17 Stars Who Kept Their Health Diagnoses Private Until Their Deaths

Caroline BlairTue, November 3, 2026 at 11:32 AM UTC

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Patrick Stewart in 2024; Chadwick Boseman in 2018; Aretha Franklin in 2015.Credit: Stefanie Keenan/Getty; Neilson Barnard/Getty; Michael Stewart/WireImage

While some stars chose to be advocates for their health conditions before their deaths, others opted to keep their medical journeys private.

Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart had privately struggled with Alzheimer’s and dementia before his death on Oct. 28, 2026 and never shared his diagnosis publicly.

Dolly Parton also chose not to publicly disclose her cancer diagnosis before her August 2026 death, though told PEOPLE just days earlier about recent “hard times with her health.”

“I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” she explained, referring to her late husband, Carl Thomas Dean, who died in March 2025.

Here are 17 stars who kept their health diagnoses private before their deaths.

01 of 17

Patrick Stewart

Patrick Stewart attends the 37th Annual American Cinematheque Awards.Credit: Frazer Harrison/WireImage

Patrick Stewart, who was best known for his roles in the Star Trek and X-Men franchises, died on Oct. 28, 2026. He was 86.

Stewart was last seen in public two years before his death and chose to keep his health journey private during the final years of his life. Following his death, his representative later shared he died after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

“We announce with great sorrow the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday at his home in Los Angeles, in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia,” Stewart’s longtime spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak, said in a statement.

02 of 17

Susan Saint James

Susan Saint James attends SNL50: The Anniversary Special on February 16, 2025.Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Susan Saint James was privately diagnosed with pancreatic cancer before she died on Oct. 26, 2026. She was 80.

The McMillan & Wife actress did not publicly disclose her pancreatic cancer diagnosis during her lifetime. Saint James was “generous with her time and energy, which she valued more than money, and instinctively drawn to whoever needed lifting up,” her family shared in a statement to PEOPLE.

“She never met a stranger,” they continued. “Every person she met became the most important person in the room at that moment, from a fellow board member to the clerk at the shoe store, who usually walked away knowing her entire life story.”

03 of 17

Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton attends “Dolly: An Original Musical” press conference on January 28, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee.Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty

The Queen of Country, Dolly Parton, died following a “brief battle with cancer” on Aug. 25, 2026. She was 80.

“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand,” her reps wrote in a statement at the time.

While Parton hadn’t publicly disclosed her cancer diagnosis prior to her death, she was previously open about some of the “health challenges” she was facing and a “few procedures” she had undergone — including recovering from a kidney stone infection and kidney and autoimmune issues.

After Parton’s death, her niece Jada Star told Extra why Parton chose to keep her cancer journey “real private.”

“She never wanted to worry anybody. So I think it was just a shock,” Star explained.

04 of 17

Catherine O’Hara

Catherine O’Hara attends the TIFF Tribute Awards during the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Catherine O’Hara died “after a brief illness” on Jan. 30, 2026, her rep told PEOPLE at the time, but her rectal cancer diagnosis wasn’t shared until later. She was 71.

In February, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health determined O’Hara died after suffering from a pulmonary embolism. Rectal cancer was listed as the underlying cause of the embolism.

The Schitt’s Creek actress never publicly shared her cancer diagnosis.

05 of 17

Jimmy Buffett

Jimmy Buffett attends the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.Credit: Lionel Hahn/Getty

Although Jimmy Buffett acknowledged some health challenges in the later years of his life, he chose to keep his cancer diagnosis private.

The “Margaritaville” singer was diagnosed with Merkel cell skin cancer, an aggressive skin cancer, in 2019, but he didn’t publicly share his diagnosis until after his death on Sept. 1, 2023. He was 76.

Despite the cancer diagnosis, Buffett continued performing up until two months before his death.

“Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” a statement on his website read. “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”

06 of 17

Kirstie Alley

Kirstie Alley attends the Hollywood Premiere Of “The Fanatic” on August 22, 2019.Credit: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Kirstie Alley had been diagnosed with colon cancer shortly before she died on Dec. 5, 2022. She was 71.

The Cheers actress’s two children confirmed their “incredible, fierce and loving mother” had “only recently discovered” the cancer. They shared that Alley had been quietly receiving treatment at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla.

“She was surrounded by her closest family and fought with great strength, leaving us with a certainty of her never-ending joy of living and whatever adventures lie ahead. As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother,” they said in their statement.

07 of 17

Virgil Abloh

Virgil Abloh during Paris Fashion Week on June 21, 2019.Credit: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty

Virgil Abloh, who created luxury streetwear brand Off-White, died following a private two-year journey with cancer on Nov. 28, 2021. He was 41.

