Famous People Who Died In 2018

Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 2018. This list includes people like XXXTentacion, Anthony Bourdain, Aretha Franklin, John McCain, Kate Spade and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include actresses, political leaders, rappers and biologists who died in 2018. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom and many more countries.
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 1 
XXXTentacion
(Rapper Well Known for His Depressing, and at Times Devastating Music)
XXXTentacion
937
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 23, 1998
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Plantation, Florida, United States
Died: June 18

A rapper and singer, XXXTentacion, gained fame with the success of the song, Look at Me, and release of albums like 17 and ?. In his personal life, he faced multiple legal issues from the beginning. He was shot dead at the young age of 20. XXXTentacion had a cult following among the youth owing to his depression and alienation thematic driven music.

 2 
Stephen Hawking
(Theoretical Physicist - First to Set Out a Theory of Cosmology)
Stephen Hawking
269
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 8, 1942
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Oxford, England
Died: March 14

Stephen Hawking was an English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, who despite being afflicted motor neurone disease that severely limited his physical abilities, was able to build a phenomenally successful career. He was the first to set out a theory of cosmology explained by a union of the general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. Hawking was ranked 25 in the BBC's poll of the 100 Greatest Britons, in 2002.

 3 
Stan Lee
(Primary Creative Leader of Marvel Comics and Characters such as 'Spider-Man', 'X-Men' and 'Iron Man')
Stan Lee
94
Birthdate: December 28, 1922
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Died: November 12

Stan Lee was one of the most popular comic book writers, thanks to his appearances in several Marvel movies. He is well-known as the co-creator of many famous superheroes, including Iron Man, Spider-Man, and the Hulk. He pioneered a naturalistic method to writing superhero comics and challenged the Comics Code Authority, which ultimately led to changes in its policies.

 4 
Avicii
(Swedish DJ & Remixer Known for His Single 'Levels')
Avicii
156
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: September 8, 1989
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden
Died: April 20

Avicii was a Swedish international DJ, remixer, musician and songwriter. He attained fame with his single, Levels, in 2011. His debut studio album, True, released in 2013 received positive reviews. His second studio album, Stories, was released in 2015. He suffered from mental health issues and died by suicide at age 28. His third album, Tim, was released posthumously in 2019.

 5 
Aretha Franklin
(One of the Best-Selling Music Artists in the World & 'Queen of Soul')
Aretha Franklin
149
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: March 25, 1942
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: August 16

Widely regarded as the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin was a singer-songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Aretha was ranked number one on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time list in 2010. Having sold over 75 million records, she is also one of the best-selling musicians ever.

 6 
Mac Miller
(Rapper Known for His Debut Studio Album 'Blue Slide Park')
Mac Miller
207
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 19, 1992
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: September 7

Before his death at the age of 26, Mac Miller had a major impact as a rapper and songwriter. Blue Slide Park, his studio album, became the first independently distributed maiden album since 1995 to top the US Billboard 200. His personal life was marred by depression, substance abuse, and legal issues. He died of drug overdose.

 7 
Burt Reynolds
(American Actor, Considered An Icon of American Popular Culture During the 1970s & 1980s)
Burt Reynolds
38
Birthdate: February 11, 1936
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Lansing, Michigan, United States
Died: September 6

Called a sex symbol, Burt Reynolds was one of the most charismatic actors to rule the silver screen. The star of movies like The Longest Yard, Boogie Nights and Best Friends was a massive box-office attraction from 1978 to 1982, with Smokey and the Bandit being his biggest hits. However, he really did not get thumbs up from movie critics.

 8 
Anthony Bourdain
(American Celebrity Chef and TV Personality)
Anthony Bourdain
65
Listed In: Food Experts
Birthdate: June 25, 1956
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: June 8

Anthony Bourdain was an American celebrity chef. He was also a renowned author, media personality and travel documentarian. His shows about the exploration of international culture and cuisine were very popular. Apart from writing several books on food and cooking and travel explorations, Bourdain also wrote fiction and historical non-fiction. In June 8, 2018, he died by suicide in France.

