Hollywood is not just bright lights, blockbuster openings, and red carpet glamour. Beneath the sheen, there lies the seedy side of secrets, scandals, and mysteries that won’t rest. Some star deaths were so inexplicable, so shrouded in mystery, that they’ve been tormenting fans, reporters, and true-crime enthusiasts for decades. Here are eight of the most baffling, still shrouded in mystery and controversy.
8. Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood’s death is one of the longest-lasting Hollywood enigmas. A household name by the time tragedy hit in 1981, Wood starred in such classics as Rebel Without a Cause, West Side Story, and Miracle on 34th Street. She died in a drowning off Catalina Island while on her yacht, the Splendour, with her husband, Robert Wagner, actor Christopher Walken, and the captain of the ship, Dennis Davern.
The first report described it as an “accidental drowning,” but the facts never felt quite right. Wood was discovered in a nightgown and parka, bruised and with a facial abrasion, having had an open-water phobia her entire life. Davern afterward alleged that she and Wagner had been arguing the night of her death, fueling speculation of murder. Years later, the coroner amended the verdict to “drowning and other undetermined factors,” and the case was reopened in 2011. Though Wagner was interviewed as a person of interest, charges never materialized. For Wood’s family—particularly her sister Lana—the notion that Natalie got into a dinghy by herself has always seemed impossible.
7. Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe’s tragic 1962 death stunned the world. Officially, the 36-year-old actress died of a barbiturate overdose in what authorities deemed a “probable suicide.” But if there is any Hollywood tale that yells conspiracy, it is this one. From rumored trysts with President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert to rumors of mafia connections and CIA activity, speculation regarding Monroe’s last days has ranged unchecked for decades. She knew too much, some say. She was silenced for politics, others speculate. Her death scene was staged, some argue. More than a dozen years later, the official line hasn’t ended the rumor mill.
6. Thelma Todd
Dubbed “The Ice Cream Blonde,” Thelma Todd was a 1930s comedy star who brightened the screen in front of the Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy. But in 1935, she was discovered dead in her car, which was parked in her garage, due to carbon monoxide poisoning. On paper, it appeared to be an accident or suicide—but Hollywood didn’t believe it. Todd had ties to the mob, a hot-and-heavy romance with ex-husband Pat DiCicco, and connections to infamous gangster Lucky Luciano. Eyewitnesses even reported seeing her alive after her alleged time of death. Was it murder, a mob hit, or a tragic coincidence? Charges were never filed, and the case remained an open-ended mystery.
5. Paul Bern
Paul Bern, newlywed MGM producer and husband of screen goddess Jean Harlow, was discovered dead in 1932 from a self-inflicted gunshot. A cryptic message left at the scene stated a “frightful wrong,” sending endless rumors swirling. Officially, it was declared suicide—but the events only added to the mystery. Before police could even investigate, MGM brass reportedly stampeded in to “control” the scene, causing many to suspect that key evidence was tampered with or destroyed. Two days later, Bern’s estranged wife, Dorothy Millette, was discovered dead in a river, providing another strange twist. Hollywood whitewashed, but the rumors of murder and cover-up have never dissipated.
4. The Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace)
Christopher Wallace, also known as Biggie Smalls, was shot in Los Angeles in 1997 after attending a music industry party. He was 24 years old. The East Coast–West Coast rap war dominated the news at the time, and most believed his murder was in revenge for the still-unsolved killing of Tupac Shakur six months prior. They later indicated connections to Suge Knight and even to corrupt LAPD officers, but even with lawsuits and documentaries, no arrests have ever occurred. Biggie’s death is one of hip-hop’s biggest tragedies—and enigmas.
3. Tupac Shakur
Tupac died in a shower of bullets on a Las Vegas street in 1996, but his legend never subsided. For years, rumors circulated regarding the identity of the culprit: rival gangs, East Coast rivals, or industry insiders. In 2023, officials finally arrested Duane “Keefe D” Davis on charges of masterminding the shooting. Though the trial continues, fans are still doubting that the entire truth will ever be known. In the meantime, the rumor that Tupac’s murder was only part of a larger scheme—or even that he staged his own death—continues to thrive.
2. Virginia Rappe
One of the first great scandals in Hollywood was the 1921 death of silent movie actress Virginia Rappe, who died following a raucous party hosted by Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, one of the era’s largest comedians. Charged with assaulting her, Arbuckle went to trial three times. The press had him guilty, despite evidence being scarce and testimonies contradictory. Arbuckle was ultimately acquitted, but the damage to his career was irreversible. As for Rappe, her actual cause of death has never been collectively agreed upon, her case remaining one of Hollywood’s first unresolved tragedies.
1. George Reeves
TV’s original Superman, George Reeves, was shot in the head and died in 1959. The authorities declared it a suicide, but the circumstances have always been suspicious. His fiancée, Leonore Lemmon, had been at the house with him and acted strangely afterwards, and some others wondered if MGM fixer Eddie Mannix—or even the mob—might have been responsible. Theories vary from murder to accidental shooting, yet none have ever been confirmed. Years later, Reeves’ death continues to be questioned, most famously re-examined in the 2006 film Hollywoodland.
Hollywood is built on tales of larger-than-life heroes and villains, but these actual enigmas bring us back to the fact that sometimes truth really is stranger—and infinitely more sinister—than fiction. From Natalie Wood’s last night at sea to Marilyn Monroe’s mysterious final hours, these fatalities still haunt the industry, showing that in Hollywood, some things are always going to be left unsaid.