DJ Avicii was one of dance music's brightest stars. Photo / Supplied
DJ Avicii was one of dance music's brightest stars. Photo / Supplied
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but instead a look at the celebrity deaths that clearly made a big impact with news.com.au readers in 2018, from young stars tragically gone too soon to Hollywood legends taking a final bow, reports news.com.au.
JANUARY
Jessica Falkholt
The Aussie actress had a bright future ahead. Photo / Instagram
Salling shot to fame on Glee - but was soon mired in scandal. Photo / Supplied
A bleak end to an increasingly bitter tale. Salling shot to fame playing bad boy Puck in hit series Glee. By the time of his death, he was awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to possessing more than 50,000 pornographic images of underage children. He was facing a prison sentence of between four and seven years when he took his own life near his LA home on January 30, aged 35.
DJ Avicii was one of dance music's brightest stars. Photo / Supplied
The Swedish superstar DJ's death by suicide aged just 28 stunned the world — but in the months since his passing, many stories surfaced revealing just how much he had struggled, juggling health issues with the ongoing pressures of being a successful touring musician.
"He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace," his family said in a heartbreaking statement after his death.
The actor best known for playing Mini-Me in the Austin Powers movies died on April 21 aged 49, having been rushed to the hospital for suspected alcohol poisoning. Six months later, the Los Angeles Coroner's Office officially ruled his death a suicide.
MAY
Cornelia Frances
An Australian entertainment industry legend. Photo / Getty Images
Tributes flowed when the much-loved Australian actor lost her battle with cancer aged 77. The star of Home And Away, Sons & Daughters and The Weakest Link died with her son Lawrence by her side.
Frances had diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2017 before being told it had spread to her hip.
"Kate suffered from depression and anxiety for many years. She was actively seeking help and working closely with her doctors to treat her disease, one that takes far too many lives," her husband, Andy Spade, said.
Anthony Bourdain
Millions mourned the death of Anthony Bourdain. Photo / Supplied
Just three days after Spade's death, another suicide shocked the world: This time, celebrated TV chef and author Anthony Bourdain. A lover of international culture and cuisine, Bourdain encouraged his fans to get out and see the beauty of the world. But privately, he was struggling: he kept a brutal work schedule and was "absolutely exhausted" in the months leading up to his death in a French hotel room aged 61.
AUGUST
Aretha Franklin
Aretha batted away rumours of ill health in her final years. Photo / AP
The actor, who has nearly 200 film and TV credits, also starred in multiple successful films including 1974's The Longest Yard, 1977's Smokey And The Bandit, 1996's Striptease and 1997's Boogie Nights, the latter of which earned him an Oscar nomination.
He spent nearly five years as the No 1 box office attraction in America in the 1970s.
Mac Miller
Rapper Mac Miller. Photo / Supplied
The rapper died of an accident overdose at just 26 years old. Miller had recently gone through a public break up with singer Ariana Grande. Before his death, Grande had indicated that addiction was part of the reason behind their breakup.
"I am not a babysitter or a mother and no woman should feel that they need to be. I have cared for him and tried to support his sobriety and prayed for his balance for years (and always will of course), but shaming/blaming women for a man's inability to keep his sh*t together is a very major problem," she tweeted.
The "creative genius" Marvel Comics publisher — who brought to life iconic characters including Spider-Man, X-Men, Thor, Iron Man, Black Panther and the Fantastic Four — had suffered several illnesses over the last year, including a bout of pneumonia.
WHERE TO GET HELP:
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call 111.
If you need to talk to someone, the following free helplines operate 24/7:
