For decades, they were among the most famous faces in entertainment history: Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Romy Schneider, Audrey Hepburn, Farrah Fawcett, Elizabeth Taylor, Olivia Newton-John, Raquel Welch, and Brigitte Bardot left an indelible mark on 20th-century cinema, television, and pop culture. Behind their fame, however, were personal struggles, heartbreak, and, in some cases, tragic endings.
They Were Once the Most Beautiful Women in the World: This Is How Their Lives Ended
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The Most Beautiful Women in the World Have Died
They were once the most beautiful women in the world, but their lives ended tragically. Whether it was Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, or Elizabeth Taylor—they all captured hearts with their talent and incredible charisma. We shed light on the sad circumstances surrounding these icons’ deaths.
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Marilyn Monroe
With films like “Some Like It Hot,” Marilyn Monroe became a global superstar of the 1950s. On August 5, 1962, she was found dead in her home in Los Angeles at the age of 36. The cause of death was a barbiturate overdose. Investigators concluded it was a suicide.
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Grace Kelly
After winning an Oscar for "The Country Girl", Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956 and ended her film career. On September 14, 1982, at the age of 52, she was killed in a car accident when her car veered off the road near Monaco.
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Romy Schneider
Romy Schneider became world-famous through the “Sissi” trilogy of the 1950s, before establishing herself in France as a serious character actress. The loss of her son David in 1981 weighed heavily on her during the final years of her life, before she died of heart failure in Paris on May 29, 1982, at the age of 43.
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Audrey Hepburn
Her roles in "Breakfast at Tiffany’s" and "Sabrina" made Audrey Hepburn one of the most influential actresses of her time. Starting in the 1980s, she served as a UNICEF ambassador for children in need; on January 20, 1993, she died of cancer at the age of 63 in Tolochenaz, Switzerland.
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Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett became world-famous in the 1970s for her role in the series "Charlie's Angels." She died of cancer on June 25, 2009, in Santa Monica at the age of 62.
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Elizabeth Taylor
Two Oscars for films such as “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” cemented Elizabeth Taylor’s reputation as one of Hollywood’s most prominent actresses. Following the death of her boyfriend Rock Hudson from AIDS, she dedicated decades to advocating for AIDS awareness and research. She died of heart failure on March 23, 2011, in Los Angeles at the age of 79.
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Olivia Newton-John
The 1978 film "Grease," in which she starred alongside John Travolta, catapulted Olivia Newton-John to stardom. For decades, the singer battled breast cancer and became an advocate for cancer research. On August 8, 2022, she succumbed to the disease at the age of 73 in California.
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Raquel Welch
Thanks to the film "One Million Years B.C.", Raquel Welch became one of the most sought-after pin-up stars of all time in the 1960s. Even after her breakthrough, she remained active in the film industry for decades. She died of cardiac arrest on February 15, 2023, in Los Angeles at the age of 82.
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Brigitte Bardot
As an iconic figure of French cinema, Brigitte Bardot left her mark on the 1950s and 1960s with films such as "And God Created Woman". In 1973, she retired from the film industry and devoted herself to animal welfare. On December 28, 2025, she died of cancer at the age of 91.