Celebrity Death

Chuck Norris' death is breaking hearts not just in Hollywood, but across the sports world ... with athletes and even the WWE paying tribute to the "culture icon."

Norris died on Thursday morning in Hawaii at the age of 86, after TMZ shared the news that the actor/martial artist was hospitalized.

Fans have flooded social media to pay their respects ... including former NFL star Chad Ochocinco, who shared the news on his X page with a broken-heart emoji.

Chuck Norris has died, and fans are devastated ... but they have one more film to be excited about from the Hollywood legend.

Shaked Berenson, producer of “Zombie Plane,” tells TMZ … Chuck plays the head of a spy agency made up of celebs in the tongue-in-cheek action flick. There are a ton of cameos, and it's meant to poke fun at their personas.

Chuck's part was shot a year and a half ago at his Texas ranch .... Shaked told us they needed a ranch for the scene, and Chuck had one -- so it worked out perfectly.

The death of Chuck Norris sent a shockwave of sadness to his fans around the globe ... and his family is still processing the tremendous loss.

Chuck's son, Dakota, was the first to break his silence Friday morning about the legend's passing with a lengthy, heartfelt Instagram post in which he said CN was the ultimate father.

Along with a series of snaps showing father and son ... Dakota wrote ... "You were the greatest father God could have ever given me and the finest man I’ve ever known. No matter what I was going through, you were always there."

The legendary martial arts film star Chuck Norris has died ... and tributes have begun to pour in from fellow Hollywood badasses.

Dolph Lundgren -- who worked with Chuck on "The Expendables 2" -- posted a tribute on Instagram, including a heartfelt caption about what the late actor meant to him ... and Sylvester Stallone, another 'Expendables' costar and contemporary action star, also honored Chuck in a post.

Along with a BTS picture of the action duo, Dolph wrote ... "Chuck Norris is the champ. Ever since I was a young martial artist and later getting into movies, I always looked up to him as a role model. Someone who had the respect, humility and strength it takes to be a man. We will miss you, my friend. ✨"

Stallone wrote ... "I had a great time working with Chuck. He was All American in every way. Great man and my condolences to his wonderful family."

Joshua Allen -- the winner of "So You Think You Can Dance" Season 4 -- was struck and killed by a train in Texas last year ... and we now know that the medical examiner determined he intentionally ended his own life.

According to records obtained by TMZ ... Allen died of blunt force injuries ... and his death was ruled a suicide by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office.

Following his death, family and friends told TMZ that Allen was a wonderful person ... and they shared some insight into their final conversations ... "One of the last things he said was to keep God first at all times. You have to be real with yourself before you can be real with anybody else."

The body of missing college student James "Jimmy" Gracey has been found in the ocean off the beaches of Barcelona, Spanish police confirmed.

La Vanguardia reported his father -- who flew to the city to join the search -- has been notified ... and no foul play is suspected in the University of Alabama student's death. Jimmy's body was found "at a depth of four meters in the waters" of Barcelona's Port Olímpic, a marina, this afternoon.

WLS-TV in Chicago reports Gracey's family -- he grew up in the Chicagoland area -- released a statement thanking the public for their concern and asking for privacy. As we reported ...

Legendary director David Lynch left behind a massive estate to his four children and substantial gifts for his close friends, TMZ has learned.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ, Sabrina Sutherland -- the trustee of David's family trust -- says David drafted his will and trust in 1994 and last amended it on May 25, 2023. The director died on January 16, 2025 from cardiac arrest, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as an underlying condition.

David’s assets include his membership in Twin Peaks productions, stock in A2K, and all the copyrights David owned for his various projects ... but that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Jordan Wright -- who starred in the British reality TV show "The Only Way Is Essex" -- was found dead in Thailand on March 14.

According to Daily Mail, Wright's body was recovered from a drainage canal where he was found face-down in the stagnant water of a drainage canal.

The publication reports Wright was wearing black pants and a gray T-shirt, but was barefoot. And he'd already made plans to leave soon.

