The Final Texts Actors Sent Before They Died
Cards, letters, and text messages. They all capture the human connection through words, and they are the moments that many hold dear after a loved one has died. These notes are a trip down memory lane, whether it be a reminder of that person's sense of humor or how they used their words to care for others. In some cases, these messages are the last conversations between loved ones or the last words that they shared with anyone before their death.
As messages of condolences make their way to friends, family members, and co-workers grieving the loss of an actor who brought joy to so many, it's those personal messages that they hold onto and sometimes even share on social media and in interviews that help to capture the mark that this person left on the world. Here's a look at just some of the last text messages that actors sent before they died.
The following article contains discussions of substance use and suicide.
Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry died on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54. A toxicology report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office said that Perry died from acute effects of ketamine after he was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home.
He was there for fans of "Friends" throughout the hit show's 10 seasons. He played the witty Chandler Bing from the very start, taking viewers on a journey that found him falling for friend Monica Geller (Courteney Cox) and later starting a family with her as the couple prepared to move out of Manhattan during Season 10, Episode 17, "The Last One." The cast continued to check in on each other well after handing in the keys to that iconic purple apartment, and that included gathering for "Friends: The Reunion," which premiered in 2021.
Jennifer Aniston, who played Chandler's friend, Rachel Green, continued to keep in touch with her former cast members, including Matthew Perry. She told Variety, "I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn't struggling. He was happy." She noted that he had quit smoking and was getting in shape around the time of his death. Five days before his death, Perry posted a photo of himself to Instagram, showing him relaxing in the hot tub. This was his final post on the social media site.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Angus Cloud
For two seasons, Angus Cloud stole scenes on the popular high school drama "Euphoria" as Fezco, a drug dealer who is falling for Rue Bennett (Zendaya) and doing what he can to keep her safe. Cloud died on July 31, 2023, at the age of 25. A spokesperson for the Alameda County Coroner's Office told CNN, "Angus Cloud died from a lethal combination of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine ... in what is ruled as an accidental overdose."
Those who worked with Cloud have since shared their memories of the actor, including Jessica Garza, who worked alongside him in the 2023 thriller "Your Lucky Day." Cloud plays Sterling, who holds a group of people hostage after finding out that a convenience store customer has bought a winning lottery ticket. Garza told uInterview that the last message she received from him was a holiday greeting. "I remember waking up on Christmas morning, and I had a DM from him, and it was just like, 'Merry Christmas, player.' And there was like a little picture, but it was like ... a little Christmas picture," she said, noting that Cloud would also check in on her from time to time. "He was always like that ... you would get text messages here and there, like, 'How are you doing? Thinking of you, hope it's good.'"
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Leslie Jordan
Leslie Jordan charmed his way into the hearts of TV viewers through his decades-long acting career that began in the 1980s. He became a household name, showing off his comedy skills as Karen Walker's (Megan Mullally) arch nemesis Beverley Leslie on "Will & Grace" before stealing scenes as the fun-loving Phil on "Call Me Kat." Jordan died on October 24, 2022. According to the Associated Press, a report from the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office stated that Jordan died from natural causes following a car crash in Hollywood. The report noted that he had sudden cardiac dysfunction caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which is the hardening of arteries from plaque buildup.
Jordan was known for making people smile, and that included friend and fellow actor Max Greenfield, who he was texting two days before his death. In an interview with E! News, Greenfield recalled hearing from him after being notified that he couldn't get into Greenfield's book signing in Los Angeles. "He tried to get in, but the event was sold out and they didn't let him in. And he texted me and he was like, 'I tried to get in. I saw that you were so famous they wouldn't let me in.' ... And he goes, 'But congratulations. I couldn't stay, I had to go anyway because I have important things to do,'" Greenfield said.
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John sang and danced her way onto the big screen during the '70s and '80s, making a permanent impression on pop culture with her portrayal of Sandy in "Grease" before stepping into a pair of rollerskates for the musical fantasy "Xanadu." Her music career continued to sore throughout the 1980s with big hits including 1981's "Physical." She worked to build her acting credits making appearances on several TV shows and movies, including 2017's "Sharknado 5: Global Swarming." Newton-John and fellow "Grease" star John Travolta reunited in 2019 in West Palm Beach, Florida for the "Meet n' Grease" sing-along, with both stars wearing their characters' iconic outfits. Newton-John died on August 8, 2022, from breast cancer. She was 73.
