Death is unfortunately just a fact of life for everyone on this planet, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t absolutely heartbreaking when someone we love passes. This includes the beloved celebrities who, over the years, have shaped us with their talents in music, film, theater, athletics, and so much more. Now without further ado, here are all of the celebrities we’ve tragically lost so far in 2022. To say that they will be sorely missed is an understatement.

Bob Saget, the beloved patriarch of the Tanner family on Full House, tragically and unexpectedly passed away on January 9 at the age of 65 while on a stand-up comedy tour. He was found unresponsive in his hotel room and was pronounced dead on the scene. The autopsy report showed that Saget had suffered head trauma, likely from a fall, although his family sued in order to prevent further information on his cause of death from being released to the public.

Sidney Poitier’s death was a true loss for the acting world. Poitier helped pave the way for racial equality in the entertainment industry as the first Black-American actor (and the first Bahamian) to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. He also went on to earn two Golden Globe Awards, a BAFTA, and a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album. Some of his most notable works have included Porgy and Bess (1959), A Raisin in the Sun (1961), and A Patch of Blue (1965). Poitier passed away on January 6 at the age of 94.

Meat Loaf was a beloved American singer and actor known for his 1977 rock opera, Bat out of Hell. Some of his biggest hits have included “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That),” “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” and “Two out of Three Ain’t Bad.” His acting resume included portraying the roles of Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Robert Paulson in Fight Club. Meat Loaf passed away on January 20 at the age of 74. Pictured is a still from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Madeleine Albright served as the 64th secretary of state under the Bill Clinton administration from 1997 through 2001. After Clinton's presidential victory in 1992, Albright helped assemble his National Security Council. Clinton then appointed her United States ambassador to the United Nations from 1993 through 1997, and then secretary of state, making her the first woman to ever hold the title. Albright passed away from complications of cancer on March 23 at the age of 84.

Peter Bogdanovich was truly a prolific director and screenwriter during the “New Hollywood” era of film. One of his most critically acclaimed works was coming-of-age drama The Last Picture Show (1971), which received eight Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. He only had more success after that with What's Up, Doc? (1972) and Paper Moon (1973). Bogdanovich passed away from complications of Parkinson’s Disease on January 6 at the age 82.

Gilbert Gottfried was an American comedian and actor, known for his shrill voice and crude sense of humor. Some of his most notable voice acting gigs included the playing the part of Iago in Aladdin, the Aflac duck, and Kraang Subprime in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He was known for being exceptionally frugal, often choosing to walk places because he did not want to pay the public transit fares. Gottfried passed away in New York City on April 12 from recurrent bouts of ventricular tachycardia at the age of 67.

Ivan Reitman was a director, producer, and screenwriter. His career began in the mid-1970s but he found particular success starting in the late '70s when he produced Animal House (1978). He is also known for producing Space Jam and Beethoven in the '90s. As for his directorial work, he is best known for several other big-name comedic films including Ghostbusters, Twins, and Stripes. Reitman passed away in his sleep at the age of 75 on February 12.

Drummer Taylor Hawkins joined the Foo Fights in 1997 and recorded eight studio albums with them between 1999 and 2021. Along with the rest of the band, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, not long before his death. Although he is best known for his work with the Foo Fighters, he was also a member of Alanis Morrissette's touring band and had a handful of other side musical projects. Hawkins passed away on March 25 in Bogotá, Colombia, the morning before he was scheduled to play a show at the Estéreo Picnic Festival as part of the Foo Fighters' South American tour.

American actor Peter Robbins passed away on January 18 at the age of 65. He is best known for having been the first person to voice Charlie Brown in the Peanuts TV specials in the 1960s. Robbins considered Charlie Brown to be his childhood hero, and he even got an image of Charlie Brown and Snoopy tattooed on his arm. Unfortunately, Robbins struggled with a lifetime of incorrect treatments for his mental illness and eventually succumbed to it.

