Celebrity Deaths of July 2025

Felix Baumgartner - July 17

Paraglider and extreme skydiver Felix Baumgartner, the first human to exceed the speed of sound in freefall, passed away on July 17, in northern Italy. The 56-year-old athlete reportedly suffered a medical emergency while paragliding and fell into the pool of a vacation home in Porto Sant'Elpidio. Baumgartner held several world records, including the record for the highest skydive. He set this record in 2012 by jumping from a capsule at an altitude of 39 km (24.2 miles) as part of the Red Bull Stratos project.

Connie Francis - July 16

Connie Francis, a pioneering singer of the pre-Beatles era, passed away on the evening of July 16 at the age of 87. A frequent presence on the US charts between 1957 and 1964, her 1962 hit "Pretty Little Baby" experienced a renewed surge in popularity on the TikTok platform in recent months. Her other well-known songs include "Who's Sorry Now?", "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You," and "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own."

Audun Groenvold - July 16

Norwegian skier Audun Groenvold died on July 16 after being struck by lightning. The athlete was 49 years old. Initially an alpine skier before switching to freestyle and ski cross, he won the bronze medal in the latter discipline at the Vancouver Olympic Games in 2010. Since the end of his career, he had been a coach for the Norwegian national team and a sports commentator.

Andrea Gibson - July 14

Andrea Gibson, renowned poet and queer activist, passed away on July 14, 2023, at her home in Boulder, Colorado. Andrea and her wife, Megan Falley, are the subjects of the award-winning documentary Come See Me in the Good Light, which will be available on Apple TV+ in autumn 2023. Her final poem, Love Letter from the Afterlife, included the following lines: "Death is the opposite of departure. When I left my body, I did not leave. […] I am more present than I have ever been."

Bhairappa Saroja Devi - July 14

Indian film icon Bhairappa Saroja Devi passed away on Monday, July 14, at her home in Malleswaram, Bengaluru. She was 87 years old and had been dealing with various health issues related to aging. One of the most popular actresses in the history of Indian cinema, she appeared in over 160 consecutive films in four languages—Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi—between 1955 and 1984, an extraordinary achievement.

Dave Cousins - July 13

English musician David Joseph Cousins, frontman of the progressive folk-rock band The Strawbs, passed away on July 13 in Canterbury, England. His song "Lay Down," from the 1973 album Bursting At The Seams, marked the band's first commercial success. Their next single, "Part of the Union," reached number two on the UK charts. Cousins' voice can also be heard speaking at the beginning of the song "When The Walls Came Tumblin' Down" by Def Leppard.

Mark Snow - July 4, 2025

Influential television music composer Mark Snow died on July 4 at his Connecticut home. His theme for the cult series The X-Files, with its haunting atmosphere and whistled melody, marked an entire generation of viewers. In addition to composing music for more than 200 episodes of this supernatural series, he was also the author of original soundtracks for shows Smallville, Blue Blood and The Ghost Whisperer. He was nominated for Emmy Awards 15 times during his illustrious career.

Michael Madsen - July 3, 2025

American cinema icon Michael Madsen, known for his striking collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino, died of cardiac arrest at his Malibu home in California on Thursday, July 3, at age 67. The actor had made a name for himself in the 1990s playing tough guys with tender hearts. His most acclaimed performance remains that of Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs (1992), a criminal who takes malicious pleasure in torturing a police officer to the tune "Stuck in the Middle with You." He appeared in more than 300 productions during his career, in addition to publishing several poetry collections.

Julian McMahon - July 2, 2025

Australian actor Julian McMahon, star of several popular television series like Charmed, FBI: Most Wanted and Nip/Tuck, passed away on July 2 in Clearwater, Florida, following a battle with cancer. The interpreter of the terrifying Dr. Victor Von Doom in the film Fantastic Four (2005) and its sequel was only 56 years old. Son of former Australian Prime Minister Billy McMahon, he had made his screen debut in Australian soap operas The Power, The Passion and Home and Away.

Sophia Hutchins - July 2, 2025

Agent, colleague and friend of Caitlyn Jenner, Sophia Hutchins, tragically lost her life in an all-terrain vehicle accident on July 2. She was 29 years old. The founder of sunscreen company Lumasol hit the bumper of a moving car with her ATV, a collision that projected her vehicle over the shoulder and to the bottom of a ravine about a hundred meters deep. Her death was confirmed at the scene of the accident. The trans personality was a devoted supporter of American President Donald Trump, whom she replaced during several television appearances during his 2024 presidential campaign.