Celebrity Death

Simon Cowell’s speaking out about Liam Payne ... saying the loss hit him hard -- but you can’t pin someone's life on a guy 10 years after he signed them to a music deal.

"The X Factor" mogul addressed the chatter that he somehow played a role in Liam’s death last year ... saying he doesn’t read that stuff because he’s not into self-torture, and honestly, the fact that people were blaming him? He just wasn’t having it.

Simon told Rolling Stone he recently spoke with Liam’s parents -- who said the singer kept gushing about how proud he was of everything he’d achieved since soaring to fame with One Direction at age 14.

Erika Kirk says she desperately hoped she was carrying another one of Charlie Kirk’s children on the heels of his assassination.

Charlie’s widow sat down with Megyn Kelly ... revealing she was “praying to God that I was pregnant when he got murdered.”

Erika and Charlie share two kids, but she says they planned to have four, and were excited about growing their family.

Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff has died, his wife Latifa Chambers announced Monday.

Latifa wrote ... “It’s with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia. I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists and coworkers who have shared his journey with him,”

She continued ... “To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career. He really appreciated each and every fan for their love. I also wanted to thank Dr. Couceyro and the whole medical staff, as they have been extremely supportive and helpful during this difficult process.”

Actor Udo Kier — who landed famous roles in “My Own Private Idaho” and "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective," has died.

His partner, Delbert McBride, confirmed to Variety that Kier passed away Sunday.  His close friend, Michael Childers, posted on Facebook Kier died in a hospital in Palm Springs, California. A cause of death was not released.

The German-born actor had a long and illustrious Hollywood career, spanning decades with over 250 credits from 1966 to 2025. His final role was as Hans in "The Secret Agent."

TikTok star Ben Bader died from complications of cardiovascular disease, TMZ has learned.

According to medical examiner documents obtained by TMZ, the content creator had untreated hardening and narrowing of the arteries ... and his death has been ruled as natural. Florida's Palm County Medical Examiner noted genetic factors "were likely involved in the development" of his cardiovascular impairment.

Ben was believed to be healthy, and only had recent complaints of back and shoulder pain he sought physical therapy to alleviate, the documents further state. The pain reliever codeine was traced in his urine, but not in his blood ... and was not a contributing factor to his unexpected death.

Chadwick Boseman was honored with a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Thursday, and his widow Simone Boseman spoke to us about his legacy and what this honor does for it.

As you know, Chadwick made history with his portrayal as T'Challa in "Black Panther" ... but Simone tells us its impact reached beyond just that film franchise.

She pointed out he blazed a trail for all future Black superheroes ... "He made space and now there can be more and more and more ... he set it up. He played the role he was meant to play."

The Kessler Twins paid thousands for their assisted suicides ... TMZ has learned.

Wega Wetzel -- a spokesperson for the assisted suicide company DGHS -- tells TMZ ... the going rate for one assisted suicide is 4,000 euros per person, or 6,000 euros for two people together -- that's about $4,600 and $7,000, respectively. This covers the cost of complete care by doctors and lawyers, including expenses.

Alice and Ellen Kessler contacted DGHS -- which, when translated, stands for German Society for Humane Dying -- more than a year ago because they wanted to end their lives with dignity on the same day together, Wetzel says. They ultimately decided to end their lives in their home in Grünwald near Munich this week.

Canadian actor Spencer Lofranco -- best known for his starring roles in "Jamesy Boy" and "Gotti" -- has died.

TMZ has learned his death is being investigated in British Columbia, Canada. The cause has not yet been determined.

His brother, Santino Lofranco, paid tribute to the star on Instagram and revealed he passed on Tuesday. He remembered him as a "legend" who "changed people [sic] lives."

Alice and Ellen Kessler -- German twin entertainers who performed together and rose to fame in the 1950s and ’60s -- have reportedly died after choosing to end their lives together.

According to the German news outlet Bild, the former dynamic duo died at their home near Munich, Germany by assisted suicide.

The publication reports the Kesslers “no longer wanted to live” and “they had chosen to end their lives together.” Authorities were reportedly alerted after they died.

Ace Frehley may have recently died ... but his musical spirit is very much alive as one of his famous guitars is set to go on the auction block.

The legendary Kiss axman owned and signed the Sunburst Gibson Les Paul Smoking Guitar, which is one of several instruments being sold at the online auction presented by GottaHaveRockandRoll.com. The bidding will start Wednesday with a minimum bid of $100,000 for a piece of Ace history.

Remember ... the guitar features modifications for Ace's memorable "Smoking" effect that mesmerized crowds while he played onstage during his electric performances.

The Dallas Cowboys are a few hours away from playing their first game since Marshawn Kneeland's tragic death ... and the team made a special tribute to the late defensive end before kickoff in Las Vegas.

Dallas gave fans a glimpse into its locker room ahead of the "Monday Night Football" matchup with the Raiders ... showcasing Kneeland's jersey hanging in a locker with the caption, "94 forever."

It's one of the many ways the team is remembering Marshawn, who passed away earlier this month -- players will also wear helmet decals and T-shirts for the 2025 season.

"So You Think You Can Dance" star Joshua Allen's girlfriend is sharing her side of the fight that broke out at his funeral last weekend ... telling TMZ she was invited by family before his aunt allegedly attacked her.

We told you all about it -- Dy'Zetta Brown had just placed a note on Allen's chest and was kissing him goodbye for the final time when she was grabbed from behind by a woman, who Brown says is an aunt on his mom's side of the family, in a now-infamous video.

Police were called to Allen's funeral twice that day ... and, Brown tells TMZ the viral altercation happened after the first incident -- when Allen's maternal side of the family told cops she had a restraining order against him.

Jimmy Kimmel's honoring his late pal Cleto Escobedo by raising some money for worth causes ... setting up a pair of fundraisers in his honor.

The talk show host revealed the plan on Instagram Friday ... telling fans the late musician was always eager to help others -- and, to mourn his loss, they've started two fundraisers to follow up his good works.

The first cause, Kimmel says, is the UCLA Medical Center where Cleto received a ton of amazing care need the end of his life ... while the other is The Animal Foundation in Las Vegas -- Cleto's hometown -- in recognition of his love of animals.

Kenny Easley -- a longtime safety with the Seattle Seahawks -- has died, the team confirmed Saturday morning.

The team said Kenny lived up to the values of his team through "his leadership, intensity, and fearlessness" in a post uploaded to X. The Seahawks expressed condolences to his wife and three children in the post. His cause of death is not yet public knowledge.

Easley was drafted by the Seahawks with the fourth overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft after playing college ball at UCLA

Todd Snider -- known for majorly influencing the alt-country and Americana music genres -- has died.

His label, Aimless Records, shared the sad news on Facebook Saturday morning after his family revealed Friday he had been hospitalized due to an "undiagnosed case of walking pneumonia."

Aimless said he passed on Friday and remembered him as "the one who always had the right words, who knew how to distill everything down to its essence with words and song while delivering the most devastating, hilarious, and impactful turn of phrases."

Tony-winning Broadway star Elizabeth Franz has died.

Her husband, Christopher Pelham, told the New York Times she died from cancer as well as having a "severe reaction" to the drugs used to treat it.

She took her last breath on November 4 at her home in Woodbury, Connecticut, according to the outlet.