The Enduring Power of Last Words: Messages That Live On
Words on cards, in letters, and text messages have always been very significant. Through them, people keep their relationships alive with words, which give the same feelings of joy, and love to the recipients long after the sender’s death. For some, these messages turn into treasured relics—memory triggers of a loved one’s wit, goodness, or the manner in which they showed love. Sometimes it happens that these conversations could be the last ones with someone who will die because of a tragic event. It is often the case that during a great number of condolences and praises for the actors who have given the world so much through their art, the very personal exchanges are the ones that relatives, friends, and colleagues value the most. Regardless of whether they were uncovered in private or diffused through social media and interviews, the final words constitute the closest and the most heartfelt testimonies of the stars’ leaving footprints. Here we look at the last text messages actors sent before their death.
Matthew Perry
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has reported that the cause of death for Matthew Perry is acute effects of ketamine. At around the time of his death in Los Angeles, Perry was found in a hot tub for relaxation but he was already unresponsive.
Matthew Perry for ten years was a great delight to the audience with his portrayal of the clever Chandler Bing character, thereby, putting viewers through lives of love, laughter, and lifelong friendships. One of the most famous TV couples were his love affair with Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), from which in the last episode of the series, the couple’s moving out of their New York apartment was implied. Even though the cast had disbanded, they still kept in touch, and in 2021, they met up nicely when they filmed Friends: The Reunion. Jennifer Aniston was one of Perry’s closest friends and after his death, she shared some nice memories of him. “He and I were literally texting that morning—funny Matty,” she told Variety. “He wasn’t in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy.” Besides, she said that Perry was working on his health, was off cigarettes, and was concentrating on his physical fitness at that time.
Perry supposedly uploaded his last Instagram post just five days before he suddenly died: it was a picture depicting himself soaking in the hot tub, and smiling at the coming night.
Angus Cloud
Basically, Angus Cloud became widely recognized for his lead role in the HBO series Euphoria, where the character of Fezco – the nice-hearted, drug dealer, who tried to protect Rue Bennett (Zendaya) but also was quietly dealing with his own problems – conquered the audience’s hearts. His first acting job made him a fan’s favorite, praised for his brilliant blending of character’s weak and strong sides. Unfortunately, Cloud left us on the 31st of July, 2023, at the age of 25 only. The Alameda County Coroner’s Office, according to the report, has certified his death as an overdose of unintentional death due to the combination of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
Many artists’ and friends’ reactions were the first to come after the news, and they mentioned not only Cloud’s talent but also his smile away from the camera. The actress Jessica Garza, who acted with him in the 2023 thriller Your Lucky Day, talked about one of the last texts she got from Cloud: an easy but sincere holiday wish.
Talking to uInterview, Garza said: “One Christmas morning, I found a DM from him like, ‘Merry Christmas, player.’ It was a little Christmas photo, so to speak. He was always like this … you would also receive text messages from him, such as ‘How do you do? Don’t forget me, hope it’s good.’”
This was a preview of the most unostentatious side of Cloud who, though short, left behind characters that were once unforgettably warm and generous of spirit.
Leslie Jordan
The adored actor Leslie Jordan, who thrilled audiences for over 30 years, started his long-lasting career in the 1980s and rapidly made a name for himself with his unique comedic genius and inimitable charm. He was best known for playing the role of Karen Walker’s (Megan Mullally) naughty neighbor Beverley Leslie on Will and Grace, which not only earned him an Emmy Award but also made him very popular. Later on, he became even more popular with the new generation as the fan-friendly Phil on Call Me Kat.
On October 24, 2022, Jordan died at the age of 67 in a car accident in Hollywood. Quoting the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, as reported by the Associated Press, he died due to sudden cardiac dysfunction from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease which was the cause of the crash.
In every way, both on and off the stage, he was known for his warmth and humor, and until the last moment, Jordan remained in contact with friends. Actor Max Greenfield stated that they exchanged funny texts just two days before Jordan’s death. Greenfield informed E! News that Jordan attempted to be present at his Los Angeles book signing but was denied access due to the event being fully booked. “He texted me and said, ‘I couldn’t get in. I saw that you were so famous that they didn’t let me in,’” Greenfield recalled. “And then he continues, ‘But congratulations, I couldn’t stay, I had to leave because I had other important things to do.’”
Joke and love of Jordan were still present in his last communication—his audience was reminded of how much he was loved.
Olivia Newton-John
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Olivia Newton-John was the darling on both the small and the big screen, as well as the stage. She drove the world wild when she played Sandy in Grease, sharing the scene with John Travolta, and didn’t take long to make the same impact in the offbeat 1980 musical Xanadu. Moreover, her singing career went exponential within the same period, with hits like “Physical” (1981) topping the charts.
Newton-John also gained music and acting fame through the years, in addition, to television appearances and films. For example, she was on Sharknado 5: Global Swarming in 2017 with a brief scene, and her cameo was in 2019 when she and Travolta did the “Meet N’ Grease” sing-along in Florida, which was a very popular get-together.
