It’s hard to weed out fact from fiction where celebrities are concerned. Tabloids scream out salacious headlines, while stories on gossip websites spread across the internet like wildfire. The public is naturally quick to speculate when big names are involved. The stories run rampant, with some rumors catching on fast and others ending up debunked before they’ve had a chance to really take off.
In some instances, what started out as mere speculation ended up being rooted in truth. Whether through a public statement or a media revelation, there were occasions when those whispers about a star’s wellbeing turned out to be entirely true, or at the very least close enough to accurate.
One fact is clear: Despite their fame, celebrities aren’t immune to health vulnerabilities. From surprising diagnoses to ongoing struggles, these stories are so much more than just “stories” — they’re evidence of a real person’s challenges and strife. Here are a few of the more notable health rumors proven true that plagued public figures in the worlds of sports and entertainment.
Gossip spread that Kate Middleton had cancer
The royal family is no stranger to the rumor mill. Catherine, the Princess of Wales, however, is subject to far more scrutiny than the average royal. Such was the case when she was admitted to the hospital in January 2024. In a statement issued the next day, Kensington Palace stated that Princess Kate underwent successful abdominal surgery and was recovering well.
Weeks passed without any sign of Princess Kate, and speculation grew that something may be seriously wrong. Conspiracy theorists ran with the theory, creating dramatic tales that Kate was in a coma and that a body double was impersonating her in public. It was not until Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom that the world heard directly from Kate herself. The Princess took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share a photo of herself smiling with her three children with a succinct caption: “Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day.”
It was in March when Kate, seated on an outdoor bench in a garden, calmly shared a health update on Instagram. “In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.”
Rumors swirled about Celine Dion’s secret illness
Hurtful stories about Celine Dion’s slim frame began to circulate in 2019, with some expressing concern that the icon may have an eating disorder. Dion insisted she was fine, telling Dan Wootton of ITV, “If I like it, I don’t want to talk about it. Don’t bother. Don’t take a picture” (via People). Yet in 2021, Dion again sparked concern when she delayed several dates of her Las Vegas concert residency, citing “severe and persistent muscle spasms” (per The Guardian).
In late 2022, Dion made a statement via an Instagram video, explaining, “I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time, and it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through. Recently, I have been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called ‘stiff person syndrome.'” Affecting only one in a million people, it can cause symptoms like muscle spasms, rigidity, pain, and stiffness. While there are treatments to alleviate the discomfort, there is no cure.
Dion made a comeback at the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Taking to Instagram after the performance, she shared: “I’m honored to have performed tonight.” The singer continues to express a relentless desire to return to the stage. “I’m going to go back onstage, even if I have to crawl. Even if I have to talk with my hands. I will. I will,” she told Hoda Kotb on Today.
Stories circulated about Val Kilmer’s throat cancer
For years, Val Kilmer fielded questions about his health and denied that there was anything wrong. Rumors swirled for months, and were so prevalent that they followed the actor everywhere. Eventually, he was forced to insist that he was fine, even encouraging his fans to contact the tabloid media to support his story. “There’s yet another completely unfounded article that I am in ill health, because I have some speech therapy to do still from last year’s physical challenges,” he commented (via Yahoo! Life).
Despite denying cancer, there was no doubt that Kilmer was experiencing some sort of throat malady that affected his voice. It was not until years later that the truth was revealed. Kilmer developed symptoms, including trouble swallowing and bleeding, that sent him to the doctor. He learned he had throat cancer, for which he was treated with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. That led to a tracheostomy, and although it affected his ability to speak clearly, Kilmer himself was very clear: “I’m doing great, I feel a lot better than I sound,” he told Good Morning America.
He’s since recovered, he tells The New York Times. He even appeared in Top Gun: Maverick, reprising his role as Lieutenant Tom “Iceman” Kazansky. “It was like no time had passed at all,” he shared with Entertainment Weekly.
