Celebrity Death

Chadwick Boseman's earned his first-ever Academy Award nomination ... nearly 7 months after he died from colon cancer.

Chadwick was the second one named early Monday morning when the nominations for Actor in a Leading Role were announced. Riz Ahmed for "Sound of Metal," Anthony Hopkins for "The Father," Gary Oldman for "Mank" and Steven Yeun for "Minari" are the other nominees in the category. It's incredible this is his first nom considering the iconic roles he's played.

Chadwick died in August while "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" was in post-production and 3 months before the film's release. He played Levee Green, an incredibly talented trumpet player. The Netflix film is about Ma Rainey ... the influential blues singer during the 1920s.

He had already won a Golden Globe, also his first, for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama last month. Chadwick's widow, Taylor Simone Ledward, accepted the award on his behalf and gave an emotional speech too.

Taylor had said, "He would thank God. He would thank his parents. He would thank his ancestors for their guidance and their sacrifices. He would say something beautiful. Something inspiring."

Naya Rivera got left out of the Grammys' "In Memoriam" tribute .. and fans are irate.

There were lots of names and songs played during Sunday's TV broadcast as part of the Grammys' annual "In Memoriam" tribute ... but noticeably absent was Naya's name and contribution to the industry.

Naya, nominated in 2010 for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals during her "Glee" run, died at just 33 years old last summer after accidentally drowning during a boating trip with her then 4-year-old son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, in Ventura County.

Little Richard, Gerry Marsden, John Prine and Kenny Rogers were included in the tribute but no dice for Naya. It should be noted ... her name was included among the more than 1,000 people listed in the Grammys' online Memoriam ... but getting ignored on the TV broadcast drove fans to express outrage and disappointment.

One fan wrote, "Since the #GRAMMYs didn't mention her I'll do it. Rest in peace Naya Rivera you beautiful angel ❤️ we love you and miss you so much." Another fan wrote, "I'm disappointed and utterly heartbroken. Naya gave SO much to the music world. She deserves a mention AT LEAST. Put some respect on her name. #grammys."

Reggie Warren -- one of the original five members of the R&B group TROOP -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for the group tells us Reggie passed away Sunday at his home in Pasadena, surrounded by family. We're told he's been dealing with health issues for a while now, and was even hospitalized for a couple months back in January.

The rep says Reggie was released from the hospital Saturday with the anticipation he would die. We're told his death is not COVID related -- but the family didn't want to discuss an official cause until an autopsy could be performed.

Reggie started out with TROOP when it first formed in the '80s, alongside childhood friends Rodney Benford, John Harreld, Steve Russell and Allen McNeil. Russell paid tribute to his longtime collaborator in an IG post on Sunday, writing ... "Job well done my brother I will see you on the other side🌹🌹😓😥😓😥😓RIP Reggie Warren. #DamnReggie."

The quintet signed to Atlantic Records and released their debut album in '88, which saw a hit in their lead single 'Mamacita.' They're more well-known for their 2nd album, 'Attitude,' though, which spawned two #1s in songs like "All I Do is Think of You" and "Spread My Wings."

Beyond their musical success, TROOP -- which stands for Total Respect of Other People -- might also be remembered as the a capella group singing a cover of "Living For the City" in the cult classic film "New Jack City" -- which they all briefly appear in during a montage.

'Living For the City' got mashed together with Queen Latifah's 'For the Love of Money' -- also featured in the movie -- for a memorable medley that came to be associated with 'NJC.'

The group went on a hiatus in the late '90s, but got back together and went touring in the 2000s and beyond ... having appeared in concert with notable acts like Boyz II Men, Keith Sweat, Jon B, Brian McKnight and other artists and groups that were popular in those days.

Looks like the fellas stayed on good terms through the 2010s, as they'd often appear together at different public events like the BET Awards and beyond.

Reggie was 51.

Marvelous Marvin Hagler -- former middleweight champion and one of the greatest boxers who ever lived -- has died ... this according to his wife.

