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Top 30 Famous People Who Died from Aids

*Originally published by Beatrice W in November 2023 and Updated by Vanessa R in May 2024

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the immune system. HIV can be managed through treatment but there is currently no cure.

Moreover, once infected one has it for life. Yet with proper medical care, those affected can have good health, live long and also protect their partners. However, if HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

Here are the Top 30 Famous Who Died from Aids.

1. Freddie Mercury

Mercury was the lead vocalist of the rock band named Queen. The British singer was born on 5 September 1946 in Zanzibar. He was diagnosed with AIDS in 1987 but went public about his status a day before his death. He died on 24 November 1991 aged 45 years.

In his honor, he has received several posthumous awards. In 2001, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2003, he received induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and in 2004, into the UK Music Hall of Fame.

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2. Rock Hudson

A screenshot of Rock Hudson from the trailer of the film Giant by an Unknown author from

The American screen great is remembered for his roles in Magnificent Obsession (1954) and All That Heaven Allows (1955). He was diagnosed with AIDS In 1984. Hudson disclosed his AIDS diagnosis to the public in 1985. He lived from November 17, 1925, to October 2, 1985. He died at 59 years due to AIDS-related illnesses.

3. Sylvester James Jr.

He was popular as Sylvester. His disco album Step II released in 1978 was one of his greatest hits. The album spawned international single hits like You Make Me Feel and Dance. He was an AIDS activist. He was born on September 6, 1947. He succumbed to AIDS complications on December 16, 1988.

4. Anthony Perkins

Anthony Perkins by Paramount Pictures from

This American actor, director, and singer Perkins was born on April 4, 1932, in Manhattan. He was acclaimed for his role in the film Psycho. He played Norman Bates in the suspense thriller.

Friendly Persuasion (1956) was another film that increased his praise. It earned him a Golden Globe Award. He died from AIDS-related challenges on September 1992.

5. Cazuza

The Brazilian singer cum songwriter was born in Rio de Janeiro on April 4, 1958. He led the Brazilian band Barão Vermelho from 1981 until 1985 when he left to pursue a solo career.

Though his music career was short-lived, he sold over 5 million albums. His singles charted in the top ten in Brazil. His greatest hits were O Tempo não Pára (Time Doesn’t Stop), and Ideologia (Ideology).

Cazuza declared his AIDS state to the public in 1989. Furthermore, he was always open about his bisexual nature. He died of septic shock caused by AIDS on July 7, 1990. In his honor, his mother put up the Viva Cazuza Society. It’s a charity aimed at AIDS prevention and is home to HIV-positive children.

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6. Halston

The renowned fashion designer was born in Des Moines, Iowa on April 23, 1932. One of his most appreciated works was a pillbox hat he made for Jacqueline Kennedy. She wore the hat in 1961 during the inauguration of her husband President John F. Kennedy. He lost the battle to AIDS-related cancer on March 26, 1990, at 57 years.

7. Arthur Ashe

Arthur Ashe at the 1975 World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam by Bogaerts, Rob / Anefo from

The professional tennis player was the first black player in the United States Davis Cup team. He won three Grand Slam singles titles during his sports career. He retired in 1980.

Additionally, he was world No. 1 according to World Tennis and Tennis magazine ranking in 1975. He contracted HIV through a blood transfusion during a heart bypass surgery in 1983.

He announced his illness in April 1992. Ashe started a foundation to educate others about AIDS before his death. He died of AIDS-related pneumonia on February 6, 1993. President Bill Clinton awarded him a posthumous  Presidential Medal of Freedom on June 20, 1993.

8. Alvin Ailey

He was a choreographer and dancer born on January 5, 1931, in Rogers, Texas. He is known for establishing the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT).

He also founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center which later became Ailey School. Both institutions aimed at nurturing dance artists. Ailey died on December 1, 1989, at 58 years due to an AIDS-related illness.

9. Fela Kuti

He was a Nigerian musician and bandleader. He pioneered the Afrobeat genre and led a band called Africa ’70. They sang about love and social issues. He was born on 15 October 1938 in Nigeria.

His demise on 3 August 1997 was announced by his brother Olikoye Ransome-Kuti. Olikoye declared that Fela died from complications related to AIDS.

10. Liberace

Liberace by Allan warren from

This pianist doubled as a singer and actor. He was born on May 16, 1919. His fame spanned the 1950s to 1970s era. Moreover, he had concert residencies in Las Vegas and was among the top-paid entertainers in the world during his time.

Liberace was awarded two Emmy Awards during his career. He also achieved six gold albums and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The cause of his death was marred with controversy. Hence, as per the reports by a Riverside County coroner, his autopsy results showed he died of pneumonia related to AIDS. To add on, the results revealed he was HIV-positive at the time of his death.

11. Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov by Phillip Leonian from

Asimov was an author and professor. Many of his prominent works were in science fiction. The Foundation book series was one of his masterpieces. The first three books of this series won the 1966 Best All-Time Series category in the Hugo Award.

The Galactic Empire series and Robot series are more noteworthy creations by Asimov. He was born in 1920 and died on April 6, 1992, at 72 years.

