Last Movies of Iconic Actors Before They Passed Away

It’s always a bittersweet experience to watch a beloved actor’s final performance. Knowing that the images on screen represent the culmination of a career and the last time they would share their craft with the world adds a layer of poignancy to any film. These final roles are a testament to their dedication, offering one last glimpse of the talent that captured our hearts and imaginations. For many performers, their last movie becomes an unintended farewell, a final curtain call that they never had the chance to plan.

Sometimes, an actor’s passing happens during the making of a film, leaving filmmakers with the difficult task of completing the project without them. These situations often require creative solutions, from script rewrites to the use of digital technology, all while honoring the memory and contribution of the star. Whether the performance was fully completed or pieced together posthumously, these last movies serve as a permanent record of their final creative moments, allowing audiences to appreciate their work one last time.

‘The Misfits’ (1961)

Marilyn Monroe’s final completed feature was released in February 1961. She filmed it in 1960 opposite Clark Gable and Montgomery Clift in Nevada locations and Los Angeles interiors. The screenplay was written by Arthur Miller and John Huston directed.

Monroe died on August 5, 1962. ‘The Misfits’ had already finished its theatrical run by then and became her last appearance on the big screen. Her subsequent project ‘Something’s Got to Give’ remained unfinished.

‘Giant’ (1956)

James Dean completed ‘Giant’ in 1955 with production wrapping before his fatal car crash on September 30, 1955. George Stevens directed the film and it co-starred Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson.

The movie reached theaters in 1956 after Dean’s death. Dean’s performance was submitted posthumously for awards consideration and the studio handled marketing with sensitivity to the timing of the release.

‘Enter the Dragon’ (1973)

Bruce Lee finished principal work on ‘Enter the Dragon’ in the summer of 1973. The film was an American and Hong Kong co-production with Warner Bros and Golden Harvest and was shot largely in Hong Kong.

Lee died on July 20, 1973. The film opened worldwide weeks later and became his last released movie in which he personally performed new scenes. ‘Game of Death’ incorporated earlier footage and was assembled later.

‘The Crow’ (1994)

Brandon Lee died on March 31, 1993 after an on-set accident during filming. ‘The Crow’ completed remaining shots using body doubles and digital compositing to integrate Lee’s earlier performance.

The film opened in 1994 after postproduction addressed the unfinished material. Credits and promotional materials acknowledged the circumstances and documented that completion approach for audiences.

‘Furious 7’ (2015)

Paul Walker died on November 30, 2013 while ‘Furious 7’ was in production. The filmmakers finished the movie using his brothers Caleb and Cody Walker as stand-ins, matched with facial replacement and existing footage.

Universal rescheduled the release to 2015 to allow time for reworked scenes. ‘Furious 7’ therefore became Walker’s last film appearance, while ‘Brick Mansions’ was his final fully completed project to open earlier in 2014.

‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’ (2009)

Heath Ledger died on January 22, 2008 during production. Director Terry Gilliam restructured the film so Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell played transformations of Ledger’s character within the story.

Filming resumed with that device and postproduction combined Ledger’s completed material with the new scenes. The film premiered in 2009, following ‘The Dark Knight’ which had been finished the previous year.

‘The Drop’ (2014)

James Gandolfini completed ‘The Drop’ in 2013. It was filmed in New York locations and featured Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace with direction by Michaël R. Roskam from a Dennis Lehane script.

Gandolfini died on June 19, 2013. ‘The Drop’ was released in 2014 and stands as his final screen role, following ‘Enough Said’ which reached theaters earlier after his death.

‘A Most Wanted Man’ (2014)

Philip Seymour Hoffman finished ‘A Most Wanted Man’ shortly before his death on February 2, 2014. The John le Carré adaptation filmed in Hamburg and Berlin with director Anton Corbijn.

The film opened later that year and presented Hoffman’s last completed leading performance. He also filmed scenes for ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2’ which premiered the following year using adjustments to his character’s remaining moments.

‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ (2020)

Chadwick Boseman filmed ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ in 2019. The production adapted August Wilson’s play under director George C. Wolfe with sets built to recreate 1920s Chicago recording spaces.

Boseman died on August 28, 2020. The film premiered later in 2020 and became his final screen performance. Subsequent appearances were limited to voice work recorded earlier for animation.

‘Eye in the Sky’ (2015)

Alan Rickman completed ‘Eye in the Sky’ which filmed in South Africa and the United Kingdom. Gavin Hood directed and the story examined remote operations and military decision making.

Rickman died on January 14, 2016. The film reached wide release in 2016 and became his last live-action role. He also recorded new lines for ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ that opened the same year.

‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ (2017)

Carrie Fisher wrapped her work on ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ in 2016. Principal photography took place at Pinewood Studios and various locations with Rian Johnson directing.

