River Phoenix, Corey Haim, and Brittany Murphy are three massive names who all of us misplaced too quickly underneath tragic circumstances, however they’re hardly the one ones. Through the years, going again to the earliest days of Hollywood, among the greatest stars have died earlier than even making it to 40 years outdated. This checklist is devoted to them, the celebs we misplaced earlier than they even had an opportunity to the “over the hill.”
Corey Haim (38)
Corey Haim and Corey Feldman starred in seven motion pictures collectively, and they are going to be perpetually linked as “The Two Coreys” from their heyday within the late ’80s. Haim starred in a slew of Gen X classics like The Misplaced Boys, Lucas, Dream A Little Dream, and License to Drive. Sadly, as soon as his fame light a little bit, he by no means had an opportunity to make a comeback earlier than he died of pneumonia in 2010 after battling habit for years.
James Dean (24)
“Stay quick, die younger, and go away a handsome corpse,” is a well-known quote usually related to James Dean, who did simply that. Although he solely starred in three motion pictures, his star standing has remained fixed within the seven a long time since his dying. Dean died in a automobile wreck in 1955.
Jayne Mansfield (34)
Jayne Mansfield was solely 34 when she was killed in a automobile crash in 1967. Her younger kids, together with future Legislation & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay, had been within the automobile together with her, and fortuitously they did survive the crash. For a few years, Hargitay spoke little of the occasion of her well-known mom, however opened up in an HBO Max documentary in 2025.
Brandon Lee (28)
One of the tragic deaths in Hollywood within the Nineties was the stunning dying of Brandon Lee was killed whereas filming The Crow. The film was going to be Lee’s breakout, popping out from underneath the shadow of his well-known father, Bruce Lee. The junior Lee was simply 28 when he was killed on the film set after being shot with a clean.
Marilyn Monroe (36)
Regardless of her dying at simply 36 in 1962, Marilyn Monroe’s legacy is alive and effectively greater than six a long time after we misplaced one in every of Hollywood’s greatest stars. Films are nonetheless being made telling her tragic story, just like the controversial Blonde in 2022 starring Ana de Armas because the display legend.
Heath Ledger (28)
For a lot of studying this checklist, there isn’t a query that the primary title they in all probability considered after studying the headline is Heath Ledger. Ledger’s profession was rising to a brand new degree when he sadly died of an overdose in 2008. Although he had been a star for a few decade when he died, he was coming off two legendary performances which have since outlined the late Australian’s profession. The primary, in fact, is Brokeback Mountain, and the second is his Oscar-winning flip as The Joker in The Darkish Knight. Ledger gained the award posthumously, and followers felt the ache once more, questioning what number of extra nice performances we might have gotten from the actor.
Brittany Murphy (32)
Brittany Murphy had her breakout position as Tai Frasier in Clueless in 1995, and for the following decade, she continued to wow us in movies like Drop Lifeless Attractive, Driving in Automobiles with Boys, and 8 Mile. Her dying at simply 32 in 2009 was stunning, and within the years since, it is nonetheless as mysterious because it was then.
Chris Farley (33)
Chris Farley was one of the vital beloved members of the SNL solid ever, each by followers and by his fellow actors on the present. On SNL, he by no means didn’t make everybody stomach chuckle at his over-the-top antics, and on the silver display, whether or not in a small position like in Billy Madison or as a star in Tommy Boy, he was among the many funniest ever. We by no means acquired to see sufficient of the star, although, as he died of an overdose at simply age 33 in 1997.
Aaliyah (22)
There’s something particularly tragic a few airplane crash. Particularly when you’re speaking a few pop star. Aaliyah was greater than a pop star, although, and he or she was simply getting began in her appearing profession when she was killed in a crash within the Bahamas in 2001, not lengthy after her movie debut in Romeo Should Die.
