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Alan Rickman -

Alan Rickman was another beloved actor who kept a long-term illness quiet up until his death in 2016. He died as a result of pancreatic cancer after completing production on ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ (2016) and ‘Eye in the Sky’ (2016).

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Whitney Houston -

Whitney Houston was one of the greatest R&B singers of all time, but it's no secret that she had a difficult personal life. Although she was primarily a singer, she also appeared in several movies. She had finished production of the movie ‘Sparkle’ (2012) shortly before she died of an overdose.

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Paul Walker - Paul Walker was best known for his leading role in the 'Fast & Furious' film series. He died quite suddenly during the filming of ‘Furious 7’ (2015). He was in the passenger seat of a car that ended up in a fatal accident. Production of the movie was finished using CGI, and a few scenes where Walker's brothers were used as stand-ins.

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Clark Gable -

Clark Gable was called the “King of Hollywood,” which was a fitting title for such a behemoth of the film industry. He played an aging cowboy opposite Marilyn Monroe in the film ‘The Misfits’ (1961) before suddenly dying of heart attack. The movie was released the following year.

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Philip Seymour Hoffman -

Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of the most talented and well-respected actors of his time, but sadly he also struggled with drug addiction. He passed away after an overdose in 2014. The movie ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2’ (2014) was released more than a year after his death.

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Luke Perry - Luke Perry became a TV star through 'Beverly Hills, 90210' as a young man. He later took on a sizable role in the show 'Riverdale,' but his character had to be killed off when Perry suddenly died of a stroke in 2019 at the age of 52. He also appeared in the Oscar-winning movie '‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ (2019), which was released after his death.

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Anton Yelchin -

Anton Yelchin was a rising young star who scored the role of Pavel Chekov in the 'Star Trek' movie reboot. Sadly, he died at the age of 27 in a freak car accident when his brakes malfunctioned. The movie ‘Star Trek Beyond’ (2016) was released after his death.

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John Hurt -

John Hurt had a career that spanned decades, and he worked right up until his death. Hurt was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015 and died two months later. He appeared in ‘Damascus Cover,' ‘My Name Is Lenny’ and ‘That Good Night,' which were all released in 2017.

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Robin Williams - The late great Robin Williams appeared in one final movie before his death; 'Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb' (2014). Williams had a rare condition called diffuse Lewy body dementia, which contributed to him killing himself in 2014, prior to the film's release.

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Brandon Lee -

The Lee family was plagued with misfortune, two generations in a row. Bruce Lee's son Brandon was also an actor, and he also died in a shocking and unexpected manner, when he was only 28. He was shot and killed on set by a prop gun that malfunctioned. He died while filming ‘The Crow’ (1994), which was released after his death.

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Carrie Fisher - Carrie Fisher had wrapped several movies that hadn't been released before her death in 2016. Fisher had always been open about her struggles with mental health and addiction, and she died of cardiac arrest with several drugs in her system. After her death, three movies were released: ’Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ (2017), ‘Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics’ (2020), and ‘Wonderwell’ (2023).

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Bruce Lee - Bruce Lee had already achieved iconic status by the time he tragically died at the age of 32. The movie ‘Enter the Dragon’ (1973) was released a month after his death. The young actor and martial artist dropped dead quite suddenly of a brain edema, possibly caused by a prescription pain killer.

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Chadwick Boseman -

Chadwick Boseman passed away suddenly from colon cancer in 2020, shocking his fans and the entertainment community alike. He had hidden his illness and continued to perform like a true artist until shortly before his death. The movie ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ (2020) was released a few months later, and he received many posthumous awards and nominations.

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Brittany Murphy -

Brittany Murphy tragically passed away under mysterious circumstances in her home in 2009. It was later discovered that she had pneumonia and a mixture of prescription drugs in her system. Her husband died of similar causes a few months later. Murphy had appeared in the movie ‘Something Wicked’ prior to her death, but it wasn't released until 2014.

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Heath Ledger -

Heath Ledger had an exceptional career for such a short life. His performance as the Joker in ‘The Dark Knight‘ (2008) earned him a posthumous Oscar. The film ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus‘ (2009) was also released after his death. Ledger sadly died of an overdose of prescription drugs at the age of 28.

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Stan Lee - Stan Lee wasn't really an actor, but as the creator of the Marvel universe, he loved making cameos in his own TV shows and movies. He passed away at the respectable age of 95, and appeared in the following movies that were released after his death: ‘Captain Marvel’ (2019) and ‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019).

