Celebrity Deaths 2025: Remembering Ted Kotcheff, Director of ‘Rambo’
In 2025, Hollywood mourned the loss of numerous talents, from filmmakers to artists.
On January 4, it was reported that Aubrey Plaza’s estranged spouse, Jeff Baena, had passed away the previous day at the age of 47. According to medical examiner records obtained by Us Weekly, Baena died by suicide.
In a statement to Us on January 6, Plaza’s representative expressed, “This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are profoundly thankful to everyone who has shown their support. We kindly ask for privacy during this difficult time.” (It was disclosed on March 19 that Plaza and Baena had been separated for four months prior to his passing.)
Shortly after Baena’s death, manager Simon Jones announced that RuPaul’s Drag Race star James Lee Williams, known as The Vivienne, had died at the age of 32.
“James was an incredibly loved, warm-hearted, and extraordinary person,” the publicist shared in an Instagram post on January 5. “Their family is heartbroken over the loss of their son, brother, and uncle. They take great pride in the remarkable accomplishments James achieved throughout their life and career. We will not be disclosing any further details. We kindly ask for privacy for James’s family as they need time to grieve and heal.”
The following day, authorities confirmed that the beloved drag queen’s death was not surrounded by any suspicious circumstances. Williams’ family later informed BBC News on March 17 that the cause of death was cardiac arrest due to ketamine use.
Scroll down to pay tribute to all the stars who passed away in 2025:
