These CW Stars Died Way Too Young

The following article includes mentions of addiction and suicide.

Tragic celebrity deaths are very upsetting, as fans often feel connected to the stars of their favorite shows. Especially in the era of social media, celebs feel more personable, which makes losing them that much more difficult. The CW has been home to many beloved series since its debut in 2006, and sadly we have lost many amazingly talented stars that have appeared on the network.

From accidents to illnesses to overdoses, the tragic fact is that many CW stars died way too young. Series such as "Gossip Girl," "Supernatural," "Riverdale," "Jane the Virgin," and many others featured some of TV's brightest stars, both established and up-and-coming, who lost their lives far too soon. From veteran actors like Luke Perry and Shannen Doherty to relative newcomers such as Logan Williams and Charlbi Dean, among many others, here are the stars of the CW who we loved and lost too soon.

Michelle Trachtenberg was as a successful child actor who starred in films like "Harriet the Spy" and shows like "The Adventures of Pete & Pete," charming viewers with her cuteness and precocious demeanor. Trachtenberg appeared in many series and movies throughout her career, but it was her work on two iconic CW series that really propelled her to stardom. Trachtenberg's transformation as a budding actor won over many fans for her role as Dawn on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and again as Georgina Sparks on "Gossip Girl."

However, Trachtenberg tragically passed away in 2025 at the age of 39 as a result of complications from diabetes mellitus. The young actor had undergone a liver transplant, but sadly it did not work to save her life. In the years leading up to her death, Trachtenberg had stepped away from the spotlight, and her failing health seems to have been the cause. "She was really, really sick and open with those in her circle about how much she was struggling," a source shared with People.

Following the shocking news of Trachtenberg's passing, several of her former co-stars shared their grief over the loss, including "Gossip Girl" stars Leighton Meester and Penn Badgley, as well as "Harriet the Spy" star Rosie O'Donnell. "I miss her and I love her and it's a tragic, tragic loss and it pained me greatly," O'Donnell told Entertainment Tonight.

Shannen Doherty was a veteran actor whose career took off in the early '80s when she starred as Jenny Wilder on "Little House on the Prairie." Doherty's stunning transformation saw her appear in shows such as "Our House" in 1986, as well as the cult classic film "Heathers" in 1988. She then became a household name when she landed the role of Brenda Walsh on the wildly popular teen drama "Beverly Hills, 90210" in 1990. Tensions with her co-stars and reports of unprofessional behavior on set led to her exit from the show in 1994, but Doherty returned to the small screen four years later as Prue Halliwell in the CW series "Charmed."

Doherty's time on "Charmed" was also somewhat difficult, as she and co-star Alyssa Milano reportedly did not get along, so Doherty left the show after its third season. "There was too much drama on the set and not enough passion for the work," the actor explained to Entertainment Tonight following her exit from the series, adding, "I'm 30 years old and I don't have time for drama in my life anymore."

The actor continued to work consistently throughout the 2000s, then in 2015, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The actor lived with the disease for years before it eventually progressed to her brain and her bones. She fought hard to beat the insidious illness, telling People in 2023, "I'm not done with living. I'm not done with loving. I'm not done with creating." She tragically passed away in 2024 at the age of 53. Doherty chose to never children and is, thus, survived by her husband, Kurt Iswarienko.

Luke Perry was a prolific actor who got his start on the soap operas "Loving" and "Another World" in the '80s, and he went on to achieve heartthrob status as Dylan McKay on the teen drama series "Beverly Hills, 90210." The actor starred on the series until 2000 and worked steadily throughout the following decades. Perry became a Hallmark star in 2016 and then took on the role of Archie's father Fred Andrews on the CW's "Riverdale" in 2017.

Perry's career was cut tragically short when he died unexpectedly in 2019 at the age of 52. The world was shocked to learn of Perry's death, which was caused by a stroke that he suffered at his home in Sherman Oaks, California. Perry was survived by his longtime fiancée, Wendy Madison Bauer, and his two children, Sophie and Jack. Bauer spoke out about her painful loss following Perry's death, telling People, "The past 11½ years with Luke were the happiest years of my life, and I am grateful to have had that time with him."