“For over two years, Virgil valiantly battled a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma,” his family wrote in a statement on Instagram at the time. “He chose to endure his battle privately since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while helming several significant institutions that span fashion, art, and culture.”

The family continued, “Through it all, his work ethic, infinite curiosity, and optimism never wavered. Virgil was driven by his dedication to his craft and to his mission to open doors for others and create pathways for greater equality in art and design.”

Abloh’s wife, Shannon Abloh, later told The New York Times that even though she and a few others “knew the challenge of what he was fighting, it went a lot faster than we thought it was going to.”

08 of 17

Norm Macdonald

Norm Macdonald on The View.Credit: Paula Lobo/ABc via Getty

Norm Macdonald was privately treating his cancer diagnosis for nearly a decade.

The Saturday Night Live alum was diagnosed with leukemia nine years before he died on Sept. 14, 2021. He was 61.

Macdonald’s brother, Neil, later told CBC News that the actor purposely chose not to disclose his diagnosis publicly.

“He kept it quiet because he didn’t want it to affect his comedy,” Neil explained. “He didn’t want it to affect the way he was perceived … He wanted to carry on. He took great pains to conceal it from everybody but family. Cancer’s a roller-coaster. We hoped that he would live longer than he did, but it took a turn for the worst last month, and he went into hospital and never came out.”

09 of 17

Helen McCrory

Helen McCrory at the Virgin TV BAFTA Television Awards.Credit: Jeff Spicer/Getty

Helen McCrory was 52 years old when she died following a “heroic battle with cancer” on April 16, 2021, her husband, Damian Lewis, announced. She was 52.

The Harry Potter actress hadn’t previously disclosed her diagnosis.

“I’m heartbroken to announce that after a heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family,” Lewis said at the time.

“She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives,” he continued. “She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you

McCrory’s friend Carrie Cracknell later said in a radio interview, per The Guardian, that she “swore friends to secrecy” as she sought treatment.

“Helen wanted to be very private about her illness and I understand why,” Cracknell said. “When you live in the public spotlight you have to find space to protect the things that are just for you. Very, very few people knew.”

10 of 17

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Chadwick Boseman

Chadwick Boseman attends the European Premiere of “Black Panther” on February 8, 2018.Credit: Gareth Cattermole/Getty

Chadwick Boseman’s death at 43 years old stunned both the public and some of his colleagues.

The Black Panther actor was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016 but kept his illness private until he died on Aug. 28, 2020.

“Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV,” his family wrote on social media in August 2020.

Boseman’s agent Michael Greene later told The Hollywood Reporter that his client kept his four-year journey with cancer quiet, because his mom “always taught him not to have people fuss over him.”

His wife, Simone Ledward Boseman, later shared that she helped care for him during his illness.

Although he kept his cancer journey private from most, Chadwick had Simone by his side as she helped care for him during his illness. In April 2024, she spoke about the importance of caregiving and the grief that followed at Dana-Farber’s Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center’s Fifth Annual Patient and Family Forum in Boston.

“No way was I going to leave him to fight this thing on his own,” she said during her speech. “We do our best. I see you. I’m really proud of you.”

11 of 17

Kelly Preston

Kelly Preston during the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival in 2018.Credit: Venturelli/WireImage

Kelly Preston was diagnosed with breast cancer two years before her death on July 12, 2020. She was 57.

“On the morning of July 12, 2020, Kelly Preston, adored wife and mother, passed away following a two-year battle with breast cancer,” a family representative told PEOPLE at the time.

The statement continued, “Choosing to keep her fight private, she had been undergoing medical treatment for some time, supported by her closest family and friends. She was a bright, beautiful and loving soul who cared deeply about others and who brought life to everything she touched.”

The Jerry Maguire actress privately treated her illness, which her husband, John Travolta, later described as fighting a “courageous fight with the love and support of so many.”

12 of 17

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin performs onstage during the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival.Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty

Aretha Franklin was another beloved entertainer who maintained a private health life.

The Queen of Soul died of pancreatic cancer on Aug. 16, 2018. She was 76.

Prior to her death, Franklin purposely didn’t comment on her health and only told PEOPLE in 2011 that she had “not minor” surgery.

“I read the rumors, and they were just ridiculous. I feel fabulous,” she said, while adding that medical issues “are very personal.”

However, after her death was confirmed as a result of advanced pancreatic cancer, her family confirmed the singer had been diagnosed with the illness.

