10 Celebrity Death Hoaxes: From The Rock To Julia Roberts To Michael Jordan
As information spreads quickly in this age of the internet, it has become easier for disinformation peddlers to spread fake news, such as celebrity death hoaxes.
Here are 10 celebrities who have fallen victim to fake death stories online:
1. Dwayne Johnson
In 2014, rumors spread that The Rock passed away while filming a dangerous stunt in New Zealand for the then-upcoming "Fast and Furious 7."
In 2020, Johnson became a victim of a death hoax again. Viral posts claimed that the action star allegedly died by suicide.
The "Black Adam" star is alive and well as of press time. Just recently, he appeared in an interview with Fox News.
2. Julia Roberts
The "Pretty Woman" actress became a victim of a death hoax in 2022. Fake posts captioned, "Stop breathing, we have extremely sad news about actress Julia Roberts. She has been confirmed as..." circulated on Facebook.
The posts, which showed composite images of Roberts and a casket, were allegedly shared to infect users' devices with malware.
The actress is alive and well as of February 2024. She just posted a sweet birthday greeting for her husband, Daniel Moder, on Instagram Wednesday.
3. Michael Jordan
In 2015, Cronica MX published a fake article and a video reporting that the former NBA superstar had passed away due to a heart attack at age 52, per Snopes.
"This morning, the ex-basketball player and also icon of world sports, Michael Jordan, was found dead while in his sleep in his residence in North Caroline... Minutes after the paramedics arrived, they confirmed the death of the athlete due to a heart attack," the false report read.
Jordan is still alive and well at age 60.
4. Demi Lovato
In July 2018, a death hoax about Demi Lovato surfaced on social media after TMZ reported that the singer-songwriter was hospitalized for suffering an overdose.
The "Heart Attack" singer is still alive and well. On Wednesday, she rocked a custom Nicole + Felicia Couture gown at the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection Concert in New York City.
5. Simon Cowell
In August 2023, a digitally altered photo of Simon Cowell lying in bed went viral, prompting people to believe that he had died, per Page Six.
Shortly after the fake news spread, the popular talent show judge took to Instagram to post a video congratulating One Direction for a streaming milestone, showing that he was not dead.
As of press time, Simon is still well and alive. He continues to appear as a judge on "Britain's Got Talent" and "America's Got Talent."
6. Bruce Willis
Like Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis was a victim of a death hoax designed to install malware on a user's device.
In November 2022, a Facebook post that circulated online said, "We announce the very sad news of talented actor Bruce Willis, along with a tearful farewell."
Last month, reports saying the actor had died on the way to the hospital surfaced online.
While the actor is currently suffering from dementia, he is still alive.
"I think, given the givens, he's doing very well," his ex-wife, Demi Moore, said during her recent appearance on "Good Morning America."
7. Denzel Washington
In January 2016, a false report claiming that Washington got killed in a drive-by shooting in New York spread online. The story came from a fake news website designed to fool readers by imitating the legitimate Houston Chronicle newspaper.
The actor-film producer was targeted by a death hoax again in November 2023, per The U.S. Sun.
Denzel is already 69 years old and still doing well.
8. Eddie Murphy
The "Norbit" actor-comedian got caught up in death hoaxes several times. Previous fake reports claimed that he died in a snowboarding accident while in Switzerland or that he died in a car crash in California.
Eddie Murphy, who is now 62 years old, is still alive. He even has a new movie called "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F."
9. Sylvester Stallone
The "Rocky Balboa" star is also a frequent target of death hoaxes. In 2016, Stallone became a victim of a sick death hoax. Two years later, in 2018, pranksters mocked up fake pictures showing the actor in his alleged "final days," per BBC.
The multi-awarded actor is still alive and well at 77. He just posted a trailer for "The Family Stallone," which will premiere on Feb. 21 on Paramount+.
10. Henry Winkler
In February 2019, the "Happy Days" actor was killed by a death hoax claiming that he died in his home. Contrary to the false report, the then 73-year-old actor was alive and doing well based on his social media posts.
As of late, Winkler is still as active on social media. He just reposted a video of singer Benicio Bryant on X.
