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20 Famous People Who Tragically Died While Filming

20 Famous People Who Tragically Died While Filming
VOICE OVER: Phoebe de Jeu WRITTEN BY: Nathan Sharp
These tragic celebrity deaths beg the question "What could have been?" For this list, we'll be looking at celebrities who passed away during the filming of a movie or TV show. Our countdown includes John Ritter, James Dean, Aaliyah, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Steve Irwin, and more!

20 Famous People Who Tragically Died While Filming


Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down 20 Famous People Who Tragically Died While Filming.

For this list, we’ll be looking at celebrities who passed away during the filming of a movie or TV show.

Do you remember where you were when you heard the news? Let us know in the comments below!

John Ritter

“8 Simple Rules” (2002-05)

On September 17, 2002, ABC began airing a sitcom called “8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter.” John Ritter starred as an uptight and overprotective father named Paul Hennessy. The first season was a huge ratings success for the network, but Ritter passed away shortly into the second. While rehearsing on set, Ritter started vomiting and experiencing severe chest pain, so he was rushed to a nearby hospital. He was treated for a heart attack, but his affliction was later found to be an aortic dissection. Ritter died later that night - coincidentally, in the very same hospital in which he was born. The ratings of “8 Simple Rules” plummeted without Ritter, and it was canceled after three seasons.

Roy Kinnear

“The Return of the Musketeers” (1989)

A British character actor, many people recognize Roy Kinnear as Veruca Salt’s father from “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” Kinnear worked a lot with director Richard Lester, and he starred in three of his “Musketeers” movies. He would die during production of the third. While shooting, Kinnear fell off a horse and suffered both a broken pelvis and internal bleeding. The injuries were severe and put great strain on Kinnear’s body, and he died of a heart attack the following day. Kinnear’s family later won multiple settlements over his death. They sued the production company for their sloppy health and safety measures, and they later went against the Madrid hospital in which Kinnear died for their poor quality of care.

Oliver Reed

“Gladiator” (2000)

Coincidentally, Oliver Reed starred alongside Roy Kinnear in the “Musketeers” films, playing Athos. He later found great acclaim portraying Antonius Proximo in “Gladiator,” although this would be his final role. Reed suffered from alcoholism, and on May 2, 1999, he got into a drinking competition with some sailors while filming in Malta. He drank about $600 worth of alcohol, including eight pints of beer and a dozen shots of rum, before competing with them in arm wrestling. Following the fights, Reed collapsed and died of a heart attack. “Gladiator” was finished with the help of CGI and a body double, and Reed was posthumously nominated for a BAFTA.

Jon-Erik Hexum

“Cover Up” (1984-85)

This male model was cast as Mac Harper on an ‘80s CBS action show called “Cover Up.” He appeared in just eight episodes of the show before passing away at 26. To film an action scene, Hexum was given a functional .44 Magnum that was loaded with blanks. Bored between takes, Hexum decided to play Russian roulette with the gun, seemingly unaware that blanks fired at such close range can cause serious harm. Hexum suffered some horrible luck and fired the blank directly into his head. He underwent emergency surgery and stayed on life support for about a week, but he was eventually declared brain-dead. He was then taken off and his organs were donated to those in need, including a five-year-old child.

James Dean

“Giant” (1956)

To this day, James Dean is the only actor to have received two posthumous Oscar nominations for acting. He was nominated for his roles as Cal Trask in “East of Eden” and Jett Rink in “Giant.” Dean very famously died on September 30, 1955 when his Porsche T-boned a Ford on what is now State Route 46 in California. Dean was raced to a nearby hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival. According to the book “Ferber, A Biography of Edna Ferber and Her Circle,” Dean had not quite finished work on “Giant” at the time of his death. He was still required for dubbing in post-production, so his best friend Nick Adams filled in for his late companion.

Natalie Wood

“Brainstorm” (1983)

Natalie Wood’s death remains one of Hollywood’s greatest mysteries. Wood was quite popular throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s, but she took a hiatus to focus on her children. By late 1981, Wood was filming a comeback movie called “Brainstorm” with Christopher Walken. During a scheduled break, Wood, her husband, and Walken went on a yachting trip to Santa Catalina Island. On the night of November 28, 1981, Wood somehow went over the side and drowned. Suspicion has repeatedly been placed on her husband, Robert Wagner. He has been named a person of interest by the police, and the boat’s captain claimed that Wagner was responsible for his wife’s death. Wood’s sister was brought in to replace her for the filming of “Brainstorm.”

