Celebrity Death

Wrestling legend The Iron Sheik, a former heavyweight champ and WWE Hall of Famer, has died at the age of 81, reps for the wrestler announced.

"Today, we gather with heavy hearts to bid farewell to a true legend, a force of nature, and an iconic figure who left an incredible mark on the world of professional wrestling. It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of The Iron Sheik, but we also take solace in knowing that he departed this world peacefully, leaving behind a legacy that will endure for generations to come," a statement on his social media page read.

Sheik, real name Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, was born in Iran in 1942 and was known as one of the biggest heels to ever step foot in the squared circle. He was also a former champ, beating Bob Backlund in 1983 and securing the title.

The Iron Sheik was one of Hulk Hogan's first rivals ... and it was Hogan who ultimately defeated Sheik for the belt, giving rise to Hulkamania.

Sheik was also a WWF Tag Team champion, winning the strap with Nikolai Volkoff in 1985.

In 2005, Sheik was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Sgt. Slaughter, longtime rival and former partner.

World Wrestling Entertainment released a statement on his passing, saying "WWE is saddened to hear of the passing of WWE Hall of Famer The Iron Sheik, and extends its condolences to his family, friends, and fans."

The Rock posted a heartfelt tribute to Sheik, recounting a story back when he was a rookie wrestler.

Booker T also weighed in, offering condolences, writing, "My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of @the_ironsheik. He is one of the very best to ever to do it. God speed."

Actor Ken Jeong also shared a personal interaction he had with Sheik ... saying, "Will never forget when @the_ironsheik checked in at the start of the pandemic. Rest in peace, and much love to his family."

In true Sheik fashion, the last tweet sent from his account, just hours before his passing, was "F*** THE WILDFIRES"

Sheik is survived by his wife of 47 years, Caryl, and his children.

R.I.P.

"Bling Empire" star Anna Shay is dead after suffering a fatal stroke ... TMZ has confirmed.

The reality TV matriarch died Monday, according to her family.

In a statement to TMZ, Anna's family says ... "It saddens our hearts to announce that Anna Shay, a loving mother, grandmother, charismatic star, and our brightest ray of sunshine, has passed away at the early age of 62 from a stroke."

The fam adds ... "Anna taught us many life lessons on how not to take life too seriously and to enjoy the finer things. Her impact on our lives will be forever missed but never forgotten."

After appearing on the first season of "Bling Empire" on Netflix back in 2021, Anna became a huge celeb ... amassing a cult fan following in the process.

Kelly Mi Li, who stars alongside Anna on 'BE' took to IG to share a heartfelt message writing, "You are truly one of a kind and we will miss you forever."

Another 'BE' castmate, Kane Lim, tells TMZ ... "I'm shocked to hear the news of Anna’s passing. We had so many great memories together that were mostly behind the cameras and I’ll keep that dearly in my heart. We had a real friendship. My deepest condolences to her family. She will be missed."

Dorothy Wang wrote on Instagram, "Rest in Peace, Anna. Your generosity, boldness, and fervor for life will forever be celebrated."

Castmate Kim Lee tells TMZ ... "This is such a huge shock. I have so much love for Anna. I know that we had issues on the show but in real life, I had such a great connection with her outside of the show. We saw eye to eye, and she gave me so many words of wisdom I will never forget. There's no one like Anna Shay; she's an incredible and unique person who was beloved by so many people. My thoughts are with her family at this difficult time."

Anna was the wealthiest person on "Bling Empire" ... inheriting hundreds of millions of dollars from her late father, who made his fortune as a defense contractor.

She was married and divorced four times ... and is survived by her son, Kenny Kemp, and her grandchildren.

Anna was 62.

Cynthia Weil, one of the most prolific and successful songwriters of all time, has died ... TMZ has learned.

Cynthia's daughter, Dr. Jenn Mann, tells TMZ ... "My mother, Cynthia Weil, was the greatest mother, grandmother and wife our family could ever ask for. She was my best friend, confidant, and my partner in crime and an idol and trailblazer for women in music."

Jenn says her mother, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, passed on Thursday night.

Cynthia's catalog is eyepopping ... The Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin," Dolly Parton's "Here You Come Again," The Drifters' and George Benson's "On Broadway," The Crystals' "Uptown," The Righteous Brothers' "You're My Soul and Inspiration," The Animals' "We Gotta Get Out of this Place."

