Things We Learned About '90s Stars After They Died

Rap stars, movie stars, pop stars, and rock stars — the '90s felt like a constellation of heavenly bodies. Many of these performers who were at the peak of their powers during this delightful decade have died, but their memory lives on. In fact, after their deaths, we have come to learn new facts about them, or even the tragic circumstances surrounding their passing. Some of the celebs on this list's careers spanned the decades, beginning before the '90s and ending after, but they were important figures during that decade too.  

Take Michael Jackson as an example. The globally renowned pop sensation couldn't escape the limelight for a single second while he was alive, but not a lot of people know there was one dream film role that he coveted and tried to secure. Also, did you know a hidden truth about Whitney Houston having a crush on a famous actor who told her not to marry Bobby Brown? Shocking, right?

As fans, we often believe we know celebrities. Seeing them on television, in person, or on the big screen, we develop a relationship with these people — sometimes, this behavior becomes parasocial, but that's a story for another day. Once these people pass away, though, more information reveals itself, proving that we may know the persona but not the person. So, with that being said, let's explore the things we learned about '90s stars after they died.

Hulk Hogan established himself as one of the most famous pro wrestlers on Earth in both the '80s and '90s. While the '80s marked the start of Hulkamania and wrestling's jump into the mainstream, the '90s heralded a significant shift in attitude. In the mid-'90s, Hogan, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash formed the New World Order — one of the most influential factions in the history of the business. They took over World Championship Wrestling, becoming the central attraction of pro wrestling in this boom period.

In July 2025, Hulk Hogan, 71, died from "acute myocardial infarction," according to People. The magazine also disclosed that his medical records showed that he'd battled leukemia at some point, which was not publicly known. The response to his death was mixed because of several controversies in his later life. However, one person who spoke highly of the Hulkster was fellow pro wrestler Ric Flair, who revealed a detail about Hogan that few people knew about.

Speaking to TMZ Sports, Flair discussed an act of kindness from Hogan that he would never forget. "My son went to six rehabs," Flair said. "My insurance didn't cover rehab. So, Hulk lent me money one time to keep him in rehab and keep him off life support. I have never forgotten that. I went to pay him back, and he said, 'You never have to pay me back. I'm here for you.'" Flair also revealed that when he had his own health issues and was in the hospital, Hogan was the first person to be there for him.

In the '90s, Steve Irwin became an international sensation after starring in the documentary series "The Crocodile Hunter." What set the show apart from others was Irwin's energetic personality and unique approach to wildlife. Interestingly, Steve Irwin actually discovered an animal species, too.

The global success of "The Crocodile Hunter" series led to other mainstream opportunities for Irwin and his wife, Terri, to teach people all about wildlife and animal conservation. In September 2006, however, Irwin died after being stung by a stingray in the chest while filming a documentary in Australia. He was 44 years old.

After his death, experts spoke to CNN, explaining how rare stingray deaths actually are in the land down under. Even though injuries happen when people accidentally step on them and the stingrays defend themselves using their barbs, there had only been two previously recorded deaths from stingray attacks in the country before Irwin's death. The last reported death had happened a few years before Irwin's, while prior to that, you would have to go all the way back to 1945 to find a documented death by stingray attack.

Whether as a stand-up comic or actor, Robin Williams possessed a rare gift that enabled him to connect with people on a deeply personal level. In the '90s, audiences were mesmerized by his performances in films such as "Hook," "Mrs. Doubtfire," and "Good Will Hunting," as Williams turned himself into a fan-favorite actor, as well as a popular figure in Hollywood.

In August 2014, Williams died by suicide. He was 63 years old.

After Williams' death, fans learned that the actor had Lewy body dementia (LBD), which causes cognitive decline and can include hallucinations, physical symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease, and even deregulation of basic bodily functions. Williams' widow, Susan Schneider, wrote a piece for Neurology Journal titled "The terrorist inside my husband's brain," in which she expanded on Williams' experience before his death. 

"Not until the coroner's report, three months after his death, would I learn that it was diffuse LBD that took him," Schneider wrote. "All four of the doctors I met with afterwards and who had reviewed his records indicated his was one of the worst pathologies they had seen. He had about 40% loss of dopamine neurons, and almost no neurons were free of Lewy bodies throughout the entire brain and brainstem."

