Celebrity Death

Sean Dawkins -- who played nine seasons in the NFL, most notably for the Indianapolis Colts -- died earlier this week. He was 52 years old.

Details surrounding his death have not been announced.

Dawkins -- a first-round pick in 1993 -- tallied 25 touchdowns across his professional career ... setting a career-high of seven in a season with the Seattle Seahawks in 1999.

Colts owner Jim Irsay paid tribute to Dawkins on Thursday, saying ... "Rest in peace, Sean Dawkins. I am shocked and saddened."

"My prayers and condolences to Sean’s family."

Irsay's Colts drafted Dawkins after a standout collegiate career at Cal.

As a Golden Bear, Dawkins was a consensus All-American in 1992 and was subsequently inducted into the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.

NBA great and current Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd -- who was a freshman on the Cal basketball team when Sean was tearing it up on the gridiron -- shared his grief following his fellow Golden Bear's death ... saying, "Heartbroken over the tragic loss of Sean Dawkins, a true legend of the @Cal Bear community."

"His remarkable talent brought joy to fans and inspired many. Our deepest condolences to his loved ones during this difficult time. Rest in peace, Sean. #ForeverACalBear #RIPSeanDawkins."

Sean was 52.

Social media personality Lil Tay is very much still alive -- claiming her Instagram account was compromised -- and used to spread "jarring misinformation" about her and her brother's death.

In a statement provided to TMZ from Tay's family, she tells TMZ, "I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I’m completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say. It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess."

She also says, "My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not "Claire Hope"."

Tay thanks Meta for helping to get her Instagram account back, and the phony death statement has been removed.

What's still unclear is why it took Tay 24 hours to get word out she's alive, especially because she says she was aware her account was hacked ... and was getting phone calls about her "death."

On Wednesday, TMZ contacted police in the Vancouver area as well as family members who were totally in the dark, and knew nothing of her passing. Now we know why.

Tay's fake death was announced Wednesday morning on her Instagram ... the statement said her "sudden and tragic passing" is an "unbearable loss," adding her family is in complete shock.

The statement also claimed her brother died, "Her brother's passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief."

Lil Tay got her fame as the "World's Youngest Flexer" that rapped and showed off a lavish lifestyle across social media. She's garnered 3.2 million followers on Instagram, but hadn't posted on the account since 2018.

You'll recall, Tay was caught in the middle of a nasty custody battle between her parents, Angela Tian and Christopher Hope -- one we were told had been going on in court since 2018, around the same time the influencer went radio silent online.

Johnny Hardwick, known for playing Dale Gribble on "King of the Hill," has died.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ they were called to Hardwick's Texas home Tuesday for a welfare check and discovered his body. We're told Hardwick was pronounced dead at the scene ... and no foul play is suspected. We don't yet know the cause of death.

Johnny started performing stand-up comedy in 1990 in Texas, eventually landing his first stand-up appearance on "The Jon Stewart Show" a few years later.

Most remember Johnny from his work on the long-running animated sitcom, "King of the Hill" ... playing Dale, the conspiracy theory-obsessed friend of the show's lead, Hank Hill.

Dale took on just about every job imaginable -- tackling gigs like exterminator, camp counselor, bounty hunter, and, of course, propane salesman.

Johnny lent his voice to a whopping 258 episodes of the series. FYI, "King of the Hill" aired 259 episodes in total.

Johnny was with the show from the beginning, portraying Dale on the first episode that aired in January 1997 ... and stuck with the series until its final episode in 2010. He was also listed as returning for a revival of the show, although it's unclear if he ever recorded for it.

Apart from the show, Johnny would cover songs on his YouTube channel ... donning his character's signature orange hat and shades, performing just like Dale would on the show -- and making references to the character's "pocket sand" attack move.

Johnny was 64.

RIP

Zendaya still has her late "Euphoria" costar Angus Cloud on her mind ... sharing a photo of the mural his friends painted in his honor.

The actress posted a photo of the Oakland mural on social media Wednesday ... and her IG story also featured what appears to be another nod to Angus.

Zendaya is seemingly referencing Angus' death with another post showing a street sign painted to read "NO LOVE FADES" ... it's posted on her story before the Oakland mural honoring Angus, and it appears to be from a nearby location.

While it's unclear if Zendaya visited the mural or his Oakland stomping grounds in person, the painting has become a central gathering place for folks wanting to pay their respects to Angus.

