It’s almost impossible for celebrities to have any privacy these days. From the paparazzi to fans and tabloids, all the skeletons in their closet are up for grabs. Their secret shames, pasts and detailed family histories are available to the public, and even if they try to keep their personal lives as private as possible, it can be difficult in this age of technology. However, the stars on this list somehow managed to keep their secrets private until their passing. Here are the most famous celebrities who have taken massive secrets to their grave.
1. George Michael
George Michael’s life was filled with scandal, but he surprised everyone when his acts of good faith were revealed after his death. Based on information from the Associated Press, Michael made substantial donations to many charities, including Macmillan Cancer Support, Childline, and an HIV awareness group dubbed the Terrence Higgins Trust. However, he kept these donations of millions of dollars secret, donating royalties from his biggest hits.
2. Rock Hudson
There were always rumors about this hunk, but only in 1985 did news break that this actor of the 1950s and 1960s had AIDS. After appearing more gaunt than usual at a press conference, many speculated. At the time, Hudson was the most famous person to have AIDs, but he kept it a secret until he died in 1985, and only when his post-humous autobiography mentioned his ex-boyfriend Lee Garlington, whom he called his true love.
3. Corey Haim
Both Haim and his best friend Corey Feldman spoke out about how they were abused as young children in Hollywood. Feldman was more outspoken about this, and Haim died before any investigations occurred. Haim also reportedly did not want to reveal this information since he thought it would result in his death. Years later, on the “Dr. Oz Show” his mother claimed it was Dominick Brascia.
4. Prince
Just like George Michael, musician Prince Rogers Nelson was a secret philanthropist, and his secrets were not scandalous at all. In fact, he did things like write a $50,000 check to the Green Jobs Act, as well as co-founding an educational effort called #YesWeCode, which teaches urban minority youths technology. He also donated significant funds to Trayvon Martin’s family, all done in private.
5. Gene Wilder
Only after this iconic comedian passed away at age 83 did fans learn what he died from. Complications from Alzheimer’s disease are ultimately what caused his death, and although he had been struggling with the illness for several years, he kept it private until his death in order to protect his fans and their smiles.
6. Anthony Perkins
Living a very private life, Anthony Perkins played Norman Bates in Psycho and was sometimes compared to him due to his quiet nature. In 1992, he passed away unexpectedly. But in reality, he was receiving treatment for AIDS in secret, going under another name at the hospital. It’s quite tragic to think that he gave himself to making people happy but couldn’t even be himself at the end.
7. Whitney Houston
Whitney was always in the middle of the media and tabloids for her drug use and marriage to Bobby Brown. Despite all these secrets being laid out in the papers, there was one secret she managed to hold with her until her death. Houston’s brother accused singer Dee Dee Warwick, their cousin, of molesting him. Houston then secretly confided in her assistant that a woman molested her at a young age. While she never spoke about it officially, she hinted about it in interviews.
8. Jimmy Savile
Once seen as a generous man of philanthropy, this vile man was knighted and had close ties with the Royal Family. However, after his death, there were shocking allegations released regarding sexual misconduct and assault. Over 70 people were victimized while he was at the BBC, and more than 60 people with disabilities at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital. By 2012, over 400 victims were discovered, ranging from the young to the elderly.
9. Bob Crane
The star of “Hogan’s Heroes” passed away in 1978 in a murder. He was struck with an object and strangled with an electrical cord around her neck, but soon, more details arose. In his possessions, police found polaroids and videotapes of homemade pornography, and it was discovered that he was a sex addict before that term was popularized. Electronic salesman John Carpenter apparently shared in these exploits and was the prime suspect in the murder. After his death, his wife found thousands of images of different women.
10. Sally Ride
Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983 when she took multiple trips out of our atmosphere. Becoming an icon in the NASA community, she was even given a posthumous award dubbed the Presidential Medal of Freedom and helped young girls become more interested in STEM fields. However, when she passed in 2012, it was revealed that she was gay and remained in the closet until her death. While she was married to male astronaut Steve Hawley, she began a relationship with a woman named Tam O’Shaughnessy, her partner of 27 years.
