James Avery

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star James Avery died from complications from open heart surgery in Glendale, Calif. on New Year’s Eve. He was 68.

 Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president and a charismatic inspiration to Hollywood and millions around the world, died Thursday, Dec. 5 at 95. Mandela, a force against apartheid, was portrayed by Morgan Freeman, Sidney Poitier, Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover, David Harewood, Terrence Howard, Idris Elba and others on TV and on film.

 Paul Walker

Paul Walker, best known for his role in the hit Fast and the Furious movies, died Saturday, Nov. 30, in a car accident in Valencia, Calif. He was 40. Walker was set to reprise his role as Brian O’Conner in Fast & Furious 7 for director James Wan and also was starring in Brick Mansions, an English-language remake of the French action movie District B13.

 Lisa Robin Kelly

That ’70s Show actress Lisa Robin Kelly, who played Eric Forman’s older sister on the comedy, was found dead at a California rehab facility at 43.

 Cory Monteith

Glee star Cory Monteith died July 13. His body was found at Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel, where he had checked in July 6.

 Jim Kelly

Jim Kelly, a martial artist famous for his role in the 1973 Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon, died June 29 of cancer.

 James Gandolfini

James Gandolfini, who made his mark on television history as the troubled crime boss on HBO’s smash drama The Sopranos, died Monday, June 19, of an apparent heart attack. He was 51.

 Chris Kelly

Chris Kelly, best known as one half of the 1990s rap duo Kris Kross, has died at 34. Kris Kross is best known for the multi-platinum 1992 album Totally Krossed Out, which included the hit “Jump,” among others. Earlier this year, they performed at the 20th anniversary party for Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def label.

 Conrad Bain

Conrad Bain, who starred as Phil Drummond, the rich white businessman who adopts Harlem kids Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges on the popular sitcom Diff’rent Strokes, died Monday, Jan. 14 of natural causes. He was three weeks shy of his 90th birthday.

 David Ellis

David R. Ellis, who directed 2006’s Snakes on a Plane, died Monday, Jan. 7. He was 60 years old. His body was found in his hotel room in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was in pre-production on Kite, a remake of a 1998 Japanese anime that was to have starred Snakes topliner Samuel L. Jackson.

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