Celebrity Death

Shirley Raines -- also known as activist and founder of Beauty 2 The Streetz, "Ms. Shirley" -- passed away from hypertensive heart disease.

Shirley's daughter Danielle confirmed the news to TMZ ... telling us Shirley had a history of high blood pressure, which she was being treated for at the time of her passing.

A private service is scheduled for next Monday ... while a public one will be held at a later date.

Catherine O'Hara's family and friends laid her to rest on Valentine's Day ... coming together to say their farewells two weeks after her sudden death.

Her funeral service was held at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Los Angeles ... according to a booklet from the service posted on social media by actress Kelly Lynch.

Catherine's funeral service booklet featured an old photo of her, seemingly from her high school days ... and Kelly captioned the post, "Rest in peace darling Catherine 💔."

James Van Der Beek was working right up until the end ... and now fans are getting a chilling first look at his final film role, with the former teen heartthrob stepping into seriously sinister territory.

A week after James died from stage 3 colorectal cancer at 48, Lionsgate has dropped the first trailer for the thriller "The Gates" ... casting him as a creepy pastor named Jacob, who's witnessed committing a murder by three college students cutting through a remote gated community.

James fully leaned into the darkness, delivering a spine-tingling performance that fans can catch when "The Gates" hits theaters March 13.

Tom Noonan -- the longtime actor best known for his roles in "Last Action Hero" and "Robocop 2" -- has died, TMZ has learned.

Noonan died last Saturday, and his death was confirmed by director Fred Dekker, who wrote on Facebook, "It’s with great sadness that I share the passing of Tom Noonan … Tom’s indelible performance as Frankenstein in THE MONSTER SQUAD is a highlight of my modest filmography, doubtless aided by the masterful make-up designed by Stan Winston, sculpted by Tom Woodruff Jr., and applied by Zoltan Elek."

Dekker's lengthy statement also included some memories from their time working on "The Monster Squad" ... before ending with, "he was the proverbial gentleman and scholar, and the world has lost a great talent. R.I.P. Tom. Thanks for the great work."

Huge update in Food Network star Anne Burrell's tragic death ... cops in New York say they found a suicide note in her bedroom.

The NYPD says an investigator found a "suicidal note" in the primary bedroom of Anne's Brooklyn home after her June 2025 death, which was later officially ruled a suicide ... a law enforcement source confirms to TMZ.

In addition to the suicide note, the NYPD investigator reportedly found "suicidal" journal entries on a bed in the same room as the note.

The cause of death of Tommy Lee Jones' daughter, Victoria Jones, has been released --  officials confirm to TMZ she died from the toxic effects of cocaine.

The San Francisco Chief Medical Examiner also determined Victoria's death was accidental.

TMZ broke the story -- Victoria, the daughter of Tommy and his first wife, Kimberlea Cloughley -- was found dead in the upscale Fairmont San Francisco hotel on New Year's Day.

Hours after Reverend Jesse Jackson's death, President Donald Trump memorialized the civil rights pioneer in a way only Trump could ... by making it all about Trump -- and he threw in a jab at former President Barack Obama for good measure.

POTUS shared a tribute to Jackson on Truth Social, listing all the ways he helped the late minister. Trump says he gave Jackson office space in one of his buildings, responded to Jackson's requests for criminal justice reform, and passed long-term funding for HBCUs ... "despite the fact that I am falsely and consistently called a Racist."

Then he inexplicably throws shade at Obama, writing, "He had much to do with the election, without acknowledgment or credit, of Barack Hussein Obama, a man who Jesse could not stand."

Reverend Jesse Jackson, the civil rights pioneer and Baptist minister who twice ran for U.S. president, has died, according to his family.

Jesse's family issued a statement Tuesday morning, celebrating the icon ... "Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world.”

They went on ... “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.”

Jackson died peacefully with his loved ones at his side ... his official cause of death has not yet been released.

In November, Jesse was hospitalized after living for over a decade with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), according to his Rainbow PUSH Coalition. The disease impacts patients’ ability to walk and swallow and has dangerous complications. Jesse was also diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2017.

James Van Der Beek's pal Mehcad Brooks is telling people to STFU when it comes to criticizing about the family's GoFundMe -- cased closed!

Check out the actor's heated Threads note ... he tells anyone who wants to speak ill of the Van Der Beek family for taking financial assistance following James' death, they can kindly zip it ... because they're clueless about what the family has been through -- and Mehcad calls them total attention seekers.

He adds in the weekend post ... "It’s ok for you to stay quiet in the face of blind stupidity, meanness and lack of empathy. But maybe you’re not okay."

"Dawson’s Creek" actor James Van Der Beek was dealing with a massive six-figure tax debt years before his death ... TMZ has learned.

The actor and his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek were hit with a lien in November 2021 for unpaid taxes for the years 2018 and 2019 -- the IRS declared the duo owed $95,438.31 for 2017 ... and $173,890.31 in 2019 ... for a total of $269,328.62.

Cass Lacelle, who starred on Freeform's reality series "Grand Cayman: Secrets in Paradise," has died after a battle with ovarian cancer.

Her loved ones shared the devastating news Monday in a post on her Instagram page, saying she passed away February 11 following what they called a "short but incredibly courageous battle with cancer."

"Cass leaves behind a legacy that cannot be measured," the statement read. "She is the definition of memorable; in just 34 years, she made an extraordinary impact on everyone who crossed her path."

Hollywood icon Robert Duvall has died ... the actor passed away at his home Sunday at the age of 95, according to his wife.

In a Monday morning Facebook post, Robert's wife Luciana wrote ... "Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time. Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort."

She added ... "His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, a great meal, and holding court. For each of his many roles, Bob gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented."

Former NFL star Tre Johnson -- an All-Pro offensive lineman -- suddenly passed away on Sunday while on vacation with his family, his wife confirmed ... leaving everyone in shock.

He was only 54.

Irene Johnson announced the devastating news on her Facebook page Sunday, saying Tre died earlier in the day while on a brief family trip. The cause of death was not revealed.

"His four children, Chloe, EJ, EZ, and Eden, extended family, friends, and I are devastated and in shock," Irene said.

The Daytona 500 honored Greg Biffle in a tear-jerking 3-minute video Sunday after the late NASCAR driver tragically perished in a plane crash that also claimed the lives of his wife and children last year.

In the clip, which aired live and was later shared on X, friends and loved ones poured their hearts out, painting the picture of what a gifted and thoughtful person Greg was.

Doug Yates, CEO of Roush Yates Engines, said, “Greg Biffle was the most talented guy I’ve ever worked with... He had speed, he was fearless, he was smart ... He never found himself in a situation that he didn’t think he could win.”

James Van Der Beek's friends stepped up to help him secure a down payment on his family's Texas ranch before he passed away ... his rep revealed.

People spoke to the rep about the $4.7 million Texas Ranch, which, as we reported, he bought on January 9 ... and the rep told the outlet his family wanted to stop paying rent and start paying a mortgage, and some helpful friends made that dream a reality.

As we mentioned ... James and his family moved to the ranch in 2020 -- but, they were only renting the property for the first 5+ years.

Wiz Khalifa's father, Laurence W. Thomaz, has died.

The rapper shared the sad news on social media Friday, noting ... "I will always love him, miss him and be [grateful] for the things he taught me."

He did not reveal a cause of death, but said it "was sudden." He added ... "Seeing how many people love and respected him" made him happy ... noting, "I know he’s proud that he left a positive impact on this earth. Literally all he ever wanted."