Discovering an actor who hasn’t died on display screen is less complicated stated than performed. The extra prolific the profession, the much less doubtless it’s that the star hasn’t filmed a dying scene. There are even actors like Sean Bean and Pedro Pascal who’re recognized for enjoying characters that usually die on-screen. Nevertheless, a couple of actors have nonetheless managed to show their careers in the other way.
Some actors have by no means filmed a dying scene by likelihood, whereas others have made some extent to keep away from filming these scenes. Queen Latifah, for example, has a “no dying” clause in her contracts now, although she did not early in her profession. We advised you, having no dying scenes in your background as an actor is less complicated stated than performed.
Listed below are 7 actors who’ve by no means died on display screen in a film or TV present.
James Dean
8 films and 23 TV exhibits
James Dean was an enormous film star within the Fifties, however he died tragically on the age of 24 in 1955. Because of this, his filmography is proscribed to simply eight films. Dean received his begin in a 1950 Pepsi business, which led to a quick however exceptional movie profession. Whereas one among his characters technically died off-screen on a tv present, he by no means filmed an on-screen dying.
Dean made his uncredited characteristic movie debut with Mounted Bayonets! in 1951, however he did not star as a number one man till East of Eden and Insurgent With out a Trigger. Each of those movies have been launched in 1955. Dean’s remaining efficiency was as Jett Rink within the 1956 basic Big, directed by George Stevens (A Place within the Solar). Dean acquired the first-ever posthumous performing nomination on the Academy Awards in 1956, when he was nominated for Finest Lead Actor in East of Eden. He was posthumously nominated once more in 1957, within the Finest Main Actor class for Big. He received a star on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame in 1960.
Marilyn Monroe
32 films
A Marilyn Monroe character dies off-screen in a single film, however throughout her profession, she by no means filmed an on-screen dying. She was one other film star who burned vibrant however died younger, passing away in 1962 at 36 years previous. Monroe began out as a mannequin, however her aim was to grow to be a gifted film star. Her large break got here within the Fifties, when she starred in All About Eve, Niagara, Gents Favor Blondes, Tips on how to Marry a Millionaire, and The Seven-Yr Itch.
Monroe received Finest Actress on the Golden Globes for Some Prefer it Scorching in 1960, the identical yr she received a star on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame. She additionally acquired two Henrietta Awards on the Golden Globes for World Movie Favourite, one in 1954 and one in 1962. Monroe’s remaining accomplished movie was The Misfits in 1961, which was directed by John Huston (The Maltese Falcon). She stays probably the most commercially identifiable film stars to today.
Liv Tyler
31 films and 4 TV exhibits
Liv Tyler has performed a couple of characters whose deaths are implied off-screen, however by no means has she filmed an on-screen dying. The 48-year-old actor began her profession in early Nineties commercials, modeling for some time earlier than transitioning into performing. Her characteristic movie debut was Silent Fall in 1994, although at this time she is healthier recognized for the 1995 comedy-drama Empire Information.
Tyler famously performed the elf Arwen in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. The ultimate movie, Return of the King, received a Critics’ Alternative Award for Finest Appearing Ensemble. Tyler has additionally starred in That Factor You Do!, Armageddon, Jersey Woman, The Unimaginable Hulk, and Advert Astra. From 2014 to 2017, she performed Meg Abbott on the HBO drama The Leftovers. She additionally appeared as Woman Isabella Fitzwilliam within the Hulu interval drama Harlots. Just lately, she had a cameo in Captain America: Courageous New World
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Regina King
35 films and 17 TV exhibits
Regina King performs one character with an off-screen dying, however she has by no means needed to movie a dying scene. The 54-year-old star has been performing since 1985, showing within the John Singleton movies Boyz n the Hood, Poetic Justice, and Larger Studying by means of the Nineties. She notably performed Margie Hendrix within the 2004 biographical drama, Ray.
She acquired three BET Award nominations for her efficiency as Detective Lydia Adams on the present Southland. In 2019, King received Finest Supporting Actress on the Academy Awards for If Beale Road Might Discuss. Since then, she has starred in exhibits like American Crime, The Leftovers, and Watchmen. She has directed episodes of Southland, Scandal, Animal Kingdom, That is Us, Insecure, and the movie One Night time in Miami. In 2024, she starred in John Ridley’s Shirely. Her newest movie, Caught Stealing, comes out this month.
Sally Discipline
46 films and 21 TV exhibits
Since we do not see Sally Discipline die in Forrest Gump, the 78-year-old actor has by no means died on-screen. Discipline has been performing for the reason that Sixties, and so it’s fairly exceptional that she has managed to go so lengthy with out having to play out a personality’s dying on display screen. After getting her begin in comedies like Gidget and The Flying Nun, Discipline gained essential acclaim for enjoying the title function in NBC’s Sybil — for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award.
Discipline has had a surprising profession. She received an Academy Award in 1980 for Norma Rae after which once more in 1985 for Locations within the Coronary heart. From 2006 to 2011, she performed the matriarch on the ABC drama Brothers & Sisters. In 2013, she was nominated for an additional Academy Award for enjoying Mary Todd Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln. Different notable movies embody Metal Magnolias, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Superb Spider-Man, and Good day, My Identify Is Doris.
Mary Tyler Moore
34 films and 42 TV exhibits
Mary Tyler Moore labored as an actor for over 50 years earlier than passing away in 2017 on the age of 80. She made a reputation for herself as an exquisite comic, starring in The Dick Van Dyke Present within the Sixties and The Mary Tyler Moore Present within the Seventies. She acquired 15 Primetime Emmy Award nominations throughout her profession, successful for The Dick Van Dyke Present in 1964 and 1966, in addition to The Mary Tyler Moore Present in 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1976.
Although finest recognized for her comedic work, Moore was additionally a robust dramatic performer. She earned an Academy Award nomination in 1981 for enjoying grieving mom Beth Jarrett in Robert Redford’s Odd Individuals. She received her remaining Primetime Emmy Award in 1993 for the TV film Stolen Infants. Her final movie was the 2009 drama Towards the Present. Her remaining tv function was an look in two episodes of the Betty White TV Land comedy Scorching in Cleveland.
Zendaya
13 films and eight TV exhibits
Zendaya is a 28-year-old American actor who started her profession as a mannequin and backup dancer. She made a reputation for herself as an actor, starring in Disney Channel exhibits like Shake it Up and Okay.C. Undercover. In 2017, she started to tackle extra grownup roles — showing as MJ in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Anne Wheeler in The Biggest Showman.
Zendaya garnered essential popularity of starring as Rue Bennett within the HBO drama Euphoria, successful two Primetime Emmy Awards for Excellent Lead Actress in a Drama Collection and a Golden Globe. She’s additionally earned popularity of her efficiency within the 2024 tennis drama Challengers. She continues to star alongside Timothée Chalamet (Little Ladies) within the Dune movie franchise. Her subsequent movie will probably be Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, the place she’ll seem alongside her Spider-Man co-star and real-life fiancé, Tom Holland.

The Odyssey
- Launch Date
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July 17, 2026
- Producers
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Emma Thomas