Tributes poured in for actors and artists whose long and illustrious careers made them household names with the awards and accolades to prove it – while others sadly left us far too soon.
Some we grew up watching on TV, such as Beverly Hills, 90210 star Shannen Doherty and fitness guru Richard Simmons; others are voices we’ll never forget, like James Earl Jones.
Payne was only 31 when he died of “multiple” traumas, according to an autopsy. Argentinian authorities said he had traces of “pink cocaine” and other drugs in his system when he died. Three people were arrested in connection with his death, charged with supplying him with the drugs and leaving him in a vulnerable state.
Bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson attended his funeral in the UK in late November, alongside his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, his ex-partner Cheryl Tweedy and his 7-year-old son Bear.
Iris Apfel
Iris Apfel died at the age of 102. Photo / Getty Images
Her commercial agent, Lori Sale, confirmed her death in a statement, calling Apfel “extraordinary”.
The designer, who never retired, was known for mixing high and low fashion in both her work and her personal style – famed for her signature round, black-rimmed glasses and red lip.
Apfel once said, “I’m not pretty and I’ll never be pretty, but it doesn’t matter. I have something much better. I have style.”
The family announced on Simpson’s official X account that he died of prostate cancer. Simpson’s lawyer confirmed to TMZ he died in Las Vegas.
His “trial of the century” captured America’s attention on live TV. The jury found him not guilty of murder in 1995, but a separate civil trial jury found him liable in 1997 for the deaths and ordered him to pay US$33.5 million to family members of Brown and Goldman.
Dr Michael Mosley
The picture of Dr Michael Mosley posted on Facebook with an appeal for information after he went missing while walking on holiday in Greece.
His wife, Dr Clare Mosley, said Mosley had taken a wrong turn while hiking on the island and collapsed in an area where he couldn’t easily be seen by searchers.
“We’re taking comfort in the fact that he so very nearly made it,” she said.
“It’s devastating to have lost Michael, my wonderful, funny, kind and brilliant husband. We had an incredibly lucky life together.”
Only 67 when he died, Mosley was known for his BBC shows, regular TV appearances and his book The Fast Diet, published in 2013.
Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland as President Snow in a scene from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2.
Film and TV actor Donald Sutherland died on June 20 at the age of 88.
His son, Kiefer Sutherland, confirmed his death and paid tribute to his father as “one of the most important actors in history”.
He described the M.A.S.H. and Hunger Games actor as “never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that”.
Sutherland never officially retired, telling Charlie Rose in 1998, “I love to work. I passionately love to work. I love to feel my hand fit into the glove of some other character. I feel a huge freedom – time stops for me.”
In March, he revealed he had been diagnosed with skin cancer. Simmons was known for his upbeat aerobics videos after he opened gyms in the 1970s and 80s, including The Anatomy Asylum in Los Angeles.
Later in life, he stepped out of the spotlight, but shared updates with his fans on social media. Before turning 76, he said, “I feel good! I’m grateful that I’m here, that I am alive for another day.
“I’ll spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is to help people.”
Shannen Doherty
Shannen Doherty revealed her heartbreaking diagnosis in an exclusive television interview. Photo / ABC News
Doherty’s long-time publicist, Leslie Sloane, confirmed the news of her death to People magazine just three weeks after the much-loved star revealed she was undergoing a new round of treatment for stage 4 breast cancer.
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease,” she said.
Jones’ career spanned 60 years, from his first stint on Broadway in 1958 to Coming to America in 2021 – one of several roles he revisited during his life, including Darth Vader and the voice of The Lion King’s Mufasa in the original 1994 film and the 2019 remake.
Maggie Smith
Dame Maggie Smith died at the age of 89. Photo / Getty Images
King Charles III led tributes to the Oscar-winning actor, calling her a “national treasure”. During her stage and screen career, Smith won two Oscars, a Tony, three Golden Globes and five Baftas, and was perhaps best known for her portrayal of the Dowager Countess of Grantham Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey and as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter films.
Her sons said she was with her family when she died, adding, “She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.”
His death was confirmed by his publicist, Arnold Robinson. Across a career spanning six decades, Jones produced for countless artists from Michael Jackson to Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin.
Family members, including his daughter, Rashida Jones, who starred in The Office and Parks and Recreation, shared a statement.
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
