Celebrities may seem like larger-than-life figures impervious to normal problems, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Life is hard, and complicated, and often leaves people in situations without resolution. Add in the simultaneously intoxicating and draining status of celebrity, and it becomes too much for some people to bear. Though suicides happen every day, celebrity suicides leave many people wondering how and why these remarkable people took their lives.
While some suicides result from years of depression, illness, or suicide ideation, others happen quite impulsively. Even the most charming, successful, and seemingly happy person can fall into a pit of despair that only seems fixable through taking their own life. These much-publicized celebrity suicides show that all the money and fame in the world can’t fix the problems that stay rooted in people’s hearts. In this article, we will explore celebrity suicides and the reasons why.
(For celebrities that killed people, discover 24 famous people who have killed people. )
To compile a list of celebrity suicides, 24/7 Tempo consulted a range of celebrity, news, and health publications including The Treatment Specialist , People Magazine , and IMDB.com . Next, we selected notable celebrities who took their own lives. After that, we confirmed the reasons these remarkable people took their lives using sites like The New York Times.
TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains mentions of suicide, violence, and death that may be traumatic for some readers.
Robin Williams
For decades, Robin Williams brought laughter and joy to audiences around the globe. Though born in Chicago, Illinois, Williams began his comedy career in San Francisco. By the mid-1980s, he began releasing comedy specials to critical acclaim. During that time, he also appeared in the hit show “Mork & Mindy.” This led to him flourishing in bigger roles for major productions.
After moving up the acting ranks through the next decade, Williams had a breakout role in “Good Will Hunting,” for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. This led to a run of roles in critically acclaimed films like “The World According to Garp,” “Insomnia,” and “Patch Adams.” A well-known name by then, Williams also scored major roles in family films like “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Jumanji,” and “Aladdin.”
While Williams suffered from drug addiction on and off throughout his lengthy career, he always came back from those forays into darkness stronger than ever. His struggles with depression, however, became more pronounced after being diagnosed with early-stage Parkinson’s disease. On August 11, 2014, Williams was found dead in his home in Paradise Cay, California. An autopsy revealed he had hanged himself. The autopsy also found his disease to be “diffuse Lewy body dementia,” a progressive umbrella of dementia that results in changes in thinking, behavior, and mood. According to his widow, Susan Schneider Williams, he was unable to cope with the progressive illness and killed himself in one of the more tragic celebrity suicides. She said, “However you look at it—the presence of Lewy body took his life.”
Kate Spade
When Kate Spade graduated with a Journalism degree from Arizona State University, she planned to work in television production. Her experience working at the Carter’s Men Shop in Phoenix, Arizona, however, transitioned her to a different life path. After moving to New York City, she became the senior fashion editor and head of accessories for Mademoiselle Magazine. There, she noticed a distinct lack of stylish but affordable handbags in the fashion market.
Along with her husband, Spade founded Kate Spade New York in January 1993. Though orders were slow-rolling, their bag’s affordable price tag and sensible style began to earn a legion of fans. That success led Kate Spade to expand its offerings to clothing, jewelry, stationary, and fragrances. By 2006, she sold the company to Liz Claiborne Inc. for a cool $124 million. Along the way, Spade published several books regarding entertainment, etiquette, and fashion.
According to those close to her, however, Spade suffered from anxiety, depression, and possibly bipolar disorder for much of her life. On June 5, 2018, a housekeeper found Spade dead by suicide in her Manhattan apartment. While her sister made speculations about the price of fame in conjunction with mental illness, other family members disputed her remarks. Upon her death, her husband Andy Spade said, “There was no indication and no warning that she would do this. It was a complete shock. And it clearly wasn’t her. There were personal demons she was battling.”
Anthony Bourdain
Born in New York City, Anthony Bourdain found his love of food and cooking during a family vacation in France. After dropping out of Vassar College, Bourdain worked in several restaurants, inspiring his cooking career. From there, he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1978. This led to management positions in various restaurant kitchens around Manhattan. After becoming an executive chef at the now-defunct Brasserie Les Halles, Bourdain solidified his position as a world-renowned chef.
Throughout that time, however, Bourdain cultivated literary aspirations. In the 1980s, Bourdain began submitting writing to various literary magazines detailing life as a drug-addicted chef. After meeting an editor, he received an advance for a kitchen-centric book from Random House. Eventually, he published “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly,” which became a New York Times Bestseller. His fame grew worldwide after hosting “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations,” a hugely successful food program on the Travel Channel.
Though Bourdain struggled with drug addiction on and off for years, he seemed on the up and up. While working on a new episode of the show “Parts Unknown” in Alsace, France, however, tragedy struck. His friend and collaborator Éric Ripert found Bourdain dead in his hotel room in June 2018. He killed himself via hanging, though his body bore no signs of violence, suggesting the suicide to be an impulsive act. Those who knew him expressed shock at his death. In an interview with the New York Times, his mother said, “He is absolutely the last person in the world I would have ever dreamed would do something like this.”