 9 
Stephen Hillenburg
(American Creator of the Nickelodeon Animated TV Series ‘Spongebob Squarepants')
Stephen Hillenburg
28
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 21, 1961
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Fort Sill, Oklahoma, United States
Died: November 26
Stephen Hillenburg is best known as the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, the fifth-longest-running animated series in the U.S, which earned him two Emmys and six Annie Awards. He was initially a marine biologist and an instructor at the Orange County Marine Institute. He died of ALS, a neurodegenerative disease.
 10 
R. Lee Ermey
(American actor)
R. Lee Ermey
15
Birthdate: March 24, 1944
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Emporia, Kansas, U.S.
Died: April 15
R. Lee Ermey’s past as a Marine drill instructor later got him typecast in roles of authoritarian figures in movies. He is best remembered for his Golden Globe-nominated role in Full Metal Jacket. He also hosted the History Channel shows Mail Call and Lock n' Load with R. Lee Ermey.
 11 
Margot Kidder
(Actress and Activist Known for Her Role as ‘Lois Lane’ in the ‘Superman Film Series’)
Margot Kidder
28
Birthdate: October 17, 1948
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Yellowknife, Canada
Died: May 13

Margot Kidder is best remembered for her roles as Lois Lane in the Superman movie franchise and as Kathy Lutz in The Amityville Horror. Fans also loved her in the hit Broadway play The Vagina Monologues. She was a vocal anti-war and pro-environment activist. She eventually died by suicide.

 12 
Kate Spade
(Fashion Designer, Founder and Co-Owner of the Designer Brand ‘Kate Spade New York’)
Kate Spade
49
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: December 24, 1962
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Died: June 5

Kate Spade was an American entrepreneur and fashion designer. Spade is credited with founding Kate Spade New York, a popular luxury fashion design house, which competes with the likes of Michael Kors. Kate Spade is also credited with creating stylish and affordable handbags that caused quite a revolution in the fashion world.

 13 
Penny Marshall
(Actress)
Penny Marshall
18
Birthdate: October 15, 1943
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: The Bronx, New York, United States
Died: December 17
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 14 
Paul Allen
(Co-founder of Microsoft, Philanthropist)
Paul Allen
31
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 21, 1953
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Seattle
Died: October 15

Paul Allen was an American investor, business magnate, and philanthropist. He is credited with co-founding one of the most popular multinational technology companies in the world, Microsoft Corporation. Along with his philanthropic activities and ownership of several other companies and sporting clubs, Paul Allen had a major impact on sports, wildlife, education, arts, healthcare, community services, environmental conservation, and more.

 15 
Barbara Bush
(Former First Lady of the United States as the Wife of President George H. W. Bush)
Barbara Bush
24
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: June 8, 1925
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Died: April 17

The first lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993, Barbara Bush was the wife of the 41st US President George H. W. Bush. She was also the mother of  George W. Bush, the 43rd president of US. As the first lady, she focused on family literacy and was the founder of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

 16 
Verne Troyer
(Comedian, Actor)
Verne Troyer
12
Birthdate: 1969 AD
Birthplace: Sturgis, Michigan, U.S.
Died: April 21
Verne Troyer gained fame as Mini-Me in the Austin Powers films and Griphook in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Born with cartilage-hair hypoplasia-induced dwarfism, Verne had also performed as a stunt double in films such as Baby's Day Out. He died of suicide by alcohol poisoning at age 49.
 17 
John Mahoney
(Known for Playing 'Martin Crane' on the NBC Sitcom 'Frasier')
John Mahoney
9
Birthdate: June 20, 1940
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Died: February 4
English-born American actor, John Mahoney left his job in medical journalism in his late thirties to embark on an acting career. He first became known for his roles in films like Moonstruck, Tin Men, Eight Men Out. He was best known for playing Martin Crane on the NBC sitcom Frasier for which he also bagged a Screen Actors Guild Award. 
 18 
Harry Anderson
7
Birthdate: October 14, 1952
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.
Died: April 16
Harry Anderson is best remembered for is Emmy-nominated role of Judge Harry Stone in Night Court and for his portrayal of Dave Barry in Dave's World. He was also a skilled magician and participated in magic shows such as Harry Anderson's Sideshow. He has also written several books.
 19 
David Ogden Stiers
(Actor)
David Ogden Stiers
5
Birthdate: October 31, 1942
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Peoria, Illinois, USA
Died: March 3
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 20 
Clint Walker
(Actor)
Clint Walker
11
Birthdate: May 30, 1927
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Hartford, Illinois, USA
Died: May 21
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 21 
Jerry Van Dyke
(Actor)
Jerry Van Dyke
5
Birthdate: July 27, 1931
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Danville, Illinois, USA
Died: January 5
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 22 
Kofi Annan
(Former UN Secretary General)
Kofi Annan
28
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: April 8, 1938
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Kumasi, Ghana
Died: August 18

Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. He was the founder and chairman of the Kofi Annan Foundation and a co-recipient of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. During his stint with the UN, he launched the UN Global Compact and worked to combat HIV/AIDS. 