A post with the sad news went up Saturday on Hagler's official fan club page on Facebook, reading ... "I am sorry to make a very sad announcement. Today unfortunately my beloved husband Marvelous Marvin passed away unexpectedly at his home here in New Hampshire. Our family requests that you respect our privacy during this difficult time."

The note was signed by his wife, Kay. The exact circumstances of his death weren't released.

Hagler has gone down in history as a boxing great, and perhaps one of the best -- if not THE best -- middleweight fighters to step in the ring. He held the title as the undisputed middleweight champion of the world from 1980 to 1987 ... an incredible run.

He got his first title shot in '79 against Vito Antuofermo -- which got called a draw, despite many feeling Hagler had taken it. He got a 2nd shot at the title the following year ... this time against Alan Minter -- whom Hagler pounded into a 3rd round stoppage.

Year after year, Hagler successfully defended his title ... but one of the most brutal bouts to date ended up going down against Tommy Hearns in 1985, which got billed as "The War." It only went three rounds, but all of them were brutal ... especially that opening one, which is regarded as one of the most violent and action-packed to date.

Hagler's reign came to an end in 1987 against none other than boxing icon Sugar Ray Leonard, who came out of retirement for another shot at the title. They went all twelve rounds, and despite many saying Hagler got the better of SRL ... the latter was announced as the winner in a split decision. Granted, Leonard landed a higher percentage of punches.

Post-boxing, Hagler moved on to a career in movies ... in Italy no less. He notably starred in 'Indio' and 'Indio 2' as well as a few other action flicks. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993.

Hagler is survived by his current wife and five children from a previous marriage. He was 66.

RIP

Broadcasting legend Joe Tait -- voice of the Cleveland Cavaliers for 39 seasons -- has died after battles with kidney failure and liver cancer. He was 83 years old.

Tait joined the Cavs radio team for the inaugural season in 1970 ... and stayed on the mic nearly every year until his retirement in 2011.

Tait was known for his signature calls over the years -- including the Miracle in Richfield in 1976, when the Cavs won their first playoff series.

He was also known for his classic opener and sign-off -- "It's basketball time at ..." and "This is Joe Tait. Have a good night, everybody!"

Tait was recognized by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010, when he received the Curt Gowdy Media Award ... which is given to outstanding writers and broadcasters.

Cleveland also honored Tait with a commemorative banner at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse prior to his departure from the team ... which hangs in the rafters alongside the retired jerseys.

The Cavs released a statement Wednesday afternoon ... saying, "The Cleveland Cavaliers mourn the passing of one of our beloved founding fathers and the original, long-time voice of the franchise – Joe Tait."

"A friend and mentor to many over the years, Joe Tait wasn’t just a member of the Cavaliers family; he was a part of the Cavs story like no one else and his voice and unique, candid perspective reverberates throughout the team’s history. He will be dearly missed."

Tait spoke about his life in an interview published just days ago ... saying, "I’m not afraid to die," he told The Plain Dealer.

"I do wonder what happens after you die. If anything does. I’m curious to find out. I do know I’ve had a good life. Lots of people have been great to me."

RIP.

Naya Rivera's father called out Ryan Murphy for allegedly failing to come through on promises he made after her drowning death ... but Murphy says he's still committed and working on it.

Naya's dad, George, went off on the "Glee" co-creator Tuesday night on Twitter, saying ... "Everyone needs to know what Ryan Murphy really did … or didn’t do !!! I’m about to blow up this story …. and make sure he’s knows that I know …."

George was responding to a tweet from July in which a woman said she had "so much respect" for Murphy and the other creators of the show for setting up a college fund for Naya's son, Josey.

According to George ... that hasn't happened, and he also seems pissed Murphy hasn't been in contact with him because he tweeted, "Broken Promises..... fake outrage .... hollow gestures ..... no phone call."

Naya's dad added ... "Promises made in public, only to fade with time and excuses .... even in a unexplainable tragedy ..."

