It’s always tragic when someone passes away before their time. You’re left at guessing what they would do in life and how they would impact the world. This is also true of celebrities, chiefly those adored by many fans. Here are 13 movie stars, musicians, or celebrities that we lost too early.
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Prince
Music icon, movie star, and more, Prince left us far too young, at 57. He was found unresponsive in his Minnesota residence.
Sadly, it was the result of an accidental overdose. Worse yet, he didn’t have a will. It took six years for his six siblings to hash out his $150+ million estate.
Kurt Cobain
The voice of a generation, Kurt Cobain, was taken from us in 1994, at 27. He took his own life and had a large amount of heroin in his system.
He left behind his wife and young daughter.
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston was another icon that spanned various fields. Bobbie Brown entered her life and it was never the same.
Houston was found in a hotel room, at 48, in LA as the result of an accidental drowning. Sadly, it’s believed that illicit drugs were in her system.
Tupac Shakur
Mystery surrounded the death of Shukar for decades. He was only 25 when he was killed in 1996, and he was an incredible poet.
It appears the mystery has been solved with the recent arrest of Duane Davis.
Janis Joplin
Yet another musician taken from us at 27, Janis Joplin, died in 1970.
Joplin struggled for years with substance abuse, which is ultimately what took her from us.
Chadwick Boseman
Fresh off his success with Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman sadly passed in 2020 at the age of 43. Worse yet, it was from something preventable – colon cancer.
Like Prince, Boseman also died without a will.
Amy Winehouse
If you’ve heard of the 27 Club, it’s an informal list of mostly musicians who died at 27 years of age. Winehouse is another member of this sad club.
She died of alcohol poisoning in 2011. It was something she had struggled with for years.
Bob Marley
Bob Marley was a true poet and his songs still hit hard today. Sadly, Marley passed in 1981 at the age of 36.
He had melanoma that spread to his lungs and brain.
James Dean
Full of charisma, the disciplined actor starred in over a dozen films, most notably Rebel Without a Cause.
Dean died as a result of a car crash in 1955 at the age of 24.
Jimi Hendrix
Another member of the 27 Club, Hendrix, died in 1970 as a result of taking far too many barbiturates.
His performance at Woodstock still stands the test of time.
Brittany Murphy
Starring in films like Clueless, 8 Mile, and Girl, Interrupted, Brittany Murphy was a beloved actress. Sadly, she was taken from us in 2009 at the age of 32.
She died from pneumonia and severe anemia, and numerous OTC drugs were found in her system.
Heath Ledger
Known for his incredible portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger sadly passed before the film even premiered. Ledger was taken from us in 2008, at the age of 28.
The Aussie actor struggled with insomnia and substance abuse. Beyond his Oscar-winning role, Ledger also had big roles in films such as A Knight’s Tale, Brokeback Mountain, and Ned Kelly.
Robin Williams
Although he’s the oldest on this list, Robin Williams departed this earth far too early. Passing in 2014 at the age of 63, Robin Willams was beloved by millions of fans.
He was an Oscar winner that could range from side-splitting humor to dramatic masterpieces. It’s difficult not to think of Williams and feel like it hurt to lose him.
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I’m John Schmoll, a former stockbroker, MBA-grad, published finance writer, and founder of Frugal Rules.
As a veteran of the financial services industry, I’ve worked as a mutual fund administrator, banker, and stockbroker and was Series 7 and 63-licensed, but I left all that behind in 2012 to help people learn how to manage their money.
My goal is to help you gain the knowledge you need to become financially independent with personally-tested financial tools and money-saving solutions.
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