A few days after her death, talk show host Leeza Gibbons talked to People, sharing the last message she received from the legendary entertainer she had been friends with since doing an interview with her for "Entertainment Tonight" during the 1980s. "Her last text to me was, 'I'm grateful for all the love in my life. I'm such a lucky person,'" she said, adding that Newton-John consistently encouraged her throughout their friendship. "There will never be another like her ... a true angel on earth."
Cheslie Kryst
Cheslie Kryst won Miss USA in 2019, before going on to build a career as an actor. Kryst can be spotted in the 2021 TV mini-series "Colin in Black & White," which focuses on the teenage years of football star and activist Colin Kaepernick. She appears during Season 1, Episode 5, "Crystal." According to Variety, Kryst died in New York City on January 30, 2022, at the age of 30. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner told the publication that she died by suicide.
In May 2022, her mother April Simpkins spoke with Red Table Talk about Kryst, recalling the last text message she received, which was sent the day that Kryst died. "You listen to me and care when I tell you what goes on in my life, and you've always made me feel like you love me ... You've done nothing wrong, You've done everything right," the text reads in part.
Simpkins has since completed writing a book that Kryst started. It's entitled "By the Time You Read This" and is set to be released on April 23, 2024, according to publisher Simon & Schuster. The book begins with Kryst sharing her story and continues with Simpkins sharing how she has grieved her daughter. Net proceeds from the book will go to the Cheslie C. Kryst Foundation.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org
Bob Saget
Bob Saget died on January 9, 2022, at the age of 65. His body was found in his hotel room in Orlando, Florida, where he was on tour at the time. The same day of his death, Saget posted a photo to Instagram showing him onstage. According to the New York Post, his eldest daughter Aubrey was texting with her dad hours before his death. She shared his last text message in her Instagram stories. The text read, "Thank u. Love u. Showtime!"
Saget played Danny Tanner on "Full House" and "Fuller House." Candace Cameron Bure, who played Danny's daughter D.J., told Today that the last text message she received from Saget came two weeks before his death. She said the message was sent after an argument. "We were going to have dinner. And we got into a little tiff. And his flight was delayed. We ended up not having dinner," she explained. "But in Bob fashion, the next day he wrote me, like, what would be pages long of a text ... He said, 'Oh, now I feel even worse. I was so wrong. You're, like, my favorite person on the earth. And I acted like Dolly. I was getting ready to take a flight, and I was annoyed."
Fellow "Full House" co-star John Stamos has shared the last text he received from Saget. During the Netflix special, "Dirty Daddy: The Bob Saget Tribute." He recalled their text exchange, beginning with a message from Saget who said that Stamos was the brother he wanted.
Naya Rivera
"Glee" star Naya Rivera died in July 2020 at age 33, according to CNN. She went missing on July 8 while boating with her son on Lake Piru in California. Authorities spent several days searching for her, and her last text message was used by crews combing the lake. US Weekly spoke with Robert Inglis of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue Team who said, "There was a picture sent to a family member that showed the boy on the boat by a cove. We found where that cove was." On July 13, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office posted to X, formerly Twitter, that her body had been recovered.
Rivera sang her way into pop culture as Cheerio and glee club member Santana Lopez on the series "Glee," which follows high school teacher Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) as he creates a glee team that's despised by cheer coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) and many of her Cheerios. Rivera appeared throughout the show's six seasons.
The creators of "Glee" shared a tribute to Rivera which was published in The Hollywood Reporter. "Naya wasn't a series regular when we cast her on 'Glee' ... But it didn't take more than an episode or two for us to realize that we had lucked into finding one of the most talented, special stars we would ever have the pleasure of working with ... She was a joy to write for, a joy to direct and a joy to be around."
Nick Cordero
Broadway star Nick Cordero died on July 5, 2020, according to an Instagram post by his wife, Amanda Kloots. "He was surrounded in love by family, singing and praying as he gently left this earth," she wrote. According to NBC News, Cordero was taken to the emergency room to be treated for COVID-19 on March 30 before an infection led to septic shock and two mini-strokes. Upon the news of Cordero's death, friend Zack Braff posted a tribute on Instagram, including details of the last text he received from him. "The last thing he ever texted me was to look out for his wife and one-year-old son, Elvis. I promise the world that they will never want for anything," he wrote.