It’s believed he contracted HIV in 1983 via blood transfusion while undergoing triple bypass surgery. His illness was a secret. His cause of death was said to be heart and kidney failure.

The truth about his AIDS condition surfaced ten years after his death. His daughter Janet Asimov spoke about it in It’s Been a Good Life. It is her edition of his autobiography.

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12. Peter Adair

The filmmaker was born on November 25, 1943. His acclaimed works include the 1977 documentary Word Is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives. This was one of the pioneer gay and lesbian documentaries.

In 1991 after he was aware of his HIV status, he wrote and directed Absolutely Positive. The film centered on the uncertainty faced by asymptomatic HIV-positive persons. Adair lost the battle to AIDS-related challenges at 52 years on June 27, 1996.

13. Amanda Blake

She was born on February 21, 1929, in Buffalo, New York. The actress appeared in Hollywood films like 1952’s Cattle Town and 1954s Miss Robin Crusoe.

Blake gained popularity from the television series Gunsmoke which aired from 1955 to 1974. She played Miss Kitty in this series. She received an induction into the Hall of Great Western Performers in 1968.

She died on August 16, 1989. Initial accounts held it was due to liver failure. Later the popular media reported that her doctor revealed she had lost her battle with AIDS.

14. Eazy-E

Eazy-E by Edward Reyes from

His official address was Eric Lynn Wright but dubbed Eazy-E. He was born on September 7, 1964, in Compton, California. He was the leader of the hip-hop group N.W.A and its label Ruthless Records. Other members of the group were Ice Cube and Dr. Dre.

The group’s Straight Outta Compton was their first studio album released in 1988. Niggaz4Life was their final album as a group in 1991. Afterwards, each went into a solo career.

In February 1995, Wright was diagnosed with AIDS. On March 16, 1995, he made his illness known to the public. One month after diagnosis, he succumbed to AIDS-induced pneumonia on March 26, 1995.

Check out facts about Dr. Dre here.

15. Gia Carangi

The model was born on January 29, 1960, in Philadelphia. She was considered a supermodel hence she was featured on Vogue and Cosmopolitan magazine covers.

She died on November 18, 1986, due to AIDS-related complications aged 26. The source of her infection is believed to be a contaminated needle as a result of her heroin addiction. In 1998 she was honored with the biographical drama television film, Gia by HBO.

16. Néstor Almendros

Almendros was a Spanish cinematographer. He was born on 30 October 1930 in Barcelona, Spain, and moved to Cuba when he was 18 years. The 1978 Days of Heaven Hollywood film was one of his notable work exhibits. It won him an Academy Award for Best Cinematography in 1979.

He was the cinematographer on Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Sophie’s Choice (1982), and the John Lennon documentary, Imagine John Lennon (1988). On top of that, he won a César Award for the 1980 historical drama film, The Last Metro. He died on 4 March 1992 due to AIDS-related lymphoma.

17. Tommy Morrison

Tommy Morrison at Chiller Theatre in 2011 by Chamber of Fear from

The professional boxer was born on January 2, 1969, in Gravette, Arkansas. He was the World Boxing Organization (WBO) heavyweight champion in 1993. He doubled as an actor and starred as Tommy Gunn in the 1990 Rocky V film.

Morrison retired in 1996 when he was diagnosed with HIV. He made a return to the ring in 2007 but retired again in 2011. According to an ESPN report in August 2013, Morrison’s mother Diana declared her son was fighting “full-blown AIDS”. He died of AIDS-related complications on September 1, 2013, aged 44 years.

18. Alexis Arquette

Alexis Arquette in 2009 by Toglenn from

She was born in Los Angeles on July 28, 1969. Arquette joined acting as early as 12 years. At 19 the actor’s role in the film Last Exit to Brooklyn gained her fame. She played Georgette who was a trans sex worker. She appeared in over 40 films in her career and starred in I Think I Do and Sometimes They Come Back… Again films.

Alexis contracted HIV in 1987. In 2004 she expressed her desire to go through gender-transitioning medical treatment. The transitioning process was completed in 2006. The star died on September 11, 2016, due to AIDS-related illnesses.

19. Elizabeth Glaser

This AIDS activist cum child advocate was born on November 11, 1947, in New York City. She was infected with HIV in 1981 through a blood transfusion while giving birth. Hence her infant daughter Ariel Glaser got the virus and died in 1988.

She began the Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric AIDS Foundation in 1988. The institution centers on sourcing funds for HIV/AIDS research and taking care of juvenile AIDS globally.

Her limelight came at the 1992 Democratic National Convention. She gave a speech that challenged the federal government’s efforts in funding and tackling the AIDS crisis. She died on December 3, 1994, from AIDS-related challenges.

20. Pedro Zamora

Pedro Zamora by Callelinea from

Zamora was born in Cuba on February 29, 1972. He was openly gay and never shied from declaring his AIDS status public.

The Real World: San Francisco reality show on MTV was one of his notable creations. This reality television series was on Time magazine’s listing of 32 Epic Moments in Reality-TV History in 2011. He died at 22 years on November 11, 1994.

