There were many celebrities who died in 2020, most of them legends. See the icons in music, movie, sports, and TV we lost this year.
From TV Icons to NBA All-Stars; from musical legends and superheroes on-and-off screen, fans around the globe mourned the loss of many, many great entertainers and pop culture icons in 2020. The year started off with the tragic and untimely death of Kobe Bryant and his basketball prodigy daughter Gianna,13, who both perished in a helicopter accident. As the year went on, more stars were surprisingly taken from us too soon, like ‘Glee’ star Naya Rivera, who drowned while boating with her young son and ‘Black Panther’ star Chadwick Boseman who passed after a four year secret battle with colon cancer. While others lived longer lives, their deaths still broke the hearts of so many. TV icon Regis Philbin passed away from natural causes at the age of 88; Iconic country/folk singer-songwriter John Prine died at age 73 on April 10 after battling the coronavirus; and Alex Trebek, the beloved “Jeopardy!” host with all the answers for five decades, has died at 80 years old after battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Scroll down to see HollywoodLife’s tribute to the celebrities who died in 2020. The year started with the tragic death of L.A. Lakers legend Kobe Bryant (born August 23,1978), who died in a helicopter crash on Jan.26 at just 41-years-old. Even more heartbreaking was the fact that his basketball prodigy daughter Gianna,13, perished along with her dad in the crash. Kobe was in the prime of his life, embracing his second chapter following his retirement from the Lakers in 2016, after bringing Los Angeles five NBA championships. He had already won an Oscar for his Best Animated Short Dear Basketball, and wanted to embrace his new career as a storyteller. The passing of acclaimed actor Chadwick Boseman (born November 29,1976) is another death that was met with shock and grief worldwide. As Kobe’s basketball skills made him a hero all over the globe, Chadwick’s portrayal of Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first Black superhero King T’Challa/Black Panther brought admiration and appreciation from audiences around the world. Chadwick also gave moving onscreen portrayals of real life Black trailblazing heroes, including Major League Baseball’s Jackie Robinson and first Black Supreme Court Justice Thrugood Marshall. Chadwick’s career was cut far too short by colon cancer, which he secretly battled since 2016. He passed away on Aug.28,2020 at the age of 43, but his remarkable talent will live on forever in his brief but brilliant film catalog. Another talent taken from us way too soon was former Glee star Naya Rivera. The 33-year-old triple threat actress/singer/dancer, born January 12,1987, took her four-year-old son Josey out for a boating trip on Southern California’s Lake Piru on July 8. They went for a swim, but Naya drowned while saving her son’s life, as their pontoon boat got away from them. Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub told reporters that, “The idea perhaps being that the boat started drifting, it was unanchored, and that she mustered enough energy to get her son back onto the boat, but not enough to save herself.” Her body was recovered from the lake on July 13. Bert Belasco, best known for his role in the television series “Let’s Stay Together,” died Sunday November 8th at 38. His body was found in a hotel room in Richmond, VA. His cause of death still remains unclear, though his father believed he died of an aneurysm. Bert, born in 1982, was quarantining ahead of filming his next movie at the time of his death, according to TMZ. One of the greatest guitarists of all time, Van Halen founder Eddie Van Halen, sadly passed away after battling throat cancer for 20 years at the age of 65 on October 6. His wife, Janie, was by his side, as were his son, Wolfgang Van Halen,28 (whom he shared with his first wife, actress Valerie Bertinelli) and his brother (and Van Halen drummer) Alex Van Halen. Born January 26,1955, he was a music legend and toured the globe with Van Halen for decades, delighting audiences with his incredible talent. After his passing, Valerie spoke about her grief and having the chance to hold his hand during his ‘last moments’ on Earth. ” I will see you in our next life my love,” she posted on Instagram. Australian-born singer Helen Reddy died in Los Angeles on Tuesday September 30. She was 78 years old. Born October 25,1941, her music became legendary, including her hit “I Am Woman” which became a feminist anthem in the 1970’s. Her other hits included “Delta Dawn,” “Angie Baby,” “Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)” and “Ain’t No Way to Treat a Lady.” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has sadly passed away after a battle with cancer on Sept.18. Born March 15,1933 in Brooklyn, she was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, and was well known for her tenacity, power, and staunch defense of women’s rights. Ginsburg shared what would be one of her last public remarks with her granddaughter, Clara Spera, “days” before passing away, according to NPR.
