15 Tattoos For Stars Who Passed in 2020

This year took many greats from this world. We lost athletes, actors, musicians, television hosts and a Supreme Court justice. We’re here to pay homage to the lives we lost and showcase some of our favorite tattoos that honor their legacy. Take a look at the tattoos in the gallery below, then let us know your thoughts on these stars in the comments section on social media.

Kobe Bryant—January 26th

Kobe Bryant was a 5x NBA Champion and one of the best basketball players of all time. He spent his entire 20-year career playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and was an 18-time All-Star. Bryant passed away, alongside his daughter Gianna, in a helicopter crash at the age of 41, leaving behind his wife Vanessa and three daughters.

Pop Smoke—February 19th

Pop Smoke was a rapper who was born and raised in Brooklyn, first building his reputation in the drill scene. He broke out onto the mainstream hip-hop scene with his debut mix tape “Meet the Woo” in 2019 and his single “Dior” peeked at number 24 on the Billboard Top 100. Smoke passed away at 20 years old after being shot during a home invasion in Los Angeles. He was honored with Best New Hip Hop Artist posthumously at the 2020 BET Hip Hop Awards.

Max von Sydow—March 8th

Born in Sweden, Max von Sydow had a successful career in Hollywood over several decades. He’s best known for portraying knight Antonius Block in 1957’s “The Seventh Seal,” Jesus Christ in 1965’s “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” Father Lankester Merrin in 1971’s “The Exorcist” and the Three-eyed Raven in “Game of Thrones.” He passed away at the age of 90 in Provence, France and was survived by his wife and four sons.

Kenny Rogers—March 20th

Kenny Rogers was one of the most prolific musicians in the genre of country music, debuting 39 studio albums during his lifetime. Some of his most popular singles include 1980’s “Lady” and 1983’s “Island in the Stream”—both of which hit number one on the Billboard Top 100. He passed away in Sandy Springs, Georgia at the age of 81 from natural causes.

Little Richard—May 9th

Little Richard was one of the originators of rock and roll, influencing countless artists with his style and sound. He released 15 studio albums during his lifetime and charted with singles such as “Tutti Frutti,” “Long Tall Sally” and “Keep A-Knockin’.” He passed away in Tullahoma, Tennessee at the age of 87 after suffering from a battle with bone cancer.

Ian Holm—June 19th

Ian Holm was an English actor who first gained acclaim in theater, winning a Tony for his performance in 1967’s “The Homecoming.” He was also well known for his roles in film, portraying Ash in 1979’s “Alien” and Bilbo Baggins in “The Lord of the Rings” series. He passed away in London at the age of 88.

Naya Rivera—July 8th

Naya Rivera was an American actress who was best known for her role on “Glee.” Rivera played cheerleader Santana Lopez on the show from 2009-2015 and up until her death, had a lead role in YouTube Red’s “Step Up” TV series. She went missing on July 8th after renting a boat with her four year old son on Lake Piru and was later presumed dead from accidental drowning at 33 years old.

Regis Philbin—July 24th

Regis Philbin was a celebrated television host and presenter, holding the Guinness World Record for the most hours on television. He was best known as the co-host of “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee” from 1988-2000, then “Live with Regis and Kelly” from 2001-2011. He died from a heart attack caused by coronary artery disease in Greenwich, Connecticut at the age of 88.

Chadwick Boseman—August 28th

Chadwick Boseman was an American actor who rose to fame portraying Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He made his debut as Black Panther in 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War” and portrayed the superhero for 2018’s “Black Panther,” 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War” and 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame.” Boseman was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016 and died due to complication from the disease at 43 in Los Angeles, California.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg—September 18th

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an associate justice of the Supreme Court from 1993 until her death in 2020. She was the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court and was known for her advocacy of gender equality and women’s rights. Bader Ginsburg battled with cancer throughout her final years and passed away from complications of pancreatic cancer at 87 years old in Washington, D.C.

Eddie Van Halen—October 6th

Eddie Van Halen was an American musician who co-founded the band Van Halen with his brother Alex in 1972. Van Halen is regarded as one of the greatest guitar players of all time and was known for his tapping guitar solo technique. Van Halen had been battling with throat cancer for years and ultimately passed away from the illness at 65 in Santa Monica, California.

Sean Connery—October 31st

Sean Connery was a Scottish actor who is best known for portraying secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1962 to 1983. He was a beloved public figure in Scotland and voted “Sexiest Man of the Century” by People Magazine in 1999. Connery died in his sleep from pneumonia and heart failure at the age of 90 at his home in Nassau in The Bahamas.

King Von—November 6th

King Von was an American rapper from Chicago who released his breakout single “Crazy Story” in 2018. Von released his debut studio album, “Welcome to O’Block” on October 20th, 2020. Von passed away after being shot in an altercation outside of a nightclub in Atlanta at 26 years old.

Alex Trebek—November 8th

Alex Trebek was a Canadian-American game show host who was best known for being the face of “Jeopardy!” from 1984 until his death in 2020. He received seven Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Game Show Host during his lifetime. Trebek passed away after 18 months battling pancreatic cancer at the age of 80 in Los Angeles.

David Prowse—November 28th

David Prowse was an English actor who was best known for physically portraying Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy. His impressive 6’6″ frame helped him earn the role, which was voiced by actor James Earl Jones. Prowse passed away in a London Hospital from an unspecified illness at the age of 85.