It seems that celebrities abide by the mottos, “live fast, die young” or “it’s better to burn out than to fade away,” with some passing away before their time.
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With money and fame at their fingertips, and as a result of that alcohol and drugs, the majority of celebs on this list died from accidental overdoses. The other celebrities who died young passed away from either suicide, plane crash or murder.
Here’s a look back at some of the best-known celebrities who died too young:
1. River Phoenix
River Jude Phoenix was an American actor, who was best-known for starring in the film Stand by Me. The vegan, environmentalist and animal rights activist also earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance in Running on Empty. He was the older brother of Rain Phoenix, Joker star Joaquin Phoenix, Summer Phoenix, and Liberty Phoenix.
Born: August 23, 1970
Died: October 31, 1993
Age at death: 23
Cause of death: Phoenix collapsed and died of a combined drug intoxication following a drug overdose on the sidewalk outside the West Hollywood nightclub The Viper Room (owned by fellow actor Johnny Depp).
2. Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse was a world-famous jazz, blues, and soul singer best-known for the songs Valerie, Rehab, and Back to Black. The British, six-time Grammy winner had been tabloid fodder for years with her talents often overshadowed by her personal life, which was filled with drug addiction and erratic behavior.
Born: September 14, 1983
Died: July 23, 2011, age 27
Age at death: 27
Cause of death: Accidental alcohol poisoning, illegal drugs were ruled out.
3. Heath Ledger
The Australian Home And Away actor rose to fame in 1999 when he starred in 10 Things I Hate About You.
He became one of the youngest people ever nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for his role in Brokeback Mountain. Shortly after portraying the Joker in The Dark Knight, Ledger died from an accidental drug overdose. He posthumously received the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the role. At the time of his death, he had been in the middle of filming his final movie The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. His friends Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell finished up the movie and donated their salary to Ledger’s daughter.
Born: April 4, 1979,
Died: January 22, 2008
Age at death: 28
Cause of death: An accidental toxic combination of prescription drugs.
4. Cory Monteith
Cory Monteith was best known as Finn Hudson in Glee and for dating his co-star Lea Michele. The actor started abusing substances at the age of 13. After an intervention by family and friends, he entered drug rehabilitation at age 19. In March 2013, he again sought treatment for addiction and just four months later he was found dead.
Born: May 11, 1982
Died: July 13, 2013
Age at death: 31
Cause of death: He died of a toxic combination of heroin and alcohol in a Vancouver hotel room.
5. Brittany Murphy
Brittany Murphy first rose to fame as Tai Frasier in Clueless. She starred in numerous other movies, including Girl, Interrupted, 8 Mile, and Sin City. Despite rumors of drug use, pneumonia and a lack of iron was listed as the official cause of death. When her boyfriend Simon Monjack died at the same house of the same causes just five months later, toxic mold was introduced as a possible culprit.
Born: November 10, 1977
Died: December 20, 2009
Age at death: 32
Cause of death: She died of complications from pneumonia and multiple drug intoxication.
6. Aaliyah
R&B singer and actress Aaliyah was best-known for hits such as, Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number and Are You That Somebody? She was just 15 years old when rumors began that she had married R. Kelly. After facing allegations of an illegal marriage with Kelly, Aaliyah ended her contract with Jive and signed with Atlantic Records. Aaliyah’s music continues to achieve commercial success with several posthumous releases, and has sold an estimated 24 to 32 million albums worldwide.
Born: January 16, 1979
Died: August 25, 2001
Age at death: 22
Cause of death: Aaliyah died when a small plane that was to carry her and eight others back to the United States crashed after takeoff in the Bahamas.
7. Tupac
Tupac Amaru Shakur, the Hit Em Up and Dear Mama rapper, was killed in 1996 in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. He had already released five studio albums, served time for a sexual abuse conviction and survived a previous shooting during a robbery.
Born: June 16, 1971
Died: September 13, 1996
Age at death: 25
Cause of death: Tupac died six days after an unknown gunman in a white Cadillac shot him four times in the chest at a stoplight in Las Vegas.
8. Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain, the Smells Like Teen Spirit singer, was an American singer, songwriter, and musician, best known as the guitarist and frontman of the rock band Nirvana. He had a long battle with heroin addiction, but he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Born: February 20, 1967
Died: April 5, 1994
Age at death: 27
Cause of death: Died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound while intoxicated.
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