Liliane Bettencourt, L'Oreal Heiress and World's Richest Woman, Dies at 94

Liliane Bettencourt, the billionaire heiress of the cosmetics company L’Oreal, has died at the age of 94.

Bettencourt, whose family founded L’Oreal and now owns a 33 percent stake in the company, died “peacefully” in her home on Wednesday night, according to a statement from her daughter Françoise Bettencourt Meyers sent to The Guardian on Thursday.

“In this painful moment for us, I would like to reiterate, on behalf of our family, our entire commitment and loyalty to L’Oreal and to renew my confidence in its President Jean-Paul Agon and his teams worldwide,” Meyers said.

Also Read: Bernie Casey, 'Revenge of the Nerds' Star and Former NFL Player, Dies at 78

Bettencourt was named the world’s richest woman back in March in Forbes‘ annual list of billionaires. At the time, she was estimated to be worth $39.5 billion. The next richest woman on the list was Wal-Mart’s Alice Walton, with an estimated worth of $33.8 billion.

Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2017 (Photos)

A look back at some of the notable people we've lost this year.
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Tony Rosato

The actor, who appeared on "SCTV" and later joined the cast of "Saturday Night Live" in 1981, died of a heart attack on Jan. 10 at the age of 62.
William Peter Blatty

The author of the famed horror novel "The Exorcist," died from cancer on Jan. 12 at the age of 89.
Dick Gautier

The actor who starred in the original Broadway production of "Bye Bye Birdie" and played the role of Hymie the Robot on "Get Smart" died on Jan. 13 at the age of 85.
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Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka

The WWE legend died from stomach cancer on Jan. 15 at the age of 73. He was inducted into the WWF (now WWE) Hall of Fame in 1996 and was also the first WrestleMania opponent of The Undertaker.
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Miguel Ferrer

The "NCIS: Los Angeles" star who played the role of Owen Granger died Jan. 19 from cancer at the age of 61.
Lee O'Denat aka "Q"

The founder and CEO of music and culture website WorldStarHipHop, Lee O'Denat, died on Jan. 23 in his sleep at the age of 43, according to TMZ.
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Mary Tyler Moore

The legendary six-time Emmy-winning star of the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show" died on Jan. 25 at the age of 80.
Mike Connors

The American actor, best known for playing a private eye on the long-running CBS action series "Mannix" (1967-75), died on January 26 at age 91.
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Barbara Hale

The actress best known for her role as legal secretary Della Street on the long-running legal drama “Perry Mason,” died Jan. 27 at the age of 94.

According to the Washington Post, Hale died of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
John Hurt

The Oscar-nominated British actor whose career spanned six decades and starred in “The Elephant Man,” "Alien" and three "Harry Potter" movies died at the age of 77 on January 27. Hurt had been battling pancreatic cancer since 2015.
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Richard Hatch

Best known for playing Captain Apollo on the 1970s sci-fi television series “Battlestar Galactica,” Hatch died at the age of 71 following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer on Feb. 7.
Brenda Buttner

The senior business correspondent and host of “Bulls and Bears” for the Fox News Channel, Brenda Buttner died on Feb. 20 after a battle with cancer at the age of 55.
Neil Fingleton

The 7-foot, 7-inch Fingleton died Feb. 25 at age 36. He was best known for his role as the giant called Mag the Mighty on "Game of Thrones" and was Europe's tallest man.
Bill Paxton

The star of "Aliens" and "Titanic" died Feb. 26 due to complications from surgery. He was 61 years old.
Robert Osborne

Film historian and longtime host on Turner Classic Movies, Robert Osborne died Mar. 6 at the age of 84.
Joni Sledge

A member of the 1970's musical group, Sister Sledge, known for their single “We Are Family," Sledge died Mar. 10 at 60-years-old.
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Auntie Fee

Felicia O’Dell, better known as Chef Sista Girl or Auntie Fee, was a viral YouTube sensation known for her "good ass chicken" died Mar. 17 after suffering a heart attack. She was 59-years-old.
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Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry, singer and songwriter of rock and roll classics such as “Maybellene,” “Roll Over Beethoven” and “Johnny B. Goode” died Mar. 18 at the age of 90.
Bernie Wrightson

The famed comic book artist known for co-creating the DC comic book monster Swamp Thing died Mar. 19 after a long battle with brain cancer at 68-years-old.
Jimmy Breslin

The Pulitzer-winning reporter and columnist whose life was as outsized as the New York City characters he depicted and exposed in print, died Mar. 19 at the age of 88.

He was known for reporting on letters he received from “Son of Sam” serial killer, David Berkowitz in 1977 and exposed one of the city’s worst corruption scandals in the ’80s.
Darlene Cates

The "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" mom died Mar. 26 peacefully in her sleep at the age of 69.
Don Rickles

Legendary stand-up comedian and actor best known as an insult comic, Rickles died Apr. 7 at the age of 90.
Charlie Murphy

The actor and comedian -- the older brother of Eddie Murphy who was best known for his incredibly memorable stints on "Chappelle's Show" -- died April 12 from complications from leukemia.
Erin Moran

Best known for playing Ron Howard’s kid sister in the classic 1970s sitcom “Happy Days,” Moran died Apr. 22 at the age of 56.
Jonathan Demme

The Oscar winning director of "The Silence of the Lambs" died Apr. 26 from esophageal cancer at the age of 73.
Michael Mantenuto

One of the stars of Disney’s 2004 film “Miracle,” Mantenuto died at the age of 35 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Apr. 24.
Powers Boothe

The Emmy-winning character actor, who had memorable stints on "Deadwood," "24," and "Nashville," died in his sleep of natural causes at age 68 on May 14.
Brad Grey

The longtime producer, who also served as chairman and CEO of Paramount for 12 years, died May 14 of cancer at age 59.
Chris Cornell

Chris Cornell, the grunge frontman of rock groups Soundgarden and Audioslave, died of a suicide by hanging on May 18, 2017. He was 52.
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Roger Ailes

The former Fox News Chief, who resigned from the company in July after former anchor Gretchen Carlson filed a sexual harassment lawsuit that resulted in multiple women coming forward with similar claims died on May 18 at the age of 77.

According to a family friend who spoke with CNN, Ailes fell at his home in Palm Beach, Florida last week, suffered complications, and slipped into a coma.
Gregg Allman

The organist and singer for The Allman Brothers, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Gregg Allman died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Savannah, Georgia, at the age of 69, according to his official website. Allman helped create the Southern Rock genre, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
Lisa Spoonauer

Best known as Caitlin Bree in the 1994 film “Clerks,” Spoonauer died at the age of 44. The film's director, Kevin Smith, reported the news on June 6.
Adam West

The titular star of TV’s “Batman” from 1966-1968 died after battling leukemia at the age of 88 on June 9.
Martin Landau

The star of “Ed Wood,” “North by Northwest” and the ’60s TV series “Mission: Impossible” died July 15 at the age of 89 after experiencing unexpected complications during a short hospitalization.
George Romero

The famed horror director who invented the modern zombie movie with 1968’s “Night of the Living Dead,” died July 16 at age 77 after a short battle with lung cancer.
Chester Bennington

Chester Bennington, the frontman of the 2000s rap-rock group Linkin Park, died of suicide by hanging on July 20. He was 41.
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Sam Shepard

The author, playwright and actor, died on July 27 from complications of ALS. He was 73 years old.
Robert Hardy

The actor, best known for playing Cornelius Fudge in the “Harry Potter” film franchise, died Aug. 3 at the age of 91.
Barbara Cook

A Broadway star and a beloved cabaret and concert performer, died at the age of 89 from respiratory failure on Aug. 8.
Glen Campbell

Glen Campbell, the Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, guitarist and variety TV show host, died on August 8. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease late in 2010. Campbell was 81.
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Joseph Bologna

The actor, director, playwright, and Oscar-nominated screenwriter died Aug. 13 at the age of 82 after losing his battle with pancreatic cancer.
Dick Gregory

The famed comedian and civil rights activist died Aug. 19 at the age of 84 from heart failure.
Jerry Lewis

One of Hollywood’s most famous comedians known for being one-half of a legendary comedy duo with Dean Martin, died Aug. 20 at the age of 91.
Thomas Meehan

The Tony Award-winning writer of “Annie,” “Hairspray” and “The Producers,” has died at the age of 88 on Aug. 22
Jay Thomas

Known for roles on “Cheers” and “Murphy Brown,” Thomas died Aug. 24 at age 69 after a long battle with cancer.
Tobe Hooper

