Clem Burke, the drummer for Blondie, has passed away

Clem Burke, the drummer for Blondie, died in April 2025.

He was 70 years old.

Founding members of Blondie, Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, announced the sad news on April 7 via a written statement.

“It is with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer,” it read.

“Clem was not just a drummer. He was the heartbeat of Blondie. His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable,” it continued.

“We extend our deepest condolences to Clem’s family, friends, and fans around the world. His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched.”

Hollywood legend Val Kilmer passed away on April 1, 2025, at the age of 65 due to complications from pneumonia.

Born in Los Angeles in 1959, he built a versatile career spanning over four decades. Rising to fame in the 1980s and 1990s, he delivered unforgettable performances as Iceman in Top Gun (1986), Jim Morrison in The Doors (1991), Batman in Batman Forever (1995), and Doc Holliday in Tombstone (1993). In 2022, he made a poignant return as Iceman in Top Gun: Maverick, where AI technology helped recreate his voice following his battle with throat cancer.

Beyond acting, Kilmer was an avid musician, artist, and documentarian. His deeply personal 2021 documentary Val, which premiered at Cannes, provided an intimate look at his life, career, and health struggles.

He was married to actress Joanne Whalley from 1988 to 1996, and they had two children, Mercedes and Jack, the latter of whom narrated Val.

You can read more about Val here.

Legendary Australian martial artist, stuntman and screen actor Richard Norton has passed away aged 75.

Richard had worked alongside Jackie Chan, Chuck Norris, Charlize Theron, Tom Hardy, Liam Neeson and numerous others throughout his illustrious career.

Hi wife, Judy Green, confirmed the tragic news on Instagram:

“I am numb and devastated, I have no words. I have lost my everything. I know there is, and will be lots of love and shock that we have lost this incredible human being. The love of my life. I’m using this time to come to terms with my great loss.”

Born in Melbourne in 1950, Norton began his career as a bodyguard to some of the world’s biggest music stars, including The Rolling Stones, ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, and David Bowie, before transitioning to the silver screen. A skilled martial artist with black belts in multiple disciplines, he became a fixture in action films throughout the 1980s and 90s, starring alongside Jackie Chan (Mr. Nice Guy), Cynthia Rothrock, and Chuck Norris (he appeared in the Walker, Texas Ranger series).

Known for his roles in cult classics and Hong Kong cinema, Norton also built a respected career behind the scenes as a fight choreographer and stunt coordinator, lending his expertise to major Hollywood productions such as Mad Max: Fury Road and The Suicide Squad.

Carl Thomas Dean, Dolly Parton‘s husband, passed away on March 3, 2025, aged 82.

The singer/songwriter shared the sad news on Instagram, writing:

“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”

Carl and Dolly first met in 1964 outside a laundromat. Two years later, in 1966, they tied the knot.

And when Dolly’s star began to rise in the late 60s, Carl stayed out of the spotlight and instead focused on his asphalt business.

“He’s sort of shy and quiet,” Dolly said of Carl to People in 1977.

“What we have together is so sweet and good that I’d never want it to get jumbled up with [my fame].”

Carl and Dolly renewed their vows in 2016, on their 50th wedding anniversary.

And in 2019, Dolly reiterated that while Carl stayed out of the public eye, she and he were still very much in love.

“He’s always supporting me as long as I don’t try to drag him in on it… He’s always been my biggest fan behind the scenes, but he’s at home,” the Jolene singer told People.

On February 28, it was announced that icon Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa had passed away.

It’s now being investigated how the two, as well as one of their pet dogs, died.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza has confirmed that both Gene and Betsy tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning and that Gene’s pacemaker recorded its last event on February 17.

Tributes for Gene and Betsy were led by Prince William, Barbra Streisand and Tom Hanks; you can read them all here.

On February 26, Michelle Trachtenberg passed away, aged 39.

Her exact cause of death will never be determined as her family declined an autopsy for religious reasons. However, it’s believed that Michelle died of complications following a recent liver transplant.

Kim Cattrall, Sarah Michelle Gellar and more paid tribute to Michelle; you can read them all here.

The iconic ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song” singer passed away on 24 February 2025 aged 88. In 2022, the Grammy Award-winner revealed she had ALS, a degenerative disease which attacks the nervous system. Due to this diagnosis and her resulting symptoms, she tragically could no longer sing.

She was a classically trained pianist who was discovered while singing at local music clubs at night. Roberta shot to fame in the 1970s with her intimate R&B ballads such as “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face”. Clint Eastwood famously used the full version of the song in his film Play Misty for Me. This ended up being a turning point for Roberta’s popularity. Her song and the movie were incredibly popular and Roberta even won a Grammy Award for the hit.

Throughout her career, Roberta won four Grammys and was given a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.

On January 31, 2025, Marianne Faithfull’s spokesperson confirmed that she had passed away. The singer was 78 years old.

Known for her distinctive voice, Marianne first gained fame in the 1960s with her hit As Tears Go By, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

Marianne went on to become a key figure in the Swinging London scene and had a high-profile relationship with Mick — the frontman of the Rolling Stones.

In fact, she inspired the Stones’ hit songs ‘Wild Horses’ and ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’.

After a step away from the public eye due to a struggle with heroin addiction, Marianne made a remarkable comeback in 1979 with the critically acclaimed album Broken English.

However, more recently, the singer/actress released She Walks in Beauty. The 2021 album featured Marianne reciting Romantic poetry over music composed by Warren Ellis, with contributions from Nick Cave.

Mick was one of the first to pay tribute to Marianne.

The rock and roll icon released a statement saying, “I am so saddened to hear of the death of Marianne Faithfull. She was so much part of my life for so long. She was a wonderful friend, a beautiful singer and a great actress. She will always be remembered.”

The acting legend of both stage and screen passed away peacefully on January 16, 2025. She was 95.

Dame Joan had a long and illustrious career which spanned over half a century. and saw her in impactful roles in theatre, film, and television. She was of the generation of great acting dames and appeared alongside fellow dames Judi Dench and Maggie Smith in the 1999 film Tea with Mussolini.

Joan Plowright was one of the few actresses to have received a Golden Globe, Tony, and BAFTA. She also received nominations for an Oscar and an Emmy. She was one of only a few actors who won two Golden Globes in the same year. In 1993 she won two Best Supporting Actress Golden Globes: one for Stalin (TV) and one for Enchanted April (film). Her contributions to acting earned her a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2004.

Plowright’s legacy as an actress and her contributions to the arts have made her a beloved figure in British and international cinema and theatre.

Joan was the widow of fellow iconic actor Sir Laurence Olivier whom she married in 1961. Together, they had three children, Tamsin, Richard and Julie-Kate, and remained married until Olivier’s death in 1989, aged 82.

Plowright retired from acting in 2014 due to vision loss caused by macular degeneration.

David Lynch, the filmmaker best known for Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks, passed away on January 17, 2025.

He was 78 years old.

David’s family shared the sad news in a statement, “There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.’”

Naomi Watts was one of the first to pay tribute to David, you can read her full statement here.

Simon Townsend passed away on January 14, 2025, after a short battle with cancer. 

He was 79 years old. 

The iconic Australian journalist, radio, and television presenter created the incredibly popular children’s television Wonder World!

Simon also briefly worked for us here at The Weekly.