2026 deaths

John James Shannon, better known by his stage name John Alford, was a British actor, singer, convicted child sex offender and drug dealer. He played Robbie Wright in the BBC series Grange Hill (1985–1990) and Billy Ray in the ITV series London's Burning (1993–1998). He also had three Top 30 hits on the UK singles chart in 1996.

Ali Hosseini Khamenei was an Iranian politician and Shia cleric who served as the second supreme leader of Iran from 1989 until his assassination in the 2026 Iran war. A member of the Khamenei family, he previously served as the third president of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He held the title Grand Ayatollah, and his tenure as supreme leader, spanning 36 years and six months, made him the longest-serving head of state in West Asia at the time of his death.

Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris was an American martial artist, actor, screenwriter, and author. He held black belts in karate, taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, he won numerous martial arts championships and later founded his own discipline, Chun Kuk Do. Norris began working in the American film industry as a martial arts instructor for celebrities before making his screen debut with a minor role in The Wrecking Crew (1968). Friend and fellow martial artist Bruce Lee invited him to play one of the main villains in The Way of the Dragon (1972). While Norris continued acting, friend and student Steve McQueen suggested he take it seriously. Norris took the starring role in the action film Breaker! Breaker! (1977), which turned a profit. His second lead, Good Guys Wear Black (1978), became a hit, and he soon became a popular action film star.

German sociologist and philosopher (1929–2026)

Robert Selden Duvall was an American actor, filmmaker, and producer, best known for his roles in films of the later 20th century. Duvall began acting professionally on stage in 1952, performing in summer plays at the Gateway Playhouse in Bellport on Long Island until 1959, with a one-year break while serving in the U.S. Army. In his early theater career, he made contacts that then led to a career on television in the 1960s on shows such as The Defenders, Playhouse 90, and Armstrong Circle Theatre. He made his Broadway debut in the play Wait Until Dark in 1966, and, in 1977, he returned from screen acting to the stage in David Mamet's play American Buffalo, earning a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play nomination.

Jesse Louis Jackson Sr. was an American civil rights activist, LGBTQ rights activist, politician, and ordained Baptist minister. A protégé of Martin Luther King Jr. and James Bevel during the civil rights movement, he became one of the most prominent civil rights leaders of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and an ardent advocate and early supporter of LGBTQ rights in the United States. From 1991 to 1997, he served as a shadow United States senator for the District of Columbia.

British physicist (1938–2026)

Catherine Anne O'Hara was a Canadian and American actress and comedian, whose career spanned over 50 years. O'Hara started in sketch and improvisational comedy in film and television before taking dramatic roles to expand her career. She received various accolades including two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. Her films have grossed more than US$4.3 billion worldwide. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2017.

93rd Prime Minister of France (1997–2002)

Patriarch of Georgia (1933–2026)

Swiss pseudoscientific writer and ufologist (1935–2026)

Asha Bhosle was an Indian playback singer, businesswoman, actress and television personality who predominantly worked in Indian cinema. Known for her versatility, she was described in the media as one of the greatest and most influential singers in Hindi cinema. In a career spanning over eight decades, she recorded songs for films and albums in various Indian languages and won several accolades including two National Film Awards, four BFJA Awards, eighteen Maharashtra State Film Awards, nine Filmfare Awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award and a record seven Filmfare Awards for Best Female Playback Singer, in addition to two Grammy nominations. In 2000, she was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in the field of cinema. In 2008, she was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian honour of the country. The Guinness Book of World Records acknowledged her in 2011 as the most recorded artist in music history.

Robert Swan Mueller III was an American lawyer who served as the sixth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2001 to 2013.

Ali Ardashir Larijani was an Iranian politician, military officer, and philosopher who served as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from 2025 until his assassination in 2026. He had previously served in the position from 2005 to 2007. From late December 2025 until his assassination, he was widely considered to be one of the leaders of Iran.

James David Van Der Beek was an American actor. Known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery on The WB's Dawson's Creek (1998–2003), he also played a fictionalized version of himself on the cult ABC sitcom Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (2012–2013), starred as FBI agent Elijah Mundo on CSI: Cyber (2015–2016) and appeared as Matt Bromley during the first season of the FX drama Pose (2018).

Eric William Dane was an American actor. After multiple television roles in the 1990s and 2000s, including his recurring role as Jason Dean on Charmed, he was cast as Dr. Mark Sloan on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy. He went on to appear in films such as X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Marley & Me (2008), Valentine's Day (2010), Burlesque (2010), and Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024).