Tobe Hooper, the director of horror classics such as “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “Poltergeist,” died on Aug. 26 at age 74.
Bernard Pomerance

Bernard Pomerance, the American playwright and poet who wrote the Tony-winning 1977 play “The Elephant Man,” died Aug. 26 at the age of 74 from complications from cancer at his home in Galisteo, New Mexico.
Coach Rollie Massimino

Longtime Villanova basketball coach Rollie Massimino died Aug. 30 at the age of 82 after battling lung cancer.
Richard Anderson

Richard Anderson, an actor known for “The Six Million Dollar Man” and “The Bionic Woman,” died Aug. 31 at age 91.
Shelley Berman

Stand-up comedian and actor Shelley Berman, known for playing Larry David’s dad on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” died Sep. 1 due to complications from Alzheimer’s Disease at the age of 92.
Walter Becker

Walter Becker, co-founding guitarist of the jazz rock band Steely Dan, died Sep. 3 at age 67.
John Ashbery

John Ashbery, the acclaimed Pulitzer-winning American poet who challenged readers with musical verses that often defied easy understanding, died Sep. 3 at age 90.
Elizabeth Kemp

Elizabeth Kemp, actress and famed teacher at the Actors Studio, died Sep. 1 at age 65.
Troy Gentry

Troy Gentry, one half of Kentucky-based country music duo Montgomery Gentry, has died at the age of 50 after a tragic helicopter crash on Sep. 8.
Blake Heron

Blake Heron, the former child actor best known for playing Marty Preston in the 1996 family movie “Shiloh,” has died at the age of 35 on Sep. 8
Michael Friedman

Michael Friedman, a composer and lyricist whose musical “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” played on Broadway in 2010, died Sep. 9 at age 41 from complications of HIV/AIDS
Len Wein

Len Wein, died Sep. 10 at age 69 after creating a plethora of comics universe characters including Wolverine and Swamp Thing.
Mike Hodge

Mike Hodge, an actor who appeared in recurring roles on “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and was the president of SAG-AFTRA’s New York chapter, died Sep. 9 at the age of 70.
Don Ohlmeyer

Television executive Don Ohlmeyer, who coined the phrase “Must See TV” in the 1990s, died Sep. 10, NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” play-by-play man Al Michaels announced during tonight’s telecast. Ohlmeyer was 72.
X Atencio

X Atencio, the legendary animator and imagineer behind classic Disney films such as “Pinocchio” and “Fantasia,” died Sep. 10 at the age of 98.
Mark LaMura

Mark LaMura, the actor best known for playing Mark Dalton on the late, great ABC soap “All My Children,” died Sep. 11 at the age of 68 after a battle with lung cancer.
Edith Windsor

Edith Windsor, LGBTQ activist and lead plaintiff in a pivotal Supreme Court marriage-equality case, died Sep. 12 at age 88.
Jessi Zazu

Jessi Zazu, frontwoman for the Nashville-based alt-country band Those Darlins, died on Sep. 12 at age 28 after a battle with cervical cancer.
Frank Vincent

Frank Vincent, a character actor best known for roles as Italian mafia members, has died at the age of 78 on Sep. 13.
Grant Hart

Grant Hart, drummer and singer of the alternative rock band Hüsker Dü, died at 56-years-old on Sep. 13.
Michelle Rounds

Michelle Rounds, Rosie O’Donnell’s ex-wife, died Monday, Sept. 11, at age 46 by apparent suicide.
Harry Dean Stanton

Harry Dean Stanton, who worked in Hollywood for over 60 years, died Sep. 15, at age 91 from natural causes.
Lillian Ross

Lillian Ross, longtime reporter for The New Yorker, died Sep. 20 at the age of 99.
Bernie Casey

Bernie Casey, who played national Tri Lams fraternity head U.N. Jefferson in the 1984 comedy “Revenge of the Nerds” and its sequels, died Sep. 19 at 78-years-old.
David Lyle

David Lyle, former head of National Geographic Channels and FremantleMedia North America, died Sep. 21 at 67 after battling cancer.
Charles Bradley

Acclaimed soul singer Charles Bradley who released his first album at the age of 62, died Sep. 23 at 68 following a long bout with cancer.
Jan Triska