The list just keeps going, with Paul Revere & the Raiders' "Kicks," The Ronettes' "Walking in the Rain," Chaka Khan's "Through the Fire," which Kanye West sampled for his debut solo single, "Through the Wire" ... and that's a VERY short list of the hits she wrote.

Cynthia's writing partner for many of her hits was her husband, Barry Mann. They were married for 62 years.

They were nominated for an Academy Award and won 2 Grammys for Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram's "Somewhere Out There" from Steven Spielberg's "An American Tail."

She and Barry received the first-ever National Academy of Songwriters Life Achievement Award.

In her early years, Cynthia was an actress, singer and dancer and became a protégé of Tin Pan Alley songwriter Frank Loesser.

Cynthia and Barry had massive hits in the '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s.

She worked with other collaborators to produce hits like "Running With The Night" and "Love Will Conquer All" with Lionel Richie. She also worked with David Foster for the soundtrack to "St. Elmo's Fire," including the hit, "For Just a Moment." And then, there's Peabo Bryson's "If Ever You're In My Arms Again,” and "He's So Shy" by The Pointer Sisters.

BTW ... "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" was the most played song of the 20th Century!

Cynthia received 112 pop, country and R&B awards from BMI.

Cynthia and Barry produced another big hit ... their daughter, Jenn Mann, AKA Dr. Jenn, a psychotherapist, author, and host of VH1's "Couple's Therapy." Jenn and her fiance Eric Schiffer were by Cynthia's side when she passed.

The family adds, "Cynthia Weil's Grammy award winning lyrics touched the hearts and souls of hundreds of millions of people around the world, making her one of the most iconic songwriters of the 20th Century. Her husband, Barry Mann, says, "I'm a lucky man. I had two for one, my wife and one of the greatest songwriters in the world, my soul and inspiration."

Cynthia was 82.

The shocking death of Ms Jacky Oh! is not only affecting "Wild 'N Out" fans, but it's also impacting NFL players like Odell Beckham and Keenan Allen ... who are mourning her passing.

As we reported, Ms Jacky Oh! (real name Jacklyn Smith) died on Wednesday in Miami, but the details surrounding her death are not yet clear. A since-deleted social media post claimed she was having "mommy makeover" surgery.

Beckham -- who recently signed with the Ravens -- paid tribute to the former "Wild 'N Out" star on his Instagram story by sharing her family's statement and a photo of her and her kids.

"Rest Easy Angel," OBJ wrote in the post on Thursday.

He also said on Twitter, "Don’t take this life for granted, we’re here for the blink of an eye. Y’all plz love on your loved ones while they’re still here."

OBJ knows Smith through Lauren Wood, mother of his 1-year-old son Zydn, who was a former "Wild 'N Out" star.

In fact, Smith and Wood recently took a girl's trip to Belize to celebrate Lauren's birthday.

"We are in Belize!!! It's my best friend's birthday -- Lauren," Smith said on a YouTube vlog while on vacay.

Smith also attended Beckham and Wood's baby shower.

"This hurts so bad," Wood said in an IG post on Friday. "When I lost you I also lost the version of me when we were together. Our banter. Our humor. Our dynamic. So unique to us."

"I can't imagine this life without you. It just got a lot more darker and lonelier. I'm having a really hard time saying goodbye and accepting this grave reality."

Wood added, "I look forward to the moment we get to experience each other again. You will forever be in my heart. Connect to my soul, sister."

Los Angeles Chargers receiver Keenan Allen was also heartbroken over her sudden death ...  revealing Smith is the reason he met his wife.

"Damn man! Truly an angel," Allen said on his IG.

"Jacky introduced me to the wife I have today. Praying for your babies and DC! It’s all perfect timing even though we don’t understand. God is in."

Smith is survived by her three children.

Former "Wild 'N Out" star Jacky Oh! -- who's also DC Young Fly's longtime partner -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Sources tell us she died Wednesday in Miami. We don't have details yet about the cause of her death, but a since-deleted social media post claimed she was in Miami to undergo a "mommy makeover."

Jacky Oh!'s real name was Jacklyn Smith, and she and DC met in 2015 ... the same year he made his premiere on MTV's hit show "Wild 'N Out."