Michelle Trachtenberg (39)
Michelle Trachtenberg is most well-known for taking part in Georgina Sparks in Gossip Lady, however her seemingly countless variety of credit proves she was nice in a wide range of roles. Her sudden dying at age 39 in early 2025 shocked everybody, and whereas we could by no means have the ability to shut the ebook on why she died, we’ll all the time have her work to look again on.
Bruce Lee (32)
It is nearly laborious to consider that Bruce Lee was solely 32 when he died in 1973. He left an unbelievable legacy of movies each within the US and in Hong Kong and has turn into a legend since his dying. The martial arts grasp opened so many doorways for Asian actors and movies that it is inconceivable to measure his affect on Hollywood. It’s distinctive.
John Belushi (33)
The primary breakout star in SNL historical past was unquestionably John Belushi. Even in a solid that included Gilda Radner, Invoice Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and plenty of others, Belushi stood above all of them. He parlayed that into a beautiful, but painfully quick film profession with legendary roles in Animal Home and The Blues Brothers, which is arguably the perfect film primarily based on an SNL character ever.
River Phoenix (23)
In the identical means that Heath Ledger’s dying marks a second in time for Millennials, River Phoenix’s dying in 1993 is identical for Gen X. Although Phoenix was solely 23 years outdated, he was already a veteran actor, having gotten his begin in Hollywood in commercials within the early Nineteen Eighties. He rose to prominence with unbelievable performances in motion pictures like Stand By Me, Indiana Jones and the Final Campaign, Mosquito Coast, and My Personal Personal Idaho. Phoenix earned an Oscar nomination for his position in Operating on Empty at simply age 18.
Brad Renfro (25)
Brad Renfro burst onto the scene as an 11-year-old in The Consumer, co-starring Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. He put in a superb efficiency and adopted it up with one other 20 or so credit, together with in Ghost World, Sleepers, and Apt Pupil. He tragically died of an overdose in 2008 when he was simply 25 years outdated.
Cory Monteith (31)
There are some who declare there’s a curse hanging over the solid of Glee. Whether or not you consider in such issues or not, the present does have an unsettling historical past in relation to actors dying younger. Cory Monteith, who performed Finn Hudson within the hit present, died in 2013 of an overdose. He was the primary younger solid member to die, however he would not be the final.
Dana Hill (32)
Who would not love an ideal film a few trip gone incorrect? Nationwide Lampoon’s European Trip, the second film of the collection, is wildly underrated, and Dana Hill’s efficiency as Audrey in it’s equally underrated. Sadly, Hill died at age 32 as a result of issues from diabetes.
Tupac Shakur (25)
Just about everybody is aware of the story of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur’s homicide in 1996. Although loads of conspiracy theories encompass the occasions, it stays unsolved. Tupac was greatest identified for his music, however he additionally had some unbelievable appearing chops, as he confirmed in motion pictures like Above the Rim and Poetic Justice. It is laborious to consider he was solely 25.
Anton Yelchin (27)
One of many more unusual methods to go on this checklist is what occurred to Anton Yelchin, the younger star of the rebooted Star Trek motion pictures. The actor, who performed Pavel Chekov in Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Past, was killed when he was pinned in opposition to a put up by his personal SUV.
Lee Thompson Younger (29)
A technology of children grew up with Lee Thompson Younger because the titular star of the Disney present The Well-known Jett Jackson. They adopted him as a highschool scholar within the unique Friday Evening Lights film, after which in his greatest position as an grownup on Rizzoli & Isles. That may be Younger’s last position as he took his personal life in 2013.
Heather O’Rourke (12)
In simply twelve quick years on this world, Heather O’Rourke made a big impact. She is most well-known, in fact, for Poltergeist, and her legendary line “They’re heeeeere,” she additionally seems on TV in Pleased Days and Webster, and reprised her position in two Poltergeist sequels, the ultimate of which was launched after her dying in 1988.