TMZ broke the story ... some of Angus' friends in Oakland came together in the wake of his death to paint the mural, and it's since been the site of a candlelight vigil.

As we first reported ... Angus died last Monday at his family's home in Oakland, CA, where his mom called 911 to report a potential overdose.

In a heartfelt IG post the day after Angus' death, Zendaya said she would cherish every moment they shared.

Robbie Robertson, songwriter and lead guitarist for legendary rock group The Band, is dead ... TMZ has confirmed.

Sources close to Robbie tell us he died Wednesday in Los Angeles after battling prostate cancer for about a year. We're told he'd been doing ok, recently, but on Tuesday he told his wife he wasn't feeling well, and she took him to a hospital.

We're told his wife got a call from the hospital in the early hours of Wednesday informing her Robbie had passed.

Robbie's group first formed in Canada in the late '50s as The Hawks -- including the late Levon Helm and Rick Danko -- but they gained wide notoriety when they backed Bob Dylan on his 1966 tour ... and after that launched their own career as The Band.

Robbie wrote some of The Band's most iconic hits like "The Weight," and "Up On Cripple Creek."

He also had a solo career that included the 1987 hit song, "Somewhere Down the Crazy River."

The Band was the subject of Martin Scorsese's classic 1978 film, "The Last Waltz" ... documenting their final show. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Robbie was 80.

Sinéad O'Connor is being laid to rest in Ireland, and droves of fans are flocking to the streets to say their final goodbyes during the funeral procession through her hometown.

Sinéad's coffin was driven Tuesday through the town of Bray, just outside of Dublin, and it looks like thousands of her adoring fans turned out to honor her ... tossing flowers onto the hearse as it slowly rolled past.

Mourners applauded the late singer as Bob Marley's "Natural Mystic" blared from a vehicle driving just ahead of the hearse.

The procession stopped in front of Sinéad's former home for a few minutes before continuing to her burial site.

Some of Sinéad's fellow music legends attended the funeral ... including U2's Bono, Edge, and Adam Clayton, as did The Boomtown Rats' Bob Geldof and Ireland's President Michael D. Higgins.

As we reported, Sinéad was found dead inside her London home last month, and her unexpected passing shook the world.

Artists around the world performed touching tributes, including a rendition of her hit, "Nothing Compares 2 U," from Pink and Brandi Carlile.

Sandra Bullock is getting major props for taking good care of her longtime boyfriend, Bryan Randall, as he battled ALS to the very end.

Sandra's sister, Gesine Bullock-Prado, posted an emotional message on Instagram, praising the actress for being there during Bryan's private, 3-year battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis -- a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

Gesine started off by saying she's convinced Bryan is already casting his lure at the best fishing spot in heaven, teaming with salmon.

She then addressed Bryan's ALS fight, pointing out it's a "cruel disease," but "there is some comfort in knowing he had the best of caretakers in my amazing sister (Sandra) and the band of nurses she assembled who helped her look after him in their home."

Bryan died Saturday at 57. His family announced his passing Monday, thanking all the doctors who treated Bryan's health issues.

The model-turned-shutterbug first crossed paths with Sandra in 2015 when she hired him to photograph her son Louis' birthday party. The two soon began dating and came out as a couple later that year.

DJ Casper, the creator of the internationally famous "Cha Cha Slide," has died after a battle with cancer.

The artist passed away Monday, according to his family. He'd been diagnosed with liver and kidney cancer in 2016 -- something spotlighted in a Chicago interview that chronicled his health challenges, as well as his contribution to music.

Casper is most famous for his catchy dance song, which he first cooked up in the studio back in 1998, and which he tweaked and re-released in 2000. The "Cha Cha Slide" has gone on to become a go-to favorite and staple at weddings and parties all over the world.

The making of the track is well-chronicled ... DJ Casper said he first made it with the intention of it being used for his nephew's aerobics class, but upon seeing how well-received it was -- and how much play it got in local fitness clubs -- he thought it had potential as a single, and made a second version for wide release.

The track got some radio play in Chicago and then blew up in the years to come. The infectious line dance, similar to the 'Electric Slide', literally gives you step-by-step instructions throughout the dance ... which is partly what's made it such a party staple.

Millions have danced to it over the years -- in addition to your cousin's wedding, the song's also been featured in tons of movies and TV shows ... like "SNL."