“She has been ill for a long time,” a friend told PEOPLE in 2018. “She did not want people to know and she didn’t make it public.

13 of 17

Gene Wilder

Gene Wilder at 14th Annual Art Directors Guild Awards.Credit: Mathew Imaging/WireImage

Gene Wilder made the decision to keep his health struggles out of the public eye in the final years of his life.

The Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory actor was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease three years prior to his death on Aug. 29, 2016. He was 83.

Wilder’s nephew, Jordan Walker-Pearlman, later told PEOPLE that his uncle “was living an idyllic life” in Connecticut and California and enjoyed playing tennis and painting with his wife. He added that Wilder’s “diagnosis was slow in coming but the symptoms were not.”

“The choice to keep this private was his choice, in talking with us and making a decision as a family,” Wilder’s family said in a statement at the time.

The statement continued: “The decision to wait until this time to disclose his condition wasn’t vanity, but more so that the countless young children that would smile or call out to him ‘there’s Willy Wonka,’ would not have to be then exposed to an adult referencing illness or trouble and causing delight to travel to worry, disappointment or confusion. He simply couldn’t bear the idea of one less smile in the world.”

14 of 17

Alan Rickman

Alan Rickman attends a London screening of “A Little Chaos” on October 17, 2014.Credit: Mike Marsland/WireImage

Alan Rickman was “surrounded by family and friends” when he died on Jan. 14, 2016, his family told PEOPLE in a statement at the time. He was 69.

After his death, his family shared that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

A decade after Rickman’s death, his wife, Rima Horton, remembered her husband while advocating for funding for Pancreatic Cancer UK.

“He had so much more to give. There were so many more things he could have done,” she shared on BBC Breakfast in January 2026, while adding that Rickman extended his life expectancy to six months through chemotherapy, but it “didn’t cure it.”

“The biggest problem is that by the time that people find out they’ve got it, it’s too late,” Horton said of the disease. “The symptoms are so difficult to work out. What we’re trying to do is raise money for a breathalyzer test which could provide an early diagnosis.”

15 of 17

David Bowie

David Bowie speaks onstage while accepting the Webby Lifetime Achievement award at the 11th Annual Webby Awards at Chipriani Wall Street on June 5, 2007 in New York City.Credit: Bryan Bedder/Getty

David Bowie was a legendary musician who died on Jan. 10, 2016.

The British rockstar, who released his final album Blackstar just two days before his death, died following a private, 18-month journey with cancer.

“David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer,” a statement on his official Facebook page announced at the time. “While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”

It was later revealed that Bowie had only told his innermost circle that his diagnosis was terminal a few months before his death.

“Nobody knew.. Nobody even suggested there was anything,” Robert Fox, a friend of Bowie’s for more than 40 years, told The Telegraph in 2016. “And then we woke up on Monday morning and it was on the news. I think that’s the way he wanted it to be.”

Fox continued, “He wanted the minimum of fuss. He was just a private man. And I think he wanted to protect his family from the insanity there would have been. It would have impinged on [his work], his family — everyone would have been inundated at a time when he didn’t need that or want that.”

16 of 17

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs speaks during an Apple special event on April 8, 2010 in Cupertino, California.Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty

Steve Jobs became a household name when he founded Apple.

However, while he was publicly acting as the company’s CEO and visionary, Jobs was privately seeking treatment for pancreatic cancer. Jobs was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2004 after doctors found a tumor.

Although he was given a few months to live, he lived for seven years until his death on Oct. 5, 2011. He was 56.

Before his death, Jobs largely kept his health status private and remained the CEO until August 2011.

17 of 17

Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury performing live on stage.Credit: Fin Costello/Redferns

Freddie Mercury was known for his larger-than-life presence on stage, but he was privately dealing with his HIV and later AIDS diagnosis.

The Queen lead singer died on Nov. 24, 1991, at 45 years old.

Mercury, whose real name was Farrokh Bulsara, was diagnosed with HIV in 1987 and later AIDS several years before he died, but he only shared his illness with his inner circle and publicly denied being sick. His longtime assistant, Peter Freestone, later wrote in a blog post that Mercury learned of his illness when he went in for a biopsy of a mark on his hand.

“He obviously was in a lot of pain and discomfort,” his bandmate Brian May later told The Telegraph in December 2013. “For him, the studio was an oasis, a place where life was just the same as it always had been. He loved making music, he lived for it. ... He just kept saying, ‘Write me more. Write me stuff. I want to just sing this and do it, and when I am gone, you can finish it off.’ He had no fear, really.”

Mercury’s cause of death was bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS, his agent told The New York Times in 1991.

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