American immunologist and microbiologist who specialized in cancer research

Dutch writer (1933–2026)

British zoologist and ethologist (1928–2026)

Mozambican politician (1958–2026)

President of Suriname from 2020 to 2025

engineer and politician (1972–2026)

Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani, known mononymously as Valentino, was an Italian fashion designer who founded Valentino S.p.A., a luxury fashion house, in 1960 and served as its creative director until 2007. A flamboyant designer noted for his retro pieces and celebrity collaborations, he is regarded as one of the preeminent figures in haute couture.

Mircea Lucescu was a Romanian professional football player and manager.

American econometrician and macroeconomist (1942-2026)

Lithuanian-Canadian primatologist conservationist (1946–2026)

Hungarian filmmaker and anarchist (1955–2026)

Japanese association football player and manger (1941-2026)

French actress (1948–2026)

Moya Brennan, also known as Máire Brennan, was an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist and philanthropist. She began performing professionally in 1970 when her family formed the band Clannad. Brennan released her first solo album in 1992 called Máire, a successful venture. In 1999, she collaborated with Chicane on the single "Saltwater", which reached the top ten in multiple countries and was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

British computer scientist

American chemist (1943–2026)

German artist (born 1938)

Scott Adams was an American cartoonist, author, and conservative commentator. He was best known for the creator of the Dilbert comic strip and nonfiction works of business, self-improvement, commentary, and satire.

Icelandic politician

American novelist (1948–2026)

Portuguese writer (1942-2026)

Italian politician (1941-2026)

American biotechnologist and businessman

Alexander Manninger was an Austrian footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played internationally for the Austria national team on 33 occasions, including at UEFA Euro 2008, and represented football clubs in Italy, Germany, Austria and England.

Dutch chess grandmaster (1951–2026)

German actor and writer (1930–2026)

Lance Taylor, known professionally as Afrika Bambaataa, was an American disc jockey, rapper and record producer. He was notable for releasing a series of genre-defining electro tracks in the 1980s that influenced the development of hip-hop culture. Bambaataa was one of the originators of breakbeat DJing.

Neil Sedaka was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Beginning his music career in 1957, he sold millions of records worldwide and wrote or co-wrote over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard Greenfield and Phil Cody.

Latvian basketball player

The following notable deaths occurred in 2026. Names are reported under the date of death, in alphabetical order. A typical entry reports information in the following sequence:Name, age, country of citizenship at birth, subsequent nationality, what subject was noted for, cause of death, and a reference.

Aziz Nasirzadeh was an Iranian military officer who served as the Minister of Defence of Iran from 2024 to 2026. He previously served as the Deputy of Chief of Staff for the Iranian Armed Forces from September 2021 to August 2024, and was the commander of the Iranian Air Force (IRIAF) from August 2018 to September 2021, prior to that position. A veteran of the Iran–Iraq War, he graduated as a certified F-14 pilot, but never saw any combat. On 28 February 2026, the Israel Defense Forces announced that he had been killed during the 2026 Iran war.

American mathematician (1930–2026)

Valerie Ritchie Perrine was an American actress. She was best known for her portrayal of Honey Bruce in the film Lenny (1974). For the role, she won the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles and the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival, and she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, commonly referred to by his alias "El Mencho", was a Mexican drug lord and head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), an organized crime group based in Jalisco. He was the most wanted person in Mexico and one of the most wanted in the United States at the time of his death. The U.S. government and the Mexican government were offering rewards of up to US$15 million and MXN$300 million, respectively, for information leading to his arrest.

Swedish princess; elder sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (1938–2026)

President of Algeria (1941 - 2026)

German writer, philosopher, academic and film director (1932–2026)

Nicholas Brendon Schultz was an American actor, artist, and writer. He is best known for playing Xander Harris in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003) and Kevin Lynch in Criminal Minds (2007–2014).

CIA analyst and Soviet spy (1941–2026)

Iranian naval officer and politician (1955–2026)

English writer (1929–2026)

Nauruan politician, president

Robert Reed Carradine was an American actor. A member of the Carradine family, he made his first appearances on television Western series such as Bonanza and his brother David's TV series, Kung Fu. Carradine also starred as Lewis Skolnick in the Revenge of the Nerds films and Sam McGuire in the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire.

3rd President of the Republic of Cyprus (1988-1993)