John Candy

“Wagons East” (1994)

In 1994, legendary funnyman John Candy was filming a movie called “Wagons East” in Mexico when he died of a heart attack in his sleep. Candy was notoriously unhealthy through much of his professional life. He continuously struggled with his weight and tended to binge eat. He was also a very heavy smoker and drinker, and he was known to have a substance use disorder. It all took a toll on his body, and he passed away at just 43. Candy had finished most of his scenes for “Wagons East,” and those that weren’t were completed with the help of a body double and some clever editing.

Aaliyah

“The Matrix Reloaded” (2003)

Known as The Princess of R&B, Aaliyah saw great success throughout the ‘90s and early 2000s. All three of her albums have been certified multi-platinum, and she had five singles reach the top ten in the United States. She eventually found success in movies as well, starring as Akasha in “Queen of the Damned.” At the time of her death, Aaliyah was filming scenes for “The Matrix Reloaded,” as she had been cast as a character named Zee. Tragically, Aaliyah died in a plane crash on the night of August 25, 2001. Aaliyah’s footage was cut from “The Matrix Reloaded,” and the character of Zee was recast with Nona Gaye in the role.

Chris Farley

“Shrek” (2001)

Like John Candy, Chris Farley did not take care of himself, and it led to a premature death at just 33. Farley was a very heavy drinker and also used substances. By 1997 - the year that Farley would die - his declining health was obvious to all. He was not only finding it difficult to perform, but he physically looked sick and grew exhausted easily. This was especially evident when he hosted “Saturday Night Live” on October 25. He was dead two months later - the result of a highly dangerous combination of multiple substances. At the time, Farley was nearly finished work on “Shrek.” Upon his death, Mike Myers was brought in as a replacement and re-recorded nearly the entire movie.

Vic Morrow

“Twilight Zone: The Movie” (1983)

This actor died in what is arguably the most horrific on-set accident in the history of film. Morrow was shooting “Twilight Zone: The Movie” with two young actors named Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen. The scene was very elaborate. A helicopter was flying overhead, explosions were going off, and Morrow was running across a body of water while holding the two children in his arms. A pyrotechnic went off and damaged the helicopter, causing it to spiral out of control. It quickly plummeted to the ground and landed right on top of the actors. This horrible accident resulted in lengthy court battles. The parents of the child actors were awarded an undisclosed settlement, as were Morrow’s children.

Philip Seymour Hoffman

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2” (2015)

This is another actor who tragically succumbed to drug addiction. Hoffman abused drugs in university, but he entered rehab at 22 and stayed sober for much of his adult life. Unfortunately, he relapsed in 2013 and died soon after. On February 2, 2014, Hoffman was found dead. Further investigation showed that multiple substances were in his system. The official cause of death was “acute mixed drug intoxication.” Hoffman was nearly finished filming “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2,” but the movie needed some last-minute rewrites to accommodate his sudden death.

Tommy Cooper

“Live from…” (1983-88)

This was a very famous English magician who performed funny tricks on television. However, Cooper’s career was waning by the late ‘70s as he fell deeper into alcoholism. Not only did he drink to excess, but he also smoked up to forty cigars a day. On April 15, 1984, Cooper was filming a live variety show called “Live from Her Majesty's” when he collapsed on stage. Everyone - including the audience and Cooper’s own assistant - believed that it was an act. However, it soon became evident that something serious had occurred, and attempts to revive Cooper began backstage. He was taken to Westminster Hospital but was declared dead on arrival, having passed from a heart attack.

Marilyn Monroe

“Something's Got to Give” (Unreleased)

By the early ‘60s, Marilyn Monroe’s life was in a downward spiral. The press was hounding her, producers didn’t want to work with her, and her performances were being harshly criticized. Furthermore, she was divorcing her third husband, suffering from various health problems, and falling deeper into her substance use disorder. It ironically came to a head while filming “Something's Got to Give,” and Monroe was fired on June 8, 1962. She was later re-hired with the help of her co-star Dean Martin, and filming was scheduled to recommence the following October. Unfortunately, Monroe died of an overdose in August. To this day, many suspect that Monroe intentionally took her own life, although we may never know for sure. The movie was subsequently abandoned.