People were concerned Jamie Foxx was seriously ill
When actor Jamie Foxx fell ill on the set of “Back in Action,” it sent shockwaves through Hollywood. The next day, his daughter Corinne issued a statement on social media. “We wanted to share that my father, Jamie Foxx, experienced a medical complication yesterday. Luckily, due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery” (via People).
Because the details were scant, rumors quickly began to circulate, with reporters claiming that the actor was “partially paralyzed and blind” after receiving the Covid vaccine. It was just one of many false stories that Foxx himself completely debunked — and he went so far as to explain what actually happened, telling a group of fans that he’d experienced a “bad headache” and asked a friend for some Advil (per Page Six). “I was gone for 20 days,” continuing that he had no recollection of the experience.
Foxx has since returned to the set of the film he was shooting with Cameron Diaz. He later released a statement on Instagram to explain the situation. “I cannot even begin to tell you how far it took me and how it brought me back. I went through something that I thought I would never, ever go through,” he said (per NBC News).
Freddie Mercury confirmed rumors he had AIDS a day before he died
Freddie Mercury is a music legend, and that’s exactly the legacy that the Queen singer sought to preserve. In fact, the desire to be remembered as an iconic performer and not a poster child for the disease was why he didn’t publicly divulge that he was HIV positive despite being diagnosed in 1987. However, rumors had already started to circulate that he had contracted the virus in 1986, when both fans and media alike noticed a dramatic weight loss.
This speculation only intensified when Queen started scaling back its public appearances and tours, fueling concerns that something may be wrong with the popular artist. Despite the mounting rumors, Mercury remained silent. Largely private anyway, and not one to typically sit for interviews, the singer simply kept to himself.
It was not until November 23, 1991, that the public finally heard from Mercury. The artist released a statement reading: “Following the enormous conjecture in the press, I wish to confirm that I have AIDS. I felt it correct to keep this information private to date in order to protect the privacy of those around me. However, the time has now come for my friends and fans around the world to know the truth, and I hope that everyone will join me, my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible disease” (via People). Mercury passed away the next day at the age of 45.
Journalists caught wind of a rumor that Arthur Ashe had AIDS
Legendary tennis player Arthur Ashe contracted AIDS during a heart bypass surgery in 1983. However, he didn’t know this until 1988, when he developed a brain mass that required surgical removal. Examination of the mass revealed that Ashe had toxoplasmosis. This parasitic infection was not just unusual, but only affected individuals with compromised immune health. The discovery prompted more tests, which eventually exposed the truth: Ashe was HIV positive — and that it had already advanced to AIDS.
He chose to keep the revelation private, instead attributing his noticeable weight loss to his heart condition and hoping to avoid the intense scrutiny that, at the time, was so closely associated with AIDS. However, a journalist from USA Today contacted Ashe in 1992, stating that he’d “received information that he had AIDS” (via The New York Times). His privacy threatened, and with the newspaper warning that it would seek to confirm the story and then publish it, Ashe decided to act first.
The athlete disclosed to the reporter himself that he did, in fact, have AIDS — and that same day, he shared his diagnosis with the world in a news conference. He also stressed that the admission that day was not of his choosing: “I am angry that I was put in a position of having to lie if I wanted to protect my privacy,” he stated (per The Atlanta Constitution-Journal). Ashe passed away in February 1993 from AIDS-related pneumonia.
Speculation spread that Amy Schumer was unwell
When Amy Schumer appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to promote her Hulu series “Life & Beth,” the appearance resulted in more than just the hype for the show; it also brought about an onslaught of social media criticism and scrutiny. People began to comment on her appearance, noting that her face appeared rounder, fuller, and puffier.
The comments began to circulate like wildfire, prompting Schumer to release a statement on Instagram. “I’ve enjoyed feedback and deliberation about my appearance as all women do for almost 20 years. And you’re right it is puffier than normal right now. I have endometriosis an auto immune disease that every woman should read about. There are some medical and hormonal things going on in my world right now but I’m okay,” she wrote.