Jan Triska, a Czech actor who starred in such Hollywood movies as “Ronin” and “Ragtime,” died Sep. 25 after a fall two days earlier from Prague’s iconic Charles Bridge. He was 80 years old.
Barry Dennen

Barry Dennen, member of the original cast of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” died Sep. 24 at age 79 in hospice care in Burbank after suffering a brain injury from a fall in June.
Paul Horner

Paul Horner, a writer of “fake news” who claimed to influence the 2016 election with his widely discredited stories, was found dead outside Phoenix on Sep. 18 at the age of 38.
Hugh Hefner

Playboy founder and icon Hugh Hefner died on Sep. 27 at the age of 91 from natural causes.
SI Newhouse Jr.

S.I. Newhouse Jr., who ran the Conde Nast publishing empire that included magazine giants such as Vanity Fair, Vogue and The New Yorker, died Oct. 1 at the age of 89.
Tom Petty

The leader singer of the Heartbreakers and a successful solo artist, known for hits like “Free Fallin'” and “Learning to Fly,” died at age 66 on Oct. 2 after being found unconscious in his Malibu home the previous night.
Charles ‘Chuck’ Low

Charles “Chuck” Low, a military vet turned real estate developer turned “Goodfellas” actor, died peacefully in his sleep on Sep. 18 at age 89.
Hervé L Leroux

French fashion designer Hervé L. Leroux, known for his bandage dresses, died Oct. 6 at age 60.
Connie Hawkins

NBA legend Connie “The Hawk” Hawkins, known for being a power forward known for his massive hands, scoop shots and football-like passes, died Oct. 6 at age 75.
Ralphie May

Comedian and "Last Comic Standing" alum Ralphie May died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease caused by high blood pressure on October 6. He was 45.
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Philip Reitnour

Philip Reitnour, who appeared on “Shark Tank” in 2014 to pitch his app EmergenSee, has been found dead in Philadelphia’s Schuylkill river at the age of 58.
John Dunsworth

John Dunsworth, star of the hit Canadian TV series “Trailer Park Boys,” died Oct. 16 at age 71.
Mychael Knight

Mychael Knight, a fashion designer who competed on the reality competition series “Project Runway,” died Oct. 17 at age 39.
Gord Downie

The Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie died Oct. 17 at age 53 after being diagnosed with a brain tumor in May.
Danielle Darrieux

Danielle Darrieux, the French actress whose career on screen and stage spanned eight decades and was known for "8 Women," died at the age of 100 on Oct. 19.
Brent Briscoe

Brent Briscoe, a character actor known for roles in David Lynch's "Twin Peaks" and "Mulholland Drive," as well as "The Green Mile" and "Sling Blade," died at age 56 on Oct. 20.
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Robert Guillaume

Robert Guillaume, a two-time Emmy winner for his character Benson DuBois on "Soap" and the spinoff "Benson," as well as the voice of Rafiki in "The Lion King," died after a battle with prostate cancer on Oct. 24. He was 89.
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Fats Domino

Rock and roll legend Fats Domino, known for singles like "Ain't That A Shame," "I'm Walkin" and "Blueberry Hill," died at age 89 on Oct. 24.
Brad Bufanda

"Veronica Mars" actor Brad Bufanda died by suicide on Nov. 3. He was 34.
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John Hillerman

John Hillerman, the Emmy-winning actor who portrayed Higgins opposite Tom Selleck on "Magnum P.I.," died of natural causes on Nov. 9. He was 84.
Chuck Mosley

Charles Henry Mosley III, a former singer for the band Faith No More, died "due to the disease of addiction" on Nov. 10. He was 57.
Liz Smith

Liz Smith, a legendary New York gossip columnist who helped usher in an era of celebrity journalism, died on Nov. 12 at the age of 94.
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Lil Peep

Gustav Ahr, a rising rap star who performed under the name Lil Peep after releasing his first full album in August, died of a suspected overdose at the age of 21.
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Jack Blessing

Jack Blessing, an actor known for his roles on “Moonlighting,” “The Naked Truth” and “George Lopez,” died following a battle with pancreatic cancer on November 14. He was 66.
Earle Hyman

Earle Hyman, who played Grandpa Huxtable on "The Cosby Show" in addition to a career on stage as a Shakespearean actor, died Nov. 17 at age 91.
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Malcolm Young

