12 Of The Most Shocking Celebrity Deaths of 2024
Throughout 2024, Hollywood was shaken by the unexpected and profound loss of some major celebrities. Over the course of the past year, the entertainment world lost a handful of stars that came as a major shock to family, friends and fans. From unexpected accidents to heartbreaking battles with illness, these celebs were taken from us far too soon. While they’re no longer with us, the legacies of these celebrities are sure to live on through the touching music and movies they left behind. Take a look back at the stars we lost this year… 1. Liam Payne In October, One Direction fans around the world were shocked to learn that Liam Payne had unexpectedly passed away after fatally falling from his hotel balcony during a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina. While there continues to be mystery surrounding his death, it’s believed that Liam may have been acting erratically in the hotel lobby in the time before his death and was escorted to his hotel room to prevent him from causing a disturbance. Back in his room, he stepped on to the balcony and fell to his death. Since his death, toxicology results have shown that Liam had traces of “alcohol, cocaine and prescription antidepressants” in his body and may not have been “fully conscious” during his fall. Three people have also been arrested in connection with Liam’s death including a person who accompanied him during his stay in Buenos Aires. A second suspect is a hotel employee accused of supplying Payne with cocaine, and a third is an alleged “drug supplier.” 2. Morgan Spurlock Filmmaker and Super Size Me director Morgan Spurlock passed away in March at age 53 following a battle with cancer. His family shared that he “passed away peacefully in New York surrounded by family and friends.” “It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” Morgan’s brother Craig said in a statement. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. Today the world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.” 3. Shannen Doherty Shannen Doherty sadly passed away in July at age 53 after a years-long fight against cancer. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and although she eventually went into remission, in 2019 she learned her cancer had metastasized as Stage 4 in her brain and bones. While she continued to seek treatment and was maintaining a positive outlook, she unfortunately ultimately lost her battle. “It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease,” Shannen’s rep Leslie Sloane said, per TMZ. “The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace.” 4. Toby Keith In February, 62-year-old country music star Toby Keith lost his battle with stomach cancer, after fighting “with grace and courage” for several years. Toby opened up about his diagnosis in 2022 and was taking time to “breathe, recover and relax” after undergoing chemo and radiation therapy. Though he said he was doing “well” later in 2022, he made his final public appearance at the People’s Choice Country Awards in September 2023, where he took home the Country Music Icon Award. He died just five months later. “Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family,” his family shared in a statement on social media. “He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.” 5. Richard Simmons In July, beloved fitness guru Richard Simmons passed away just one day after turning 76. While he had spent much of the past few years out of the public eye, his family, as well as his close friend and house manager Teresa Reveles, say he was happy in his final years. He spent much of his time writing to fans and often left the house in disguise. Teresa noted that his death came unexpectedly as Richard was planning to take part in an ABC documentary about his life and was in the middle of writing a Broadway musical. Despite his surprising passing, Richard’s brother encouraged fans to celebrate his life. “I don’t want people to be sad about my brother. I want them to remember him for the genuine joy and love he brought to people’s lives. He truly cared about people. He called, wrote, and emailed thousands of people throughout his career to offer help,” Lenny wrote on X. “So don’t be sad. Celebrate his life! He was very excited about all of the upcoming ventures he was working on. We are in shock. Please respect the family at this difficult time.” 6. Johnny Wactor General Hospital fans were shocked in May to hear of the murder of Johnny Wactor in Los Angeles. Johnny, who was ju
Moderated by Tomas Kauer 
“We have spent the last 24 hours trying to come to terms with the fact that our son is gone.”
Throughout 2024, Hollywood was shaken by the unexpected and profound loss of some major celebrities. Over the course of the past year, the entertainment world lost a handful of stars that came as a major shock to family, friends and fans. From unexpected accidents to heartbreaking battles with illness, these celebs were taken from us far too soon. While they’re no longer with us, the legacies of these celebrities are sure to live on through the touching music and movies they left behind.
Take a look back at the stars we lost this year…
1. Liam Payne
In October, One Direction fans around the world were shocked to learn that Liam Payne had unexpectedly passed away after fatally falling from his hotel balcony during a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina. While there continues to be mystery surrounding his death, it’s believed that Liam may have been acting erratically in the hotel lobby in the time before his death and was escorted to his hotel room to prevent him from causing a disturbance. Back in his room, he stepped on to the balcony and fell to his death.
Since his death, toxicology results have shown that Liam had traces of “alcohol, cocaine and prescription antidepressants” in his body and may not have been “fully conscious” during his fall. Three people have also been arrested in connection with Liam’s death including a person who accompanied him during his stay in Buenos Aires. A second suspect is a hotel employee accused of supplying Payne with cocaine, and a third is an alleged “drug supplier.”
Filmmaker and Super Size Me director Morgan Spurlock passed away in March at age 53 following a battle with cancer. His family shared that he “passed away peacefully in New York surrounded by family and friends.”
