Celebrity Deaths in 2024: The Icons We Lost This Year

This year was as unpredictable as the last, and 2024's unexpected celebrity deaths marked a massive blow to the entertainment industry and culture at large. Join us as we recount the lives and legacies of some of the most notable celebrity deaths from 2024. 

Chita Rivera was a Tony Award-winning stage and film actress. According to her daughter, she passed away on January 30, 2024, following a brief illness. 

Rivera dominated Broadway in the second half of the 20th century, most notably originating the role of Anita in West Side Story. During her illustrious career, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a Kennedy Center Honors, cementing her status as one of the most acclaimed Puerto Rican entertainers of the 20th century. 

Carl Weathers — the talented actor behind such impactful roles as Rocky's Apollo Creed — died on February 2, 2024, from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Weathers acted up until the end, dipping his toes into another famous franchise (Star Wars) with the role of Greef Karga in The Mandalorian. Weathers' acting prowess lives on in such projects as Predator and Happy Gilmore. 

You can't think about country music in the 1990s and early 2000s without conjuring up images of musicians like Tim McGraw, Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, and Toby Keith.

Toby Keith was the magic behind hits like Should've Been a Cowboy and Beer for My Horses. His career ended on February 5, 2024, when he passed from a long battle with stomach cancer. 

Traditional country and bluegrass fans understand the impact the Stoneman Family had on the country music scene. Roni Stoneman was the daughter of not-so-famous Ernest "Pop" Stoneman — an early recorder of country music in the 1920s. 

As an incredible banjo player, she toured the country with her family's band, even performing on the Grand Ole Opry. On February 22, 2024, Roni Stoneman died from stroke-related complications at the age of 85. 

On March 1, 2024, at the incredible age of 102, fashion icon Iris Apfel passed away. Known for her stylishly oversized round glasses and flamboyant, flashy appearance,  Iris catapulted to the spotlight in retirement after years of working in the fashion industry. Her career is proof that good things can come to those who wait. 

Donald Sutherland's acting career spanned seven decades and a variety of genres. From horror hallmarks like Don't Look Now to films that live on in modern gif culture like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Donald Sutherland was nothing if not a working actor.

The Hunger Games villain has an incredible body of work and a son, Keifer, who continues to expand the family entertainment legacy to this day. He died on June 20, 2024 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 

90210 star Shannen Doherty had a long and public battle with metastatic breast cancer. She passed from her illness on July 13, 2024, at the age of 53. 

A primetime mainstay of 90s and early 2000s television,  the Charmed star's professional career survived the many media scandals that threatened it. 

Characterized by his bouncy red curls, Richard Simmons' high-energy weight-loss program is still beloved by many today. On July 13, 2024, Simmons died following a fall in his home with existing cardiovascular complications contributing to his passing. 

Related: Our Top 10 Favorite Movie & Song Remakes of 2024

Bob Newhart was a legendary actor and comedian, best known for his role in the titular series The Bob Newhart Show. He lived to the ripe old age of 94, passing on July 18, 2024. 

A multi-award-winning actress, Gena Rowlands never shied away from complicated and unlikable characters. She starred in many iconic projects, including the highly acclaimed Woman Under the Influence. 

She passed from Alzheimer's disease on August 14, 2024, at 94 years old. 

Long before late-night talk shows were this formula-driven network program, hosts like Phil Donahue walked the tightrope between being hard-hitting journalists and comedic everymen. Phil Donahue starred in his own program The Phil Donahue Show, which lasted for 29 years.

Donahue died from an unreported illness on August 18, 2024. 

James Earl Jones is known best for his deliciously rich timbre, but this EGOT-winning performer rose to fame on more than the merit of his bass voice. A pioneering Black artist in the mid-century and beyond, James Earl Jones left an impressive legacy behind. 

He passed away at the age of 93 on September 9, 2024. 

Best known for originating mature roles like Professor McGonagall and the Dowager Countess Violet Crawley, Dame Maggie Smith had an acclaimed decades-long stage and screen career. The British actress died on September 27, 2024, just shy of 90 years old. 

Kris Kristofferson was a leading singer-songwriter in the 1970s and launched the Outlaw Country subgenre along with other artists, such as Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. On top of a lucrative recording career, Kristofferson was a successful actor, lending his authentic style to movies like A Star Is Born. 

He died on September 28, 2024, of unreported causes. 

Gavin Creel was a beloved Tony Award-winning Broadway actor. He catapulted to success with the 2002 Broadway debut of Thoroughly Modern Millie. On top of being a leading performer, he was a devout LGBTQ+ activist. 

Creel was diagnosed in the summer of 2024 with the rare and aggressive cancer metastatic melanotic peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma. He succumbed to the illness on September 30, 2024. 

Comedy queen Teri Garr is known for her showstopping performances in films like Young Frankenstein and Tootsie. Like contemporary actresses Selma Blair, Christina Applegate, and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Teri Garr suffered from multiple sclerosis for several years. 

She died from complications of her illness on October 29, 2024, at the age of 79. 

Quincy Jones was a prolific music producer and composer, bringing titanic projects to life. He's best known for his musical partnership with Michael Jackson which resulted in the massively successful albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad. 

Jones died on November 3, 2024, of pancreatic cancer at 91 years old. 

Tony Todd — the hypnotic voice behind the titular horror icon Candyman — left an indelible mark on the horror genre. Other of his hits include roles in Final Destination and The Crow. 

Todd died on November 6, 2024, of unreleased causes just shy of his 70th birthday. 

Judith Jamison might not be a household name to casual readers and viewers, but she was massively significant in the creation and success of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The dancer and choreographer shaped the fabric of the modern dance style we know today. 

Jamison passed away from an undisclosed illness on November 9, 2024, at 81 years old. 

Gameshow fans will recognize the legendary host of series like Wheel of Fortune, Love Connection, and The Dating Game. He died of undisclosed causes on November 23, 2024, at the age of 83. 

The celebrities who died in 2024 will be greatly missed, but their legacies live on. As we look ahead to the new year, we can use their passings as reminders to live each day to the fullest, as we never know how long we have to enjoy this wonderful life.