After a long, brave fight with breast cancer, the angelic singer lost her life on 8th August 2022 at the age of 73.
After the announcement of her death, talk show host and friend of many years, Leeza Gibbons, remembers the very last communication from Newton-John that epitomized her very nature. “Her last text to me was, ‘I’m grateful for all the love in my life. I’m such a lucky person,’” Gibbons told People. She also stated that Newton-John gave so much encouragement during their friendship: “There will never be another like her … a true angel on earth.”
Cheslie Kryst
Miss USA 2019 winner Cheslie Kryst decided to pursue a career in acting after the completion of her reign. She thus made her debut in the TV mini-series Colin in Black & White (2021), where she played Season 1, Episode 5, “Crystal,” a character in a show about the childhood of the football star and activist Colin Kaepernick.
She died unexpectedly in New York City, January 30, 2022, at 30. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner announced her death was due to suicide.
On Red Table Talk, in May 2022, April Simpkins, Kryst’s mother, reminisced about a time when her daughter sent her the last text on the day of her death. The excerpt from the text message reads: “You listen to me and care when I tell you what goes on in my life, and you’ve always made me feel like you love me … You’ve done nothing wrong, You’ve done everything right.”
Apart from this, Simpkins has dedicated her life to finishing a book by Kryst. The book, named By the Time You Read This, is scheduled to be released by Simon & Schuster on April 23, 2024. The book starts with Kryst’s personal account and then describes Simpkins’ experience of losing her daughter. The net proceeds of the book will be donated to the Cheslie C. Kryst Foundation to support and keep her legacy alive.
Bob Saget
Comedian, and actor Bob Saget, who was more than just the lovable Danny Tanner on Full House and its reboot Fuller House, lost his life on January 9, 2022, at the age of 65. Discovered in his hotel room in Orlando, Florida, where he was on tour. Earlier the same day, Saget uploaded to Instagram a photo of his stage performance—a post that would be his farewell.
The last interactions between Saget and his eldest daughter, Aubrey, were texts which she shared with us posthumously. In her Instagram Stories, she posted his last message: “Thank u. Love u. Showtime!”
Bob Saget also deeply impacted the hearts of his friends he made on the set of Full House. Candace Cameron Bure, who played his on-screen daughter D.J., said that their last chat was two weeks before he died when they had a little disagreement. “We were going to have dinner … and, we got into a little fight,” she told Today. “But in Bob style, the next day he wrote me, like, one of those really long texts … He said, ‘Oh, now I’m the one who feels worse. I was so wrong. You’re, like, my favorite person on the planet.’”
Co-star John Stamos also remembered their last conversation with Saget during the Netflix tribute special Dirty Daddy: The Bob Saget Tribute, in which he shared that Saget had sent him a warm-hearted note calling Stamos the brother he had always wanted.
Even in Saget’s farewell to loved ones and friends, his warmth, wit, and big heart were there for everyone to see.
Naya Rivera
Sadly, in July 2020, at the age of 33, actress and singer Naya Rivera passed away. Naya Rivera, the mother of one, went missing on July 8 during a boat ride with her son at Lake Piru in California. The rescue operation took several days. Eventually, they found the last text message as the key to locating her.
Robert Inglis from Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue told Us Weekly that the message was a photo that Rivera had sent to a family member showing the son on the boat. “We found where that cove was,” Inglis elaborated. The next day, the authorities announced that they had found Naya Rivera’s corpse.
Once Naya Rivera entered Glee, the pop culture world was hers: first as a member of the Cheerios, then as a beloved series regular. As Santana Lopez, Rivera delivered the most powerful performances combining her wit with her fragility. In six seasons, she turned into one of the show’s breakout stars and got people’s admiration from all over the world.
The Glee creators talked about Naya Rivera and her great ability and character in a statement given to The Hollywood Reporter. “Naya wasn’t a series regular when we cast her on Glee … But it was only a thing of one or two episodes before realizing that we had struck one of the most talented, special stars the very few that we would ever have the pleasure of collaborating with … She was a delight to write for, a delight to direct and a delight to be around.”
Nick Cordero
Broadway stage favorite Nick Cordero lost his life on July 5, 2020, at the age of 41. His wife, Amanda Kloots, wrote on Instagram, “He was surrounded by love from his family, and as he was letting go of this world, he was singing and praying with us.”
Cordero was affected by the virus in the early part of the year and was hospitalized on March 30 for treatment. The situation worsened as he developed septic shock and had two small strokes, which made his struggle extended and hard.
After the death of Cordero, Zach Braff posted a tear-jerking tribute to his dear friend on Instagram, marking the very last text message from the actor. “His last text was always the concern for his wife and one-year-old son, Elvis,” Braff said. “I’m going to promote them the most in the world so that they never lack anything.”