Cordero had a long list of Broadway credits. This includes playing a few different roles in "Rock of Ages" in 2012 before taking on Cheech in the Broadway adaptation of the film "Bullets Over Broadway." In April 2016, he appeared in the original run of "Waitress," a musical based on the movie of the same name. Cordero played Jenna's (Jessie Mueller) estranged husband Earl until September 2016. He can also be spotted as Victor Lugo throughout Season 8 of "Blue Bloods."
Chadwick Boseman
"Black Panther" star Chadwick Boseman passed away in August 2020, and his family released a statement confirming that he died of colon cancer, which he was initially diagnosed with in 2016. Josh Gad paid tribute to his friend on X, sharing one of the last text messages that Boseman sent him. He encouraged Gad to step outside and enjoy the fresh air after Los Angeles endured days of rain. "Inhale and exhale in this moment, and thank God for the unique beauties and wonders of this day ... And hey, if the air is this clear right now, and it does rain tomorrow, I might even put jars and bins out and catch the rain. Throw that in the water filter and I have a water more alkaline than any bottled brand out there," he wrote.
"Black Panther" executive producer Nate Moore shared his last text exchange with Boseman during an interview with People. He recalled their conversation about the Make-A-Wish Foundation and how Boseman was able to send toys and a voice message from T'Challa to a young boy during the COVID-19 pandemic. "'If we were able to ease their suffering and bring joy for a moment, and hopefully moments as he goes through the bags, then we made a difference in his life,'" Boseman wrote, according to Moore.
Kobe Bryant
While Kobe Bryant is a basketball legend, he also spent plenty of time acting, mostly appearing as versions of himself in TV shows and movies like the twin-centered sitcom "Sister, Sister," "Modern Family," and 2015's "Daddy's Home." He also achieved great fame in the film industry, receiving the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for "Dear Basketball," which is an animated version of his poem.
The 41-year-old Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were two of nine people killed in a helicopter crash in California on January 26, 2020, according to CNN. Basketball great Michael Jordan talked to ESPN about the last text messages he received from Bryant on December 8, 2019. Bryant praised Jordan's Cincoro Tequila before the friends started talking about their families. Jordan then wrote, "Happy holidays, and hope to catch up soon. Coach Kobe??!" Bryant replied, "Ah, back at you, man. Hey, coach, I'm sitting on the bench right now, and we're blowing this team out. 45-8." Bryant coached a girls' basketball team, which included his daughter Gianna.
Jordan was one of the speakers at Kobe and Gianna's memorial service in Los Angeles, "Kobe was my dear friend. He was like a little brother," he said during his speech shared by CBS Sports, noting how inquisitive Bryant was about basketball, sometimes texting and calling him late at night to ask him questions. "This kid had passion like you'd never know."
David Bowie
David Bowie spent much of the '60s, '70s, and '80s growing a musical empire, releasing hit songs including "Starman," "Heroes," and "Let's Dance," among many others. All while bringing fans the incomparable character of Ziggy Stardust, which usually featured Bowie wearing a multi-colored lightning bolt across his face. While he is best known for his decades-worth of hit music, he also shared his acting talents throughout the years and is best known to moviegoers as goblin king Jareth in 1986's "Labyrinth."
Bowie died of cancer at the age of 69 on January 10, 2016, according to a statement from his official Facebook page. His former girlfriend Claudia Lennear reminisced about the music icon with Daily Mail explaining that they met in the early 1970s. She also shared one of the last text messages he sent her. "Send me some lyrics. Don't forget," he wrote. Lennear noted that he was always encouraging her to share her musical talents after she left her singing career behind due to a poor solo album release in 1973. "Just a sweet guy. I still can't believe he's gone," she said.
Ryan Dunn
"Jackass" star Ryan Dunn died on June 20, 2011, following a fiery car crash that killed him and his longtime friend Zachary Hartwell. The car crashed into a tree after it exceeded speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. Dunn was intoxicated at the time of the crash, according to a toxicology report. NBC10 Philadelphia reported that the crash happened 100 yards from Hartwell's home. Dunn was 34 years old, while Hartwell was 30. During an interview with E! News, "Jackass" co-star Bam Margera recalled that he received a text message from Dunn shortly before the crash happened. The message read, "Stopping for a beer, be there when I can."
Dunn worked with Margera on the "CKY" videos before becoming a part of the MTV series "Jackass," which lasted for three seasons and paved the way for several movies, including "Jackass Number Two," which Hartwell worked on as a production assistant. While Dunn's TV and movie stunts wowed audiences, he also took on several acting roles over the years, including an appearance on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).