Murphy caught wind of George's outrage, and quickly tweeted a response -- "Myself, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan have committed to create a college fund for Naya Rivera’s child Josey through the Naya Rivera Estate Trust. We have been in repeated conversations with the appropriate executors of her estate."

Apparently, those executors don't include George.

Vanessa Bryant has just won an important battle in her case against the L.A. County Sheriff's Department ... a judge ruled she can obtain the names of the deputies who allegedly took and distributed graphic photos from the Kobe crash site.

Vanessa alleges that shortly after Kobe, their daughter, Gianna, and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Jan. 2020 ... sheriff's deputies took pictures of the wreckage and the bodies in it and shared the images.

County prosecutors had argued the names of the deputies allegedly responsible for sharing the photos should be kept under seal ... saying it could put the deputies in harm's way.

Vanessa, though, opposed that ... and it looks like she convinced the judge.

U.S. District Judge John F. Walter ruled in favor of Bryant on Monday, according to the LA Times, writing in a ruling, "Although the Court recognizes that this case has been the subject of public scrutiny and media attention and that the Deputy Defendants are legitimately concerned that they will encounter vitriol and social media attacks, such concerns, by themselves, are not sufficient to outweigh the public’s strong interest in access."

The county will have the opportunity to appeal the ruling.

Wayne Gretzky was fighting back tears at his father's funeral this weekend -- especially during an emotional eulogy ... where he remembered the man as the ultimate hockey dad.

The NHL legend delivered remarks Saturday at the St. Mark's Anglican Church in Brantford, Ontario shortly after laying Walter Gretzky to rest. Wayne stepped up to the podium in front of a socially distanced crowd in the pews ... and reminisced about Walter's life. The service was limited to family.

He recounted a couple different stories that were pretty heartwarming -- one where Wayne says Walter insisted on going to a hockey tournament when he was young, this despite the fact his wife and Wayne's mom, Phyllis, was due to give birth at any moment.

Sure enough, she popped while he was away with Wayne ... and as people gave Walter a hard time about missing the birth of his own child, he hoisted up the first-place prize that Wayne and co. had won, and proudly said ... "Yes, but we got the trophy."

Wayne went on to remember Walter as an incredibly proud Canadian and hockey's #1 fan. He said he loved his kids and grandkids ... and was always looking to give back to Wayne's fans as he grew in his career.

WG said Walter was not afflicted with COVID, and his death had nothing to do with the virus. He reiterated his dad suffered a bad hip injury as a result of his Parkinson's ... and was already in declining health. He thanked the crowd and those afar for sending food and well-wishes as the family stayed with him for 21 straight days in the hospital until he eventually passed Thursday.

Toward the end of his speech, Wayne choked up and walked off stage ... and the audience gave him a slight round of applause.

Walter was 82.

Rush Limbaugh is the G.O.A.T. when it comes to radio hosts, and if you don't believe that ... just read his death certificate.

According to the document, obtained by TMZ, the conservative firebrand host's occupation is right there in black and white -- "GREATEST RADIO HOST OF ALL TIME." That's some pretty high praise.

It's high praise for Rush that many, including his pal Donald Trump, would agree with -- but of course, there's probably those who'd strongly disagree.

Remember, Trump presented Rush with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his achievements in radio -- but Florida Governor Ron DeSantis got some pushback when he ordered flags lowered to honor Limbaugh after his death last month of lung cancer.

We know what you're thinking -- Rush probably had a big fan in the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office who put that title on the death certificate.

However, his wife, Kathryn Limbaugh, is listed as the person providing the info for the document, so it's most likely her handiwork.

"The Rush Limbaugh Show" was nationally syndicated, starting in 1988, and made him one of the premier voices in the conservative ranks, as well as one of the most listened to radio personalities.

The sound mixer from the award-winning movie, "Nomadland," has died after taking his own life ... and his father thinks the coronavirus pandemic may have played a part.

Michael Wolf Snyder had not been heard from for several days, when his dad, psychiatrist Dr. David Snyder, went to check on him in his Queens apartment. David discovered his son's body.

Dr. Snyder says his son had battled severe depression for years.

