29 "Lesser Known" Celebrity Deaths That People Felt Deeply Affected By

The guy from mythbusters - Grant Imahara

Grant Imahara, renowned engineer and host of Discovery Channel's "MythBusters," passed away on July 13, 2020, at the age of 49. He died suddenly due to a brain aneurysm

Anton Yelchins death. Such a bizarre random accident ending the life of a wonderful actor. I've liked him in everything I saw him in, and I still sometimes think about the work he could have done.

Anton Yelchin, a talented actor known for his roles in films like "Star Trek," died on June 19, 2016, at the age of 27. He tragically passed away due to accidental blunt traumatic asphyxia at his home in Studio City, California, after being pinned between his Jeep Grand Cherokee and a brick pillar.

Terry Pratchett. I'm not a massive fan of his books - I read a couple and enjoyed them, and I really liked Good Omens, but my husband absolutely loves his work. He has done for years and years. He'll reread Pratchett's books regularly, and I can just see how much he loves the books and how sad he is that Pratchett isn't here anymore. We spoke about it last night and he said he's only read the last one once as it was just too difficult. I end up thinking about it quite often.

Terry Pratchett, the acclaimed British author known for his Discworld series and witty fantasy novels, passed away on March 12, 2015, at the age of 66. He died from complications related to posterior cortical atrophy, a rare form of Alzheimer's disease.

Judith Barsi, she was just a young girl with a life ahead of her who voiced the cutest little dinosaur. Her grave stone reads 'yep, yep, yep.'

Judith Barsi, a young actress known for her roles in films like "The Land Before Time" and "All Dogs Go to Heaven," tragically died on July 25, 1988, at the age of 10. She was murdered by her father, who also killed her mother, before taking his own life

Sean Lock. I sobbed when he died.

Sean Lock, a beloved British comedian known for his appearances on panel shows like "8 Out of 10 Cats," passed away on August 18, 2021, at the age of 58. He died after battling lung cancer, a diagnosis he had kept private.

Idk if this counts as “lesser known” but I wish we knew what happened to Brittany Murphy. Was it mould? Was it an accidental or intentional OD? How does a young rich woman just… die from pneumonia? And then her husband five months later too? So many questions and I don’t think we’ll ever know the answers.

Every couple days I think about Naya Rivera and how she died. It always makes me feel strange.

Naya Rivera, best known for her role in the TV series "Glee," tragically passed away on July 8, 2020, at the age of 33. She drowned in Lake Piru, California, after renting a boat with her 4-year-old son. Rivera's death was ruled an accidental drowning after she went missing during a boating trip. Her body was found five days later.

Phil Hartman. He was such a funny guy. His comedic timing was chef’s kiss.

What happened: 

Phil Hartman, a beloved comedian and actor known for his work on "Saturday Night Live" and "The Simpsons," tragically passed away on May 28, 1998, at the age of 49. He was fatally shot by his wife, Brynn Hartman, who then took her own life.

Brandon Lee from “The Crow” really threw me into a grunge-induced tailspin. I really wasn’t aware of him before, with the exception of knowing who his dad was…but the combination of the film and the soundtrack just made me depressed for months.

What happened: 
Brandon Lee tragically died on March 31, 1993, at the age of 28. He was fatally wounded on the set of the film "The Crow" when a prop gun accidentally discharged during a scene, striking him in the abdomen. Despite emergency medical efforts, Lee succumbed to his injuries hours later.

Nelsan Ellis aka Lafayette from True Blood. That show was huge at the time and somehow after it ended, I didn't really see him in anything else. I think he did a great job with that character in TB for its time and I've wanted to see more of him in other roles before his untimely death at apparently only 39. I'm not sure what else was he struggling with (only read about alcohol) or if he had any other medical history but his passing was really sudden to me.

Nelsan Ellis passed away on July 8, 2017, at the age of 39. He died due to complications from heart failure related to alcohol withdrawal complications.