 23 
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
(Politician, Anti-Apartheid Activist)
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
28
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 26, 1936
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bizana, Eastern Cape
Died: April 2
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela had first met legendary anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela at a bus stop when she was barely 22. They ended up getting married the following year. Winnie’s journey was marred by bans and harassment by the South African government, but the determined social worker revolutionized South African politics.
 24 
Reg E. Cathey
7
Birthdate: August 18, 1958
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Huntsville, Alabama, United States
Died: February 9
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 25 
Richard Benjamin Harrison
(Businessman, TV Personality)
Richard Benjamin Harrison
26
Birthdate: March 4, 1941
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Danville, Virginia, United States
Died: June 25

Businessman Richard Benjamin Harrison became famous as a reality TV personality when he started appearing in the History Channel series Pawn Stars as the co-owner of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. His already successful business started thriving following the show’s success. He was nominated for the 2012 Time 100 list.

 26 
Roy Clark
(Singer)
Roy Clark
6
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: April 15, 1933
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Meherrin, Virginia, United States
Died: November 15
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 27 
Charles Aznavour
(One of the Greatest Songwriters in the History of Music and an Icon of 20th-Century Pop Culture.)
Charles Aznavour
15
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: May 22, 1924
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: October 1

Charles Aznavour was a French-Armenian actor, singer, diplomat, and lyricist. One of France's most famous singers, Aznavour was called the Frank Sinatra of France. One of the best-selling musicians of his generation, Aznavour sold 200 million records. In 1998, CNN named him the Entertainer of the Century. In 2017, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 28 
Scott Wilson
(American Actor)
Scott Wilson
2
Birthdate: March 29, 1942
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Thomasville, Georgia, United States
Died: October 6
 29 
Charles Krauthammer
(Political Columnist Who Won the Pulitzer Prize in 1987 for his columns in 'The Washington Post')
Charles Krauthammer
10
Birthdate: March 13, 1950
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: June 21

Best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning column in The Washington Post, Fox News commentator and political expert Charles Krauthammer was also a qualified psychiatrist. He was rendered paralyzed from the waist down at 22, after an accident while studying medicine at Harvard, but completed his degree nevertheless.

 30 
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
(Former Prime Minister of India)
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
47
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: December 25, 1924
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Gwalior
Died: August 16

Atal Bihari Vajpayee served as the 10th Prime Minister of India and was the first prime minister who did not belong to the Indian National Congress. The BJP politician had been a journalist and an RSS member. He was a noted poet, too. During his tenure as prime minister, he carried out Pokhran II nuclear tests in 1998 and declared India as a country with nuclear weapons capability.

 31 
Neil Simon
(Playwright & Screenwriter)
Neil Simon
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: July 4, 1927
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: The Bronx, New York
Died: August 26
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 32 
Ursula K. Le Guin
(American Author Best Known for Her Works of Speculative Fiction)
Ursula K. Le Guin
8
Birthdate: October 21, 1929
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Berkeley, California, United States
Died: January 22

Ursula K. Le Guin was an American author. In a career spanning almost six decades, Ursula wrote about political and social themes like race and sexuality. Throughout her career, Ursula had a major influence on speculative fiction. Her book A Wizard of Earthsea is credited with inspiring ideas like 'wizard school', which was later popularized in the Harry Potter series.

 33 
John McCain
(Former United States Senator from Arizona (1987 - 2018))
John McCain
55
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: August 29, 1936
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Coco Solo, Panama
Died: August 25

John McCain served as a US Senator for Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. Previously he was a US naval officer and is hailed as a war hero for his heroics during the Vietnam War. He was a supporter of LGBT rights, gun regulations and campaign finance reform. He was a Republican nominee for the 2008 presidential election but lost to Barack Obama.

 34 
Dennis Edwards
(Singer)
Dennis Edwards
6
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 3, 1943
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Fairfield, Alabama, United States
Died: February 1
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 35 
Sridevi
(Indian Actress Cited as the 'First Female Superstar' of Indian Cinema)
Sridevi
26
Birthdate: August 13, 1963
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sivakasi, Madras State, India
Died: February 24

Sridevi was an Indian film actress who appeared in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam language films. Considered one of the most popular actresses of all time, Sridevi was dubbed the First Female Superstar in India. With several prestigious awards under her belt, she was also regarded as one of the finest actresses of her generation.

