Kim Sae-ron to Charlie Kirk, global personalities we lost in 2025

Eventful as it was, 2025 was also a year of profound loss, with several celebrated personalities who contributed greatly in the fields of art and politics bidding the world a goodbye. From advertising legend Piyush Pandey to 'He-man' Dharmendra, India lost some great gems in 2025.

Beyond India, 2025 also witnessed major losses globally, with the deaths of prominent figures such as Italian luxury fashion designer Giorgio Armani and pro-right activist and Trump supporter Charlie Kirk.

Here are names of some global personalities who bid the world a good bye this year:

Filmmaker of classics like 'Blue Velvet', 'The Elephant Man', and 'Mulholland Drive', celebrated artiste David Lynch bid the world a goodbye on January 15. While there was initially no reason attributed to the 78-year-old director's death, reports later said he died of cardiac arrest due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. According to a report by The Independent, dehydration was also linked as a contributor to the legendary filmmaker's death. Lynch was not just a filmmaker, but also co-created the groundbreaking TV series 'Twin Peaks'.

He was known for his surreal cinema and innovative storytelling. "A film or a painting, each thing is its own sort of language and it's not right to try to say the same thing in words. The words are not there," he told The Guardian newspaper in a 2018 interview.

A death that left the entire South Korean art industry and K-drama lovers across the globe stunned came in February this year with the early demise of 24-year-old Kim Sae-ron on February 16. Her career began at just nine years old, but she quickly gained praise for her roles in Brand New Life (2009) and The Man From Nowhere (2010). She was most well-known for her appearance in the Netflix series 'Bloodhounds' (2023).

Her death sparked a big controversy in South Korea and at the centre of it was South Korean star Kim Soo-hyun. The 37-year-old actor who was also quite popular among K-drama fans in India, was accused by Sae-ron's family of dating her when she was a minor. It was also alleged that Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, which also managed Kim Sae Ron until 2022, covered her DUI fine but later demanded she repay 700 million won ($481,000).

However, the actor refuted the allegations in a press conference later, in which he also broke down and said "I can't admit to something I didn't do".

Remember the famous Batman tux fight between Ross and Chandler in the popular TV show 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S'? You must then remember the Val Kilmer reference too. The 65-year-old actor, most popularly known for his portrayal of Bruce Wayne in 'Batman Forever' (1995), breathed his last on April 1.

According to what his daughter Mercedes Kilmer told the The New York Times, the actor died of pneumonia in Los Angeles. He had earlier battled cancer for years after being diagnosed in 2014.

He rose to fame for playing naval aviator Tom Iceman Kazansky alongside Tom Cruise in the 1986 mega box-office hit Top Gun, and also made a big name for himself in Hollywood with pivotal roles in Real Genius, Tombstone, Heat, and The Saint.

One of the most influential global religious leaders of the 21st century, Pope Francis left the world on April 21. He reportedly suffered a stroke, followed by heart failure and a coma. The Vatican had said that double pneumonia complications led to his death.

He had been facing health ailments for several weeks before his death. Pope Francis had been hospitalised back in February due to bronchitis that developed into pneumonia in both lungs.

The 88-year-old church head was the first Latin American and 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and later went on to become the Archbishop of Buenos Aires.

As the Pope, he was known for a his humility and kindness. He had long advocated for the decriminalisation of homosexuality. One of his remarks on gay priests that went on to define his papacy was: “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”

In a major shift for the Catholic Church, Pope Francis also allowed priests to bless same-sex couples as long as they don't endorse marriage.

Part of a band known have invented heavy metal rock and touted as the one of the most influential yet controversial faces of rock music, Ozzy Osbourne bid the world a goodbye on July 22. The notorious rock figure was born John Michael Osbourne in the Birmingham, UK in 1948, and his defining moment in the rock music industry came in the 60s, when he joined a band called 'Black Sabbath' as the lead vocalist.

The singer's career was also marred with controversy for the most part, having been accused of trying to murder his wife. According to a report in the Billboard, the singer made the attempt "for no apparent reason other than that he was out of his mind on alcohol and substances". Osbourne's death came weeks after he reunited with his band members at Black Sabbath on July 5, the Guardian said in a report.