Sharon Tate (26)
In 1969, Sharon Tate’s homicide by the Manson Household turned essentially the most infamous crime in Hollywood historical past. The gifted younger actor, who was pregnant on the time, was simply coming into her personal as a star when her life was snatched from her at simply age 26. It is a homicide that Quentin Tarantino reimagined in As soon as Upon A Time In Hollywood with the blissful ending all of us lengthy for it to have been for Tate.
Angus Cloud (25)
In a horrible case of life imitating artwork, Euphoria star Angus Cloud died of an overdose at age 25 in 2023. The actor rose to prominence on the controversial present about teen habit, and earlier than his profession actually acquired going, we misplaced him.
Naya Rivera (33)
The circumstances behind the dying of Glee star Naya Rivera could by no means be totally understood. The actress drowned whereas boating together with her younger son, and although she was identified to be swimmer, in keeping with her son, she struggled to get again on the boat after they each went for a swim. Her physique was discovered 5 days later. Rivera was solely 33 when she died in 2020.
Andy Kaufman (35)
Now, ought to Andy Kaufman be on this checklist? Many consider that the enigmatic comic truly faked his personal dying. Although this is not true, he was taken by most cancers at age 35 in 1984, the late Kaufman would love the concept that folks nonetheless believed he was alive and in hiding someplace. It is precisely the form of prank he would pull whereas he was residing.
Cameron Boyce (20)
Although his profession solely lasted about 12 years and he died at age 20, Cameron Boyce crammed a ton of appearing into his quick life. Boyce has nearly 4 dozen credit to his title, although he’s definitely greatest identified for taking part in Carlos within the Descendants movie collection.
Likelihood Perdomo (27)
Likelihood Perdomo’s massive break got here with a starring position in Gen V, the spinoff of The Boys from Amazon Prime. Sadly, he died in a bike crash in Upstate New York earlier than the second season of the present was shot, so we by no means acquired sufficient of Perdomo.
Ryan Dunn (34)
In a variety of methods, the tragic dying of Ryan Dunn wasn’t all that stunning. That is to not say it was very unhappy, as a result of it was, however for the Jackass star to exit in a automobile crash appears very “on model” for Dunn. He lived life quick and loopy, and that is how he went out. It isn’t precisely poetic, however there’s something that is smart about it, which is uncommon for this checklist.
Jean Harlow (26)
Hollywood’s unique “blonde bombshell” was the good Jean Harlow. Harlow’s most well-known position got here within the Howard Hughes-directed basic Hell’s Angels, and he or she’s additionally well-known for a string of comedic roles within the Nineteen Thirties, earlier than she died as a result of Kidney failure in 1937. She was solely 26 on the time of her dying.
Freddie Prinze (22)
Freddie Prinze might be greatest identified by most individuals at present as the daddy of Freddie Prinze, Jr. Tragically, earlier than the youthful Prinze was even one yr outdated, the senior Prinze took his personal life at simply age 22.
Jonathan Brandis (27)
Teen heartthrob Jonathan Brandis, like so many different actors, acquired his begin in cleaning soap operas. His most distinguished position got here as Lucas Wolenczak on seaQuest DSV, which is the place he really turned a beloved star. His fame light considerably after seaQuest DSV ended, and he tragically took his personal life in 2003.
Dominique Dunne (22)
The Dunne household is Hollywood and literary royalty. Dominique Dunne, whose father was author Dominick Dunne and whose brother is actor Griffin Dunne, was horrifically killed by her boyfriend in 1982 at simply age 22. She was the primary of two younger stars to die from the solid of Poltergeist, together with Heather O’Rourke.
Thuy Trang (27)
The Mighty Morphin Energy Rangers have turn into a much-loved franchise over time, and it began with the unique solid of the primary present. Thuy Trang was the primary actor to play the Yellow Ranger on display earlier than she was killed in a automobile crash together with her buddy and fellow actor Angela Rockwood in 2001. Rockwood suffered a spinal harm that left her unable to stroll, and Trang succumbed to her accidents earlier than making it to the hospital. Like all of the actors on this checklist, she sadly did not make it 40, as she was simply 27.