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21. Brad Davis

This actor was born in Tallahassee, Florida on November 6, 1949. The 1978 film Midnight Express was one of his career big wins. He starred in this prison drama as Billy Hayes. Thus won two Golden Globe Awards.

Furthermore, 1981’s Chariots of Fire and 1982s Querelle were also part of his acclaimed tasks on film. His HIV diagnosis was in 1985 but he kept it secret. It was discovered shortly before his death in a book proposal penned by Davis.

He died on September 8, 1991, at 41 years. His wife Susan Bluestein disclosed that Brad committed assisted suicide by a drug overdose. The declaration came in 1997 several years after his death.

22. Ryan White

Ryan White in 1989 by Wildhartlivie from

He was born in Kokomo, Indiana on December 6, 1971. The teenager turned into an instant celebrity because of his AIDS condition. He was a hemophiliac and caught HIV as he underwent a blood treatment.

In December 1984, he was diagnosed with AIDS. So his school barred him from attending classes. Doctors held that he was of no risk to other students. Though the little knowledge of the subject caused teachers’ and parents’ uproars in Howard County.

Subsequently, White became popular because of the administrative appeal processes that followed. He died on April 8, 1990, one month after his high school graduation.

23. Keith Haring

Haring was an artist. He used art to address societal themes like anti-crack, anti-apartheid, safe sex, homosexuality, and AIDS. He exhibited his work on shows like Documenta in Kassel, the Whitney Biennial in New York, and more.

He died of AIDS on February 16, 1990. Moreover, he was inaugurated into the Rainbow Honor Walk in San Francisco in 2014. In 2019 he received an induction into the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor.

24. Rudolf Nureyev

Rudolph Nureyev by Allan warren from

He was a ballet dancer and choreographer. Rudolf was born on 17 March 1938. He was part of The Royal Ballet in London from 1983 to 1989. He also served as director and choreographer of the Paris Opera Ballet. Nureyev tested positive for HIV in 1984. He died of AIDS-associated issues on January 6, 1993 when he was 54 years.

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25. Emile Ardolino

Ardolino was a television and film producer and director. He was born on May 9, 1943, in Queens, New York City. His prominent works include Dirty Dancing film in 1987 and 1992’s Sister Act.

Additionally, he won an Oscar for the film He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin’ released in 1983. Emile was openly gay and died on November 20, 1993, of complications from AIDS.

26. Derek Jarman

Derek Jarman, born on 31 January 1942 in England, was an influential English film director, gay rights activist, artist, and set designer. He studied at King’s College London and the Slade School of Fine Art. Jarman’s career began in the 1970s with experimental films like “Sebastiane” (1976) and “Jubilee” (1977). His work explored sexuality, politics, and societal norms. He also directed music videos for various artists.

Diagnosed with HIV in 1986, Jarman openly discussed his status and fought against AIDS stigma. Despite his health, he continued making films such as “The Last of England” (1987), “War Requiem” (1989), and “Edward II” (1991). In his final years, Jarman found solace in his unique garden at Prospect Cottage in Dungeness, Kent. He died on 19 February 1994 at age 52 due to AIDS-related complications. His bold and creative work remains a significant part of British cinema and art history.

27. Klaus Nomi

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Klaus Nomi, born Klaus Sperber on January 24, 1944, in Immenstadt, Germany, was a countertenor known for his unique visual style and operatic singing. He moved to New York City in the mid-1970s and became a fixture in the East Village art scene. Nomi’s distinctive appearance, featuring elaborate costumes and heavy makeup, combined with his powerful falsetto voice, made him a standout performer.

He gained international attention after appearing on Saturday Night Live in 1979 as a backup singer for David Bowie. In 1981, Nomi released his self-titled debut album, which showcased his avant-garde approach to music, blending opera, new wave, and pop. He followed up with his second album, “Simple Man,”  in 1982. Tragically, Klaus Nomi was one of the first celebrities to die from AIDS-related complications. He passed away on August 6, 1983, at the age of 39 in New York City.

28. Peter Allen

The Australian singer was born on 10 February 1944. He died on 18 June 1992 in San Diego from AIDS-related throat cancer.

29. Willi Smith

Willi Smith was a famous African American fashion designer in the 1970s and 1980s. He made stylish and affordable clothing that mixed sportswear and high fashion. He started a clothing brand called WilliWear Ltd. with his sister and friend in 1976. Smith’s designs were popular because they were versatile, colourful, and unique. He was one of the first designers to make fashionable clothing that many people could buy and wear. As a black designer, his success was very important at the time.

Sadly, Willi Smith died from AIDS-related health problems on April 17, 1987, when he was only 39 years old. He had found out he had AIDS just one year before. His death was a big loss for the fashion world and brought attention to how AIDS was affecting creative people. 

30. Howard Ashman

Howard Ashman was a talented lyricist and playwright who worked on beloved Disney animated films. He collaborated with composer Alan Menken on the hit musical “Little Shop of Horrors” in 1982.

Ashman and Menken then wrote memorable songs for Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Aladdin.” Ashman’s clever lyrics helped make these films classics. Sadly, Ashman died from AIDS-related complications on March 14, 1991, at age 40, before “Beauty and the Beast” was released.