We said goodbye to these celebs in 2024

At the end of the year, it is the time to reflect on the past months. Fortunately, there are enough highlights that we would love to relive, but unfortunately, the list of celebs we have lost is far too long again. Those last days of 2024 are therefore also the moment to pause and remember those we have lost. A small tribute to the celebs who passed away this year.

Liam Payne

On the evening of October 16, the world fell silent when it was announced that former One Direction singer Liam Payne had passed away. His body was found at a hotel in Buenos Aires where he reportedly fell from the third floor of his balcony. The grief among fans worldwide was, and still is, immense, and celebs also reacted in shock. Investigations are still ongoing to determine exactly what happened; Liam he was said to have used drugs and various hotel staff and friends of the singer were said to be involved in his death. It will take some time before we have all the clarity, which makes the loss even more painful for his fans and loved ones.

Maggie Smith

It was a shock for all Harry Potter fans: on September 27, Dame Maggie Smith passed away. She was best known for her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the film series. In a statement, her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin announced that the actress passed away peacefully in the hospital surrounded by family and friends. The news resonated worldwide and even reached British King Charles. “My wife and I are deeply saddened by the death of Maggie Smith,” he wrote alongside a photo with the actress. She was 89 years old.

Shannen Doherty

Her last Instagram post was a message full of hope, as the actress Shannen Doherty is life. And this was while she knew that her battle against cancer was not looking good. In 2015, Shannen was first diagnosed with breast cancer, various treatments seemed to work, but the disease returned a few years later. A brain tumor was removed, but the cancer had spread further. All this time, the actress, best known for her role in ‘Beverly Hills 90210’, was open about her illness and all her worries. She passed away surrounded by family, friends, and her dog Bowie. Her oncologist and now good friend Lawrence D. Piro spoke about her last moments. “The hardest part was that Shannen was not ready to go at all. She enjoyed life so much. Her love for life and her desire to keep living kept her going. It was incredibly painful that she could not do that in the end.”

James Earl Jones

“I am your father.” Perhaps one of the most famous lines in film history. The role of Darth Vader was voiced by actor James Earl Jones, and his voice will evoke warm memories for many people. That his voice became so well-known is quite remarkable. As a child, the actor stuttered significantly and only after high school did he manage to overcome it. Besides ‘Star Wars’, he also voiced Mufasa in ‘The Lion King’. He did this in 1994 for the original and again in 2019 for the live-action. The latest Mufasa film is therefore dedicated to James Earl Jones, who will forever remain the (lion) king.

Def Rhymz

At the beginning of 2024, the Dutch music world came to a standstill. On March 24, rapper Def Rhymz (Dennis Oscar Bouman) passed away at the age of 53 due to heart failure. Something he had been struggling with since he was 16, but kept secret for many years. After multiple surgeries, he received a pacemaker, which made him very insecure. He found his strength again in his music career. After his death, the rapper was honored with an impressive funeral procession through Crooswijk. In the last months of his life, he had himself filmed for the Videoland documentary ‘Def Rhymz: Rapper Met Een Hart’. The doc is a tribute to his life, to the man behind the music.

Donald Sutherland

Some actors can truly play any role, Donald Sutherland was one of those people. His nickname in Hollywood was not for nothing the chameleon. Although people will mainly know him in recent years as President Snow from ‘The Hunger Games’ films. With over 200 roles to his name, the Canadian actor passed away at the age of 88 after a long illness. It was his son, actor Kiefer Sutherland, who announced the news in June on X. “He never shied away from a role, good, bad, or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and you can't ask for more as a human. A well-lived life.”

Iris Apfel

If anyone has a signature look, it is Iris Apfel. With her colorful clothing and necklaces and her large glasses, she was a true fashion icon. As an interior designer, she worked for the White House, but she only really broke through at the age of 85. Thanks to an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the general public became acquainted with her work and her style. Her unique looks earned her a Barbie doll, a jewelry line, and a makeup line for M.A.C.. Iris Apfel ultimately lived to be 102.