Chester Bennington
Growing up in Phoenix, Arizona, Chester Bennington cultivated musical aspirations. His home life, however, was troubled and fractured. Besides enduring sexual abuse at an early age, the divorce of his parents when he was 11 caused Bennington to turn to drugs. He also suffered bullying throughout adolescence. While working at a local Burger King, Bennington began singing in bands. As the vocalist for the band Grey Daze, Bennington released two albums in the mid-90s. However, he became frustrated with his musical career and almost left the business.
That is until the vice president of A&R at Zomba Music offered Bennington an audition for a band called Xero. After switching their name to Linkin Park, the band released their debut album “Hybrid Theory” in 2000. It became a runaway success, earning a diamond certification in sales a few years later. Linkin Park followed up with “Meteora ” and “Minutes to Midnight,” both of which reached number one on the Billboard 200 album chart. By the end of the 2000s, Linkin Park was one of the biggest bands in the world, selling 100 million albums worldwide.
It’s hard to say exactly what brought Bennington to join the ranks of celebrity suicides. The only indication of his feelings surfaced after his close friend and godfather to his son, Chris Cornell, committed suicide in May 2017. Bandmate Mike Shinoda noted that Bennington had trouble finishing rehearsal for a Cornell tribute on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” A little over a month later, Bennington was found dead in his home from suicide by hanging. An outpouring of tributes sprung forth, and Linkin Park practically disbanded in the wake of Bennington’s death.
Kurt Cobain
Born in Aberdeen, Washington, Kurt Cobain played in several bands growing up. Along with friends, Cobain formed Nirvana in 1987. Rather quickly, Nirvana established itself in the Seattle music scene. They released their debut album “Bleach” on Sub Pop Records in 1989. After that, they switched out drummer Chad Channing with local Dave Grohl. With the lineup finalized, Nirvana signed to DGC Records and released their second album, “Nevermind.”
Thanks to the album’s lead single, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Nevermind” found unexpected success and critical acclaim. This catapulted Nirvana into the mainstream. They followed up this hit with other big songs like “Come as You Are,” “Heart-Shaped Box,” and “All Apologies.” Though he appeared uncomfortable with his newfound fame, many began considering Cobain the voice of his generation.
For years, however, Cobain struggled with both heroin addiction and chronic depression. Often in the spotlight for his chaotic marriage to fellow musician Courtney Love, Cobain struggled heavily with the pressures and trappings of fame. In March 1994, Cobain overdosed on a combination of champagne and Rohypnol, before entering a detox program. Less than a month later, police found Cobain dead in the greenhouse of his Seattle home. Only 27 years old, police ruled his death a suicide via self-inflicted gunshot wound. One of the more profound celebrity suicides, Cobain only grew in fame after his death. Contemporary culture considers him to be one of the greatest musicians and vocalists of all time.
(For other early deaths, learn about 20 celebrities who died before they reached 35. )
Naomi Judd
Born in rural Tennessee, Naomi Judd experienced hardship from an early age. First, her brother died of leukemia, and she became a teenage mother at the age of 18. Abandoned by the baby’s father, she quickly remarried, but that relationship eventually petered out. After she gave birth to her second daughter, Judd moved her small family to California where she raised them as a single mother. Later, Judd formed The Judds with her daughter Wynonna.
Their country music band became hugely successful in the 1980s. They released six albums, scored a remarkable twenty top ten hit songs, and were featured regularly at the annual country music awards. In addition, the Judds won five Grammy Awards. For her part, Naomi won a Country Song of the Year Grammy Award for “Love Can Build a Bridge.” After the Judds broke up, Naomi embarked on a successful solo career. Later, she transitioned to film and television. She scored roles for shows like “Star Search,” “Touched By an Angel,” and “30 Rock” and films like “Someone Like You” and “The Killing Game.”
A day before she was to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, her daughter Ashley found Naomi dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to those close to her, Judd suffered from depression in tandem with anxiety and suicidal ideation for years. Furthermore, she took lithium, which is known to produce side effects that likely contributed to her emotional state. Upon announcing one of the more shocking celebrity suicides, her daughters Ashley and Wynonna Judd said, “Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness.”
Chris Cornell
While growing up in Seattle, Washington, Chris Cornell became obsessed with music. After his mother bought him a snare drum, he set on the musical path, later taking lessons for piano and guitar lessons. Simultaneously, Cornell suffered from severe depression and agoraphobia, rarely leaving his house during his teenage years. During this time, he also experimented with drugs which worsened his mental illness. After high school and before his successful music career, Cornell worked a variety of odd jobs including busboy, fishmonger, and sous-chef.