River Phoenix

“Dark Blood” (2012)

In late 1993, River Phoenix was in Utah filming a movie called “Dark Blood.” In October, he flew back to Los Angeles and spent several days consuming substances with John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. On the night of October 30, Phoenix was watching Frusciante perform at The Viper Room when he started feeling sick. He made his way outside, collapsed on the sidewalk, and began having convulsions. An ambulance was called and Phoenix was rushed to Cedars-Sinai, but he died the following morning from the overdose. Some important scenes were still required for “Dark Blood,” and because Phoenix was no longer available, the entire movie was scrapped. It was later released in 2012 after some significant re-editing.

Bruce Lee

“Game of Death” (1978)

Shortly before his death, Bruce Lee was diagnosed with a cerebral edema, which is an accumulation of fluid in the brain. On July 20, 1973, Lee was suffering from a headache and was given painkillers by a colleague. He then went to lie down for a nap and never woke up. It was later theorized that Lee died from an allergic reaction to an ingredient in the painkiller, which exacerbated the cerebral edema. It may have also been exacerbated by heat stroke, as Lee had had the sweat glands removed from his armpits. At the time, Lee was working on a movie called “Game of Death.” This was released five years later, with two martial arts experts crudely and quite obviously standing in for Lee.

Paul Walker

“Furious 7” (2015)

The final scene of “Furious 7” is iconic, with Dominic Toretto happily seeing off Brian O'Conner. This wasn’t just Dom bidding farewell to Brian - it was also Vin Diesel (and the entire world, for that matter) saying goodbye to Paul Walker. In the middle of filming, Walker and his friend Roger Rodas died in a horrible car crash in Santa Clarita, California. The decision was made to continue filming without Walker and to retire his character in a show of respect. Actor John Brotherton and Walker’s brothers Caleb and Cody stood in for the late actor, and his face was superimposed over their bodies.

Owen Hart

“Over the Edge” (1999)

It was May 23, 1999, and 16,000 people were sitting in Kansas City’s Kemper Arena for a wrestling event called “Over the Edge.” Thousands more were watching at home. The Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin were headlining the main event. Owen Hart was also scheduled to fight The Godfather for the Intercontinental Championship. To make a dramatic entrance, Hart was being lowered into the ring from the rafters. Unfortunately, the escape mechanism was prematurely sprung, and Hart fell nearly 80 feet to his death. The accident was not broadcast on TV, but the thousands in attendance witnessed the fall. Hart was taken to the hospital and the show controversially continued. The audience was never informed of Hart’s death.

Brandon Lee

“The Crow” (1994)

Even those who don’t believe in curses might think twice after hearing about the Lee family. Brandon Lee was eight years old when his father Bruce died at the age of 32. Brandon would be even younger when he went, being just 28. Lee followed in his father’s footsteps and started working in the film industry. He landed the role as the titular character in Alex Proyas’ “The Crow,” and it was while filming this movie that he would die. While filming a violent scene, Lee was shot in the abdomen with a dummy bullet that had been lodged in the prop gun. He was taken to a nearby hospital but died after six hours of surgery.

Steve Irwin

“Ocean's Deadliest” (2007)

Steve Irwin was unlike any other zookeeper or TV personality. He had a certain charm and enthusiasm about him that garnered the attention of millions, and he quickly became the world’s most popular wildlife expert. But his dangerous line of work would eventually get the best of him. While filming a documentary called “Ocean's Deadliest,” Irwin was pierced in the heart by a stingray and quickly bled to death. The documentary was finished without Irwin and aired in January 2007. That was after an estimated 300 million people watched his memorial service at the Australia Zoo.

Heath Ledger

“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” (2009)

According to Heath Ledger’s former partner, Michelle Williams, Ledger frequently had trouble with insomnia. While filming his final movie, “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” Ledger complained about his lack of sleep to his co-star, Christopher Plummer. To deal with the insomnia, Ledger started misusing pills. In the afternoon of January 22, 2008, Ledger was found dead in his SoHo apartment. A toxicological analysis found multiple drugs in his system, and his death was ruled an accidental overdose of prescription medication. Three friends of Ledger - Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law - were brought in to replace his character in “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.” They play alternate versions of Ledger’s character as he travels through magical realms.
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