Now that the new year is here, it really feels like 2022 went by in a flash. It certainly went by quicker than we were expecting, making it easy for us to overlook certain major events.
Sadly, one of the most consistent major events in 2022 was the death of beloved celebrities. From the beginning of the year to the end, some of our favorite actors, musicians, and creators were lost to us forever.
In the spirit of remembering these celebs, we put together a list of the biggest celebrities we lost in 2022. Be sure to take a moment to remember what your favorites meant to you and share their work with your friends and family so the legend never dies.
Queen Elizabeth II
Perhaps the biggest celeb death of 2022 was that of Queen Elizabeth. As the world’s oldest reigning monarch, it really seemed she might outlast us all. Instead, she has been succeeded by her son, King Charles, upon her sudden death.
Betty White
Betty White died peacefully in her sleep at her home on New Year’s Eve at age 99. A pioneer of early television with a career spanning almost seven decades. Her biggest roles include Sue Ann Nivens on the CBS sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1973–1977), Rose Nylund on the NBC sitcom The Golden Girls (1985–1992), and Elka Ostrovsky on the TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland (2010–2015).
Naomi Judd
Naomi Judd is nothing short of country music royalty, so it was sad to discover that she passed away. The music world is going to miss the contributions of this legend that earned nine Country Music Association awards and a whopping five Grammies.
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John became famous in the 1970s with her songs “If Not For You”, “Have You Never Been Mellow”, “A Little More Love”, and other. She took America by storm in the fantastic musical Grease with John Travolta. Olivia’s album “Physical” topped the charts for several weeks. Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully at the age of 73.
Peter Bogdanovich
Speaking of legends, Peter Bogdanovich was a famous Hollywood screenwriter and director. Thanks to amazing films such as The Last Picture Show, he will be remembered as one of the greatest filmmakers in Hollywood history.
Gallagher
Gallagher was a famous comedian, best known for his gonzo act of smashing watermelons during his performances. While he became less famous over time, this hard-working comedian continued to perform at least 200 shows a year until his death.
Robbie Coltrane
Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane starred in many roles over the years, including a recurring role in Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond movies. He will always best be known, though, as Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter films.
Anne Heche
Anne Heche was a major Hollywood presence thanks to movies such as I Know What You Did Last Summer and Six Days, Seven Nights. She was also a legend of the stage and will be sorely missed after her unexpected death.
Nichelle Nichols
Nichelle Nichols made television history by starring as Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek during the height of the Civil Rights era. As such, she has been an inspiration to multiple Black actors, creators, and fans since 1966.
Ray Liotta
Goodfellas was a movie that helped put Ray Liotta on the map, and this led to a very storied Hollywood career. Since his unexpected death, Liotta’s many fans have been deeply mourning the loss of this major star.
Paul Sorvino
Speaking of Goodfellas actors, Paul Sorvino also passed away in 2022. He was a veteran actor of the big screen and the small screen, and we doubt that any actor will be able to successfully follow in his footsteps.
William Hurt
William Hurt was already a veteran Oscar-winning actor when he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, introducing a new generation to his talents. Unfortunately, prostate cancer took Hurt away from us when he was only 71 years old.
Coolio
If you’re an ‘80s or ‘90s kid, it’s almost impossible to think of Coolio without thinking of his hit songs like “Gangster’s Paradise.” His death was unexpected and tragic, and he died as one of the undisputed kings of hip-hop.
Bob Saget
While Bob Saget was a hardworking comedian, he was best known for his roles on Full House and the later sequel series Fuller House. He worked standup until he died, and his mysterious hotel room death at the age of 65 understandably shocked the world.
Aaron Carter
Nick Carter’s brother Aaron Carter became a musical star in his own right and released solo albums that truly thrilled his fans. Tragically, Carter’s final album came out only two days before his death at the tender age of 34.
Kevin Conroy
Ever since voicing the Caped Crusader in Batman: The Animated Series, Kevin Conroy has been the definitive voice of Batman since 1992. He died at the age of 1966, but not before getting to portray a live-action Batman briefly on the CW.
Ivan Reitman
As a writer and director, Ivan Reitman helped bring many classic films to life, including Stripes and Meatballs. But by far his most famous movie was Ghostbusters, and he got to live just long enough to see his son continue the franchise with Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Gilbert Gottfried
Both in live-action and as a voice actor, Gilbert Gottfried used his distinctive voice to bring a number of interesting characters to life. For fans of ‘90s shlock television, though, he may be best remembered as one of the hosts of the USA Network’s Up All Night program.
Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier is best remembered as the first Black actor to win an Academy Award for Best Actor. He spent much of his life helping to champion racial equality, and his influential presence is sorely missed in these troubling times.
Louie Anderson
Louie Anderson is a celeb who has been in everything from Family Feud (he served as host, of course) to an animated series focused on him as a child. In this way, he became one of the most recognizable faces for generations of fans.
Taylor Hawkins
If you’re a fan of music, you likely know that Taylor Hawkins was the drummer for Foo Fighters for eight albums. He and the rest of the band were even inducted into the Hall of Fame shortly before Hawkins’ untimely death.
Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf was an occasional actor (we loved him in The Rocky Horror Picture Show), but he was mostly known early on for catchy songs like “Bat Out of Hell.” Later generations may remember him best for his rock ballad “I’d Do Anything for Love.”
Ivana Trump
Ivana Trump passed away at the age of 73. She was known for being Donald Trump’s first wife and the mother to his elder children: Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric. Before the couple divorced, Ivana helped Donald to build some of his structures, including the famous Trump Tower.
Pele
Brazilian soccer player Pele made his World Cup debut at the age of 17, scoring three goals to win against France, and two more goals to win against Sweden. In 1962, he led Brazil to another World Cup win. He retired from soccer in 1974, but returned to play for the New York Cosmos for 3 years. Pele was awarded the International Peace Award. The International Olympic Committee named him Athlete of the Century in 1999. Pele died on Dec. 29, at the age of 82.
Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Alley was known for her performance as Rebecca Howe on “Cheers” and her roles in famous movies like “Look Who’s Talking” and “Drop Dead Gorgeous.” She received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Later in life, she revitalized with the appearances on several reality shows, like “Dancing with the Stars” and “Celebrity Big Brother.” Alley died at the age of 71 after an unsuccessful battle with cancer.