 36 
Steve Ditko
(American Comics Artist and Comic Writer Best Known for Being Co-creator of Marvel Superhero 'Spider-Man')
Steve Ditko
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 2, 1927
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: June 29

Steve Ditko was a writer and comics artist. He is credited with co-creating popular Marvel Comics superheroes like Doctor Strange and Spider-Man. Ditko is also credited with co-creating Captain Atom, a character that appears in DC Comics. Ditko received several awards including many Alley Awards. In 1994, he was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.

 37 
Charlotte Rae
(Actress)
Charlotte Rae
7
Birthdate: April 22, 1926
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died: August 5
Height: 5'0" (152 cm)
 38 
Ingvar Kamprad
(Founder of IKEA)
Ingvar Kamprad
15
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: March 30, 1926
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Pjätteryd, Sweden
Died: January 27
In 2004, Swedish business tycoon and IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad stunned everyone to beat Bill Gates in the race for world’s wealthiest person. He showed his entrepreneurial streak as a kid when he made profits from selling matches. He founded IKEA with a cash reward he got from his father.
 39 
Philip Roth
(One of the Most Awarded American Writers of His Generation)
Philip Roth
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 19, 1933
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
Died: May 22

Philip Roth was a novelist and short-story writer best remembered for creating the fictional character Nathan Zuckerman, who featured in many of his novels. The recipient of the 1997 Pulitzer Prize, he also received the inaugural Franz Kafka Prize. Roth was one of the most awarded American writers of his generation. Born a Jew, he became an atheist later on.

 40 
Dorothy Malone
5
Birthdate: January 29, 1924
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
Died: January 19
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 41 
Bruno Sammartino
(One of the Greatest Professional Wrestlers of All Time)
Bruno Sammartino
10
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 6, 1935
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Pizzoferrato, Italy
Died: April 18

Bruno Sammartino was an Italian-American wrestler. He was one of the most popular wrestlers to participate in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) during the 1960s and 1970s. Nicknamed The Strongest Man in the World, Sammartino is often considered one of the greatest wrestlers ever. In 2013, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

 42 
V. S. Naipaul
(Trinidadian-Born British Writer Who Won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001)
V. S. Naipaul
4
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: August 17, 1932
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Trinidad and Tobago
Died: August 11

Born to Indian descendants in Trinidad, V. S. Naipaul grew up to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. The author of iconic novels such as Half a Life and A House for Mr. Biswas, Naipaul was also knighted. His realistic depiction of developing countries and their miseries won hearts worldwide.

 43 
Tom Wolfe
(American author)
Tom Wolfe
8
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 2, 1931
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Richmond, Virginia, United States
Died: March 14
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
 44 
John Young
(American Astronaut and the Ninth Person to Walk on the Moon)
John Young
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: September 24, 1930
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: January 5

John Young was an American naval officer, astronaut, aeronautical engineer, and test pilot. In 1972, he commanded the Apollo 16 mission and became only the ninth person to walk on the Moon. John Young was the recipient of several awards, including the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal. In 1982, he was made an inductee of the International Space Hall of Fame.

 45 
Big Van Vader
(One of the Greatest Super-Heavyweight Professional Wrestlers of All Time)
Big Van Vader
8
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 14, 1955
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Lynwood, California, United States
Died: June 18
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 46 
Roger Bannister
(The First Athlete to Run a Mile in Less Than Four Minutes)
Roger Bannister
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 23, 1929
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Harrow, England
Died: March 3

British middle-distance athlete and neurologist Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister was the first athlete to run a mile in less than four minutes. Before achieving such feat, Bannister set a British record in the 1500 metres during the 1952 Summer Olympics. In the medical field, Bannister became a neurologist and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford.

 47 
Harlan Ellison
4
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 27, 1934
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Died: June 28
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
 48 
Vic Damone
(Singer)
Vic Damone
7
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: June 12, 1928
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Died: February 11
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 49 
Vinnie Paul
(Former Musician best known for being the drummer and co-founder of the heavy metal band Pantera)
Vinnie Paul
8
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: March 11, 1964
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Abilene, Texas, United States
Died: June 22
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 50 
Miloš Forman
(Best Known for Directing the 1975 Psychological Comedy Drama Film 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest')
Miloš Forman
8
Birthdate: February 18, 1932
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Čáslav, Czechia
Died: April 13

Miloš Forman was a Czech and American screenwriter, film director, actor, and professor. He is remembered for directing the 1975 psychological comedy drama film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which became the second film to receive all five major Oscars. During his career, Forman won two Oscars, a César Award, and three Golden Globe Awards among other prestigious awards.