This year, we lost some of the icons who shaped pop culture, from Hollywood legends to beloved musicians and television stars, including Robert Redford, Diane Keaton and Val Kilmer. We honour their memory by celebrating their lives and their enduring works.
D’Angelo
R&B and soul singer D’Angelo died in New York City on Oct 14, aged 51, after a private battle with pancreatic cancer.
“Such a sad loss to the passing of D’Angelo. We have so many great times. Gonna miss you so much. Sleep peacefully D. Love you king,” DJ Premier wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Diane Keaton
Oscar winner Diane Keaton was celebrated for her roles in films like Annie Hall, The Godfather trilogy and Something’s Gotta Give, as well as for her distinctive fashion sense. Keaton died from pneumonia at age 79 on Oct 11.
Actress Diane Keaton speaks at the 46th AFI Life Achievement Award in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on June 7, 2018. (Photo: Reuters)
Jane Goodall
Famed English primatologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall died of natural causes on Oct 1 while in the United States, according to a statement by the Jane Goodall Institute. She was 91 years old.
Robert Redford
Oscar-winning director and actor Robert Redford died on Sept 16, aged 89, in his home in Utah. Redford co-founded the Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival in 1978.
Giorgio Armani
Legendary Italian designer Giorgio Armani, who founded his eponymous brand in 1975, died this year, aged 91. The news of his passing was announced on Sept 4 through a press release issued by his fashion house, Armani.
Michael Madsen
A prolific actor, Michael Madsen appeared in numerous films over a career that spanned more than four decades, including the Quentin Tarantino films Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill. Madsen was found dead in his home on July 3. According to People, the actor died from cardiac arrest. He was 67 years old.
George Foreman
George Foreman was renowned as a heavyweight boxing legend, Olympic gold medallist and endorser of an eponymous, best-selling grill. He died on March 21, aged 76.
Gene Hackman poses during the 60th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, the United States, on Jan 19, 2003. (Photo: Reuters)
Gene Hackman
Considered to be one of the greatest actors of his generation, Gene Hackman had a wide-ranging career that included iconic films like Hoosiers, Get Shorty and The Royal Tenenbaums.
Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Feb 26. Hackman reportedly died from a combination of heart disease, high blood pressure and Alzheimer’s mere days after his wife had died from a flu-like virus. He was 95.
Michelle Trachtenberg
Child actress Michelle Trachtenberg, who was best known for her roles in TV shows such as The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was found dead in her New York City apartment on Feb 26, reportedly due to complications from a liver transplant. She was 39 at the time.
Roberta Flack, centre, performs in Bangkok, Thailand, on Nov 1, 2009, at the Bangkok Convention Centre, CentralWorld. (File photo)
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack was a Grammy award-winning singer and pianist known for hits like “Killing Me Softly” and “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”. She had been diagnosed with ALS in 2022 and died of cardiac arrest on Feb 24, aged 88.
Ed Askew
Cult singer-songwriter and painter Ed Askew died of natural causes in hospice care on Jan 4 at age 84.
Kim Sae-ron
South Korean child model and actress Kim Sae-ron died by suicide on Feb 16 at her home in Seoul, South Korea. She was 24 years old and best known for her role in the 2009 drama film A Brand New Life.
This handout picture taken on April 5, 2023, and released on Feb 16, 2025, shows South Korean actor Kim Sae-ron upon her arrival at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, to attend her trial over an alleged drunk driving case.Â
Barbie Hsu
Barbie Hsu, known for her starring role in the 2001 drama Meteor Garden, died this year at the age of 48. According to the Taipei Times, the Taiwanese actress died of pneumonia after catching influenza while travelling in Japan.
Marianne Faithfull
British singer and actress Marianne Faithfull, best known for hits like “As Tears Go By”, died at age 78 in January. The singer’s spokesperson revealed in a statement that Faithfull “passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family”.
Lynn Ban
Singaporean jewellery designer Lynn Ban, whose clientele include the likes of Rihanna and Beyonce, died on January 20, weeks after undergoing emergency surgery following a ski accident. She was 51 years old and best known for starring in Bling Empire: New York.
Phil Robertson
Known to many as the “Duck Commander”, Phil Robertson was a professional hunter who starred alongside his family in the American reality TV series Duck Dynasty (2012-2017). He died on May 25 at 79 years old, months after his family revealed his Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Jeff Baena
Writer-director – and husband of Aubrey Plaza – Jeff Baena was found dead on Jan 3 at his Los Angeles home. According to Cable News Network (CNN), Baena died by suicide. He was 47.
Val Kilmer
Best known for his roles in the Top Gun films and Batman Forever, Val Kilmer died of pneumonia on April 1, per The New York Times. He was 65.
Brian Wilson
Co-founder of The Beach Boys, the band responsible for hits like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Good Vibrations”, Brian Wilson died at age 82, according to an Instagram post shared by his family on June 11.
Ozzy Osbourne performs at the Hultsfred festival June 15, 2007. (Photo: Reuters)
Ozzy Osbourne
Rock legend and Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne died at age 76 after suffering from a heart attack on July 22, per The New York Times.
Hulk Hogan
Former pro wrestler Terry Gene Bollea, better known by his ring name, Hulk Hogan, died on July 24 at age 71. ABC News confirmed in August that the media personality died after suffering from a heart attack at his home in Clearwater, Florida.
Anne Burrell
American chef and TV personality Anne Burrell reportedly died by suicide at her home in Brooklyn, New York, on June 17. She was 55 years old.
Sly Stone
Sylvester Stewart, better known as Sly Stone, was the frontman of American band Sly and the Family Stone. He was 82 when he died on June 9 following a battle with lung disease.
Wheesung
South Korean R&B singer Wheesung died of cardiac arrest in Seoul, aged 43. His body was found at his home on March 11.
Dick Cheney
Former American Vice-President Dick Cheney died at age 84 on Nov 3 due to complications with pneumonia, cardiac and vascular disease, per PBS.
Frank Gehry
Famed Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry died on Dec 5 in his home in Santa Monica, California, following a brief respiratory illness. He was 96.
Rob Reiner
On Dec 14, The Princess Bride director and his wife, producer Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in an apparent homicide at their home in Brentwood, California. Reiner was 78 and his wife was 68. Their son Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of murder.
Sophie Kinsella
British author Sophie Kinsella, who created the Confessions of a Shopaholic series, died aged 55 on Dec 10. Her family confirmed the news of her death through an Instagram post. She had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in 2022.
Director David Lynch attends the ‘Change Begins Within: An Historic Night of Jazz to benefit The David Lynch Foundation’ event in New York on Dec 13, 2012.
David Lynch
The American filmmaker and painter whose works include cult classic films and shows like Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive and Eraserhead died aged 78 on Jan 15. He had revealed he was battling emphysema, a chronic lung disease, from years of smoking in August last year.
Where to seek help
For those who are struggling, pause — and talk to someone trustworthy or reach out for professional help. Support is available 24 hours a day from trained counsellors and organisations that listen without judgment:
Thailand’s Mental Health Hotline 1323 (Department of Mental Health) — available around the clock, offering immediate counselling and follow-up psychological support.
The Samaritans of Thailand (Bangkok office: 02-113-6789 Press 2 for English Line) — provides confidential emotional support and suicide prevention in both Thai and English (hours vary by language).
In the US, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
In Hong Kong, you can dial 18111 for the government-run Mental Health Support Hotline. You can also call +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services.
If individuals ever feel lonely, depressed or overwhelmed, they are encouraged to reach out for help — there is always someone ready to listen.