from accidents sustained in a automobile accident. He was 63. Moon additionally served as a music author for Large Time Rush, Again on the Barnyard, and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy. On the massive display, he composed scores for The Brady Bunch Film and its sequel, and contributed to the soundtracks for Minority Report, Combat Membership, and Mystic Pizza.

26 of 30

Béla Tarr

Béla Tarr at the Filmoteca de Catalunya in 2024
Béla Tarr on the Filmoteca de Catalunya in 2024.

David Zorrakino/Europa Press by way of Getty

Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr, identified for movies like Sátántangó and Damnation, died on Jan. 6 at age 70. Acknowledged as a pioneer of the gradual cinema motion, Tarr wrote and directed 9 characteristic movies all through his profession, starting together with his 1979 characteristic debut Household Nest, which received the Grand Prix on the Mannheim Movie Pageant, to 2011's The Turin Horse.

27 of 30

Elle Simone Scott

Elle Simone Scott in 2022
Elle Simone Scott in 2022.

Dave Kotinsky/Getty

America's Check Kitchen host Elle Simone Scott died on Jan. 5 after a protracted battle with ovarian most cancers. She was 49. Along with serving as the primary Black lady to be a daily host of the hit PBS present, Scott authored bestselling cookbooks and hosted The Stroll-In podcast.

28 of 30

Bret Hanna-Shuford

Bret Shuford and husband Stephen Hanna in 2023
Bret Shuford and husband Stephen Hanna in 2023.

Slaven Vlasic/Getty

Broadway actor and influencer Bret Hanna-Shuford died on Jan. 3 of an aggressive type of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). He was 46. An actor in Broadway's Magnificence and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, he was additionally one-half of the favored social media account Broadway Husbands, alongside together with his partner, Stephen Hanna-Shuford.

29 of 30

Sidney Kibrick

Sidney Kibrick in 'Our Gang' circa 1935
Sidney Kibrick in 'Our Gang' circa 1935.

Silver Display screen Assortment/Getty

Former Our Gang child star Sidney Kibrick died Jan. 3. He was 97. Kibrick appeared in dozens of Little Rascals shorts within the Thirties and Nineteen Forties, first as unnamed youngsters earlier than turning up recurrently because the character Woim, the sidekick of Tommy Bond's bully Butch. He retired from Hollywood as a young person.

30 of 30

Victoria Jones

Victoria Jones with dad Tommy Lee Jones at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014
Victoria Jones with dad Tommy Lee Jones on the Cannes Movie Pageant in 2014.

Stephane Cardinale/Corbis by way of Getty

Actress Victoria Jones, the daughter of Oscar-winning actor Tommy Lee Jones, was discovered useless in a San Francisco lodge room on Jan. 1. She was 34. The actress appeared in her father's movies Males in Black II, The Homesman, and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, in addition to the Robin Wright-starring Sorry, Haters, and an episode of the TV sequence One Tree Hill.

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