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” Morgan’s brother Craig said in a statement. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. Today the world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”
Shannen Doherty sadly passed away in July at age 53 after a years-long fight against cancer. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and although she eventually went into remission, in 2019 she learned her cancer had metastasized as Stage 4 in her brain and bones. While she continued to seek treatment and was maintaining a positive outlook, she unfortunately ultimately lost her battle.
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease,” Shannen’s rep Leslie Sloane said, per TMZ. “The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace.”
4. Toby Keith
In February, 62-year-old country music star Toby Keith lost his battle with stomach cancer, after fighting “with grace and courage” for several years. Toby opened up about his diagnosis in 2022 and was taking time to “breathe, recover and relax” after undergoing chemo and radiation therapy.
Though he said he was doing “well” later in 2022, he made his final public appearance at the People’s Choice Country Awards in September 2023, where he took home the Country Music Icon Award. He died just five months later.
“Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family,” his family shared in a statement on social media. “He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”
In July, beloved fitness guru Richard Simmons passed away just one day after turning 76. While he had spent much of the past few years out of the public eye, his family, as well as his close friend and house manager Teresa Reveles, say he was happy in his final years. He spent much of his time writing to fans and often left the house in disguise.
Teresa noted that his death came unexpectedly as Richard was planning to take part in an ABC documentary about his life and was in the middle of writing a Broadway musical. Despite his surprising passing, Richard’s brother encouraged fans to celebrate his life.
“I don’t want people to be sad about my brother. I want them to remember him for the genuine joy and love he brought to people’s lives. He truly cared about people. He called, wrote, and emailed thousands of people throughout his career to offer help,” Lenny wrote on X. “So don’t be sad. Celebrate his life! He was very excited about all of the upcoming ventures he was working on. We are in shock. Please respect the family at this difficult time.”
General Hospital fans were shocked in May to hear of the murder of Johnny Wactor in Los Angeles. Johnny, who was just 37-years-old, was shot and killed when he approached a group of men who were attempting to steal the catalytic converter from his car. Johnny didn’t try to stop them but the men shot him anyway before taking off.
“The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Johnny Wactor’s untimely passing. He was truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with each and every day. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time,” the show shared in a post on social media.
Since Johnny’s death, four men have been arrested, two of whom were charged with murder.
Golf fans were shocked to learn of the passing of professional golfer Grayson Murray in May, with his death announced just hours after he withdrew from a tournament with an illness. He was in the middle of competing in the Charles Schwab Challenge but pulled himself from the tournament during the second round. Grayson’s parents later shared that their son had died by suicide.
“We have spent the last 24 hours trying to come to terms with the fact that our son is gone. It’s surreal that we not only have to admit it to ourselves, but that we also have to acknowledge it to the world. It’s a nightmare,” they said in a statement. “Life wasn’t always easy for Grayson, and although he took his own life, we know he rests peacefully now.”
Supermodel Georgina Cooper was just 46-years-old when she passed away in November after suffering a blood-brain hemorrhage as a result of long COVID. Her agent, Dean Goodman, shared that Georgina had developed health issues after dealing with COVID and fell ill once again during a trip to a Greek island. She was taken to the hospital and after her condition worsened, she was flown via air ambulance to Crete. She remained in the ICU for five days before she died.
“Georgina had been unwell during Covid and had developed some health problems and had been in and out of hospital,” her agent shared. “But she had plans for the future. She had just married and was looking forward to her life. Everybody is devastated. She was a genuine superstar.”
In April, Gen V actor Chance Perdomo passed away following a motorcycle accident. Chance, who also appeared in the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and the After franchise, was only 27 at the time of his death. His reps did not provide any details about the accident but said his family asked for privacy at the time.
“His passion for the arts and insatiable appetite for life was felt by all who knew him, and his warmth will carry on in those who he loved dearest. We ask to please respect the family’s wish for privacy as they mourn the loss of their beloved son and brother,” his team said in a statement.
10. Christian Oliver
In January, actor Christian Oliver was tragically killed in a plane crash along with his two young daughters, Madita, and Annik. The family was aboard a small single-engine jet and on their way to St. Lucia when their plane suffered undisclosed engine trouble and crashed into the sea, killing everyone on board.
11. Chris Gauthier
Once Upon A Time actor Chris Gauthier was just 48 when he passed away this February. According to his agency, Chris died “suddenly and unexpectedly following a short illness.” No further information was shared about his passing.
“As a beloved character actor, Chris shared his talents with so many of us both on television and in film. His loss is felt not just by his fans but by those of us who were lucky enough to know him more personally. On behalf of his family, we ask for privacy during this time so that they are able to grieve properly,” TriStar Appearances/Event Horizon Talent said in a statement.
12. Alec Musser
In early January, actor and fitness model Alec Musser unexpectedly passed away at the age of 50 at his home in Del Mar, California. His family did not immediately share the circumstances surrounding his death but it was later revealed that he died by suicide. His Grown Ups co-star Adam Sandler paid tribute to the late actor on social media.
“I loved this guy. Cannot believe he is gone,” Adam wrote alongside a photo of a shirtless Alec from their 2010 film. “Such a wonderful, funny good man. Thinking of Alec Musser and his family and sending all my love. A true great sweetheart of a person.”