Fisher died on December 27, 2016. The film released in 2017 as her final performance created from new footage. ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ later used archival material and unused takes to include her character.

‘Wagons East!’ (1994)

John Candy died on March 4, 1994 during location filming in Mexico. The production combined completed scenes with editorial work to finish ‘Wagons East!’ for release in 1994.

‘Canadian Bacon’ had been shot earlier and reached theaters in 1995. That staggered schedule meant ‘Wagons East!’ was the last production he worked on, while ‘Canadian Bacon’ became a later posthumous release.

‘Something Wicked’ (2014)

Brittany Murphy shot ‘Something Wicked’ in Eugene, Oregon in 2009. The independent thriller encountered distribution delays after production.

Murphy died on December 20, 2009. The film opened in limited release in 2014 and marked her final feature performance to reach audiences after those delays.

‘Gladiator’ (2000)

Oliver Reed died on May 2, 1999 in Malta while ‘Gladiator’ was still shooting. The production completed his character’s remaining scenes through script adjustments, body doubles, and digital compositing.

The film released in 2000. Insurance arrangements and schedule revisions covered the additional visual effects required to integrate Reed’s earlier footage with the completed material.

‘Dark Blood’ (2012)

River Phoenix died on October 31, 1993 during a production break. ‘Dark Blood’ was left incomplete for many years due to legal and financial issues surrounding the unfinished shoot.

Director George Sluizer later assembled the film using narration to bridge missing scenes and released it in 2012. Phoenix’s last fully completed feature before that was ‘The Thing Called Love’ which opened in 1993.

‘Plan 9 from Outer Space’ (1959)

Bela Lugosi died on August 16, 1956. Director Ed Wood had previously filmed brief silent test footage of Lugosi which was later incorporated into ‘Plan 9 from Outer Space’.

A stand-in covered additional shots with a cape obscuring the face to match Lugosi’s character. The movie reached release in 1959 and represents Lugosi’s final screen appearance through that reuse of footage.

‘The Transformers: The Movie’ (1986)

Orson Welles recorded the voice of Unicron for ‘Transformers: The Movie’ in 1985. Voice sessions occurred shortly before his death on October 10, 1985.

The animated film opened in 1986 and stands as Welles’s final released movie performance. His last live-action on-camera work had been completed earlier and reached audiences before this recording.

‘The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu’ (1980)

Peter Sellers completed filming in 1980. Postproduction included reshoots and changes that reflected his health during that period.

Sellers died on July 24, 1980. The film opened the same year and became his last screen role. Earlier that year ‘Being There’ remained his most recent prior release.

‘The Hunter’ (1980)

Steve McQueen shot ‘The Hunter’ on Midwestern locations and in Chicago in 1979. The production schedule placed it after ‘Tom Horn’ which had been filmed earlier.

McQueen died on November 7, 1980. ‘The Hunter’ had already reached theaters in the summer and therefore became his final film released during his lifetime.

‘Always’ (1989)

Audrey Hepburn appeared in ‘Always’ in a special role filmed in Montana and California. Steven Spielberg directed and scheduled Hepburn’s scenes late in the production window.

Hepburn died on January 20, 1993. ‘Always’ remained her last theatrical film appearance. She later presented the television series ‘Gardens of the World’ which aired in 1993.

‘High Society’ (1956)

Grace Kelly completed ‘High Society’ in 1956 with location work in Newport, Rhode Island. It was her last motion picture before she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

Kelly died on September 14, 1982. She did not return to film after 1956, which makes ‘High Society’ her final feature release across her career.

‘The Score’ (2001)

Marlon Brando filmed ‘The Score’ in Montreal with Robert De Niro and Edward Norton. Frank Oz directed and the production scheduled Brando’s scenes across several blocks to accommodate the ensemble.

Brando died on July 1, 2004. ‘The Score’ remained his final live-action feature release. Later projects used archival material or did not reach commercial distribution.

‘Star Trek Beyond’ (2016)

Anton Yelchin completed ‘Star Trek Beyond’ in Vancouver and Dubai. The production wrapped before his accidental death on June 19, 2016.

The film released in July 2016 and became his final major studio feature to open worldwide. Additional independent titles he had filmed earlier reached limited release after this date.

‘Defining Moments’ (2021)

Burt Reynolds filmed ‘Defining Moments’ before his death on September 6, 2018. The independent feature completed postproduction over the following years.

The film was released in 2021 with Reynolds credited in a supporting role. He had previously starred in ‘The Last Movie Star’ which opened during his lifetime in 2017.

‘The Jackal’ (1997)

Sidney Poitier returned to the screen for ‘The Jackal’ after a decade away from film acting. Principal photography took place in 1996 across multiple international locations.

Poitier died on January 6, 2022. He did not act in additional movies after ‘The Jackal’, which makes this 1997 release the final feature role of his career.

If we missed a favorite final role from another legend, share the one you think should be here in the comments.