Brent Renaud was an American journalist and award-winning documentary filmmaker who was killed in Irpin, Ukraine on March 13 by Russian soldiers while covering the 2022 conflict in Ukraine. He was reportedly fatally shot while filming Ukrainian civilians escaping through one of the bridges in Irpin. Renaud's death was the first recorded death of a journalist during the conflict. Some of his past documentary works have included Off to War, Last Chance High, and Shelter.

William Hurt passed away on March 13 after a several-years-long battle with prostate cancer, just one week before his 72nd birthday. As an actor, Hurt was best known for his roles in films such as Body Heat, Broadcast News, and Children of a Lesser God. Between 1985 and 1987, he earned three consecutive Oscar nominations for Best Actor. More recently, he took on the role of Thaddeus Ross for five different movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Pictured is a still from Broadcast News.

Ronnie Spector was the “original bad girl of rock and roll” as the lead vocalist of the 1960s girl group The Ronettes. The Ronettes had several hits during the decade, including “Be My Baby,” “Baby, I Love You,” and “Walking in the Rain.” In 1968 she took a break from performing, but in 1972 the group got back together and she went on to produce several solo albums. Spector passed away from complications of cancer at the age of 78 on January 12.

Louie Anderson was a standup comedian, author, and game show host, perhaps best known for hosting Family Feud from 1999 through 2002. Some of his other notable projects have included the cartoon series Life With Louie and the sitcom The Louie Show. More recently he reprised his role in Coming to America in the 2021 sequel, entitled Coming 2 America. Sadly, Anderson passed away on January 21 at age 68 due to complications from cancer.

Singer-songwriter and model Betty Davis passed away on February 9 at the age of 76. As a model, Davis became one of the first Black women to be featured in Glamour and Seventeen magazines. Later on she also became one of the first Black women to write, arrange, and produce her own albums. Online music database Allmusic describes Davis as “a wildly flamboyant funk diva with few equals … [who] combined the gritty emotional realism of Tina Turner, the futurist fashion sense of David Bowie, and the trendsetting flair of Miles Davis.” That’s quite a mouthful of a description!

Emilio Delgado is best known for playing Luis, the owner of The Fix-It Shop on the beloved kids' show Sesame Street. He joined Sesame Street in 1971 and stayed on the show until 2016, making his the longest-running role for a Mexican-American in US television history. He previously stated that he considered himself “one of the luckiest guys” to have been a part of the show. Delgado passed away on March 10 at the age of 81.

John Edward Szeles, better known by his stage name The Amazing Johnathan, was a comedian and magician known for being a long-time headliner on the Las Vegas Strip performing some particularly bizarre stunts and tricks. He passed away at the age of 63 on February 22 after a long battle with a serious heart condition. A memorial service for him was held in Las Vegas, which featured humorous eulogies from the likes of Psychic Tanya, Mac King, and Harrison Greenbaum.

Scott Hall was an American professional wrestler with the WWE under the ring name Razor Ramon. He began his career in 1984 but didn't rise to prominence until signing with the WWF in 1992. Despite the fact that he never won a world championship in a major promotion, he has been named by wrestling commentators as one of the most charismatic performers in the history of professional wrestling. Hall passed away on March 14 at the age of 63 after suffering three heart attacks.

Bobbie Nelson was the older sister of beloved musician Willie Nelson, known for being a singer and pianist in his band, Willie Nelson and Family. She learned to play the piano as a young child, and eventually signed on with her brother’s band in 1972 after he received a deal with Atlantic Records. The two siblings also wrote two books together: A memoir and a children's book. Bobbie passed away on March 10 at the age of 91.

Scottish actor John Stahl is best known to the world for playing the role of Rickard Karstark on the show Game of Thrones, but in Scotland he was heavily involved in stage productions throughout his career. He also played Tom “Inverdarroch” Kerr on the Scottish soap opera, High Road, that ran from 1980 through 2003. Stahl passed away on March 2 at the age of 68. "His passing is a huge loss to the industry, and he will be sorely missed," the National Theater of Scotland wrote on Twitter. Pictured is a still from Game of Thrones.