35-year-old Michael, who went by his middle name, Wolf, had achieved a lot professionally. In addition to the Golden-Globe winning "Nomadland," he worked on the Emmy-nominated show, "Good Omens." He also worked on the 2017 sci-fi flick, "Imitation Girl," and the 2018 movie, "The Amaranth."

Frances McDormand, the star of "Nomadland," said, "Wolf recorded our heartbeats. Our every breath. For me, he is 'Nomadland.'"

Wolf worked as a boom operator and sound mixer with filmmaker Chloe Zhao for "The Rider," and Zhao said, "I always looked at Wolf after each take. I didn't wear headphones on the set so I heavily relied on Wolf to be my ears. He would nod at me with a happy grin, or tears in his eyes, or sometimes he would discreetly signal, 'one more.'"

Wolf's dad said he didn't know how deeply his son had been struggling with depression, saying, "I am a psychiatrist who was not able to save his own son, partly because he would not share the depth of his pain," adding, "For most people, this is an illness that waxes and wanes over the years. I'm sure it was difficult for Michael that he spent most of the last year alone in his small, Queens apartment, being responsible about dealing with the coronavirus." He went on ... "In spite of this, we all believed he was doing well, and for most of this past year I think he was."

Lance Waldroup, a famous bootlegger from Discovery's "Moonshiners," has died.

Lance died Feb. 25 in his home state of North Carolina ... according to his father, Jeff, who also appeared on the reality show alongside his son. The cause of death remains unclear.

Discovery tells TMZ ... Lance will be remembered as an adventurous distiller who was always looking to take his flavorful recipes of moonshine to new heights.

Lance appeared in several early seasons of the show ... bootlegging out of North Carolina with his father. He was one of the younger and less experienced moonshiners, and would often turn to his dad for guidance. He also distilled absinthe and scotch.

Lance's family set up a GoFundMe to raise money for a memorial fund, and the description says he was a recovering drug addict who had turned his life around after going to rehab.

The Waldroups have really been through it -- the family says Lance had survivor's guilt because his sister died when she was 11, and his brother died when he was 20.

Lance was only 30.

Vanessa Bryant is opening up about her life after the deaths of Kobe and Gianna -- admitting, "This pain is unimaginable [but] you just have to get up and push forward."

"Lying in bed crying isn't going to change the fact that my family will never be the same again," Vanessa told People.com ... "But getting out of bed and pushing forward is going to make the day better for my girls and for me. So that's what I do."

Vanessa has kept very busy in the year after Kobe and 13-year-old Gianna passed away in that tragic helicopter crash -- taking the reigns on various projects Kobe had been working on in both entertainment and charity.

She worked with author Ivy Claire to complete Kobe's novel for young adults, "Epoca: The River of Sand" -- which dropped back in December.

And, she's been a force with Kobe's non-profit organization -- relaunching it as the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, with the mission of helping "underserved athletes and women in sports."

Vanessa says Kobe and Gianna serve as her inspiration to "keep going" -- "They inspire me to try harder and be better every day. Their love is unconditional and they motivate me in so many different ways."

Now, as Vanessa moves forward with her 3 daughters -- 18-year-old Natalia, 4-year-old Bianka and 1-year-old Capri -- she leans on her family to "give me strength."

Bunny Wailer -- the reggae icon and founding member of the original Wailers trio with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh -- has died in Jamaica.

Bunny, real name Neville Livingston, died Tuesday at the Medical Associates Hospital in Kingston ... according to his manager, Maxine Stowe. His cause of death's not been given, but he'd been dealing with serious medical issues since suffering his second stroke in 2020.

Born in Jamaica, Livingston befriended Marley at a young age and they'd go on to form the legendary reggae group with Tosh. Though Marley and Tosh were the primary singers and songwriters ... Bunny was known for his incredible harmonies on their songs.

In 1965 the trio released their debut album, "The Wailing Wailers," before going on hiatus and reuniting again in the '70s. Around that time, Bunny wrote and recorded one of his most famous songs, "Dreamland" ... which he later released on his solo album, "Blackheart Man," in 1976.