"Cha Cha Slide" had done well on several worldwide music charts, and is certified platinum in the UK. It's easily DJ Casper's main claim to fame.

Casper was 58.

RIP ... and cha cha real smooth.

Sandra Bullock's boyfriend, Bryan Randall, has died, after a private battle with ALS ... TMZ has confirmed.

Bryan's family tells us, "It is with great sadness that we share that on August 5th Bryan Randall passed away peacefully after a 3 year battle with ALS."

They say Bryan decided to keep his struggle with ALS a private matter, adding, "Those of us who cared for him did our best to honor his request."

They add, "We are immensely grateful to the tireless doctors who navigated the landscape of this illness with us and to the astounding nurses who became our roommates, often sacrificing their own families to be with ours."

People was first to report the news.

Sandra and Bryan first met back in 2015 when he photographed a birthday party for her son, Louis -- they went public later that year. Despite keeping things between them mostly under wraps, she called him the "love of my life" in 2021 during her time on "Red Table Talk."

She even said at the time that they shared her 2 kids together -- 13-year-old Louis and 10-year-old Laila, both of whom she adopted.

There were reports that the couple was on the rocks and were allegedly living separately last year ... although his battle with ALS could've contributed to living apart.

Bryan was 57.

William Friedkin, the famed filmmaker who directed "The Exorcist," has died.

The news was confirmed Monday by his wife, Sherry Lansing, who says he passed in L.A. -- but the exact details of his death have yet to be revealed. It's a big hit to the film community -- as Friedkin was an influential force behind some of the 20th century's most iconic movies.

While he might best be remembered for his work on the 1973 horror flick -- which, by all accounts, changed the genre forever -- WF had several other notable credits to his name ... including the Oscar-winning "French Connection," which he also directed.

Other films he helmed included ... "The Brink's Job," "Sorcerer," "Cruising," "To Live and Die in L.A.," "Rampage," "Deal of the Century," "The Guardian," "Blue Chips," "12 Angry Men," "Rules of Engagement," "The Hunted," "Killer Joe" and lots of others.

He also directed a handful of episodes for memorable TV shows ... like "Tales from the Crypt," "The Twilight Zone," "Rebel Highway," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "CSI" and more.

Friedkin was a diverse director ... dabbling in all types of flicks, from horror to drama, and even comedy. While some of his work is more well-known than others, he was respected in all regards -- and certainly carved out his own corner in pop culture.

The last time we saw him, he was out here in L.A. signing autographs and talking "Get Out."

Friedkin was 87.

RIP

Cops are investigating the connection between Pop Smoke's murder and a dead body found in a barrel on the beach in Malibu ... TMZ has learned.

The barrel, containing the naked body of Javonnta Murphy, washed ashore July 31. We've learned Javonnta is the brother of Jaquan Murphy ... one of the 5 people arrested in the wake of Pop Smoke's murder in 2020.

Jaquan was first charged with attempted murder for Pop Smoke's death, but later cleared. He is, however, currently awaiting trial for an unrelated murder in L.A. County.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... L.A. County Sheriff's Department's investigators are currently looking into the possibility Javonnta's murder was a retaliation killing for Pop's murder. Of course, it's not their only theory, but definitely one they're digging into.

Paul Reubens was a busy man before his sudden passing this week -- as he privately battled cancer, the guy was hard at work almost right to the end ... and there'll be something to show for it in the near future.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the 'Pee-wee Herman' star had been actively involved in various different film/TV projects in the final months of his life, including an upcoming HBO documentary (focused on his titular character) that was announced in 2021.

The doc is being helmed by the Safdie brothers, and we're told producers were able to get all of the interviews and insights from Paul himself before he died Monday.

Our sources say Paul had good and bad days toward the end, but when he was feeling up to it ... he was able to get quite a bit done ... spending upwards of 40 hours on interviews he did for the HBO doc. Between that and other interviews from over 25 different friends/collaborators, our sources say the 'Pee-wee' doc has over 1,000 hours of footage.

In addition to this documentary ... we're told Paul was working on his memoir ... a first draft of which Paul completed prior to his death. So, yes ... we'll get to hear his story from his POV somewhere down the line.

Angus Cloud's death was viewed as a possible overdose by cops -- and we've heard rumblings he may have even taken his own life ... but his mom's denying that last part.

