Goodbyes can be hard whenever our favourite celebrities pass away unexpectedly or way too early. Here are six fallen stars who continue to shine through their works.
"If women ran the world we wouldn't have wars, just intense negotiations every 28 days."
Robin Williams
Williams was born on 21 July 1951 and had English, German, French, Welsh, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. Williams was well known for his wild, improvisational comedy dialogues and had a unique skill in imitating voices. Williams passed away from suicide on 11 August 2014.
Representative works:
1. Good Will Hunting (Oscar: Best Supporting Actor)
2. Mrs Doubtfire (Golden Globes: Best Actor in a Motion Picture)
3. The Fisher King (Golden Globes: Best Actor in a Motion Picture)
4. Good Morning, Vietnam (Golden Globes: Best Actor in a Motion Picture)
Other titles for consideration: The Face of Love and Absolutely Anything
"If only life could be a little more tender and art a little more robust."
Alan Rickman
Rickman was born in London on 21 February 1946. He was an established graphic designer and opened a successful graphic design business with friends. Subsequently, his love for acting led him to audition for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at 26 years old, and the rest is history.
Rickman gained prominence by playing the lead villain in Die Hard, but for the younger generation, he was best known for his role as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter franchise. He had a rich, smooth voice and delivered his dialogues slowly and calmly. He passed away after a fight with pancreatic cancer on 14 January 2016.
Representative works:
1. Harry Potter Franchise
2. Sense and Sensibility
Other titles for consideration: Alice Through The Looking Glass, Gambit and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
"In 80 years, no one I’m seeing now will be alive. Hopefully, the art will remain.”
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Hoffman was born on 23 Jul 1967. He is well remembered for his ability to bring depth and humanity to the roles that he played. Hoffman’s official cause of death was acute combined drug intoxication. He was found dead on 2 February 2014. In his New York Times obituary, Hoffman was described as "perhaps the most ambitious and widely admired American actor of his generation”.
Representative works:
1. Capote (Oscar: Best Male Actor)
2. The Master
3. Doubt
Other titles for consideration: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 & Part 2, Scent of a Woman, Twister, A Most Wanted Man and Mission: Impossible III
"You know, all that really matters is that the people you love are happy and healthy. Everything else is just sprinkles on the sundae."
Paul Walker
Walker was born on 12 September 1973 and had four siblings. Walker had that typical American boy look: blue eyes and blond hair. He had a daughter with an ex-girlfriend and he always made it known that she was his top priority in life. Walker passed away in a tragic car accident on 30 November 2013 after a charity event. The filming for Furious 7 had not yet been completed. The film used his brothers, Caleb and Cody, as his body doubles. The film was released in April 2015.
Representative works:
1. Fast and the Furious franchise
2. Hours
Other titles for consideration: Flags of Our Fathers (supporting role), Brick Mansions and Vehicle 19
"I like to set up obstacles and defeat them."
Heath Ledger
Ledger was born in Perth on 4 April 1979. He passed away from an accidental overdose of prescribed drugs. He first explored acting when he was forced to choose between one of two compulsory electives; cooking or drama. Ledger came to fame as a gay cowboy in Brokeback Mountain. Both Jake Gyllenhaal and Ledger were nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars for their roles in the movie.
Ledger died 13 months before his award for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars - for the role of Joker in The Dark Knight - was received by his family on his behalf. He kept a journal and locked himself in a hotel room for weeks to immerse himself into the role. Though his death was ruled accidental, the journal revealed he was affected by both the twisted role and his own emotions.
Representative works:
1. Brokeback Mountain
2. Candy
3. The Dark Knight (Oscar: Best Supporting Actor; Golden Globes: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture)
Alternative title for consideration: The Patriot and Monster's Ball (supporting role)
"I was drawn to photography as an extension of film, and the beauty of film is that it's a sensuous, fetishistic medium."
Anton Yelchin
Yelchin was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, on 11 March 1989 to a pair of successful professional figure skaters. He was multitalented; he wrote music, played piano and guitar. Besides a fondness for reading, he loved playing chess too. Yelchin had a distinctive hoarse voice and sparkling green eyes. He was considered to be one of the up and coming stars.
In the early morning of 19 June 2016, Yelchin was found to have been fatally crushed between his SUV and a pillar in his own driveway. It is believed that his car rolled backwards and pinned him down.
Representative works:
1. Star Trek
2. Star Trek Into Darkness
3. Star Trek Beyond
Other titles for consideration: Odd Thomas and The Beaver
They are forever remembered for their roles, and their talents continue to shine through their works.
