A couple of years ago, it seemed as if celebrity deaths were coming every single day, and it made for a really upsetting year, but 2016 may now have a run for its money. There have been a number of iconic names pass away in 2018, but the last month or so has been extremely hard to take. Aretha Franklin has passed. John McCain lost his battle. Robin Leach is gone. On Thursday, things were made even harder with the death of Burt Reynolds.
The list of celebrity deaths in 2018 is getting longer and social media is proving that the fans are not taking it well at all.
Variety reported that Smokey and the Bandit star Burt Reynolds died in Florida on Thursday. He was 82-years-old. His iconic career spanned numerous decades and he may have more memorable roles that almost any actor out there, and that is making it really hard for a lot of people to take.
Up until the time of his death due to cardiac arrest, Reynolds was still doing what he loved and that was making movies. Back in May, he officially joined the enormous cast of Quentin Tarantino’s next film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood .
Reynolds did have heart surgery back in 2010 and it was often thought he would have to give up working because of it. Due to his insane work ethic, huge smile, and amazing laugh, the Bandit will be remembered forever.
Burt Reynolds’ career also is marked by the movies he didn’t make: He turned down the roles of Han Solo, retired astronaut Garrett Breedlove and cop John McClane in #StarWars , ‘Terms of Endearment’ and ‘Die Hard,’ respectively https://t.co/4SdVrqPJJn
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) September 6, 2018
Unfortunately, Burt Reynolds’ death only adds to the extremely long list of celebrity deaths in 2018. Just a few weeks ago, music legend Aretha Franklin died at the age of 76 and many truly believed the soul of rhythm went along with her.
Reposting @iivivilionii: – via @Crowdfire Music icon Aretha Franklin dies at 76 pic.twitter.com/MSClWy2NeS
— John Laurence (@DrJohnLaurence) September 2, 2018
There have been so many celebrities who have died this year and social media has been overwhelmed with how quickly they’ve come lately. Deaths to those in music and acting and sports and politics are happening to people who have lived long lives and some who had barely lived at all.
Here is a list of notable celebrity names who have died in 2018 as of Sept. 7:
- Burt Reynolds – actor
- Christopher Lawford – actor and nephew of John F. Kennedy
- Aretha Franklin – singer
- Robin Leach – TV personality
- Kate Spade – designer
- Margot Kidder – actress
- Anthony Bourdain – TV personality
- Susan Brown – actress, famous for General Hospital
- Vanessa Marquez – actress, ER
https://twitter.com/katystoll/status/1035604721778585600
- Neil Simon – playwright
- Richard Swift – musician
- Charlotte Rae – actress, Facts of Life
- John McCain- U.S. Senator
- Ray Emery – hockey player
- Kyle Pavone – musician, 28-years-old
- Joe Jackson
- Stefan Karl – actor, LazyTown
- Barbara Harris – actress
- Craig Zadon – producer for the Academy Awards
- Lyric McHenry – reality TV star, 26-years-old
- Dennis Shields
- Elmarie Wendel – actress
- Jarrod Lyle – golfer
- Tyler Honeycutt – former NBA player
- Richard “Old Man” Harrison – TV personality
- Vinnie Paul – drummer, Pantera
Vinnie Paul, drummer for metal band Pantera, dies at age 54 https://t.co/Qx97V0o4xS
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 23, 2018
- Stephen Hawking
- Leon White aka Big Van Vader – professional wrestler
- XXXTenacion – rapper
- Pamela Gidley – actress
- Winnie Madikizela-Mandela – anti-apartheid activist, former wife of Nelson Mandela
- Jackson Odell – actor, 20-years-old
- DuShon Monique Brown – actress
- Craig Mack – rapper
- Seo Minwoo – K-pop singer
- Verne Troyer – actor
- Avicii – DJ and producer, 28-years-old
- David Ogden Stiers – actor
- Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush, beloved matriarch, dies at 92-here she is, sitting on the floor of the White House with her grandchildren. https://t.co/WpKb8Gjbuz pic.twitter.com/itfXEqKDWh
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) April 18, 2018
- Dolores O’Riordan – singer, The Cranberries
- R. Lee Ermey – actor
- Emma Chambers – actress
- Mark Salling – actor, Glee
- Reg E. Cathey – actor
- Yvonne Staples – gospel singer
- Carlos Carvalho – filmmaker
- John Mahoney – actor
- Sridevi Kapoor – Bollywood star
- Daryle Singletary, country singer
- Bruno Sammartino – wrestler
- Harry Anderson – actor, comedian, magician
Harry Anderson, 65, ‘Night Court’ Actor Who Bottled Magic Onscreen and Off, Dies https://t.co/VE72hvFIlI
— Sr. Veronica Paul (@sistervpaul_) April 17, 2018
- Vic Damone – singer
- John Perry Barlow – lyricist
- Billy Graham – Christian evangelist
- John Gavin – actor
- Mickey Jones – actor
- Dennis Edwards – singer
- Mark E. Smith – singer
- Olivia Cole – actress
Please note, there are others who have passed away this year and this is not all of them.
No matter who you are around the world, there has to be at least one of these celebrity deaths which has affected you in one way or another. Burt Reynolds hit a lot of people hard on Thursday, but many of his fans were still trying to recover from the loss of Aretha Franklin and others. Now, it seems as if everyone is sitting and waiting with hope that another big name isn’t announced as the next death to affect the globe.