Malcolm Young, one of the founding guitarists of rock band AC/DC, died on Nov. 18 after battling dementia. He was 64.
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Mel Tillis

Country music star Mel Tillis, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, died of suspected respiratory failure on Nov. 19. He was 85.
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Charles Manson

Charles Manson, the con man, cult leader and criminal who led the Manson Family murders in the '60s, died on Nov. 19. He was 83.
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Jana Novotna

Jana Novotna, a Czech tennis champion who won Wimbledon in 1998, died after a battle with cancer on Nov. 19. She was 49.
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Della Reese

Della Reese, a jazz and pop singer who also starred on "Touched by an Angel," died on Nov. 19. She was 86.
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Peter Baldwin

Peter Baldwin, an Emmy-winning director of "The Wonder Years," "The Brady Bunch" and "Sanford and Son," died on Nov. 19. He was 86.
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David Cassidy

David Cassidy, the star of "The Partridge Family" and a teen heartthrob from the '70s, died on Nov. 21 after being placed into a medically-induced coma. He was 67.
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Tommy Keene

Tommy Keene, a power pop singer-songwriter popular in the '80s, died on Nov. 22 at the age of 59.
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Rance Howard

Rance Howard, an actor who appeared in 15 films directed by his son Ron Howard, died on Nov. 26. He was 89.
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Ken Shapiro

Ken Shapiro, a writer and director of Chevy Chase’s debut film from 1974 “The Groove Tube,” died of cancer on Nov. 27. He was 76.
Jim Nabors

Jim Nabors, who played Gomer Pyle on "The Andy Griffith Show" and on "Gomer Pyle: USMC," died on Nov. 30. He was 87.
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Heather North

Heather North, an actress best known for voicing Daphne on the animated series "Scooby-Doo," diec November 30 at age 71.
Charlie Green Jr.

YouTube star Charlie Green Jr., better known as Angry Grandpa, died on Dec. 10 after a battle with skin cancer. He was 67.
Bruce Brown

Bruce Brown, director of the surfing documentary from 1966 "Endless Summer," died of natural causes on Dec. 10. He was 80.
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Pat DiNizio

Pat DiNizio, lead singer and songwriter of the New Jersey rock band The Smithereens, died on Dec. 12. He was 62.
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Bob Givens

Bob Givens, a veteran animator who helped design such classic characters as Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, died Dec. 14 at age 99.
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Kim Jong-hyun

Kim Jong-hyun, also known as Jonghyun as part of the K-pop group SHINee, died on Dec. 18 at the age of 27. His death is being investigated as a possible suicide.
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Jordan Feldstein

Jordan Feldstein, the manager of Maroon 5 and other music stars, died Dec. 23 of an apparent heart attack at age 40. He was also the older brother of actors Jonah Hill and Beanie Feldstein.
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William W. Graham

William W. Graham, a scion of the iconic Washington Post publishers Phil and Katharine Graham, died at age 69 as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. News of the suicide was first reported by the Post in an official obituary on Dec. 24.
Heather Menzies-Urich

Heather Menzies-Urich, the actress best known for playing the second-oldest Von Trapp daughter Louisa in the Oscar-winning musical film “The Sound of Music,” died Dec. 24 at age 68.
Kent Damon

Kent Damon, father to actor Matt Damon, died of cancer on Dec. 23. He was 74.
Kent Damon, left, and Matt Damon in 2010 (Bryce Vickmark/Getty Images)
Alfie Curtis

Alfie Curtis, an actor known for appearing in the original "Star Wars" and the 1980 film "The Elephant Man," died on Dec. 26. His cause of death is not yet known. He was 87.
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Amanda Davis

Veteran Atlanta morning news anchor of CBS46 Amanda Davis died of a stroke on Dec. 27. She was 62.
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Rose Marie

Rose Marie, an actress known for her roles in "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "The Doris Day Show," as well as in appearances on "Hollywood Squares," died on Dec. 28. She was 94.
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Sue Grafton

Sue Grafton, the mystery novelist best known for an alphabet-titled series of novels beginning with “A Is for Alibi,” died in her Santa Barbara home at age 77.
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Daniel Talbot

Daniel Talbot, the indie film icon whose New Yorker Films handled the U.S. release of classics from Bertolucci, Godard, Louis Malle and Errol Morris, died on December 29. He was in his early 90s.
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