From Hollywood legends to a trailblazing pope, a heavy-metal heavyweight and a fashion king, here are some of 2025’s most notable deaths.
January
– 1: David Lodge, British novelist best known for his campus trilogy series, aged 89
– 5: Costas Simitis, Greek former prime minister (1996-2004) and architect of the country’s eurozone entry, aged 88
– 7: Jean-Marie Le Pen, former French far-right leader and losing presidential run-off candidate who co-founded the National Front party, aged 96
– 16: David Lynch, US director behind “Blue Velvet”, “Mulholland Drive” and the cult television series “Twin Peaks”, aged 78
– 30: Marianne Faithfull, British singer and actress, best known for her hit song “As Tears Go By”, aged 78
February
– 4: Karim Aga Khan IV, philanthropist and imam of the Ismaili Nizaris, a branch of Shia Islam, aged 88
– 8: Sam Nujoma, guerrilla leader who became Namibia’s first president after it won independence from South Africa in 1990, aged 95
– 18: Gene Hackman, Oscar-winning US actor best known for “The French Connection” and “Unforgiven”, aged 95
April
– 1: Val Kilmer, Hollywood actor who shot to fame playing Iceman in the original “Top Gun”, aged 65
– 13: Mario Vargas Llosa, Peruvian writer and Nobel literature laureate in 2010, aged 89
– 21: Jorge Mario Bergoglio, or Pope Francis, from Argentina, elected in 2013 as the first Latin American pontiff, an outspoken reformist who put the poor at the heart of his papacy but stopped short of overhauling traditional doctrine, aged 88
May
– 13: Jose “Pepe” Mujica, Uruguay’s leftist ex-president (2010-2015), a cult figure for his modest lifestyle, aged 89
– 23: Sebastiao Salgado, French-Brazilian photographer, famed for his large black-and-white photographs depicting wildlife, landscapes and people around the world, aged 81
– 24: Marcel Ophuls, Oscar-winning filmmaker who blew the lid off the myth that France resisted its World War II Nazi occupiers in “The Sorrow and the Pity”, aged 97
June
– 3: Edmund White, American novelist, key figure of LGBTQ literature, aged 85
– 9: Frederick Forsyth, British thriller writer of “The Day of the Jackal” fame, aged 86
– 11: Brian Wilson, musician and co-founder of the Beach Boys, aged 82
– 26: Lalo Schifrin, Argentina-born composer who created themes for a host of hit Hollywood films and television shows — including “Mission: Impossible”, aged 93
July
– 22: Ozzy Osbourne, British frontman of “Black Sabbath”, one of the pioneers of heavy metal, aged 76
– 24: Hulk Hogan, icon of professional wrestling in the 1980s who became an actor, aged 71
– 31: Robert Wilson, American director of original stage and opera works, aged 83
August
– 7: Jim Lovell, US astronaut who commanded the Apollo 13 Moon mission which nearly ended in disaster in 1970, aged 97
– 17: Terence Stamp, British actor who was an emblem of London’s “Swinging Sixties”, aged 87
September
– 4: Giorgio Armani, Italian luxury king and fashion designer to the stars, aged 91
– 6: Rosa Tarovsky de Roisinblit, prominent activist for the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo group
Pope Francis
“Pope Francis” refers to the current head of the Catholic Church, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, rather than a physical place. He was elected in 2013, making history as the first pope from the Americas and the first from the Jesuit order. His papacy has been noted for its emphasis on humility, social justice, and interfaith dialogue.
Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall is not a place or cultural site, but a renowned British primatologist and anthropologist. She is best known for her groundbreaking, long-term study of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, beginning in 1960, which revolutionized our understanding of primate behavior and conservation. Her work established the Jane Goodall Institute and inspired a global movement for wildlife protection and environmental stewardship.
Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne is not a place or cultural site, but an English singer and songwriter, famously known as the “Prince of Darkness” and as the lead vocalist of the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath. His cultural impact stems from his influential music career starting in the late 1960s, his controversial public persona, and his role in defining the heavy metal genre. While there is no physical site named after him, his legacy is celebrated in music history and through attractions like his former Beverly Hills home, which became a notorious tourist spot after being featured on his reality TV show *The Osbournes*.
David Lynch
David Lynch is not a place or cultural site, but an influential American filmmaker, painter, and musician. He is best known for creating surreal and dreamlike films such as *Eraserhead* and *Blue Velvet*, as well as the groundbreaking television series *Twin Peaks*. His unique style, often described as “Lynchian,” explores the unsettling and mysterious undercurrents of everyday American life.
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull is not a place or cultural site, but a renowned English singer, songwriter, and actress who rose to fame in the 1960s. She is a significant cultural figure, known for her distinctive voice, her association with the Rolling Stones, and her career resurgence after personal struggles, which has influenced music and popular culture for decades.
Karim Aga Khan IV
Karim Aga Khan IV is the 49th hereditary Imam of the Nizari Ismaili Muslims, a role he has held since 1957. He is a global spiritual leader, philanthropist, and founder of the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the world’s largest private development organizations focused on improving quality of life in Asia and Africa. While not a physical place, his legacy is embodied in cultural sites like the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto and numerous historic restoration projects, such as the Al-Azhar Park in Cairo and the rehabilitation of the ancient citadel of Aleppo.
Sam Nujoma
Sam Nujoma is not a place or cultural site, but the founding President of Namibia. He was a key leader in the Namibian independence movement and served as the country’s first president from 1990 to 2005. His legacy is honored through institutions like the Sam Nujoma Stadium and the Sam Nujoma Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre.
Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman is not a place or cultural site; he is a renowned American actor known for roles in films like *The French Connection* and *Unforgiven*. Therefore, there is no physical location or historical site to summarize in this context.