Screaming Trees frontman Mark Lanegan helped catapult Seattle’s grunge sound to what we know it as today with his baritone vocals. He collaborated with a plethora of different grunge artists of the time, including Layne Staley of Alice and Chains and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam. He was also an off-and-on member of Queens of the Stone Age until 2005. Lanegan passed away on February 22 at the age of 57. His cause of death was never publicized.

Actor Frank Pesce passed away on February 6 from complications of dementia at age 75. He began his film career in 1974 as an extra in The Godfather Part II and over the years guest-starred in TV shows. In films he was primarily known as a character actor in films such as Rocky, Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop, and Flashdance. He acted up until 2015, with an appearance in the American sports drama film Creed.

Ian McDonald passed away from colon cancer at the age of 75 on February 9. You’ll remember him as a multi-instrumentalist and one of the founding members of the bands King Crimson (founded in 1968) and Foreigner (founded in 1976). He left both bands relatively early on - particularly because of growing tension within King Crimson, although he apologized for leaving in a trailer for a documentary about the band one week before his death. He left Foreigner in 1980, but reunited with the group’s surviving members in 2017 and 2018.

American actor Ralph Ahn passed away on February 26 at the ripe old age of 95. He was best known for roles in movies Amityville: A New Generation (1993), Panther (1995), and Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace (1996). You may also recognize him from the sitcom New Girl, in which he portrayed Tran, the silent but wise old neighbor. “He gave so much with literally no lines,” wrote New Girl co-star Jake Johnson in a tribute post on social media.

American actress Sally Kellerman had an impressive 60-year-long career in entertainment. She is perhaps best known for playing Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan in the 1970 film M*A*S*H, for which she earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. After that she took on roles in Brewster McCloud (1970), and Welcome to L.A. (1976), among others. She was also a recording artist, having signed her first record deal at age 18. Kellerman passed away on February 24. She was 84 years old.

Cheslie Kryst was a model, beauty pageant queen, and attorney. She was crowned Miss USA as Miss North Carolina in May 2019 and went on to represent the United States at the Miss Universe pageant in 2019, finishing in the top 10. As an attorney, she practiced complex civil litigation and did pro bono work. Kryst was tragically found dead on January 30 after jumping from her 60-story apartment building. She was 30 years old.

Michael Lang passed away on January 8 at the age of 77. He was best known for having co-created the Woodstock Festival in 1969. He and producer Artie Kornfeld came up with the idea for a music festival to celebrate the social movements of the ‘60s that would feature the likes of the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin. Lang was portrayed by actor Jonathan Groff in the 2009 film Taking Woodstock, directed by Ang Lee.

Calvin Simon was a member of the funk-rock bands Parliament and Funkadelic. He got his start in gospel music, singing weekly with a church choir in his native West Virginia. When his family moved to New Jersey during his teenage years, Simon joined the group The Parliaments in the late 1950s. He took two years off to join the military during the Vietnam War, but returned to the group afterward and later joined the music collective Parliament-Funkadelic. In 1978 he left the band to go back to his gospel roots, but in 1997 he and his Parliament-Funkadelic bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2019 they were given the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Simon passed away on January 6 at the age of 79.

Mike Bossy was a professional hockey player who helped lead the New York Islanders to four consecutive Stanley Cup championships in the early 1980s. He is one of just two players to score consecutive winning goals in both the 1982 and 1983 Stanley cup games, and the NHL's leader in average number of goals scored per regular season game. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991, and in 2017 he was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players of all time. Bossy passed away on April 15 after battling lung cancer.

Conrad Janis was an American actor best known for playing Mindy McConnell's father, Frederick, on the TV show Mork & Mindy. He got his start in the acting world when he won a role in the play Dark of the Moon during its pre-Broadway run and was spotted by a Hollywood talent scout. He made his film debut in Snafu in 1945, playing the character Ronald Stevens. Janis passed away on March 1 at the age of 94.