The excessive public chatter, though, prompted Schumer to investigate further. Testing revealed that the actress had Cushing syndrome, which causes excess levels of cortisol. The hormone typically helps regulate the way people respond to stress, but when production is in overdrive, it can cause symptoms like weight gain (especially in the upper body and face), acne, and delicate skin. Some people may even develop type 2 diabetes or hypertension. Luckily, Schumer has a very treatable form of the syndrome, which she said was “the greatest news imaginable” (per The Hollywood Reporter).
People thought David Bowie had a serious illness
David Bowie faced intense speculation about his health following a 2004 heart attack. The incident marked a turning point in his career, as the legendary artist chose to step away from touring altogether. Once an electrifying on-stage presence whose popularity spanned decades, Bowie kept largely to himself over the years. Retreating from public performances alone was noteworthy, but the rumor mill went wildly out of control during those years. Some said Bowie had Alzheimer’s, a story his producer Tony Visconti was forced to deny.
So private was Bowie that he didn’t discuss his heart attack with anyone – not even his friends. In fact, the pop culture icon had experienced multiple heart attacks. As the story goes, at least one of those occurred on stage. “Let me tell you what’s happening here,” he shared with the crowd in Prague, per Yahoo! News. “I’ve got a severely pinched nerve… and I’m having intense pains across my shoulder into my chest. So, I’m going to keep going as best as I can… but I must let you know, I’m in terrible pain, okay?”
Though absent from the public eye for years, Bowie made an astonishing comeback in 2016 with the release of his 25th album, Blackstar. Two days later, Bowie died from liver cancer. In fact, the singer had learned that the cancer was terminal just months before, while shooting the music video for the first single (and his final ever) from the album, Lazarus.
Aretha Franklin was rumored to have cancer
Aretha Franklin was known primarily for her powerful voice. The Queen of Soul’s popularity spanned decades — but for all the adoration, Franklin was still fiercely protective of her privacy. That was especially evident in 2010, when the singer underwent major surgery. Given that she had cancelled several scheduled performances just weeks before, rumors began to spread almost immediately, despite Franklin’s own statement that “[t]he surgery was highly successful” (via People).
Per The Guardian, “sources close to the singer, including a family member,” shared with the Detroit News, that the singer had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. While neither Franklin nor her team would confirm this, loved ones flocked to support her. The Rev. Jesse Jackson told The Associated Press (via BET), “She has amazing strength — body, religion, and faith. It’s what keeps her going.”
Her intense weight loss after the 2010 surgery was a constant subject of speculation — which led many to theorize she’d had bariatric surgery, a rumor she quickly shut down. Despite her health challenges, Franklin continued to perform and make occasional appearances. She last sang at a gala for the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 2017, and passed away in 2018. Her representatives told People, “Franklin’s official cause of death was due to advance[d] pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin’s oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, MI.”
Tabloids claimed Steve Jobs had just weeks to live
The rumor mill never quite left Steve Jobs alone. It first started spinning when the tech visionary went on medical leave from Apple without revealing the exact nature of his illness. Although Jobs did ultimately share in 2004 that he’d been diagnosed with an islet cell tumor, a very uncommon pancreatic cancer, he assured the public that the treatment was a success and that he wouldn’t need to undergo chemotherapy or receive radiation.
That didn’t prevent rumors from continuing, though, especially as Jobs appeared noticeably frail and gaunt during public appearances in 2008. In response to the stories, Jobs even released a statement in early 2009 stating that he was dealing with a “hormone imbalance that has been robbing [him] of the proteins [his] body needs to be healthy” (via Time). Even through periods of illness and in between taking medical leaves from Apple, Jobs famously continued to work and lead the company through some of its most significant innovations.
Then, in early 2011, the National Enquirer published photos of Jobs at the Stanford Cancer Center and claimed that he had six weeks to live. Through all of this, Jobs remained quiet. The CEO passed away from “complications of pancreatic cancer” in October of that year (via Scientific American).