Jacky was already being featured as one of the show's "Wild 'N Out" girls at that point.

Jacky was no longer on 'WNO' ... she'd gone on to launch her own lip gloss line called the J Nova Collection.

Of course, DC is still one of the show's biggest stars, and we're told he was actually in Atlanta shooting new episodes when he got the tragic news about Jacky's death.

The "Wild 'N Out" social media page posted about Ms Jacky's death, writing, "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jacklyn Smith, known to the world as Jacky Oh, a talented Wild 'N Out family member whose impact will be forever treasured and missed. Jacky Oh was a loving friend and beloved colleague of the Wild 'N Out cast throughout five seasons."

They continue, "More importantly, she was a tremendous mother to three beautiful children. The BET Media Group extends our condolences to the Smith family, DC Young Fly, B Simone, Nick Cannon and all friends who loved and cared for Jacky Oh during this difficult time."

Although Jacky and DC never married, they remained a couple and had 3 children together -- daughters Nova and Nala, and their son Prince was just born last year.

Jacky was just 32.

Sergio Calderón, who starred in numerous films, including "Men In Black" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," has died.

Calderón passed away Thursday morning surrounded by his family after he was previously hospitalized with pneumonia, a rep told "ET." His cause of death has not been disclosed.

Calderón enjoyed a long career in Hollywood, collecting more than 50 film and TV credits dating back to the 1970s. Two of his most notable roles were as Captain Vallenueva in 'At World's End' (2007) and Jose — a.k.a. the "head on a stick" guy — in 'Men in Black' (1997).

He also landed parts in "The Missing" (2003), "The Ruins" (2008) and "Little Fockers" (2010). He retired in 2022 after performances in his last three projects: "The Seven Faces of Jane," "Better Things" and "The Resort."

Calderón was 77.

Milt Larsen, founder of the legendary Magic Castle, has died.

Family sources tell TMZ Milt passed away in his sleep Sunday night at his home in Hollywood with his close friends and family by his side.

Milt is known heavily in the world of magic -- forming the ever-popular Magic Castle ... a private club for magicians located in the heart of Hollywood, CA which is also home to the Academy of Magical Arts.

He and his brother Bill grew up together in a family of magicians, and worked together to promote the Castle and recruit members, opening the doors in 1963.

Milt also celebrated the 50th anniversary of his annual stage show, "It's Magic!" with a big bash at the then-Kodak Theater in 2006. He and Bill also were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Milt's family was named 1 of the 100 most influential magicians of the 20th century in 1999's "Magic" magazine.

Apart from magic, Milt also had a long writing career --  working with Richard M. Sherman of the Sherman Brothers for decades, writing several scores together for nightclub speakeasy revues, comedy albums, and musicals like "Pazzazz!"

He also was a writer for the Bob Barker TV show, "Truth or Consequences" ... as well as "Malibu U" and audience participation shows with the likes of Vin Scully and Jim Nabors.

Milt was 92.

The city Tina Turner once called home is planning to honor the music legend in a big way ... with a beautiful statue of her.

Bill Rawls Jr., mayor of Brownsville, TN, tells TMZ ... he wants to prominently display the work of art, and he's getting a ton of support from local leaders.

Mayor Rawls wants the piece placed in Brownsville's Heritage Park ... near Carver High School, which Tina attended. Tina was born in Brownsville and lived there during much her youth.

Brownsville's already home to the Tina Turner Museum, so it seems fitting to have the piece smack dab in the middle of her hometown.

He adds, "When Tina stepped on stage, she owned it. We want this statue to represent that passion. Tina was an inspiration to the entire world ... She showed the people of Brownsville no matter where you start, you own your story about where you end up."

Beyoncé says any fan of hers is a fan of Tina Turner ... so she had her concert crowd pay tribute to the late singer.

During her Friday tour stop in France, Beyoncé took a minute from her set to thank Tina for paving the way for her, then told the crowd to show their love to Tina.

Beyoncé told the packed house at her "Renaissance" world tour ... "I want you guys to just scream, so she can feel your love."

Naturally, the place went nuts.

Selena Gomez, Lenny Kravitz, Kris Jenner, and Natalie Portman were also in attendance.

