Celebrities are larger-than-life figures, people we admire or envy (or sometimes detest), people we even fall in love with in a way, from a respectful distance — assuming we’re not stalkers. We tend to think of celebrities as being important, glamorous, successful, and we probably want to be like them in some way, however subconsciously.
Because celebrities are always present, always visible, thanks to movies, television, social media, public events, and such, we get used to them and maybe start thinking of them as friends. We develop what psychologists call a parasocial relationship with them. When one of them dies, then, it’s natural that we feel a sense of loss – but we’re also often curious: how did they die? what were their final days like? could their death have been prevented? (Sometimes celebrity adoration turns fatal: These are some celebrities who were killed by their fans.)
To determine the most momentous celebrity deaths of 2023, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on pageview activity from Wikipedia. Celebrities that passed away in 2023 were ranked based on the increase in daily pageview activity from their pre-death average to the day their deaths were announced. Pre-death pageview averages were calculated using data from January 1, 2021 until each celebrity’s date of death.
This year, as every year, we’ve lost movie and TV stars, musicians, sports figures, political figures, and newsmakers of various other kinds. Some deaths were hardly surprising, due simply to the passage of time: Henry Kissinger was 100, game show host Bob Barker was 99, singers Harry Belafonte and Tony Bennett were 96. It might also have been sadly predicted that well-known figures with long histories of substance abuse and addiction, like Shane MacGowan, charismatic frontman of the Irish-punk band The Pogues, or “Friends” star Matthew Perry, wouldn’t make it to those exalted ages.
While those who worshiped them may mourn the passing of stars like Sinéad O’Connor (56), Jimmy Buffett (76), or Tina Turner (83), it’s unexpected tragedies like the untimely demise of actress Annie Wersching from cancer at 45 and the mysterious death of Chinese-American singer-songwriter Coco Lee at 48 that are likely to leave their fans the most bereft. We know that everybody, even the most celebrated personalities, are going to leave us one day. We just don’t want it to be too soon. (These are 20 movie and TV stars who died far too young.)
Here are the most momentous celebrity deaths of 2023.
40. Coco Lee
HONG KONG, CHINA - JANUARY 23: Guest singer CoCo Lee sings during the 28th Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards presentation on January 23, 2006, in Hong Kong, China. (Photo by MN Chan/Getty Images)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 258 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +592,149 pageviews
- Cause of death: Suicide
- Age: 48 years
39. Shane MacGowan
"LONDON,
> at Hyde Park on July 5, 2014 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images)”/>
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 1,804 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +624,210 pageviews
- Cause of death: Pneumonia
- Age: 65 years
38. Burt Bacharach
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 28: Singer/songwriter Burt Bacharach attends a press conference ahead of his Australian/New Zealand tour, at the Shangri-La Hotel on June 28, 2007 in Sydney, Australia. Burt will play 5 Sydney Opera House concerts before embarking on a national tour, and one night in New Zealand. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 1,990 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +626,139 pageviews
- Cause of death: Natural causes
- Age: 94 years
37. Gordon Lightfoot
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 2,116 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +644,585 pageviews
- Cause of death: Natural causes
- Age: 84 years
36. Ray Stevenson
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 08: Ray Stevenson attends the Ahsoka panel at Start Wars Celebration 2023 in London at ExCel on April 08, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 2,452 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +672,995 pageviews
- Cause of death: No official cause of death has been revealed
- Age: 58 years
35. Harry Belafonte
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 2,757 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +675,129 pageviews
- Cause of death: Congestive heart failure
- Age: 96 years
34. Cindy Williams
American actors Penny Marshall (L) and Cindy Williams lean towards each other while standing on either side of a ladder in a promotional portrait for the TV show, 'Laverne & Shirley.' (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 1,436 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +685,420 pageviews
- Cause of death: No official cause of death has been revealed
- Age: 75 years
33. Jane Birkin
6th April 1971: British singer, actress and model Jane Birkin, best known for 'Je t'Aime', her duet with partner Serge Gainsbourg. (Photo by Steve Wood/Evening Standard/Getty Images)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 1,942 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +715,535 pageviews
- Cause of death: Natural causes
- Age: 76 years
32. Tom Sizemore
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 2,878 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +723,678 pageviews
- Cause of death: Brain aneurysm
- Age: 61 years
31. Bob Barker
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 5,087 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +724,514 pageviews
- Cause of death: Alzheimer’s disease
- Age: 99 years
30. David Crosby
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 2,024 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +737,184 pageviews
- Cause of death: COVID-19
- Age: 81 years
29. Ted Kaczynski
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 10,916 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +740,921 pageviews
- Cause of death: Suicide
- Age: 81 years
28. Dianne Feinstein
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 3,783 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +751,647 pageviews
- Cause of death: Official cause of death has not been revealed
- Age: 90 years
27. David McCallum
LOS ANGELES CIRCA 1966: David McCallum attend the Emmy awards in Los Angeles,CA. (Photo by Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 2,985 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +779,654 pageviews
- Cause of death: Natural causes
- Age: 90 years
26. Hamish Harding
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 23: (L-R) Andy Lee, Rebecca Harding, Hamish Blake and Zoe Foster Blake arrive at the 59th Annual Logie Awards at Crown Palladium on April 23, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 27 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +802,506 pageviews
- Cause of death: Titan submersible catastrophe
- Age: 58 years
25. Christian Atsu
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 632 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +811,585 pageviews
