Nine Actors Who Have Appeared In Films And TV Shows After They've Died

“Farewell, old soldier."

With the tragic passing of Andre Braugher, we are unsure if we will get to see his final role in The Residence. Four of the show's eight episodes have been shot, so we may yet see Andre's last performance on our screen, depending on how the production company, Shondaland, decide to proceed.

Bob Riha Jr / Getty Images

It wouldn't be the first time that actors have appeared on our screens posthumously – here are nine times it's happened before:

1. Bernard Cribbins

BBC One

Bernard sadly passed away back in 2022, but a few weeks before, he'd shot an episode for the new Doctor Who releases that have only recently been come out. He appeared in the second of the three anniversary episodes, reprising his role as Wilf. The episode was dedicated to Bernard, and showrunner Russell T. Davies confirmed it was his last appearance, saying: 

“Farewell, old soldier. That’s goodnight and goodbye to our beloved Bernard. Wilf is mentioned in dispatches next week, all safe and sound, don’t worry, but that’s the only scene Bernard was able to film.”

2. Paul Walker

Universal Pictures

When Paul tragically died back in 2013, Furious 7 was midway through completion, and the producers were unsure how to complete the movie in a sensitive, respectful way. Eventually, his brothers, Caleb and Cody, came forward to help them recreate his image with scans and CGI, as VFX supervisor Joe Letteri said: 

“[They] allowed us to scan them and work with them in the scenes, it really gave us something as close to Paul as we could hope for. That got us a long way toward being able to create a realistic character and performance."

3. Chadwick Boseman

Netflix

The sad passing of Chadwick back in 2020 was followed by the release of what would be his final film, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, for which he was posthumously nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards. Chadwick did win a posthumous Emmy, however, for his final appearance as T'Challa in Marvel's What if...? series in 2022. He was awarded an Emmy for 'Outstanding character voice-over performance.'

4. Carrie Fisher

Vertical Entertainment

Since her passing in 2016, the Star Wars actor has appeared in two subsequent Star Wars films. Her posthumous role in The Last Jedi was one that was dedicated to her, and, through unused and repurposed footage, she also appeared in The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. Surprisingly enough though, her final film, Wonderwell, which she finished just six weeks before her death, was released just this year. The Guardian called the film "an ill-fitting tribute" to the esteemed actor. 

5. Nancy Merchand

HBO

Nancy, who played Livia Sopranos on The Sopranos sadly passed away during the show's run, leading to the show killing off her character. They intended to reveal that Livia had died in her sleep, which they did, but not before using CGI to project her face onto another actor's body in a scene where she and Tony argue for one final time. 

6. Oliver Reed

DreamWorks Distribution

Oliver sadly died during the production of Gladiator. The actor, whose drinking habits were well-known, had promised to not drink during production – not on weekdays anyway. Screenwriter David Franzoni recalled how the actor died whilst on location, saying: 

“He’s in this bar in Valletta and this British Destroyer is anchored in the bay and the crew comes in. He challenges the crew to some sort of drinking debauch. He drinks some, passes out and dies." 

The production team decided to finish his scenes by recreating his image with the use of CGI.

7. Peter Cushing

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The actor, who passed away in 1994 made an appearance in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 22 years later, reprising his role of Grand Moff Tarkin from the 1977 film A New Hope. The film creators used CGI to recreate the actors image and movements, and the result was uncanny and nonetheless somewhat eery. 

8. Heath Ledger

Warner Bros. Pictures

Heath's tragic death came just months before the release of The Dark Knight, in which he gave one of the most acclaimed performances of his career. The news of the actor's death cast a shadow over the movie's release, spurring rumours about the film's impact on his mental state. His performance was recognised by the Academy, and he posthumously won Best Supporting Actor. 

9. Harold Ramis

Sony Pictures Releasing

Harold, who was part of the original Ghostbusters team, sadly passed in 2014, but he would appear in the 2021 film Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The filmmakers used special effects to create the spirit of Ramis' character, Dr. Egon Spengler, Ph.D. 

His daughter, Violet spoke about how director Jason Reitman handled it: 

“He was so careful to get it right, to really honour the early films and everyone who was in them, but also to make something for now and the future. Maybe he is the only person who could do that. He is the physical bridge.”