As you know ... Tina died Wednesday at her home in Switzerland at age 83 and tributes have been pouring in from all over the globe.

Lizzo honored Tina onstage in Arizona ... getting emotional as she performed one of Tina's hits, "Proud Mary."

Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty, who wrote "Proud Mary," also paid homage to Tina at a concert in England.

Beyoncé's shared the stage with Tina before ... back in 2008, they performed together at the Grammys.

There has been a slew of tributes to the great Tina Turner in the last few days, but one that really landed was from the man who wrote the song that put the legend front and center for the world to see.

John Fogerty, the frontman for Creedence Clearwater Revival who penned and sang "Proud Mary" -- a big hit for the group in 1969 and a year later a monster hit for Tina -- paid homage to her at a concert in Manchester, England ... and the audience went crazy.

Fogerty and his son, who is on tour with him, sang "Proud Mary" to a packed venue.

As you know, the Creedence version was powerful and steady, while Tina's version was gripping and wild. It's one of her biggest hits and conventional wisdom is that it's the best performative song in Tina's enormous string of iconic hits.

It's pretty amazing ... when Tina was in her 50s, the backup singers/dancers 3 decades younger sometimes had trouble keeping up with her! She was incredible.

Tina Turner's undeniable impact on music, and beyond, is being felt all over the world ... with some of the biggest artists paying homage to the legendary singer -- some of them live onstage.

Lizzo stopped to give Tina her flowers, following her death ... getting emotional during a concert, as she performed "Proud Mary."

She told her fans "I would not exist without Tina Turner ... there would be no rock 'n' roll."

Coldplay also took time to pay respects during their show in Barcelona, saying ... "Thank you to Tina for being sweet, not just to us but to the whole world and making us so entertained." They also performed a version of "Proud Mary."

Meanwhile, Janet Jackson's concert featured a sing-along to Tina's hit, "What's Love Got to Do With It."

And, celebs didn't just honor the singer onstage.

Beyoncé, who is in the midst of her massive "Renaissance" tour, posted a note on her site, thanking the singer for paving the way.

Her mother, Tina Knowles, also shared the impact TT had on her daughter's life and career.

Mariah Carey and Mick Jagger shared similar sentiments ... calling Tina a huge inspiration for all.

And fans all over have been showing love and streaming her music like crazy, with her tunes seeing massive spikes, just hours after her death.

As we reported, Tina's team announced the 'Queen of Rock 'n' Roll' died Wednesday at the age of 83.

RIP

Tina Turner regretted not taking better care of her kidneys ... admitting two months before her death that her approach put her in "great danger."

The legendary singer opened up about her struggles with hypertension, high blood pressure, and kidney issues in a March 9 post on her Instagram page, talking about her health struggles for International World Kidney Day.

At the time, Tina admitted ... "My kidneys are victims of my not realizing that my high blood pressure should have been treated with conventional medicine. I have put myself in great danger by refusing to face the reality that I need daily, lifelong therapy with medication. For far too long I believed that my body was an untouchable and indestructible bastion."

Tina died Wednesday, 11 weeks after she talked about her kidney issues. The cause of death is unclear but she was reportedly battling a "long illness."

In addition to her IG post for International World Kidney Day, Tina also shared more about her health issues in a blog post for Show Your Kidneys Love.

There, Tina revealed she was diagnosed with hypertension way back in 1978 ... though she says she "didn't care much about it" and "didn't really try to control it."

She said she found out her kidneys had lost 35% of their function after her 2009 stroke.

Tina said she had to start dialysis to survive and admitted it was "depressing to be connected to a machine for hours." She said she was lucky to get a kidney transplant in 2017 from her second husband, Erwin Bach.

Tina Turner -- the iconic and adored singer known as "The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll" -- has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

A statement from Tina's reps reads, "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner. With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow."

They continue, "Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly."

As of right now, the cause of her death is unknown, though we do know she's had her health battles in the past -- including a stroke in 2013, intestinal cancer in 2016 and a kidney transplant in 2017.

Tina was born in Tennessee as Anna Mae Bullock and raised in the small town of Nutbush, but later moved to St. Louis ... where she frequented the nightclubs and first encountered Ike Turner in the late '50s.

