12 Celebrities Who've Had to Deny Their Own Death Rumors: From Macaulay Culkin to Paul McCartney and More

Aaron Carter was the target of a death hoax years before he died on November 5, 2022.

In December 2010, the "I'm All About You" singer addressed the rumors that he had died of a drug overdose at the age of 23.

"This is the real Aaron Carter I know there's a Hoax Going Around, But I'm Here, Alive & Well. At the compound Working on my mind & soul," he tweeted at the time.

His manager, Johnny Wright, also confirmed Carter was "alive and well" at his compound in Orlando.

In 2005, a conspiracy theory suggested Avril Lavigne was replaced by a body double named Melissa after she reportedly passed away between the release of her albums Let Go (2002) and Under My Skin (2004).

Responding to the "dumb internet rumor," Lavigne told a news outlet, "[I'm] flabbergasted that people bought into it. Isn't that so weird? It's so dumb. And I look the exact same. On one hand, everyone is like, 'Oh my god, you look the same,' and on the other hand people are like, 'Oh my god, she died.'"

Chris Walker, a CBC reporter, shared a tweet in 2015 claiming Carlos Santana was found dead in his car.

The guitarist's team debunked the report on Facebook, writing, "From Team Santana: Carlos is alive and well and enjoying his morning! Thank you all for your concern, but the reports of his passing are false."

In 2015, Jackie Chan clarified he was still alive after a death hoax went viral.

"I was shocked by two news reports when I got off the plane," he said. "First of all, don't worry! I'm still alive. Second, don't believe the scam on Weibo using my name about the Red Pockets."

A Russian news organization shared a bogus report claiming King Charles III had died in March 2024. In response to the fake news, Buckingham Palace issued a statement to the Russian state-run TASS news agency, confirming the monarch was alive and "continuing with official and private business."

Even Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin fell victim to death hoaxes.

He was the focus of unfounded death claims that began circulating online in 2014. Confronting the false reports, he tweeted, "We're on tour you silly people. One of the great things you can do when you're alive is stop for lunch in Breaux Bridge, LA."

Culkin later poked fun at the rumors by using his band's Instagram account to post a photo of himself pretending to be dead.

"Weekend at bernies with @anchovywarhol #greenroom," the caption read, which was a reference to a scene in Weekend at Bernie's in which two characters try to convince people that their murdered employer is still alive.

During a press conference at the Toronto International Film Festival, Matt Damon slammed the "silly" reports suggesting he died during a hike in California in 2009.

"My publicist's like, 'Did you even read the story?' Misinformation is quicker because you m---------- are lazy! That's how these things spread like wildfire," the Good Will Hunting star told the crowd.

In an episode of "The Osbournes" podcast in December 2023, Ozzy Osbourne set the record straight on claims he had died.

"I'm not dead," he said. "I'm not going any-f--------where. And I'm gonna go up and do some more gigs before I'm finished anyway. The thing on YouTube, it's got 'Celebrities Who Have Died Today,' and there's a picture of me. And I go, 'I'm not dead. I'm not really dead … Just a little flesh wound.'"

Less than two years later, on July 22, the Prince of Darkness died of a heart attack at the age of 76.

The death hoax about Paul McCartney began in 1969 when a caller falsely told Detroit radio station WKNR-FM DJ Russ Gibb that The Beatles member had died in a car crash in 1966 and was replaced by a look-alike. The caller also asked him to play the band's "Revolution 9" backwards, which delivered the eerie message, "turn me on dead man."

"The whole thing just exploded," Gibb said of the claim. "The phones were ringing off the hook. People were calling with their own clues. It was non-stop."

McCartney called the rumor "b----- stupid," adding, "I am alive and well and concerned about the rumors of my death. But if I were dead, I would be the last to know."

Russell Brand was falsely reported dead by a website in 2012 — but the embattled star handled it with grace.

"B----- h---," he tweeted along with the link to the faux report. "I better cancel the milk."

During an appearance on the "Dinner's on Me" podcast, Ty Burrell explained how his absence from the Modern Family reunion in 2023 led to a death hoax.

"We had that one big reunion that I couldn't make it to," he recalled. "Remember how I died? Do you remember when I died?"

Several fake websites claimed Wayne Knight died after he was involved in a fatal car crash in 2014. Per the false reports, the Seinfeld star sustained blunt force trauma and died along with two other passengers.

After seeing the hoax, Knight pushed back against the claims and clarified he "is still alive and well."

"Some of you will be glad to hear this, others strangely disappointed," he quipped as he denied the rumors, "Does someone have to DIE to trend? Geez! Thanks for all the love everybody. I didn't know you cared. Glad to be breathing!"