The Wailers achieved international fame in 1973 with the release of "Catch a Fire" and follow-up album "Burnin'" ... but this would ultimately lead to the group splitting up.

Bunny and Tosh both left the band in 1974, but Bunny would be forever linked to the rise of reggae along with Marley ... and had a successful solo career himself. He'd go on to work with Jamaican musicians, Sly and Robbie, and produce albums of several other artists.

Bunny won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 1991 for "Time Will Tell: A Tribute to Bob Marley," and would go on to win 2 more ... including another tribute album in 1997.

As for other awards ... he received the Order of Merit from the Jamaican government in 2017 for his contributions and achievements. Bunny last toured in 2016 for the 40th anniversary of "Blackheart Man."

He was the last remaining member of the OG Wailers. Marley died of cancer in 1981, and Tosh was murdered by gunmen in an attempted robbery at his home in 1987.

Bunny was 73.

Chadwick Boseman won a Golden Globe, and his wife gave a touching and emotional acceptance speech on behalf of the late actor.

Taylor Simone Ledward accepted Boseman's Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama Sunday night during the COVID-cautious ceremony. Ledward was emotional and ran through a list of everyone her husband would have thanked if he was still alive to accept the honor.

Ledward opened her speech saying Chadwick would thank God and his parents ... she also mentioned Boseman's team, both on and off the set of "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." In closing, Taylor said, "We have to take all the moments to celebrate those we love, so thank you HFPA for this opportunity to do exactly that."

Louis Nix III -- former NFL player and Notre Dame football star -- has been found dead at the age of 29 on Saturday, after he was reported missing earlier this week.

Nix -- a 6'3", 330 lb. defensive tackle -- was a star at ND ... before being selected with the 83rd overall pick (3rd rd.) by the Houston Texans in the 2014 NFL Draft. Louis bounced around the league ... spending time with the Giants, Jaguars and Washington.

Louis was reported missing on Wednesday ... with family members saying he was last seen Tuesday leaving his dad's house driving a gray 2014 Hyundai.

Now, their worst fears have come true ... Nix has been found dead, according to his mom.

Details surrounding Louis' death are unclear ... but the Jacksonville County Sheriff's Office was seen pulling a car matching Nix's from a local lake on Saturday.

The JSO announced they "located Louis Nix" -- calling off the missing person search -- but provided no additional information.

Back in December, Nix was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in his hometown of Jacksonville. He was hospitalized for almost 2 weeks as a result of the shooting.

Nix made the now heartbreaking comment at the time ... "I know it sounds cliche, but more than anything, I'm happy to be alive."

Rest in peace.

Vanessa Bryant caught wind not everyone had nice things to say about her late husband, Kobe, upon his death ... including Evan Rachel Wood, who labeled him a "rapist."

Kobe's widow is skewering ERW and others for comments they made about Kobe shortly after his passing in Jan. 2020 -- many of whom brought up his 2003 sexual assault case ... arguing his legacy was marred by the allegations, and straight-up calling him guilty.

For the record, the criminal charges he was facing were dropped after the accuser refused to testify. She later sued him over it, and both sides reached a settlement.

Of course, Kobe was never convicted ... and is presumed innocent in the eyes of the law -- which is exactly what Vanessa points out to ERW, in sharp terms more than a year later.

She writes ... "Your false, insensitive, defamatory and slanderous tweet on 1/26/20 is vile and disturbing to say the least? Behavior like this is part of the reason why innocent black men go to jail for crimes they didn't commit. An accusation doesn't make someone guilty."

VB adds, "YOU DON'T KNOW THE FACTS OF THE CASE." She had a similar message for film producer Abigail Disney, who also called Kobe a rapist not too long after he died.

Abigail still has her 2020 tweet up -- which links to a WaPo op-ed discussing Kobe's criminal case. Evan's Twitter account appears to have been deactivated. She still has an IG account though, where she's been detailing her allegations against Marilyn Manson.