celebrities Celebrities Whose Close Friends Unexpectedly Died  

The death of a close friend is a terrible loss, particularly when it happens seemingly out of the blue. When such a tragedy befalls a celebrity, their private grief often becomes a public affair. Sadly, many famous actors and musicians have lost loved ones due to unexpected circumstances like illnesses, overdoses, and accidents. Many of these stars have spoken candidly about their heartache, and still pay tribute to their fallen friends to this day.

This list includes pop star Miley Cyrus, whose childhood friend, Vanessa, died of cystic fibrosis in 2007. Cyrus honors her memory with a tattoo on her ribcage which reads, "Just Breathe." After Paul Walker passed away following a deadly car accident in 2013, Vin Diesel made several touching tributes to his friend. Perhaps the most heartwarming memorial was naming his daughter, Pauline, in honor of his Fast & Furious co-star. Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger became close friends on the set of the Oscar-winning film, Brokeback Mountain. Gyllenhaal is even the godfather of Ledger's daughter, Matilda. Ledger died of a drug overdose in 2008.