After hearing her sing, Ike made her a featured vocalist in his band, and in 1960 she was introduced to the world as Tina Turner as the duo put out their hit, "A Fool in Love."

The 2 would go on to get married in 1962 and become a massively successful music act in the '60s and '70s with hit songs like "It's Gonna Work Out Fine," "River Deep - Mountain High," "Nutbush City Limits" and the legendary, Grammy-winning "Proud Mary."

However, the duo wouldn't last, and after disbanding in 1976 they divorced in 1978. Tina would reveal years later in her autobiography that she was a victim of domestic abuse.

Turner then launched one of the greatest music comebacks ever as a solo artist in the '80s, by first releasing the hit "Let's Stay Together" followed by the massive album "Private Dancer" ... which included tracks like "What's Love Got to Do" and "I Can't Stand The Rain."

Tina won 8 Grammy Awards over the course of her career, including Record of the Year for "What's Love Got to Do with It."

It was back in 2019 when a Broadway Musical honoring her life debuted with Tina in attendance ... of course, her fans went wild as she left the venue with a gigantic smile on her face.

RIP

Tina Turner's death sent shockwaves throughout the sports world ... with several legendary athletes paying tribute to the iconic singer.

Magic Johnson shared a few words shortly after the news broke ... praising her as a performer and sharing a throwback picture together.

"Rest in peace to one of my favorite artists of all time, the legendary queen of rock n' roll Tina Turner," Johnson tweeted. "I’ve seen her many many times and hands down, she gave one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen. She always gave you your moneys worth."

LeBron James and Lisa Leslie also mourned Turner's passing ... with Leslie calling her "a true icon." James added ... "Rest in Paradise Queen Tina!!!!"

Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith also paid homage to Turner ... sharing a snap of her with a pair of heart and prayer hands emojis.

WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair acknowledged Tina's legacy ... posting a picture of the legendary musician with the caption, "RIP."

Another WWE great, The Iron Sheik, shared his condolences, too ... writing, "Tina Turner I love you with all my heart. The song The Best is true for you. God bless you forever I love you."

Johnny Depp didn't leave London without paying tribute to his longtime pal and late guitarist, Jeff Beck ... performing on the same stage they did a year ago, all in his honor.

Johnny hit the stage Monday night at the Royal Albert Hall for a tribute concert for Beck, who died earlier this year. Depp was in the company of some rock legends for the show ... including Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Billy Gibbons, Joss Stone, Kirk Hammett and more.

The icon-heavy concert comes on the heels of some other big moments for Depp -- he was just celebrated at the Cannes Film Festival for his movie, "Jeanne du Barry" ... and he inked a $20 mil deal with Dior.

He was in rock star mode, though, in London ... rocking a pair of shades, a beret and a jacket with a photo of Beck on the back.

As we reported, Beck died at the age of 78 in January after contracting bacterial meningitis.

The show is the first of 2 tribute concerts, announced by Beck's wife Sandra and Eric Clapton back in March.

And, JD's performance was especially significant. Remember, Johnny and Jeff actually performed together at the exact same venue in May of last year.

You'll recall, they were touring together following Johnny's defamation trial against Amber Heard. In fact, Johnny wasn't in court for the verdict because he had a gig.

Ray Stevenson, known for his work in 'Thor' and the "Star Wars" franchise, has died.

Ray's publicist confirms the news to TMZ, telling us he died Sunday -- they say they have no further details surrounding his death at this time.

Ray first broke into the world of acting in 1993, appearing in various episodes of TV before landing a role in the 1998 flick, "The Theory of Flight" ... where he played a gigolo tasked with helping Helena Bonham Carter's character lose her virginity.

He went on to appear in a bunch of projects like "The Book of Eli," "Rome," "The Other Guys," and "Kill the Irishman" -- all before landing the role of Volstagg in Marvel's "Thor" in 2011, returning to the series in 2 sequels as the years went on.

"Star Wars" fans remember Ray lending his voice to the character Gar Saxon -- appearing in "Rebels" & "The Clone Wars." He's also playing a separate character in the upcoming "Ahsoka" series, premiering later this year.

Apart from that, Ray's been featured in "Divergent," 9 episodes of "Dexter," "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," "Black Sails," and "Crossing Lines." He also played Scott Buxton in the recent Indian hit, "RRR."

Ray was 58.