- Cause of death: Earthquake in Turkey
- Age: 31 years
24. Annie Wersching
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 981 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +848,378 pageviews
- Cause of death: Cancer
- Age: 45 years
23. Satish Kaushik
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 942 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +873,425 pageviews
- Cause of death: Cardiac arrest
- Age: 66 years
22. Ryan O’Neal
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 3,474 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +945,758 pageviews
- Cause of death: Congestive heart failure
- Age: 82 years
21. Tony Bennett
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 4,244 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +947,512 pageviews
- Cause of death: No specific cause; he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease
- Age: 96 years
20. Yevgeny Prigozhin
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 2,477 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +991,475 pageviews
- Cause of death: Plane crash
- Age: 62 years
19. Suzanne Somers
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 1,915 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,005,782 pageviews
- Cause of death: Breast cancer
- Age: 76 years
18. Paul O’Grady
ASH, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: Battersea Ambassador Paul O’Grady during a visit to Battersea Brand Hatch Centre with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall on February 2, 2022 in Ash, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 745 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,007,961 pageviews
- Cause of death: Sudden cardiac arrhythmia
- Age: 67 years
17. Lance Reddick
STUDIO CITY, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 19: Actor Lance Reddick visits 'The IMDb Show' on June 19, 2019 in Studio City, California. This episode of 'The IMDb Show' airs on July 18, 2019. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 2,769 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,110,507 pageviews
- Cause of death: Heart disease
- Age: 60 years
16. Treat Williams
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 21: Actor Treat Williams attends The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Metrograph special screening of Hair with Treat Williams at Metrograph on September 21, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Lars Niki/Getty Images for The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 1,566 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,138,410 pageviews
- Cause of death: Motorcycle accident
- Age: 71 years
15. Steve Harwell
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 586 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,149,706 pageviews
- Cause of death: Liver failure
- Age: 56 years
14. Jeff Beck
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 2,156 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,171,934 pageviews
- Cause of death: Bacterial meningitis
- Age: 78 years
13. Angus Cloud
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 23: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY - For Non-Editorial use please seek approval from Fashion House) Angus Cloud attends the AMI - Alexandre Mattiussi Menswear Spring Summer 2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 23, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 3,457 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,206,741 pageviews
- Cause of death: Accidental drug overdose
- Age: 25 years
12. Ken Block
PARK CITY, UT - JANUARY 20: Ken Block from 'The Gymkhana Files' attends The IMDb Studio and The IMDb Show on Location at The Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2018 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for IMDb)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 599 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,273,843 pageviews
- Cause of death: A snowmobile accident
- Age: 55 years
11. Raquel Welch
14th March 1966: American actress Raquel Welch at a Royal Film performance. (Photo by George Freston/Fox Photos/Getty Images)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 3,665 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,300,323 pageviews
- Cause of death: Cardiac arrest
- Age: 82 years
10. Paul Reubens
Paul Reubens speaking with attendees at the 2019 Phoenix Fan Fusion at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona.Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere.
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 3,503 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,512,641 pageviews
- Cause of death: Acute hypoxic respiratory failure
- Age: 70 years
9. Bray Wyatt
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 29: WWE Superstars Erick Rowan, Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman with NYSE Global head of capital markets Garvis Toler (3rd from left) ring The New York Stock Exchange Opening Bell in honor of WrestleMania 32 at New York Stock Exchange on March 29, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 3,204 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,555,867 pageviews
- Cause of death: Heart attack
- Age: 36 years
8. Jimmy Buffett
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 2,315 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,625,128 pageviews
- Cause of death: Merkel-cell carcinoma
- Age: 76 years
7. Jerry Springer
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 2,063 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,855,670 pageviews
- Cause of death: Pancreatic cancer
- Age: 79 years
6. Andre Braugher
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 2,033 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +1,889,798 pageviews
- Cause of death: Lung cancer
- Age: 61 years
5. Tina Turner
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 11,089 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +2,592,801 pageviews
- Cause of death: Natural causes
- Age: 83 years
4. Henry Kissinger
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 7,918 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +2,662,917 pageviews
- Cause of death: Natural causes
- Age: 100 years
3. Sinéad O’Connor
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 5,654 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +3,247,091 pageviews
- Cause of death: No official cause has been revealed
- Age: 56 years
2. Lisa Marie Presley
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 21: Lisa Marie Presley attends the Handprint Ceremony honoring Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley And Riley Keough at TCL Chinese Theatre on June 21, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 12,899 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +4,589,093 pageviews
- Cause of death: Bowel obstruction
- Age: 54 years
1. Matthew Perry
- Avg. Wikipedia activity prior to death: 9,603 pageviews per day
- Increase in Wikipedia activity upon news of death: +8,774,983 pageviews
- Cause of death: Acute effects of ketamine
- Age: 54 years