Perry had been working on "Riverdale" before his death, and the show addressed his passing in an emotional way: Perry's character died in a car accident while saving a woman who was stranded on the road. That woman was revealed to be Perry's friend and 90210 co-star Shannen Doherty, who was dealing with her own health issues at the time but appeared as a guest star to honor her pal. Doherty took to Instagram to share some sweet pics of her and Perry over the years, with the caption, "I am deeply honored to pay tribute to Luke on Riverdale ... He is missed. Today. Tomorrow. Forever."

Paul Teal was a young actor who appeared in series like "Outer Banks," "American Rust," and the hit HBO miniseries "The Staircase." However, he is likely best remembered for his role as Josh Avery on the CW series "One Tree Hill." The popular teen drama was Teal's first TV role, though he got his start in the theater, appearing in productions of "Newsies," "Sweeney Todd," and "The Notebook" alongside his "One Tree Hill" co-star Bethany Joy Lenz.

Teal's life was cut tragically short after he succumbed to neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer in 2024 at the age of 35. Teal was diagnosed with the illness and sadly passed away just seven months later, leaving behind his fiancée Emilia Torello. Torello was the one to break the news of Teal's death, taking to Instagram to share the sad news. "Paul, you were my soulmate, my soon-to-be-husband, my rock, and my future," Torello wrote alongside a black-and-white photo of the two. "While a part of me died with you, I promise to fight to find joy in life as hard as you fought to live every single day."

Sarah Danser was a beloved reality TV star whose adventurous spirit and survivalist skills were on full display during her frequent appearances on the "Naked and Afraid" franchise. Danser, who beat breast cancer not once but twice, also appeared on the CW series "Fight to Survive" in 2023, showing off her fierce and fearless attitude along with her survivalist smarts.

Given Danser's impressive feats of strength both personally and on through her TV appearances, it came as a shock to all to learn she had passed away at the age of 34 in 2024 after being involved in a deadly car accident in Hawaii. Danser was a passenger in a vehicle that was speeding when the driver lost control and hit a parked car. She did not die on impact but was hospitalized with critical injuries, which she tragically succumbed to several days later.

Melissa Lauren, one of Danser's fellow competitors on "Naked and Afraid," honored her friend with a heartfelt tribute on social media following her death. "Sarah was of the most adventurous souls I've ever met ... She loved the ocean, nature and exploring — I always considered her a 'modern day pirate,'" Lauren posted on Facebook, along with a series of photos of herself and Danser. "Rest easy Sarah, I know you're out there exploring somewhere."

Logan Williams was 10 years old when he landed his first role in the Hallmark movie "The Color of Rain." The young actor clearly had a very bright future ahead of him and went on to appear as young Barry Allen on "The Flash" in 2014, followed by the CW hit series "Supernatural" as Max Johnson in 2015. Williams also starred in the Hallmark series "When Calls the Heart" as Miles Montgomery from 2014 to 2016, at which point he took a break from acting, as auditioning for roles had become stressful for the teen. Williams' plans to return to the craft never came to fruition, however, as he died from a drug overdose in 2020 at just 16 years old.

Williams' mother, Marlyse Williams, later revealed that her son had begun dabbling in marijuana, which escalated to harder drugs. Marlyse did everything she could to save her son, including refinancing her home to pay for multiple stints in rehab. "I did everything humanly possible — everything a mother could do," she shared with The New York Post. "I did everything but handcuff him to me to try to keep him safe." Tragically, her efforts were not enough, as Williams' death was revealed to be the result of an overdose of fentanyl. "I just hope he's at peace," Marlyse said of her young son. "He was in so much pain and he was so ashamed."

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Erica Ash was an accomplished actor and comedian who gained many fans through her work in the theater, as well as her TV and film projects. Ash got her start working as a model and also earned a degree in pre-medicine from Emory University. She starred in Broadway productions of "The Lion King," "Spamalot," and "Baby it's You," along with comedy series such as "The Big Gay Sketch Show," "Mad TV," and "Real Husbands of Hollywood." In 2019, Ash appeared in the CW series "Legacies," a spinoff of "The Vampire Diaries," as Veronica Greasley and continued working until her untimely death in 2024.

Ash was just 46 years old when she passed away, and her family issued a statement delivering the tragic news. "After a long and courageous battle with cancer, she transitioned peacefully surrounded by her loved ones," the statement read in part (via NPR). Ash was remembered fondly by many of her co-stars and collaborators, including Mike O'Malley, the creator of "Survivor's Remorse," in which Ash starred from 2014 until 2017. "She was fearless, hilarious, compelling. But most of all — she was a good person," O'Malley told Deadline.