Tim Considine was an actor best known for his roles in TV series The Adventures of Spin and Marty, My Three Sons, and for playing Frank Hardy in the Disney TV serial Hardy Boys. In 2000, Considine and his Spin and Marty co-star David Stollery made cameo appearances in The New Adventures of Spin and Marty: Suspect Behavior, which was a made-for-TV movie on ABC. Considine passed away on March 3 at the age of 81.

Carleton Carpenter had quite the eclectic resume as an actor, magician, novelist, dancer and songwriter. His acting career began on Broadway with David Merrick’s first production, Bright Boy, in 1944. In 1950, Carpenter signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and made eight films in just three years, including Father of the Bride, Three Little Words, and Summer Stock. He worked occasionally as a stage actor up until 2015. Carpenter passed away on January 31 at the age of 95.

Kathryn Kates was an American actress best known for having recurring roles on the TV shows Seinfeld, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Orange is the New Black, and The Many Saints of Newark. Her most memorable role was perhaps as The Counter Woman on two episodes of Seinfeld, entitled "The Dinner Party" and "The Rye" in 1994 and 1996, respectively. Kates passed away from lung cancer on January 22, just one week before her 74th birthday.

American actor Max Julien passed away on January 1 at the age of 88. He was best known for his portrayal of Goldie in the 1973 blaxploitation film The Mack (pictured). Julien got his acting career started on stage in New York City’s off-Broadway circuit. Later on he moved to Hollywood and landed roles opposite Jack Nicholson in 1968’s Psych-Out, and then Candice Bergen in 1970’s Getting Straight. Additionally, he made appearances on TV shows such as The Mod Squad and One on One.

Dan Reeves was a former running back and coach in the NFL who passed away on January 1 at the age of 77. During his 38-year-long career with the NFL, he participated in nine Super Bowls - the third most in history for any individual. As an athlete, he played for the Dallas Cowboys for all eight seasons of his playing career. Starting in 1981, he coached the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants, and ended with the Atlanta Falcons in 2003.

Jossara Jinaro passed away on Wednesday May 11th, 2022 at her California home after a hard-fought battle with cancer. She was an actress and producer who starred in ER and Passions.  “Jossara was an amazing wife, mother, artist, and friend. She had the most beautiful, kind soul and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Even in her last moments, she was still fighting,” Bogado wrote. “She is now resting in peace and will be remembered forever. Myself, Liam, and Emrys will miss her so deeply, although we know she is in our hearts and guiding us every step of the way.”

The 'Goodfellas' star, Ray Liotta passed away at the early age of 67 on May 26th, 2022. He died in his sleep in the Dominican Republic while filming the movie Dangerous Waters. He was engaged to his fiancee, Jacy Nittolo, who was with him at the time. Liotta was an icon, especially for those infatuated with mob films, but also with classics such as Field of Dreams. Hollywood lost another legend in 2022.

Nichelle Nichols became iconic thanks to her portrayal of communications office Lieutenant Uhura on the original Star Trek series. The character broke barriers, as Nichols was presented as an African American woman in a posItion of power and authority, and inspired millions of viewers. In an often told anecdote, Whoopi Goldberg has said that she first time she saw Uhura on television, she ran to her mother screaming "I just saw a Black woman on television, and she ain't no maid!" Nichols, who also appeared in the first six Star Trek films and remained on the p0p culture convention circuit until her final years, often told a story of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. encouraging her to stay on the series when she was having misgivings about her role. She passed from natural causes at the age of 89.  

Bill Russell, who passed away in July of 2022 after a long illness, was one of the greatest players in the history of professional sports. He spent 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics (including 2 as player-coach), leading the team 12 NBA Finals berths and 11 championships, including 8 titles in a row at one point. The African American Russell was also a staunch advocate for social justice off the court. In a statement announcing his death, the Russell family wrote in part:

"But for all the winning, Bill's understanding of the struggle is what illuminated his life... From boycotting a 1961 exhibition game to unmask too-long-tolerated discrimination, to leading Mississippi's first integrated basketball camp in the combustible wake of Medgar [Evers'] assassination, to decades of activism ultimately recognized by his receipt of the Presidential Medal of Freedom ... Bill called out injustice with an unforgiving candor that he intended would disrupt the status quo, and with a powerful example that, though never his humble intention, will forever inspire teamwork, selflessness and thoughtful change."