The "Euphoria" actor's mother, Lisa Cloud, took to Facebook to pen an emotional message, writing ... "Friends, I want you all to know I appreciate your love for my family at this shattered time. I also want you to know that although my son was in deep grief about his father's untimely death from mesothelioma, his last day was a joyful one."

She goes on to describe was Angus was doing that day, saying he was reorganizing his room and placing items around the house ... which she believes meant he had an intention to be around for a while. Lisa also says he'd been talking about wanting to help family members with college, among other signs that -- in her eyes -- point to him not being suicidal.

Then, Lisa says this point blank ... "I don't know if or what he may have put in his body after that. I only know that he put his head on the desk where he was working on art project's, fell asleep and didn't wake up. We may find out that he overdosed accidentally and tragically, but it's abundantly clear that he did not intend to check out of this world."

She adds, "Social media posts have suggested his death was intentional. I want you to know that is not the case. To honor his memory, please make random acts of kindness part of your daily life."

It's interesting that she's batting down any notion of suicide. Not only did a family statement released at the time suggest he died by suicide ... but sources familiar with the situation have further assured us that Angus was, indeed, having suicidal thoughts of late.

Unclear if there's more evidence to indicate he may have taken his life -- like a note, for example. In any case, his mother's backing that he was in high spirits -- which we've seen ourselves -- in his final days ... despite having a hard time dealing with his father's death.

BTW, Lisa appears to have been on the scene in Oakland when Angus was found ... first responders cited her as being the one who called 911 that fateful Monday morning.

He was 25.

It's becoming more clear why the death of Angus Cloud's father hit the actor so fast and hard ... his dad was suffering from stage 4 cancer leading up to the actor's own death.

The late "Euphoria" star's dad, Conor Hickey, died from fluid buildup around his lungs and heart, with stage 4 cancer in those same organs ... this according to his death certificate.

The doc, obtained by TMZ, shows Angus' dad had stage 4 mesothelioma ... which may explain why his sudden passing hit Angus like a ton of bricks.

TMZ broke the story ... Angus' family says he struggled in the wake of his dad's very quick cancer battle, laying his father to rest in Ireland a week before he died in the family's Oakland home.

The circumstances of his dad's death could explain how serious things were for Angus mentally ... and it brings some insight into his final days.

Remember ... a source close to the family told us Angus had been struggling with thoughts of suicide since returning home from his dad's funeral ... and he was staying in the family home as he tried to work through the grief of losing his father.

As we first reported ... Angus' mom called 911 about a "possible overdose," claiming her son didn't have a pulse.

Since Angus' death, a mural went up down the street from his home ... and a candlelight vigil was held at the same spot, which has become the central gathering place for people wanting to pay their respects.

Lisa Marie Presley's oldest daughter, Riley Keough, is now the one and only in charge of her mother's estate ... this after settling with her grandmother, Priscilla Presley.

An L.A. County Superior Court judge signed off Friday, so Priscilla is officially out of the picture.

Riley is now a substantial owner of the Elvis Presley Graceland Estate, but according to the settlement, Priscilla will be allowed to use it as her final resting place. TMZ broke the story, during negotiations between Priscilla and Riley, Priscilla wanted to be buried right next to Elvis, which would have displaced Elvis' mom and dad. Remember, Priscilla was divorced from Elvis at the time of his death.

As we reported, Riley paid Priscilla millions to back off from challenging who administers Lisa Marie's trust ... a trust which benefits Riley, along with Lisa Marie's twins, 14-year-olds Harper and Finley.

Betty White's former L.A. home -- where she lived for decades -- has been wiped off the map ... and now a massive new building is rising up in its place, totally changing the lot.

The late actress had a relatively modest Brentwood property -- modest for A-list celebs, at least -- but the new mansion being built on the same piece of land is a big departure from Betty's style ... as seen in photos of the new construction.

From above, the new home is starting to take shape ... there's a main house rising way above the other structures, and the early stages of a new pool and spa are coming along too.

Remember ... the new owners, a dentist and his wife, filed for a permit to bulldoze Betty's old house back in November ... and by April, her old home was practically gone.

Now, there's literally no trace of Betty's roughly 3,000-square-foot home ... which once had 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms and a pool.

Betty first moved to this Brentwood address way back in the '60s, right before her Hollywood career took off ... and she lived there until her death on New Year's Eve 2021. Along the way, her home became a staple of celebrity sightseeing for tourists.