Hallmark star Chris Gauthier was an actor with an impressive resume that included both film and TV projects and spanned more than two decades. Gauthier, who was born in the UK and raised in British Columbia, Canada, was best known for his roles in films such as "Freddy vs. Jason" and "Watchmen," as well as series like "Once Upon a Time" and "A Series of Unfortunate Events." Gauthier also appeared in multiple Hallmark projects and CW shows, including "Supernatural," "Charmed," and "Joe Pickett."

Fans of the actor were shocked when it was announced that he died in 2024 at the age of 48. Gauthier's death was reportedly the result of a brief, undisclosed illness. Despite his success as a working actor, Gauthier may not have lived the lavish life one would assume. Following his passing, a friend, actor Trent Redekop, set up a GoFundMe to raise money for Gauthier's wife, Erin, and the couple's two sons, Sebastian and Ben. "Chris has touched so many lives with his light," Redekop wrote in the description. "Whether you've had a meal with his family, sang karaoke with him, screamed for a local sports team, or had the pleasure of acting with him, we have all been blessed to have had him in our lives."

Kamar De los Reyes was born in Puerto Rico in 1967 and relocated to Los Angeles in the 1980s to pursue his acting goals. De los Reyes found success in both film and theater, performing in productions of "Blade to the Heat" and "The Tempest." He also appeared in the series "Valley of the Dolls" before landing the role he is most known for, that of Antonio Vega on the popular soap opera "One Life to Live" in 1995. De los Reyes appeared in a slew of TV series after his soap stint, including "Blue Bloods," "Pretty Little Liars," and "Sleepy Hollow." He was starring on the CW show "All American" as Coach Montes when he tragically passed away in 2023.

De los Reyes was 56 years old when he succumbed to cancer not long after his diagnosis, leaving behind his wife, actor Sherri Saum, and his three sons Caylen, Michael, and John. Shortly before his passing, De los Reyes shared a proud dad Instagram post featuring his oldest son, Caylen, decked out in an army uniform on his graduation day. "Always knew you'd do great things — never dreamed how great. My pride to have you as my son overwhelms me," De los Reyes captioned the photo.

South-African born Charlbi Dean got her start as a model at the young age of 12 before branching out into acting. She starred alongside actor and musician Troye Sivan in the 2010 film "Spud" and made several more movie and TV appearances before landing the role of Syonide on the CW series "Black Lightning" in 2018. Dean also starred in "Triangle of Sadness," a film that won the coveted Palme d'Or prize at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Her career was just picking up steam when tragedy cut her young life short.

Dean died suddenly at the age of 32 in August of 2022, mere months after her Cannes debut. The cause of her death was bacterial sepsis stemming from a rare bacterial infection known as Capnocytophaga. The sepsis developed as a result of prior complications with her spleen, which had been removed following injuries from a 2009 car accident that also left her with a broken back. Dean's brother Alex Jacobs told Rolling Stone that her symptoms started off minor but escalated quickly, explaining, "This happened literally within the span of a day: getting a headache, going to sleep, waking up her boyfriend and saying please take me to the hospital."

Dean was remembered fondly by her family, her fiancé Luke Volker, and many in the entertainment industry. "Triangle of Sadness" director Ruben Östlund took to Instagram to honor Dean's memory, captioning a photo of the actor, "Charlbi had a care and sensitivity that lifted her colleagues and the entire film crew. The thought that she will not be by our side in the future makes me very sad."

Francisco San Martin was born in Mallorca, Spain but made a big splash working as an actor in the United States. San Martin did not have a lot of acting credits under his belt, but he appeared in several iconic shows, such as the popular soap operas "Days of Our Lives" and "The Bold and the Beautiful." In 2017, the actor landed a role on the beloved CW series "Jane the Virgin" as telenovela star Fabian Regalo del Cielo and continued pursuing his career thereafter. The actor then starred in two short films in 2022.

San Martin died tragically in January of 2025 at the young age of 39. The actor was found dead in his home and the cause was revealed to be suicide by hanging. San Martin was remembered fondly by many, including his "Days of Our Lives" co-star Camila Banus who posted on her Instagram story, "Pepe, what can I say but I love you and rest in peace, my friend. Love you mucho mucho mucho. I wish I had told you more" (via People).

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