TikToker Rachel Tussey has died after undergoing surgery for a "mommy makeover" ... and things took a turn for the worse.

Rachel's family tells TMZ ... "It is with deep regret and sadness that we share the news of Rachel’s passing. We would like to thank everyone, around the world, who faithfully prayed for Rachel and our entire family throughout this extraordinarily difficult time in our family’s life. The outpouring of support, from our community and beyond, has provided us with so much comfort at a time when it was dearly needed. We ask that our family be given time and space to grieve our unimaginable loss."

Rachel's husband, Jeremy, updated her GoFundMe page, writing ... "We are deeply grateful for the love, prayers, and generous support shown to our family during this incredibly difficult time. Last night, my wife Rachel lost her battle while in hospice care." He added some beautiful words about what she meant to their family ...

Legendary singer Neil Sedaka's cause of death was "atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease," according to his death certificate.

According to the American Heart Association, the condition is caused when plaque builds up in artery walls ... and it's linked to heart attacks and strokes.

The death certificate -- first obtained by the California Post -- also cited kidney failure as a factor in Sedaka's passing last month.

There will be a public memorial for Eric Dane ... and in large part, it's thanks to the fans.

A source close to Rebecca Gayheart tells TMZ ... the family has been deeply moved by all the condolences and tributes coming in from around the globe ... and a celebration of life is being planned.

We're told the event will be for the fans ... but also to make Dane "smile and feel loved and know that his life was not in vain."

The family of Eric Dane is bummed he was not among the late Hollywood luminaries honored on Sunday night during the Oscars "In Memoriam" segment ... but they get it.

Here's the deal ... fans were pretty pissed that Eric -- along with James Van Der Beek, among others -- was not part of the remembrance portion of the show. We heard from an Academy source that it was not malice ... there just was not enough airtime to include everyone, but they pointed out all are honored online.

A source close to Rebecca Gayheart tells TMZ ... the family was "saddened" not to see him included in the main broadcast, but they understand ... "It was a year of profound loss for the industry."

Kiki Shepard -- the longtime cohost of the legendary music showcase "Showtime at the Apollo" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

LaShirl Smith, Kiki's rep, tells TMZ ... she suffered a massive heart attack in Los Angeles on Monday, adding her passing was completely unexpected.

Shepard became a familiar face to millions of viewers during her long run on "Showtime at the Apollo" from 1987 to 2002, where she shared the stage with Steve Harvey and helped introduce aspiring performers at the iconic Harlem theater.

"Back to the Future" actor Matt Clark has passed away ... but he got to connect with Michael J. Fox for one more time-traveling chat, TMZ has learned.

We broke the news ... Clark, whose illustrious film and TV resume goes back decades, including 'BTTF: Part III,' died in his Texas home on Sunday. He was 89.

A source with knowledge tells TMZ ... Clark was a part of the big “Back to the Future” reunion at the Dallas Fan Expo last year in Texas for the film's 40th anniversary ... and while there, he and MJF chopped it up backstage. Clark was also part of the cast Q&A.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences knows people are pissed about perceived snubs during last night's Oscars in memoriam ... but there's nothing cold-hearted about it, TMZ is told.

A source with direct knowledge tells TMZ ... the Academy receives hundreds of requests to include loved ones and industry colleagues for the show's in memoriam segment. Through those, an executive committee representing every branch considers the list ... and makes recommendations for the telecast based on the limited run of show time. All the submissions are included on Oscars.org -- and remain there for the year.

As we reported ... there was some serious backlash online after Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek, among a few others, were omitted from the segment ... with people asking how these snubs seem to happen year after year.

Matt Clark -- whose acting career spanned decades in film and TV working alongside some of Hollywood's biggest stars -- has died.

His family tells TMZ ... Clark -- arguably best known for his bartender role in "Back to the Future: Part III" and the TV sitcom "Grace Under Fire" -- died in his Austin, Texas home Sunday morning from complications after back surgery.

Clark appeared in several Westerns on the big and small screens alongside the likes of Clint Eastwood and John Wayne ... and he appeared in the '80s cult classic "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension."