Celebrities who are sick or dying don’t usually tell us until they can’t hide it anymore. We watch them on TV, looking perfect, hear them sing, see them perform as if nothing’s wrong. Then suddenly they cancel a tour or miss something big, and we find out they’ve been dealing with something awful for ages.
Well, it’s an actual reality check, isn’t it? All that money, all of that access to the best doctors money can buy, and they still get sick like the rest of us. Here are some stars struggling with their health right now, but whose battles most people have no idea about.
Céline Dion – Can’t Move When Her Muscles Lock Up
Céline’s got Stiff Person Syndrome, which strikes one in a million people. Her muscles close up like iron bars with no warning. The spasms can break bones. She broke a rib from one.
Cold weather sets it off. Loud noises. Someone was touching her unexpectedly. She has panic buttons all over her house now. Her 15-year-old twins have learnt how to roll her on her side when the spasms come.
She performed at the Paris Olympics in 2024, singing from the Eiffel Tower. She was properly emotional, but there’s no cure. She is in therapy and slowly rebuilding her voice. She said that she hasn’t beaten it and it’ll always be there.
Eric Dane – ALS Diagnosis at 52
‘Euphoria’s Eric Dane revealed in April 2025 that he has ALS 4. That’s Lou Gehrig’s disease, and the symptoms are that your muscles slowly shut down until you can no longer move, speak, or breathe.
He’s 52. Still working, which is mad. The median life span of most people with ALS is two to five years. A few do live longer, but it is unusual. The news that he’s still working through his illness is remarkable.
Jessie J – Early Stage Breast Cancer
British singer-songwriter Jessie J revealed in June 2025 that she has early-stage breast cancer. She’s 37. Surgery is coming up, but I caught it early; that’s massive.
Discovered literally minutes before her song “No Secrets” was released. A bit ironic. Detecting breast cancer early can make an enormous difference. She’s in the best position to beat it, so that’s the good news, but it is a scary thing. Surgery, likely chemo and radiation, followed by years of checking.
Justin Timberlake – Lyme Disease While Touring
Justin opened up about his battle with Lyme disease in July 2025. Midway through his world tour.
Called it “relentlessly draining, mentally and physically.” This from a guy who dances nonstop for two hours onstage every night. Lyme disease results from tick bites. Leads to fatigue, joint pain, and neurological issues. Some people recover with antibiotics. And some battle with symptoms for years.
Teddi Mellencamp – Brain Tumours From Melanoma
Real Housewives star Teddi has been battling melanoma since 2022. It had spread to her brain by early 2025. Multiple brain tumours. She had to undergo surgery to remove them. Then another operation for tumours in her lungs.
She’s 44 with three kids and is in active treatment while trying to hold herself together. Melanoma spreads fast if you don’t catch it early.
Selena Gomez – Lupus and a Kidney Transplant
Selena’s been battling lupus since 2015. It’s an autoimmune disease in which your body attacks itself. She’s had chemotherapy. Nearly had a stroke. She had a kidney transplant back in 2017 when her kidneys were failing.
Selena Gomez had to take breaks from her career many a time. She had stepped back from her tour in 2016 to focus on her health. Lupus messes with your brain, too. She’s been dead open about it all, and she has begun a fund for lupus research.
Elton John – Lost Vision in One Eye
Elton contracted a severe eye infection in 2024, which resulted in him having hardly any vision left in one of his eyes. The doctors told him that it will probably come back, but it’s taking forever to heal.
At his ‘‘Devil Wears Prada: The Musical’’ opening, he shared that he can’t see. He said that he can do appearances, but can’t go into the studio to record. Doesn’t know if he can handle it. He’s 77. Has been performing for 50 years. A serious eye infection might spell the end of his recording career. That’s mad.
Selma Blair – Multiple Sclerosis
Selma experienced symptoms of MS for the first time in 2011, after giving birth. It took seven years for doctors to finally diagnose her because they didn’t take her seriously. Got the diagnosis in 2018.
She cried in relief when she learnt. At least she could try to do something once she had a name for it. Multiple sclerosis attacks your central nervous system. She uses a cane sometimes. Danced with the Stars in 2022 despite her condition. She dropped out after, as it was too much, but the fact that she even attempted one was encouraging.
Why This Actually Matters
Celebrities who are sick or dying remind us that health is the one thing money can’t always fix. You can have the best medical team, live in a mansion, have millions in the bank, and still get dealt a rubbish hand.
Look at how many kept quiet for years. Selma Blair spent seven years trying to convince doctors that something was wrong. They were scared about their careers; worried people wouldn’t hire them if they knew.
But talking about it helped others. Someone might watch Selena Gomez discuss lupus and think, “Hang on, I’ve got those symptoms.” Someone might hear about Eric Dane’s ALS and donate to research. Jessie J mentioning breast cancer might push someone to finally book that mammogram.
These people look perfect on stage. Hours in makeup, performing for thousands. Then they go home and deal with muscle spasms, failing kidneys, vision loss, and constant pain.
So when Céline cancels a tour or Elton says he can’t record, give them a break. They’re not being divas. They’re trying to stay alive whilst millions of people expect them to perform.
Health beats fame every time. Beats money. Beats career success. Sometimes you just have to admit you’re not okay and stop.
Male celebrities who are sick or dying, like Eric Dane, and female celebrities who are sick or dying, like Céline and Selena, are all fighting whilst trying to maintain their careers. That’s brutal.
