Celebs Who Died In 2025

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Note: This article includes mentions of suicide.

With each turn of the wheel of the year, it can often feel as if so much loss follows. Now that 2024 is firmly in the rearview with its celebrity deaths, many of us want to look forward. However, even though previous years might take a while to recover from, 2025 didn't waste any time in reaching for heartbreak. With early celebrity gut punches such as Wayne Osmond and Jeff Baena both passing away in the first week of January, it was clear this year was going to be a tough one for losing some beloved performers.

Grief is often difficult to navigate, especially when we're grieving someone we might not have known personally but feel deeply moved by what they gave to the world. Celebrity deaths are especially tricky, as it's often hard to know how to healthily express pain at the loss of a person who felt like a friend but was ultimately a stranger. One way to help is to revisit the work of any artist who has passed to be reminded of what connected you to them in the first place.

Here we have collected the names of those celebs who passed away in 2025, as well as reminders of their accolades, accomplishments, and what they leave behind for us to cherish.

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After suffering a major stroke, Wayne Osmond tragically passed away on January 1, 2025. He was the fourth oldest of the nine Osmond children and left behind a legacy of music and faith. While performing with his brothers Alan Osmond, Merrill Osmond, and Jay Osmond under the moniker "The Osmonds," Wayne played guitar and even occasionally hopped behind the drum set. As performers, the Osmond family did face some struggles, but with Wayne's perfect pitch, they were able to work together to become one of America's most beloved family groups.

Leading up to his passing, Wayne struggled with health issues on and off for several decades. In 1997, Wayne was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and whereas treatment and surgery were successful, it did leave the performer partially deaf. After this Wayne was still able to perform, but in 2012 his health took another turn when he had his first stroke and lost the functional ability to play guitar.

When Wayne succumbed to his final stroke in 2025, Merrill took to Facebook to craft a warm remembrance post that included this loving tribute, "My brother Wayne endured much. He gave it his all. His legacy will go down as someone who was not only a genius in his ability to write music, but was able to capture the hearts of millions of people and bring them closer to God. I will miss him tremendously." Wayne left behind his wife Kathlyn Osmond and their five children.

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Independent filmmaker Jeff Baena, possibly most known for being Aubrey Plaza's husband, passed away on January 3, 2025. According to initial reports from TMZ, first responders declared he died by suicide. Baena boasted an impressive career in writing and directing independent films. After getting his start by collaborating with director David O. Russell on the script for 2004's "I Heart Huckabees," Baena went on to launch his own successful career. Between 2014 and 2022, Baena was able to direct five movies, and his work has received critical praise.

One of the more heartbreaking details regarding Baena's death was how often he and his wife would work alongside one another. Plaza starred in several of his films, including "Joshy" and "Life After Beth." Speaking with Movie Freak during the press tour of "The Little Hours" Plaza opened up on what it was like to work with her romantic partner. "I've worked with Jeff since his first movie. I've seen him evolve and I've seen him grow," she said. "It's a really special dynamic that we have." Other longtime collaborators of Baena include Alison Brie and her husband Dave Franco, with Brie co-writing "Spin Me Round" and "Horse Girl" and acting in several of Baena's films as well.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.