The Celebrities We Lost in 2021

Colin Powell - 84

Former Secretary of State, and the first black man to ever do the job, Colin Powell passed away in October at age 84. He died from COVID-19 complications at Walter Reed National Medical Center. His health was already in jeopardy as he suffered from multiple myeloma and Parkinson's disease. He was a Vietnam vet and played an important role in the Panama invasion, Desert Storm, and Desert Shield.

Stephen Sondheim - 91

Stephen Sondheim was a famed Broadway composer, the mastermind behind the music for West Side Story, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd, Follies, Company, Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George, and so many more shows. He also mentored Jonathon Larson of Rent and Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton. He won eight Tony Awards, eight Grammy Awards, and an Academy Award in his illustrious career. 

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The More You Know

  • Leonardo DiCaprio is fluent in German.
  • A far cry from her upper-class role on Gossip Girl, Leighton Meester was born in prison; her mother was serving time for smuggling drugs.
  • Bill Murray was arrested when he was 20 for trying to bring 10 pounds of marijuana on a plane.
  • Actor Joaquin Phoenix was born in a cult, which might help explain why his siblings were named River, Rain, Liberty, and Summer. Their parents were members of Children of God group, which was founded in the 1960s.
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Post originally appeared on Upbeat News.