2024 will go down in history as the year we had to say goodbye to some of Hollywood’s most legendary actors.
These are the stars who made us laugh, cry, and occasionally question our very existence after a particularly strange movie.
As much as we wanted to pretend that time wasn’t moving forward, life had other plans.
But while the final curtain fell for these greats, we’re here to remember their contributions and laugh (with a tinge of sadness) at how much they shaped our viewing habits.
Let’s dive in and bid farewell to those who graced the screen in unforgettable ways!
1. Linda Lavin
You might know her as the hilarious, no-nonsense waitress from Alice, or maybe you remember her as the heart of a slew of Broadway hits.
Linda Lavin was the type of actress who could steal the show without even trying. She spent decades portraying women with a perfect blend of grit and grace, and we’re all better for it.
She made us laugh, made us feel seen, and reminded us that no one does “sass with a side of compassion” quite like her.
We’re sad to see you go, Linda—but we’ll be rewatching Alice on loop forever. (Just don’t judge us for eating pie in the middle of the night like Mel.)
2. Olivia Hussey
From her iconic role in Romeo and Juliet (1968) to her terrifying turn in Black Christmas (1974), Olivia Hussey gave us both the beauty of youthful innocence and the hair-raising chill of classic horror.
But just when we thought she couldn’t possibly make us feel all the emotions in one go, she did.
We’re left staring at the screen, asking ourselves why the world can’t have more actresses who can do both highly dramatic and deeply disturbing with equal mastery.
Olivia, you’ll forever be the queen of both romance and fright. Please don’t haunt us in our dreams (unless it’s with an Oscar-worthy performance).
3. Tony Todd
Ah, Tony Todd—an actor whose voice could send shivers down your spine and make you think, “Oh, I’m definitely going to sleep with the lights on tonight.”
Known best for his portrayal of the terrifying Candyman, Todd took horror to new heights. But did you know that he’s also given us deeply memorable roles in The Rock and Final Destination?
That man could do it all, whether he was haunting us with bees or just scaring us with his presence. His final bow might be the scariest thing to happen in 2024.
But we’re pretty sure his legendary horror villain status will live on forever. It’s no surprise: when you have that voice, you never really leave.
4. Teri Garr
Teri Garr will always hold a special place in our hearts, whether it’s from her roles in Tootsie, Young Frankenstein, or Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
She had that perfect ability to balance quirky charm with genuine vulnerability—and let’s be honest, everyone wanted to be friends with her after watching her on screen.
But just like her characters, she was always humble, always sweet, and never trying too hard. We’ll miss her in ways words can’t capture.
For now, we’re just going to rewatch her iconic scene in Tootsie and pretend we’re as cool as she was. (Spoiler: We’re not, but we can dream.)
5. Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith, a true treasure, and the type of actress who made us feel like we were royalty simply by watching her on screen.
Whether she was giving us unforgettable moments as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter series or making us laugh as the sharp-tongued Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey, Maggie Smith has graced us with so many performances that we should probably dedicate a full week of rewatching.
Seriously, if there was an award for “Best Performance with a Single Eyebrow Raise,” Maggie would have taken home every trophy.
She may have taken her final bow in 2024, but her legacy will live forever in every sarcastic remark we make.
6. James Earl Jones
The voice of Darth Vader, the voice of Mufasa, the voice of “everything you’ve ever heard that made you stop and listen”.
James Earl Jones didn’t just act, he defined what it meant to have a voice that could command attention—whether it was through booming authority or a fatherly tone.
When James Earl Jones spoke, we didn’t just hear the words, we felt them. It’s hard to imagine a world where his legendary voice doesn’t echo through our screens.
But even as he takes his final bow, we’ll continue to listen to him for years to come. (P.S. We’ll never stop mimicking his Mufasa lines, because he said so.)
7. Shelley Duvall
Shelley Duvall is the woman who made being scared look like an art form—whether she was battling Jack Nicholson in The Shining or surviving the surrealist landscape of Popeye.
Duvall brought a particular brand of eccentric vulnerability to every role, one that somehow always kept you on edge but in the best possible way.
While her final bow might be bittersweet, we’ll forever remember her as the queen of “what did I just watch?” and “who allowed this?”
If anyone had the ability to keep us up at night, it was Shelley Duvall—and we wouldn’t have had it any other way.