His cause of death was ruled as excited delirium, ‘the toxic effects of cocaine’, and an enlarged heart. In 2007, production began on the second Christopher Nolan-led “Batman” film, with Ledger cast to play the caped crusader’s most infamous nemesis, the Joker. Many fans of the franchise were livid that the star of teen dramas and rom-coms was playing the iconic Batman villain. But once the movie was released, Ledger’s take on the character immediately became the definitive version, the Joker all other live-action Jokers were measured up against. It was an Oscar-winning performance, but Ledger didn’t live to see the acclaim. Best known to audiences for his decade-long stint at Chandler Bing on “Friends” beginning in 1994, Matthew Perry first broke into acting on the small screen years earlier.

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Philip Seymour Hoffman was an Oscar-winning actor who died of a drug overdose at the age of 46. In 2014, the actor was found in his apartment in New York City with a needle in his arm. Hopefully, Mac Miller’s death served as a warning to recreational users regarding illicit prescription drugs from untrusted sources.

Celebrities That Died From Drug Overdose

Parade Magazine once called “The Wizard of Oz” the “World’s Favorite Movie,” and there are good reasons why. After a string of musical hits, she achieved more recognition when she led “A Star Is Born,” for which she was nominated for an Academy Award. Years after leaving “That ’70s Show,” Kelly admitted that her struggle with alcohol had contributed to her departure. During an interview years later, Kelly said she’d turned to alcohol after losing a baby in a miscarriage but was working to turn her life around. Kelly was arrested in 2012 on a felony charge of corporal injury upon a spouse, but the district attorney didn’t press charges. She was arrested again a few months later and charged with assault alongside her husband.

Famous People and Celebrities With Depression

Michael Jackson‘s alcohol rehab death was attributed to acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication, and his doctor was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for administering the drugs that led to his death. Janis Joplin, one of the greatest and most gifted singer-songwriters of the 1960s, suffered from substance abuse problems throughout her life. On October 4, 1970, the legendary rock star Janis Joplin was found dead in her Hollywood hotel room of an apparent heroin overdose combined with alcohol. River Phoenix struggled with cocaine and heroin use before his untimely demise. During the filming of Dark Blood in Utah and New Mexico, he apparently stayed sober for two months.

• Receiving drugs like phenacetin, codeine, and Valium, he would sometimes inject them intravenously, resulting in the kidney damage that took his life.
• At the age of 48, Whitney died from an overdose of cocaine, combined with a toxic amount of alcohol in her system.
• According to Us Weekly, Aston Moore was 26 when she reportedly died of an accidental heroin overdose.

• Such combinations can provoke unpredictable and sometimes fatal reactions, leading to preventable deaths under certain circumstances.
• He checked out in 1994 at 27 with a self-inflicted gunshot and a system full of heroin.
• Detox – Our on-site detox clinic accommodates and supports clients as the body sheds all residual traces of addictive substances.

Education is the key—not only teaching youth about celebrities who died from drugs the health dangers of specific drugs but also teaching about the disease of addiction. Finally, treatment programs should address general wellness and factors leading to addiction, including poverty, lack of education, impaired mental health, and abuse. The Australian actor, remember by his acting role as The Joker in Batman Returns, died from a prescription drug overdose in 2008 at age 28. He died from a combined drug intoxication of oxycodone, hydrocodone, alprazolam, diazepam, temazepam, and doxylamine. While it’s believed that’s accidental, some others believe he committed suicide.

Donny Hathaway’s Soul Music Contributions

Chris Farley, who was known for his loud, energetic comedy and big lifestyle, is next on our list of celebrities who overdosed. The tabloids couldn’t get enough of Anna Nicole Smith’s wild ride from small-town stripper to Playboy centerfold and reality TV train wreck. Her whole life seemed like some crazy American fairy tale gone off the rails.