Deaths So Far (and it's just July)

[IceWizard]

DECEMBER 2025




Gil Gerard
as Captain William 'Buck' Rogers


Actor Gil Gerard, known for his starring role as Capt. William "Buck" Rogers on the TV series
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, died Dec. 16 of cancer, his wife, Janet Gerard, announced.
He was 82. In addition to his signature series, which aired on NBC from 1979 to 1981,
Gerard’s TV credits included popular shows such as Little House on the Prairie, CHiPs, Baretta,
and Hawaii Five-0, as well as soap operas The Doctors, on which he played Dr. Alan Stewart
for more than 300 episodes, and Days of Our Lives. He was cast alongside Jack Lemmon and
Olivia de Havilland in the 1977 movie Airport '77, and one of his final credits was the 2016
buddy comedy The Nice Guys, which starred Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe.





James Ransone
in Los Angeles in 2019.

James Ransone, the prolific character actor and star of series like The Wire and films like Sinister
and It Chapter Two, died on Dec. 19 at the age of 46. Born in Baltimore on June 2, 1979, Ransone
got his big break in Larry Clark's controversial erotic drama Ken Park, which released in 2002.
The following year he made his hometown proud by starring in season 2 of David Simon's seminal
urban odyssey The Wire as Chester "Ziggy" Sobotka, an immature and erratic dock worker.
Ransone went on to star in several more projects by Simon, including the military drama
Generation Kill and the New Orleans-set series Treme. He was tapped for memorable roles
in projects by American masters like Spike Lee (Inside Man), John Waters (A Dirty Shame),
and Sean Baker (Tangerine). Over the last decade, he carved out a new niche in horror,
landing roles in modern classics like Sinister, The Black Phone, and It Chapter Two.






Chris Rea
performs in Paris in 2017.


Chris Rea, the influential British rock and blues singer-songwriter, died on Dec. 22 at 74.
Known for his distinctive gravelly voice and slide guitar playing, Rea recorded 25 solo albums
throughout his career, two of which topped the U.K. albums chart. He also enjoyed a string
of hits including "Auberge," "On the Beach," and "Road to Hell." Though he never toured
in the United States, his 1978 single "Fool (If You Think It's Over)" reached No. 12 on the
Billboard Hot 100 and earned him a Grammy nod for Best New Artist. Rea notably cemented
himself in the holiday music pantheon with his 1986 release, "Driving Home for Christmas,"
which tracks a weary traveller making his way home in the midst of heavy traffic.






Kevin Arkadie in 2017.

Kevin Arkadie, a TV writer and producer on series like The Shield and NYPD Blue, and the
co-creator of the police procedural New York Undercover, died on Dec. 17 at the age of 68.
Born on Dec. 10, 1957, and raised in Washington, D.C., Arkadie broke ground for casting
multiple actors of color in lead roles on New York Undercover, which ran for four seasons on
Fox. He created the series alongside Law & Order boss Dick Wolf, who credited the creative
with bringing "the voice of the next generation to cop shows." Arkadie was also nominated
for two Emmys for his work on Chicago Hope in 1996 and NYPD Blue in 1998.
He is survived by his wife, Rayluca Constantinescu, mother, Mary Arkadie, and brother
and sister, Devre and Christine Arkadie.







Imani Dia Smith

Imani Dia Smith, who as a child starred as Young Nala in Broadway's The Lion King,
died on Dec. 21 from multiple stab wounds. She was 25. Her boyfriend was later
arrested and charged in connection with her death. Smith starred as the young
lioness in the Tony-winning Broadway production of the Disney hit for a year
between 2011 and 2012, according to Playbill.







Adam the Woo
was found dead Dec. 22.

YouTuber David Adam Williams, known as Adam the Woo, was found dead Dec. 22
at his home in Celebration, Fla. He was 51. Williams was known for his posts about
travel, especially to Disney parks. In the official description of his channel, which
had 749,000 followers, he wrote that he planned "to find something new and
exciting to film on a regular basis." He noted that he had created content for the
channel every day for five years, before stepping back somewhat. He was mourned
by loved ones including Justin Scarred, who wrote, "The world has lost a giant,
and I have lost a friend closer to me than blood."






Perry Bamonte
in 1992.

Perry Archangelo Bamonte, the London-born musician best known as a member of
the Cure, has died, per the group's website. Bamonte, who began his association
with the quintessential "goth" rock band in 1984 as a keyboard and guitar tech,
then as lead singer Robert Smith's personal assistant, later joined as a full-time
member in 1990. He initially played keyboards, then shifted primarily to guitar,
but he also played bass and percussion. The first Cure album that featured
Perry Bamonte as a full-time member was 1992's Wish, which featured the song
"Friday I'm In Love," one of the group's most lasting hits. The Cure's announcement
described Bamonte as "quiet, intense, intuitive, constant, and hugely creative."
They added that "Teddy" was "a warm hearted and vital part of The Cure story."






Mickey Lee in 2025.

Big Brother alum Mickey Lee, who competed on season 27 of the CBS competitive
reality series this past summer, died on Christmas Day, days after her family revealed
she had been hospitalized and was in "critical condition" after suffering a
"series of cardiac arrests" stemming from flu-related complications. She was 35.
The event curator was from Jacksonville, Fla., but had been based in Atlanta.
"A vibrant, strategic, and unforgettable personality, Mickey captured the attention
of fans with her energy, authenticity, and bold gameplay," read a GoFundMe page
set up on Lee's behalf days before her death. "She brought charm and fierce competition
to the Big Brother house as an event curator and creative force." Lee made it to day
59 on Big Brother before being evicted and finishing in 10th place, one day before
franchise fan favorite Rachel Reilly was sent home.





9

Brigitte Bardot

The French actress Brigitte Bardot, who became one of the most popular screen icons to
come out of the French New Wave, died on Dec 28 at 91. Born in Paris, France, on Sept. 28, 1934,
Bardot studied ballet at the Conservatoire de Paris, and by 15, she was modeling and
landing magazine covers such as Elle. She went on to star as the troubled but charming
schoolgirl in the musical Naughty Girl before gaining more mainstream fame as the star
of director and her eventual husband Roger Vadim's directorial debut, And God Created Woman.
Bardot soon became one of the most notable sex symbols of the ‘50s and ‘60s, owed to
her tendency to play sensual, sexually promiscuous characters, including roles in
Jean-Luc Godard’s Contempt and Masculin Féminin, two of the French New Wave’s most
acclaimed films. She announced her retirement in 1973, and from then on, Bardot was
known as a fierce animal rights activist. She also became a controversial figure in her
later years, due to her criticisms of the #MeToo movement and several instances
of "inciting racial hatred."