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Celebrity Deaths: 2021's Fallen Stars

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Dec 31, 2021 11:27 PM
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Betty White, 2017
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Betty White

On New Year's Eve, an agent for the Golden Girls actress confirmed the star died at the age of 99. 

"Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever," Jeff Witjas said. "I will miss her terribly and so will the animal world that she loved so much. I don't think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden. She believed she would be with him again."


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John Madden

John Madden, a legendary NFL coach and Emmy-winning sportscaster, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, Dec. 28, the NFL confirmed. "Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today."


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Jean-Marc Vallée

The filmmaker, who directed the first season of Big Little Lies and the film Dallas Buyers Club, passed away "suddenly and unexpectedly" on Dec. 26 at his cabin outside Quebec City, Canada, his rep told E! News.


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Archbishop Desmond Tutu

The anti-apartheid human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate died at age 90 on Dec. 26.


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Sayaka Kanda

The singer, actress and anime star, who voiced the role of Anna in the Japanese-dubbed version of Disney's Frozen, died on Dec. 18 at the age of 35, her website confirmed.


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Carlos Marín

The surviving members of the group Il Divo—Urs Buhler, Sebastien Izambard and David Miller—announced on Dec. 19 that Marín died at the age of 53.

 "He will be missed by his friends, family and fans," part of their statement on Instagram read. "There will never be another voice or spirit like Carlos. For 17 years the four of us have been on this incredible journey of Il Divo together, and we will miss our dear friend. We hope and pray that his beautiful soul will rest in peace."


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Drakeo the Ruler

The rapper was fatally stabbed backstage at the Once Upon a Time in L.A. music festival in Los Angeles on Dec. 18. He was 28.


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Vicente Fernández

Music legend Vicente Fernández passed away at the age of 81 on Dec. 12. "It was an honor and a great pride to share with everyone his great musical career and to give everything to his audience," a statement read on Instagram, which was translated from Spanish to English. "Thank you for continuing to applaud, thank you for continuing to sing."

 


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Anne Rice

The gothic fiction novelist died at age 80 on Dec. 11 from complications from a stroke. She was best known for The Vampire Chronicles, whose first book Interview With the Vampire inspired a hit 1994 movie starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Kirsten Dunst.


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Michael Nesmith

Michael Nesmith, a singer-songwriter and member of the Monkees, died on Dec. 10. He was 78. In a statement to Rolling Stone, his family said the musician passed away of natural causes.

"With infinite love we announce that Michael Nesmith has passed away this morning in his home, surrounded by family, peacefully and of natural causes," they said. "We ask that you respect our privacy at this time and we thank you for the love and light that all of you have shown him and us."


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Demaryius Thomas

The retired football star, who won the 2016 Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos, was found dead at his Georgia home on Dec. 9. He was 33 years old. 


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Bob Dole

Bob Dole, who ran for president in 1996 against Bill Clinton and retired that same year from politics, died at the age of 98 after battling stage four lung cancer. "It is with heavy hearts we announce that Senator Robert Joseph Dole died early this morning in his sleep," the Elizabeth Dole Foundation said in a statement. "At his death, at age 98, he had served the United States of America faithfully for 79 years."

 


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Jonshel Alexander

The Beasts of the Southern Wild child star was fatally shot in New Orleans on Nov. 27. She was 22 years old. 


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Virgil Abloh

Louis Vuitton artist director and Off-White founder, Virgil Abloh, died at the age of 41 after privately battling "a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma," a statement read on his Instagram on Sunday, Nov. 28.

 


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Stephen Sondheim

The acclaimed composer and lyricist died on Nov. 26. He was 91 years old. 


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Peter Aykroyd

The Saturday Night Live cast member and writer passed away at the age of 66, the NBC show confirmed in a tribute.


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Joey Morgan

The actor, who appeared in films Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse and Flower, passed away on Nov. 21 at the age of 28, his rep confirmed.


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20TH CENTURY STUDIOS

Art LaFleur

The character actor, known for roles in films such as The Sandlot and Field of Dreams, died at age 78 after battling atypical parkinsonism, his wife Shelley confirmed on Nov. 18.


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Heath Freeman

The Bones and NCIS actor died in November. The star was 41 years old. 


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William Lucking

The Sons of Anarchy star died on Oct. 18.


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James Michael Tyler

The actor, best known for playing Gunther on Friends, died on Oct. 24 after a battle with prostate cancer.


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Peter Scolari

The Emmy-winning actor passed away at the age of 66 on Friday, Oct. 22 following a two-year battle with cancer, his manager, Ellen Lubin Sanitsky confirmed to E! News.


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Trevor Jones

The former Millionaire Matchmaker contestant passed away on Oct. 9 at the age of 34 from a "sudden Vascular Ehlers Danlos Syndrome event," according to a GoFundMe page set up in his honor.


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Emani 22

The R&B singer passed away at the age of 22, record producer J Maine confirmed to E! News.


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