Actor/director Tony Dow, best known for his portrayal of the title character's older brother Wally on the well-known sitcom Leave it to Beaver, passed away July of 2022 after a long battle with cancer. His son released a statement that read in part, “Although this is a very sad day, I have comfort and peace that he is in a better place. He was the best Dad anyone could ask for. He was my coach, my mentor, my voice of reason, my best friend, my best man in my wedding, and my hero." Jerry Mathers, who played Beaver, said in statement, "“He was not only my brother on TV, but in many ways in life as well. Tony leaves an empty place in my heart that won’t be filled. He was always the kindest, most generous, gentle, loving, sincere, and humble man, that it was my honor and privilege to be able to share memories together with for 65 years.”

Well-known actor Paul Sorvino had a career that spanned much of his 83 years, including countless award nominations for appearances on stage and screen. However, he was arguably best known for his portrayal of mobster Paulie Cicero in Martin Scorsese’s GoodFellas. His daughter Mira, a famous actress on her own right, wrote on Twitter after his passing, "My heart is rent asunder — a life of love and joy and wisdom with him is over. He was the most wonderful father. I love him so much. I’m sending you love in the stars Dad as you ascend."

James Caan first entered the American consciousness when he portrayed terminally ill football player Brian Piccolo in the TV movie Brian’s Song. He became a star in 1972 thanks to an Academy Award-nominated turn in The Godfather. Over the next five decades, Caan appeared in countless films including Misery and Elf. Caan's family announced his death on Twitter on July 6, ending the missive with his oft-used social media catchphrase:

"It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time. End of tweet"

Tony Sirico spent most of his early life behind bars, being arrested 28 times. However, he eventually cleaned up his act, transitioning from real crime to screen crime, appearing in mafia films like Goodfellas before achieving superstardom as Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri on The Sopranos. Costar Artie Pasquale said of the actor, “Tony was wonderful: He made everyone laugh and could be serious, but he always brought some life to the scene, or whatever situation. We’re gonna miss Tony. He was just always dressed the best. Always had the best tie, but he was great and he’s really going to be missed.”

By the mid-1970s, Australian Olivia Newton-John was already a pop star thanks to hits like "If Not for You," "Let Me Be There" and "Have You Never Been Mellow." However, she transitioned from popular singer to worldwide mega-sensation when she starred as Sandy in the 1978 film adaptation of the broadway musical Grease. Both the film and its soundtrack were massive hits, and Newton-John's versions of songs like "You're the One that I Want," "Summer Nights," (both with costar John Travolta) and "Hopelessly Devoted to You" remain definitive. The singer/actress parlayed the success of Grease into more high profile film roles like Xanadu as well as furthering her music career through songs like "Physical", which was one of the longest reigning number one hits of the 1980s. Olivia Newton-John's passing was announced on August 8, 2022. Though she had battled breast cancer one and off since the early 1990s, no official cause of death was initially announced.

The family of Kirstie Alley, one of the stars of the legendary sitcom Cheers, announced on the actress's Instagram that she had passed away on December 5, 2022 after a short battle with cancer. Alley first rose to fame in the role of Vulcan scientist Saavik in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan in 1982. In 1987 she was cast as Rebecca Howe in the sixth season of the sitcom Cheers, replacing Shelly Long's Diane Chambers as the show's female lead. At the time, many pundits believed Long's departure would prove to be the show's undoing, but thanks to Alley's award-worthy performance and chemistry with star Ted Danson, the show continued for a further six seasons and only became more popular. Alley also starred in the Look Who's Talking film franchise and the sitcoms Veronica's Closet, Fat Actress, and Kristie. In recent years, she'd been notable for espousing her political beliefs and devotion to Scientology on social media, as well as appearances on reality television shows including Dancing With the Stars and The Masked Singer.