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Tupac Shakur - Tupac Shakur was one of the most famous rappers of all time, but he also appeared in several movies. Both 'Gang Related’ (1997) and ‘Resurrection’ (2003) were released after he was shot and killed in 1996. It's alleged that the shooting was related to a gang dispute.

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Burt Reynolds -

The legendary Burt Reynolds was acting well into his golden years. He died at the age of 82 in 2018, while still actively working in the film industry. He appeared in the movies ‘An Innocent Kiss’ (2019) and ‘Defining Moments’ (2021), which were released after his death.

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Orson Welles - Orson Welles was a man who wore almost every hat that Hollywood had to offer. Although perhaps better known for his work as a director, he was also a prolific actor. He did a voiceover for the movie ‘Transformers: The Movie’ (1986) before his death, a project which he openly discredited. Sadly it was his last performance. The movie was released the year after his death.

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Angus Cloud -

Angus Cloud tragically passed away at the age of 25 on July 31, 2023. Cloud was a natural actor, scouted off the street to play Fezco in the hit HBO series 'Euphoria.' The show's success projected him to an unprecedented level of fame and his career was just beginning to take off when he died. He had three projects in the works which have yet to be released. He will posthumously star in the film 'Freaky Tales' opposite Pedro Pascal, and had also reportedly completed his scenes for an upcoming monster thriller from the makers of 'Scream.' 

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James Gandolfini - James Gandolfini was best known for his role as Tony Soprano in the hit HBO series 'The Sopranos,' but he was also a respected film actor. He died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 51. He had filmed the movies 'Enough Said' (2013) and 'The Drop' (2014), which were released after his death.

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Bernie Mac -

Comedian and actor Bernie Mac brought a lot of energy and a unique humor to every role he played. Sadly, he suffered from sarcoidosis and died of pneumonia in 2008. All of the movies he filmed shortly before his death were dedicated to his memory: ‘Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa’ (2008), ‘Soul Men’ (2008), and ‘Old Dogs’ (2009).

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Richard Harris -

Richard Harris was a respected Irish actor who is best known to modern audiences as the original Dumbledore in the 'Harry Potter' film series. He died after a brief battle with Hodgkin’s disease in 2002. ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ was released a month later. Michael Gambon took over the role of Dumbledore afterwards.

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John Candy - John Candy was a greatly loved comedic actor who appeared in heart-warming classics like 'Home Alone' (1990) and 'Spaceballs' (1987). He died of cardiac failure while filming ‘Wagons East’ (1994). The film ‘Canadian Bacon’ (1995) was also released after his death.

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Adam West -

Adam West was the original 1960s Batman, making him the beginning of a long legacy. He aptly ended his career with the same franchise, voicing a character in the animated movie ‘Batman vs. Two-Face’ (2017). He passed away from leukaemia before its release.

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Natalie Wood -

Natalie Wood started her Hollywood career as a child in 'Miracle on 34th Street' in 1947. She was still at the height of her success when she mysteriously died at the age of 43. She drowned during a boat trip, but the circumstances were never fully understood. She was filming the movie ‘Brainstorm’ (1983) at the time, and they had to use her sister as a stand-in to finish the production.

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River Phoenix -

River Phoenix came from a very talented family–he's the brother of Joaquin Phoenix. He was a talented young actor best known for his role in 'Stand By Me' (1986). He died of a drug overdose at the age of 23 in 1993, leaving his final film, ‘Dark Blood’ incomplete. It was finally released in 2012.

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John Ritter -

Sitcom star John Ritter appeared in the beloved show 'Three's Company,' along with over 100 other movies and TV shows. He died suddenly at the age of 54 when he had a heart attack on the set of '8 Simple Rules,' and his death had to be written into the show. He also appeared in ‘Bad Santa’ (2003), which was released after his death.

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Aaliyah -

Aaliyah released an album before hitting her teens after being discovered on the reality show 'Star Search.' She started acting and starred in the movie ‘Queen of the Damned' (2002). But she died tragically in a plane crash at the age of 22, before the film's release.

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Marlon Brando -

Marlon Brando was one of the great actors of the 20th century. His final project was the animated movie 'Big Bug Man,' in which he voiced the character Mrs. Sour. He was already ill during production and did the entire voice recording while at home on a respirator. He died of respiratory failure in 2004, and the movie remains unreleased.

Sources: (Stacker) (The Delite)

See also: Bizarre celebrity deaths you've probably never heard of

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