I just learned of Kirsty Maccoll's freak accident death while diving in Mexico with her kids and it's also horrifying, from the accident itself to the way the Mexican government handled it. It's so sad and will probably stick with me for awhile.

What happened: 

Kirsty MacColl tragically passed away on December 18, 2000, at the age of 41. She died in a boating accident off the coast of Cozumel, Mexico, while on vacation with her family.

The Mexican government's handling of Kirsty MacColl's death stirred controversy and criticism. Despite evidence suggesting that MacColl was struck by a speedboat while diving, authorities failed to thoroughly investigate the incident, and the boat's owner, a wealthy Mexican businessman, was charged with a minor offense. Many believed that the Mexican government mishandled the case due to the suspect's influence and status, leading to widespread outrage and calls for justice.

This gets mentioned a lot but Christina Grimmie. Shot by a crazed "fan" in the meet and greet line after her concert.
I used to watch her videos alllll the time in middle/high school and I was devastated when she was killed right as she started releasing her own albums. I really think she would have been big and now we will never know. I think about her a lot.

Christina Grimmie, a talented singer and former contestant on "The Voice," died on June 10, 2016, at the age of 22. She was shot and killed by a deranged fan during a meet-and-greet following her concert performance in Orlando, Florida. 

Adrienne Shelly. I rented Waitress some 15 years ago at a Redbox and was really charmed with this little indie film. I did my usual IMDB search and was heartbroken to see Shelley's passing and the way she passed. It's pretty striking to see the legacy she left behind considering Waitress was a little indie movie that's now so much more.

Adrienne Shelly, a promising actress and filmmaker, died on November 1, 2006, at the age of 40. She was found dead in her Manhattan apartment, hanging from a shower rod. Initially considered a suicide, further investigation revealed evidence of foul play, leading to the arrest and conviction of a construction worker for her murder.

Jeff Buckley. I’ve always loved his music, but then when I was a teenager and found out that he was dead it totally reached new proportions lol. I used to sit in my room and cry to his music, thinking that we had a connection beyond this simple thing called ‘life’. I had a ridiculous crush on him 🥲

ETA: If anyone’s curious, he died by drowning and no one is really sure what happened. He’d just talked to someone on the phone (I think it was his producer?) about how excited he was about the album they were working on, but he didn’t survive the night.

Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes for me. I watched the documentary she was working on before her death and it haunts me. She was an incredible artist with so much damn potential that we never got to see realised.

Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, a member of the popular music group TLC, tragically passed away on April 25, 2002, at the age of 30. She died in a car accident in Honduras.

Lee Thomas Young, I loved the Famous Jett Jackson. I was heartbroken when he died. His mental health issues were so disheartening.

Lee Thompson Young tragically died on August 19, 2013, at the age of 29. He died by suicide, which shocked fans and colleagues alike.

Stephen “Twitch” Boss. That hit me HARD. I used to watch So You Think You Can Dance religiously and he was one of my favorite contestants ever. Then he became an all star, met his wife on the show, I think he was a judge for a season or two… such an incredibly talented dancer.

Elizabeth Wurtzel, author of Prozac Nation and other books speaking candidly about mental illness and addiction. She was a trailblazer along with Suzanna Kaysen when it came to bravely giving a voice to mental illness in a time where it was taboo to speak about it. She passed February 2020, and I still think of her often.

Elizabeth Wurtzel passed away on January 7, 2020, at the age of 52. She died due to complications from metastatic breast cancer, a battle she had been fighting for several years.

Andy Hallet, best known as playing Lorne in the TV series Angel. Died way too young!

Andy Hallett passed away on March 29, 2009, at the age of 33. He died from heart failure caused by complications from untreated cardiomyopathy, a condition he had been battling for several years.

Mia Zapata, lead singer of Seattle-based punk band “The Gits”. She was murdered on her way home from a music venue in 1993. She was 27.