The calendar year is far from over, but it’s already brought some difficult goodbyes to beloved entertainers.
As 2026 rolls on, TVLine is remembering the television stars and behind-the-scenes personalities that we’ve lost thus far, a list that includes several longtime staples of the TV industry. Entertainment icon Catherine O’Hara, best remembered on the small screen as “Schitt’s Creek” matriarch Moira Rose, died in January of a pulmonary embolism amid a rectal cancer diagnosis; she was remembered by her many collaborators, including director Ron Howard, as a “brilliant” performer.
“Dawson’s Creek” star James Van Der Beek and “Grey’s Anatomy” vet Eric Dane are also among this year’s late TV stars, following battles with colorectal cancer and ALS, respectively. Both actors passed away in February.
Keep scrolling to see more of the Hollywood names we’ve lost this year, including a look back at their careers, then drop a comment with your remembrances.
T.K. Carter
Actor T.K. Carter, best known to TV fans for his role on “Punky Brewster,” died in January at the age of 69. His cause of death was later determined to be systolic heart failure, according to documents from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
On the small screen, Carter was best remembered for playing teacher Mike Fulton in the sitcom “Punky Brewster,” appearing in two of the show’s four seasons (and 24 total episodes). In addition to longer stints on shows like “The Sinbad Show” and “Good Morning, Miss Bliss,” Carter made guest appearances on many series, including “Moesha,” “The Nanny,” “The Steve Harvey Show,” “NYPD Blue,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” and “How to Get Away With Murder.” His final TV appearances came in 2023 on FXX’s “Dave” and ABC’s “The Company You Keep.”
On the film side, Carter’s notable credits included “The Thing,” “Doctor Detroit,” and “Space Jam.”
Catherine O’Hara
Legendary actress Catherine O’Hara, who enjoyed a multi-decade career in both film and television, died on January 30 at the age of 71. As first reported by TMZ, O’Hara died of a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer as an underlying cause.
O’Hara’s breakout gig was the Canadian sketch-comedy series “SCTV,” on which she was an original cast member for the first two seasons. She would go on to guest-star in numerous TV series, including “The Larry Sanders Show,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and “30 Rock,” before landing the career-defining role of matriarch Moira Rose on “Schitt’s Creek.” O’Hara played the melodramatic, wig-loving Moira for all six seasons and won the 2020 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. In the months before her death, O’Hara also appeared on HBO’s “The Last of Us” and Apple TV’s “The Studio,” both of which earned her Emmy nominations.
She held a number of beloved film roles over the years, too, including Kate McCallister — mother of Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister — in Christmas favorites “Home Alone” and “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” She frequently worked with director Christopher Guest on the silver screen — “Best in Show” and “Waiting for Guffman” were among their collaborations — while other film credits included “Beetlejuice,” “Dick Tracy,” and the animated “Nightmare Before Christmas,” where she voiced Sally.
Grady Demond Wilson
Grady Demond Wilson, star of the NBC sitcom “Sanford and Son,” died in January at the age of 79. Per Wilson’s son (via TMZ), the actor died of complications from cancer.
Wilson’s claim to fame was the role of Lamont Sanford, son of Redd Foxx’s Fred Sanford, on “Sanford and Son.” The show ran for six seasons from 1972 to 1977, and Wilson held the role of Lamont for its entire run. After the series wrapped, Wilson starred as Raymond Ellis in CBS’ one-and-done sitcom “Baby… I’m Back!” He then followed that up with “The New Odd Couple,” ABC’s 1982 remake of “The Odd Couple,” with Wilson playing Oscar Madison opposite Ron Glass’ Felix Unger; the show ran for just one season.
Wilson’s other TV credits included episodes of “The Love Boat” and “Girlfriends.” More recently, he co-starred in “Eleanor’s Bench,” a six-episode drama led by Karen Abercrombie and Cameron Arnett.
James Van Der Beek
James Van Der Beek, who rose to fame as the title character on late-’90s teen drama “Dawson’s Creek,” died in February, just over a year after sharing his colorectal cancer diagnosis. He was 48.
For six seasons, Van Der Beek played aspiring filmmaker Dawson Leery on The WB’s “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003 on the network. After that series concluded, Van Der Beek’s TV work included “Don’t Trust the B— in Apt. 23” (where he played a heightened version of himself), “CSI: Cyber,” “One Tree Hill,” “Pose,” and the children’s series “Vampirina,” where he voiced Boris. He was also set to recur in Prime Video’s upcoming “Legally Blonde” prequel series, “Elle”; TVLine has reached out to reps for the series regarding Van Der Beek’s appearances as high school superintendent Dean Wilson.
On the film side, Van Der Beek’s memorable credits included “Varsity Blues” and “The Rules of Attraction.”
Robert Duvall
Oscar-winning film legend Robert Duvall died in February at the age of 95.
“To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything,” Duvall’s wife, Luciana, said in a statement. “His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, a great meal, and holding court. For each of his many roles, Bob gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented. In doing so, he leaves something lasting and unforgettable to us all.”
Though Duvall got his start on television — he appeared in episodes of such 1960s classics as “The Defenders,” “The Fugitive,” “The Outer Limits,” and “The Twilight Zone” — he was better known for his work in film, namely the defining role of consigliere Tom Hagen in 1972’s “The Godfather.” He earned his first Oscar nomination for that portrayal, then went on to pick up five more nominations and one win (for “Tender Mercies”) throughout his career. He’s also remembered for his roles as Boo Radley in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Frank Hackett in “Network,” and Lt. Col. William “Bill” Kilgore in “Apocalypse Now,” among many others.
Eric Dane
Actor Eric Dane, best known for his roles on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Euphoria,” died in February at the age of 53. He had previously shared his ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) diagnosis in April 2025.
Dane’s breakout TV role was that of Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” a character he played from 2006 to 2012 before returning for a single episode in 2021. He also led TNT’s action drama “The Last Ship” for five seasons and played Cal, the father of Jacob Elordi’s Nate Jacobs, on HBO’s “Euphoria.”
Dane’s TV work also included episodes of “The Fixer,” “Las Vegas,” “Charmed,” “Gideon’s Crossing,” and, more recently, Prime Video’s one-and-done “Countdown.” Just months before his death, he appeared in an episode of NBC’s “Brilliant Minds” as a character with ALS. Dane also appeared in such films as “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “Marley & Me,” “Valentine’s Day,” “Burlesque,” and “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.”