Major Celebrities That Passed Away in 2023: The Definitive List | Vanity Fair

Written by Hillary Busis

In 2023, we bid farewell to a plethora of revered figures from different cultural spectra, ranging from sitcom celebrities to giants behind the curtains, from music legends to rising stars whose lives were cut short tragically. We hereby honor the memory of 33 personalities who have made significant cultural impacts and will continue to do so in the future.

Lisa Marie, the musician and offspring of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, passed away unexpectedly on January 12 following complications of a previous weight-loss surgery. Her demise led to a legal spat over Graceland, Elvis’ commonly frequented estate. Her daughter, Riley Keough, in a Vanity Fair cover story in the fall, hailed her as a powerful, loving, and fiercely loyal personality and a fantastic mother.

On October 28, Perry, the acclaimed Friends star, passed away from the acute effects of ketamine. Perry, who confronted his enduring struggles with alcoholism and opioid dependency squarely, had once expressed his wish that his humanitarian contributions outshine any accolades he might receive for Friends.

A musician, fashion icon, and quintessential survivor, passed away on May 24 at her residence close to Zurich, Switzerland. Losing her means losing a music legend and role model, said one of her agents.

Belafonte, a recipient of an honorary Oscar, passed away at the age of 96 in April. He had a profound influence on civil rights, which surpassed his contributions on stage and screen.

Cloud, known for his heartfelt rendition of Fezco, a drug peddler in HBO’s celebrated series Euphoria, succumbed to unintentional overdose on July 31 when he was merely 25 years old.

Pee-wee Herman, the man behind numerous weird screen personalities, specifically Pee-wee’s Playhouse, succumbed to cancer on July 30 after secretly battling it for years.

Close friend of Lady Gaga, this typical balladeer, had a career spanning almost 70 years, continuing even after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2016. He left us at the age of 96 on July 21.

Birkin, the actor and singer behind the Birkin bag, a high-end accessory named after her, passed away on July 16 at the age of 76. But she was more than just a style icon, as her life in images demonstrates.

Braugher, a TV star known for effortlessly transitioning between comedy and drama, succumbed to cancer on December 11.

Golden Globe awardee and screen siren of the '60s, remembered for her performances in One Million Years B.C. and Fantastic Voyage, passed away on February 15 after a brief illness.

The singer, songwriter, and writer died on September 1 from complications related to skin cancer. He had turned leisureliness into art, while establishing an empire comprising of drink, food, and a Broadway jukebox musical appropriately named Escape to Margaritaville.

Somers, a sitcom celebrity and a fitness magnate, scored many achievements in her career, but one of her greatest could be her marriage to Alan Hamel.

Legendary television personality Norman Lear, known for creating All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, and One Day at a Time, passed away on December 5.

The television host turned politician, whose risqué syndicated talk show was a forebearer to reality television, died at the age of 79 on April 27.

The fiery singer, who passed away on July 26 at 56, was known for singing about various social issues.

David Crosby, the former Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young leader, known for his blunt personality, died at the age of 81 on January 18.

The Australian comedian, recognized for his alter ego, Dame Edna Everage, left us on April 22 at the age of 89.

The Oscar-winning actor who wished to be reincarnated as a slightly improved version of himself passed away on June 29 at the age of 89.

Cindy Williams, best known for her lead role in Laverne & Shirley and her initiation of the successful remake of Father of the Bride, passed away on January 25 at the age of 75.

A captivating, complicated actor and man, the ’70s heartthrob who struggled in his later years died December 8 at the age of 82.

“Burt’s transition is like losing a family member,” said Dionne Warwick of saying goodbye to the songwriter, the man behind classics like “Walk On By,” “A House Is Not a Home,” and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.”

The three-time Oscar nominee and star of Twin Peaks and Carrie died October 14 at the age of 91.

Israeli actor Topol, who died in March at the age of 87, received both Oscar and Tony nominations for his performance as comic milkman Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof.

The comedian and actor who died February 19 at age 78 spent more than 20 years playing Detective John Munch on various iterations of Law & Order. “He had lots of health issues, and his last words were, ‘Fuck you, motherfucker,’” a longtime friend told the Hollywood Reporter.

Asked how he wanted to be remembered, Bob Barker—the longtime host of The Price Is Right who died August 26 at the age of 99— replied the way you might imagine he would: “As the man who said, ‘Have your pets spayed or neutered.’”

The Emmy-winning actor best known for his role in This Is Us died in August at the age of 66 after suffering chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for several years.

A blaxploitation icon best known for starring as Detective John Shaft in the original 1971 film, Roundtree died October 24 at the age of 81.

Though millennials and younger moviegoers will know him best as Albus Dumbledore, Sir Gambon is among the most celebrated British and Irish stage and screen actors of his generation. He died of pneumonia at the age of 82, on September 27.

The English actor went missing in January while hiking in Southern California’s San Gabriel Mountains. His body was discovered five months later, though an exact cause of death could not be determined.

61-year-old Sizemore, best known for his work in films like Saving Private Ryan, Heat, and Black Hawk Down, suffered a brain aneurysm on February 18 and died a few weeks later, on March 3.

The character actor best known for his silent but imposing appearances on Breaking Bad had a career that spanned projects as different as Scarface and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. He died at 83 on August 3.

The actor known for his work on The Wire and in the John Wick film franchise died March 17 at the age of 60.

As the director of The Exorcist, The French Connection, and Cruising, Friedkin was one of the quintessential New Hollywood filmmakers. He died August 7 at the age of 87.

By Keziah Weir