If you’re feeling sentimental and looking for celebrity deaths today, look no further than this list of celebrities who died in 2016. As we all know, death spares no one - not even the rich and famous. Some of the famous people who died in 2016 departed after living long, productive lives, while other celebrity deaths were abrupt and came way too soon. Both scenarios are sad and this list of famous deaths 2016 can serve as a way to help us collectively mourn and remember those we lost this year. Even though they’ve departed this mortal coil, the people who died in 2016 won’t be forgotten any time soon.
Lately it feels like the celebrity obituaries have been appearing at a more rapid pace than they ever have. The latest celebrity deaths are just another reminder that life is fleeting even for celebrities, and that the walk down the red carpet doesn’t last forever. It’s always hard when a celebrity passes, and the recent famous deaths are no exception. If the celeb obits have you bummed, remember that the celebs who’ve moved on from this life will live forever through the magic of their work.
If you’re looking for the most up to date list of recent Hollywood deaths, you’ve found the right place. This list of recent celebrity deaths is not only a way to remember who we lost this year, but also as a way to keep a record of the myriad of famous deaths that happened in 2016.
This list of celebrity deaths 2016 will be updated every time someone passes into the ether.
Celebrities Who Died in 2016,
Alan Rickman
January 13, 2016: Legendary British actor Alan Rickman passed away from cancer at the age of 69. Rickman, known for his beloved bad guys parts in films like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Die Hard, won over a new generation of fans with his role as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter series. More than just an accomplished actor, Rickman also directed two films, The Winter Guest starring his Love Actually co-star Emma Thompson, and 2015's A Little Chaos with Kate Winslet. Beyond the big screen, Rickman also excelled on stage. He was nominated for a Tony for his work in Les Liaisons Dangereuses and spent many years with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Rickman married his partner of more than 40 years, Rima Horton, in 2012.
More Alan Rickman obituaries:
BBC, The Guardian, Entertainment Weekly
Antonin Scalia
February 13, 2016: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died during a hunting trip at an exclusive ranch in Texas. He was appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1986, and over the next 30 years became a stalwart for conservatism and interpreting the Constitution in line with the wishes of the Founding Fathers. He leaves behind a wife and nine children.
David Bowie
January 10, 2016: After an 18-month battle with cancer, legendary musician/artist/fashion visionary David Bowie passed away surrounded by his family. He was 69. Bowie's knack for blending musical styles like rock, jazz, cabaret, dance, electronica, and soul helped him create some of the most beloved and iconic songs in history. His first album, David Bowie, was released in 1967, followed by beloved offerings like Space Oddity (1969), The Man Who Sold the World (1970), Hunky Dory (1971), and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972). In 1975, he achieved international success with his album, Young Americans and the single, "Fame." Other memorable songs from his 40 year career include: “Space Oddity,” “Heroes,” “Changes,” “Under Pressure,” “China Girl,” “Modern Love,” “Rebel, Rebel,” “All the Young Dudes,” “Panic in Detroit,” and “Fashion.”
In addition to his musical prowess, Bowie found another artistic outlet in film, starring in movies like The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Last Temptation of Christ, and Labyrinth. Just a month before his death, Bowie's rock musical, Lazarus opened on Broadway. His final album, Blackstar, was released January 8, just two days before he passed away.
More David Bowie obituaries:
New York Times, Hollywood Reporter, BBC
Garry Shandling
March 24, 2016: Comedian, actor, and writer Garry Shandling died suddenly at 66 years old, reportedly after suffering a massive heart attack. As a stand-up comedian, Shandling achieved widespread popularity thanks to his appearances and guest-hosting stints on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. He created and starred on two hugely influential cable series, Showtime's It's Garry Shandling's Show and HBO's The Larry Sanders Show, which was nominated for 18 Emmy Awards. As a film actor, he won new fans thanks to his role in Iron Man 2 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He'll be remembered as a mentor to several generations of comedians.
More Garry Shandling obituaries:
Chicago Sun-Times, Washington Times, Hollywood Reporter
Harper Lee
February 19, 2016: Harper Lee, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of To Kill a Mockingbird, died in her sleep at age 89. Lee achieved international fame for her novel, which became the only major work she published until the year before her death, when her first draft of Mockingbird was released. Go Set a Watchman was touted as a sequel to the groundbreaking work, but was actually an earlier version of the book. There were multiple investigations as to whether Lee, who was extremely ill and nearly blind, approved its publication, or even knew it was being published.
Lee wrote only a few short essays other than her one novel, granted few interviews, and led a quiet life after becoming one of the most famous authors in America.
Chyna
April 20, 2016: Beloved female wrestler Chyna was found dead in her home in Redondo Beach, California. Chyna, whose real name was Joan Laurer, was just 45 when she passed away, and police were uncertain as to her cause of death. Chyna entered the professional wrestling scene with a bang in 1996, when she won Rookie of the Year for the Women's Championship. She eventually became the only undefeated female champion in the history of the WWF. She parlayed her success in the ring to success on the screen, appearing in music videos and adult films later in her career.
More Chyna obituaries:
CNN, E! Online
Nancy Reagan
March 7, 2016: Former First Lady Nancy Reagan passed away from congestive heart failure at the age of 94. The wife of President Ronald Reagan, Nancy was totally devoted to the success of her husband during his time in politics. They were married for 52 years, until his death in 2004. Nancy once said, "My life really began when I married my husband."
Reagan started her career as an actress, and appeared in 11 movies, including 1956's Hellcats of the Navy opposite her husband. As First Lady, her most notable work was on anti-drug initiatives, where she helped popularize the term, "Just Say No." After Ronald's Alzheimer's diagnosis in 1994, she worked tirelessly to raise money to help those effected and fund research - even breaking with the conservative ranks to champion stem cell studies. She also worked to promote annual mammograms for woman, after being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 66.
More Nancy Reagan obituaries:
Fox News, LA Times
Phife Dawg
March 23, 20216: Rapper Malik Taylor, better known as Phife Dawg, died at 45 years old. The cause of death is unknown, but the musician struggled with diabetes for decades, receiving a kidney transplant in 2008. He was a co-founder of the legendary hip-hop outfit A Tribe Called Quest, along with high school classmates Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. While his health issues preventing him from recording much solo material beyond Ventilation: Da LP, Phife Dawg appeared on all five A Tribe Called Quest albums, contributing smart, philosophically inclined rhymes to hits such as "Scenario," "8 Million Stories," "Award Tour," and the phenomenally successful "Can I Kick It?"
More Phife Dawg obituaries:
Washington Post, Rolling Stone
René Angélil
January 13, 2016: René Angélil, husband and ex-manager of Celine Dion, passed away from cancer at the age of 73. Before becoming a manager, Algélil was a singer in his own right. He started a group with two of his friends in Montreal in the 1960s. He was married twice before beginning a relationship with Dion, who is 26 years his junior. He had three children with Dion, in addition to three other children from his previous relationships.
More René Angélil obituaries:
Billboard, The Wrap
Rob Ford
March 22, 2016: Controversial Toronto mayor Rob Ford died at the age of 46, following a battle with cancer that began in 2014. Ford became known internationally for his "uncompromising political style" and drug and alcohol use while in office.
Despite his public scandals, his "Ford Nation" supporters stood by him and he worked hard for them in turn. Ford won the Toronto mayoral office in December 2010 and held it until November 2014. From December 2014 up until his death, he served as a Toronto City Councillor.
More Rob Ford obituaries:
CBC, BBC, NPR