While Owen Hart's brother Bret was known as "The Excellence of Execution," the younger Hart dazzled with his combination of high-flying skills and wrestling psychology. In the then-World Wrestling Federation, Hart was one of the standout performers, being able to put on a terrific match with anyone. While Hart never won the big one — the heavyweight championship — there was never any dispute that he was one of the top stars.

In May 1999, at the Over the Edge event in Kansas City, Missouri, Hart joined a tragic group of wrestlers who died in the ring. At the time, Hart wrestled under the name of the Blue Blazer and was meant to rappel down from the top of the arena to the ring as part of his entrance. The release mechanism gave way — still a hotly debated topic of who was at fault here — and Hart tumbled from what was eight stories into the ring, dying at the age of 34.

Hart's former manager Jim Cornette spoke about the incident on an episode of "Dark Side of the Ring." Cornette revealed that despite Hart's antagonistic personality on screen, he was a kind human being away from the cameras. In fact, Hart's final words showed more concern for everyone else in what must have been a frightening situation. "When Owen was falling, everybody that was there said the last thing that he yelled was, 'Look out!'" Cornette said.

Michael Jackson's journey to becoming the King of Pop might have started in the late '70s, but it remained in full swing in the '90s, as he continued to tour the globe and produce unforgettable bangers, such as "Black or White" and "Heal the World." In June 2009, Jackson died from "acute propofol intoxication," according to the coroner's report. He was 50 years old.

One of the things that came out about Michael Jackson after he died was how the musician clamored for a role in a famous superhero movie. "X-Men" producer Lauren Shuler Donner confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter a strange rumor that had been doing the rounds for years before Jackson's death. Donner stated that yes, Jackson met with the "X-Men" producers and crew about playing Professor Charles Xavier in 1999. "I said to him, 'Do you know Xavier is an older white guy?'" Donner said. "And Michael said, 'Oh yeah. You know, I can wear makeup.'"

Jackson used the time to show a presentation and short film demonstrating how he could transform into an older white male. Ultimately, he didn't get the role, as it went to Patrick Stewart, but it wasn't like anyone was seriously considering him for it to begin with.

Hailed as one of the greatest rappers of all time, Tupac Shakur became the voice of a generation. His songs connected with audiences around the world, cementing his reputation as an iconic musical star of the '90s. In September 1996, at the age of 25, Shakur was shot in a drive-by shooting and died from his injuries later on — it was also an event that took nearly 30 years for an arrest to be made.

Years after Shakur's death, the FBI released a file about the musician's death. In this document, one of the revelations that came up was that Shakur had received death threats from the Jewish Defense League (JDL), which the FBI classified as a terrorist group. According to the file, Shakur and other rappers were targeted by the JDL, who tried to extort money from them. The modus operandi would involve the musicians receiving death threats via phone calls covertly made by the organization, then they would be contacted by the JDL offering protection services — for a price, of course. Nowhere does the FBI directly link the JDL to Shakur's death in the documents, though.

In the '90s, Chris Farley exploded on the scene as a comedy actor. From "Saturday Night Live" to "Airheads" and "Beverly Hills Ninja," everyone wanted a piece of Farley, who was on a hot streak in his career. In fact, he was the original voice of the animated character Shrek, but due to his death, which came during the making of the film, Mike Myers ended up voicing the lovable ogre. In December 1997, Farley died from an accidental drug overdose. He was only 33 years old.

Weeks after his death, Entertainment Weekly spoke to several of Farley's friends and associates, who confirmed that he'd tried to abstain from drugs and alcohol and had gone to rehab 17 times in the two years prior to his death. In fact, just before he went back to his home city of Chicago for the holidays, the actor had visited his usual rehab for just one night. Once home, Farley's friend Jillian Seely stated that the actor had been getting into the holiday spirit, going to mass, baking cookies, and even buying a giant Christmas tree.

This all changed, however, when Farley went on a four-day binge of drugs and alcohol. Farley was spotted at several events and bar hopping over this period, while also inviting others to come back to his apartment to continue the partying. This all culminated in Farley being found dead in his apartment on December 18. "He was partying too much and had no sense of direction," NBA legend Dennis Rodman told People.