He elevated his stage credits with numerous brilliant performances. In 2012, he was in the cast of Rock of Ages. The Broadway version of Bullets Over Broadway was the place where he introduced Cheech to the world, and after that, he was the first to play Earl in the successful musical Waitress. On the small screen, he was also present, and played the character of Victor Lugo, a recurring guest star, in Blue Bloods.
Cordero will always be remembered for his great performances, but also because of love, the passion he showed – his last words full of love to wife and son.
Chadwick Boseman
Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, who was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016, died in August 2020 following a very private four‑year fight. His family, in a statement, spoke of his determination and devotion, even when he was unwell, with his continued work.
One of the last texts that Boseman wrote to him was Instagram-ed by actor Josh Gad. Boseman in the note urged Gad to accept the beauty of the mundane life after several days of rain in L.A. “Inhale and exhale in this moment, and thank God for the unique beauties and wonders of this day … And hey, if the air is this clear right now, and it does rain tomorrow, I might even put jars and bins out and catch the rain. Throw that in the water filter and I have a water more alkaline than any bottled brand out there,” he wrote.
The last talk between the actor Nate Moore, executive producer of Black Panther, and Boseman was also remembered by Moore. With People, he disclosed that Boseman sent him a text message while organizing a Make‑A‑Wish gift in the midst of the COVID‑19 pandemic for a child, to whom toys and a special voice message from T’Challa were given. “‘If we were able to ease their suffering and bring joy for a moment, and hopefully moments as he goes through the bags, then we made a difference in his life,’” Moore recalled him writing.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant may be best remembered as one of basketball’s greatest players, but he also left his mark in entertainment. He appeared as himself in TV shows like Sister, Sister and Modern Family, had a cameo in the 2015 comedy Daddy’s Home, and even found success in film—winning an Academy Award for Best Animated Short in 2018 for Dear Basketball, adapted from his own poem.
On January 26, 2020, tragedy struck when Bryant, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in California, according to CNN.
A while before this event, on December 8, 2019, Bryant had a text conversation which would be his last with his friend and fellow basketball legend Michael Jordan. Talking to ESPN, Jordan recalled that Bryant first praised his Cincoro Tequila, then the two talked about their families. Jordan wrote, “Happy holidays, and hope to catch up soon. Coach Kobe??!” and Bryant answered: “Ah, back at you, man. Hey, coach, I’m sitting on the bench right now, and we’re blowing this team out. 45-8.” At the time, Bryant was coaching his daughter Gianna’s basketball team.
Jordan later spoke of his friend at Kobe and Gianna’s memorial in Los Angeles, saying, “Kobe was my dear friend. He was like a little brother.” He explained that Kobe’s endless queries and investigations usually resulted in late-night phone calls and texts. “This kid had passion like you’d never know,” Jordan said, not only referring to Bryant’s skills on the court but the fire within his drive.
David Bowie
David Bowie created an legendary career over the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s, attracting fans with songs that are as popular now as they were then like Starman, Heroes, and Let’s Dance. His music was no less than his innovation and artistry, from the concept of his very first hit Ziggy Stardust—where most people visualize the lightning bolt that ran right down his face—to his ever changing style that no one could judge by decades.
In addition, David Bowie was also versatile enough in his acting career and his most famous role was probably as the goblin king Jareth in 1986 fantasy film Labyrinth.
He announced in a statement on his official Facebook page that he had lost his battle to cancer when he was 69 years old, on January 10, 2016, In the last few years, he lived, he was an inspiration to his surroundings. In an interview with Daily Mail, his ex-girlfriend, Claudia Lennear reminiscing their friendship, talking about one of his last text messages she received, said: “Send me some lyrics. Don’t forget,” he said, telling her to go back to music after she stopped following her solo career that was released in 1973, which was made with dissatisfaction.
Lennear shared, “Just a sweet guy. I still can’t believe he’s gone,” She was referring to Bowie, not only as a music legend who was always there for the people, but as a person who was always on the lookout for others and treated them with warmth and cordiality.
Ryan Dunn
Jackass’ Ryan Dunn expired lamentably on June 20, 2011, at the time of his death, 34 years old. Physical trauma and backfire killed both him and his longtime companion, Zachary Hartwell, 30. Dunn’s car, going at more than 100 miles per hour, left the highway and hit a tree. A toxicology report was released later stating that Dunn was intoxicated. The crash was about 100 yards from Hartwell’s house, as per NBC10 Philadelphia.
Ryan Dunn texted his Jackass teammate Bam Margera right after the crash a last time. Margera after receiving the message and then viewing it with E! News said: “Stopping for a beer, be there when I can” – that’s the message he received.
Dunn was first seen working with Margera in the CKY videos before he got the job on MTV’s Jackass, the show that was on air for three seasons and had several successful movies, including Jackass Number Two, where Hartwell was also credited as a production assistant. Besides the bizarre stunt, Dunn shifted to acting and appeared in several productions like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Most people knew Ryan Dunn for his outrageous side, thanks to his wild humor and daring stunts, but his passing still sent shockwaves through those who were close to him and had followed his unpredictable life for years.