Terry Gene Bollea, more popularly known as Hulk Hogan, died on July 24. The former WWE wrestling star died of acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, ABC News reported a week after his death.

The wrestling star reportedly had a history of atrial fibrillation and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, also known as blood cancer. According to TMZ Sports, an emergency call regarding a cardiac arrest was received from Hogan's home in Clearwater, Florida on the day of his death.

Touted as one of "pop culture's most recognizable figures" by the WWE, Hulk Hogan had been a wrestling enthusiast since his teenage years. He professionally entered the sport in August 1977 after which he acquired the 'Hulk' title. He eventually became a household name as he starred in several films and TV shows over the years.

The founder of luxury Italian brand Armani, Giorgio Armani, died at the age of 91 on September 4, 2025. His brand enjoys big popularity across the globe and manufactures perfumes, watches, high fashion couture, eyewear, home furnishings, make-up products and more.

Known to industry admirers as "Re Giorgio" - King Giorgio, Armani was credited with revolutionising fashion in the 70s. "He worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections, and the many ongoing and future projects," the company had said while announcing his death.

Armani had set up his business with his romantic partner Sergio Galeotti, whom he credited with "believing" in him. However, his partner, who had AIDS, died in 1985 at the age of 40, after which Armani grew the business himself.

In a death that sent shockwaves throughout the United States, pro-right activist and President Donald Trump's staunch supporter, Charlie Kirk, was shot dead mid-speech during a public event in Utah. Kirk was shot dead on September 10 during a student Q&A at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem when he was in the middle of answering a question on mass shooters.

The 31-year-old was touted as an icon of conservatism in the US and was the founder of 'Turning Point America'. Even before his public shooting, Kirk always remained at the centre of controversy for his views on gun control, abortion and women. Some of his controversial takes include his comment on women above the age of 30 not being "attractive in the dating pool,” and that birth control made women more "angry and bitter".

He was also a big supporter of gun rights in the country, and had infamously once suggested that some deaths due to gun violence were “worth it” to have the Second Amendment to protect “God-given rights”.

Charlie Kirk and Donald Trump were also very close and the pro-right activist even played a big role in fostering the Trump-led MAGA movement.

Scientist and renowned British primatologist Jane Goodall passed away on October 1, leaving behind a legacy of trying to protect the environment and her love for wildlife. According to the Jane Goodall Institute, the 91-year-old global activist died of natural causes while she was in California on a speaking tour.

The world mourned Goodall's loss and the United Nations called her a messenger of peace who worked tirelessly for the planet. Goodall's quest to save the environment took her from a seaside English village to Africa and then across the globe in a quest to better understand chimpanzees, as well as the role that humans play in safeguarding their habitat and the planet's health overall.

Academy Award winner and popular American actor Diane Keaton died aged 79 on October 11. Her family later released a statement saying the actor died of pneumonia.

Some of her popular roles were in films like Something's Gotta Give, First Wives Club and Annie Hall, for which she won the 'Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role' in 1978. Her fame was also credited with her work in classic The Godfather films directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Diane Keaton was also a fashion icon in Hollywood, having popularised menswear-inspired suits on women. Buttoned down tuxedos, collared shirts with flowy skirts and three-piece suits with frills and boots were some of her popular styles that she showcased at several Red Carpet events over the years.

Before the end of 2025, a sensational murder case shocked the world on December 14. Filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead inside their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles and with probe into their deaths intensifying, their 32-year-old son Nick Reiner has been arrested on murder charges. According to CNN, the LA police have said that Nick was “responsible” for the deaths of his parents.

Rob Reiner was an actor and director who rose to fame as Mike "Meathead" Stivic on the CBS sitcom All in the Family in the 70s. He was known for his roles in films like Sleepless in Seattle, Bullets Over Broadway, EDtv, and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).

He met his wife photographer Michele Singer on the sets of When Harry Met Sally in the late 80s, and the two got married in 1989.

Source: HindustanTimes
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