James Avery made a name for himself as everyone's favorite TV dad, Philip Banks, aka Uncle Phil, on the '90s sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." It wasn't the only role in the decade that he became known for, as he also provided the unmistakable voice of the Shredder in the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" animated series.

In December 2013, Avery died at the age of 68 due to issues stemming from open heart surgery, as per his publicist's statement (via ABC News). Many of his former castmates from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" paid tribute to him after his passing, including Tatyana Ali, who plays Ashley Banks on the show.

Taking to her Facebook account, Ali shared two photos from the set, while adding context about the meaning of the pictures. "I spent last night going through photos," Ali wrote. "I found these two from our final Friday night taping of 'Fresh Prince.' We had a cake fight after shedding tears. People don't really understand that we knew how special our time together was. It wasn't special because of popularity or success, but because we were all together, sharing it."

Despite the famous last name, Brandon Lee turned down the chance to play his father in a movie. The star wanted to carve out his own name in the entertainment industry, not only to rely on being Bruce Lee's son. That's exactly what the younger Lee did, as he established himself as his own kind of action hero. "Showdown in Little Tokyo" brought him notable attention as he starred alongside Dolph Lundgren, while 1994's "The Crow" immortalized him as the revenge-seeking Eric Draven.

Unfortunately, Lee never managed to see the impact that "The Crow" would have on his career or on a generation of moviegoers, as he died after an on-set accident in March 1993. He was 28 years old.

It was a tragic event made even sadder after news broke that Lee was supposed to marry his fiancée, Eliza Hutton, after he finished filming "The Crow." In an exchange with CNN years later, Hutton wrote, "Brandon was a gifted and dedicated writer, actor, and athlete with a sensitive soul who was wrongly taken from us too soon. No matter how deep the pain I've endured in losing him, I wouldn't trade our time together." As Lee's sister, Shannon, also told CNN, her brother wanted to start a family with Hutton and become a father — that was one of his personal aspirations before he died.

Pantera may have started in the '80s, but the band's influence resonated in the '90s. They grooved their way to the top of the metal charts with hard-hitting tracks, such as "Walk," "Mouth for War," and "5 Minutes Alone." One of the biggest reasons for the group's success was the six-string wizardry of guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott. Despite Pantera breaking up in 2003, many fans hoped the core members would reunite in the future.

However, all hope was shattered in December 2004 after Dimebag was shot and murdered by a fan while playing with his new band Damageplan on stage. He was 38 years old.

Years after Dimebag's death, his brother, Vinnie Paul — who also played in Pantera and Damageplan — recalled a humorous anecdote about Dimebag to Loudwire. Vinnie explained how he needed to use the bathroom at his brother's home, so he went inside, sat down, and noticed a guitar and tape recorder in the corner. When Vinnie exited the bathroom, he asked his brother what the deal was with these items. Dimebag replied that he used the opportunity to write his guitar riffs when he sat on the toilet. "He would go and have a bad experience at Taco Bell and write a song about it," Vinnie joked.

There are people who claim to be the voice of the '90s, but can anyone deny that Whitney Houston was the voice? The singer's pitch-perfect vocals soared throughout the decade, whether she was belting out "I Will Always Love You" or "My Love Is Your Love." Music excellence aside, she also starred in one of the most memorable romantic films of 1992, "The Bodyguard," alongside Kevin Costner.

In February 2012, Houston died at the age of 48. Her death was ruled accidental, with the causes deemed to be "drowning" and the "effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use," as per the autopsy report (via Los Angeles Times).

After Houston's death, her friend Robyn Crawford wrote a book titled "A Song for You: My Life With Whitney Houston." One of the details revealed in the book was how Houston had her eye on Eddie Murphy, even though Bobby Brown, who would become her husband, was also trying to court her. "She was more interested in Eddie Murphy, but he was elusive," Crawford wrote (via People). Reportedly, Houston pulled out all the stops to get Murphy's attention, but he didn't reciprocate the effort. However, Murphy did phone Houston on the day in which she was due to marry Brown, encouraging her to call off the wedding. Houston didn't listen, though, choosing to marry Brown.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, is struggling or in crisis, contact the relevant resources below:

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

• Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org