In the early 1980s, Cornell joined a local cover band called The Shemps. After some members left and new ones joined, the band became Soundgarden. Upon receiving record deals, Soundgarden began releasing albums. Paralleling other local bands at the time, Soundgarden became one of the most successful bands to emerge from Seattle’s grunge music scene. Though they received a fair bit of radio play for the album “Badmotorfinger,” their follow-up, “Superunknown” proved to be the band’s breakout album. Upon release, it debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and featured hit singles like “Black Hole Sun” and “Spoonman.” When the band broke up, Cornell pursued a successful solo career before finding the top of the charts again as lead singer of the band Audioslave.
Throughout his career, Cornell struggled with drug addiction. On May 18, 2017, his bodyguard found Cornell dead in a hotel bathtub while on tour with the reunited Soundgarden. Less than a month later, the Wayne County Medical Examiner ruled his death to a suicide by hanging. Furthermore, the autopsy found a litany of prescription drugs in Cornell’s system. As one of the more unexpected celebrity suicides, his death brought forth extensive tributes. To the press, Cornell’s widow said, “Many of us who know Chris well noticed that he wasn’t himself during his final hours and that something was very off… After so many years of sobriety, this moment of terrible judgment seems to have completely impaired and altered his state of mind. ”
Marilyn Monroe
Born Norma Jeane Mortenson, Marilyn Monroe experience an unstable childhood. She spent most of her formative years in foster homes and orphanages around the Los Angeles area. While working at a factory during World War II, she met a photographer and embarked on a successful career as a pin-up model. This led to a series of minor roles in films with Columbia Pictures and 20th Century Fox. A few years later, she signed a new acting contract with Fox, and her star power grew.
With roles in comedy films like “As Young as You Feel” and “Monkey Business,” Monroe slowly grew into a household name. Over time, Monroe became one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars. Though she faced scandals for her nude modeling in magazines like Playboy, it did little to stunt her fame. After renewing her contract with 20th Century Fox, Monroe starred in critically acclaimed films like “Bus Stop” and “Some Like It Hot,” for which she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress.
Throughout the late 50s, however, Monroe’s private life received much publicity. After unsuccessful marriages to baseball player Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller, Monroe descended into drug addiction. On August 4, 1962, her housekeeper found Monroe dead in her bed. The toxicology report showed her death to be from acute barbiturate poisoning. Considering her history of depression and dosages being several times the lethal limit, the coroner’s office ruled her death a suicide. While many conspiracy theories have sprung forth regarding the incident, her death remains one of the more notable celebrity suicides.
Avicii
Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Tim Bergling showed an aptitude for music at an early age. Inspired by his DJ older brother, Avicii began producing music himself. After adopting the moniker Avicii and signing to the Dejfitts Plays music label, he refined his deep house music style and started a prolific music career. By 2011, he found breakout success with his hit single, “Levels.”
Two years later, Avicii released the debut studio album “True.” Its combination of deep house grooves and other genres received positive reviews and catapulted to the top 10 charts in multiple countries. His fame grew larger with the release of his second album “Stories” in 2015. Besides a score of hit singles, Avicii was nominated for a Grammy Award for the song “Sunshine.” Many credit him with ushering in the electronic music craze that dominated the charts in the 2010s.
On April 20, 2018, Avicii was found dead in his hotel room in Muscat, Oman, where he was on holiday. As later reported, he died by suicide using a glass shard to cut himself. While many expressed shock at his death, those close to him sensed it coming. Just a day before his death, a friend expressed concerns about Avicii’s mental health to his father. A few days after his death, his family released a statement saying, “ He could now not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace. Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight. ”
Ernest Hemingway
Born in Oak Park, Illinois, Ernest Hemingway worked as a reporter for the Kansas City Star before enlisting in the Red Cross. This took him to the front lines of World War I. There, he worked as an ambulance driver on the Italian Front before he suffered serious wounding. These experiences helped inform his first novel, “The Sun Also Rises.”
Thanks to his understated, declarative writing style and sense of adventure, Hemingway became one of the most well-regarded novelists of the 20th century. After publishing novels like “A Farewell to Arms,” “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” and “The Old Man and the Sea,” Hemingway received the 1954 Novel Prize in Literature. Though he received literature’s highest accolade, Hemingway continued writing. Simultaneously, however, Hemingway began to experience health problems, mental breakdowns, and subsequent electroshock therapy which may have contributed to one of the more notable celebrity suicides.
In April 1961, his wife Mary discovered Hemingway with a shotgun in their kitchen. In response, doctors admitted him and he underwent more electroshock therapy treatments. Upon discharge from the hospital in June, Hemingway retrieved his shotgun and committed suicide. While his reasoning remains a mystery, those close to Hemingway blamed severe alcoholism, chronic health conditions, and depression, among other causes for his death.
(For other bloody endings, discover celebrity deaths marked by violence. )
If you are in emotional distress or considering suicide, help is available. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free, and confidential support for people in distress.
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