The life of one of our best and most promising young actors comes to an abrupt end by an overdose of prescription drugs. The body of the Oscar-nominated Brokeback Mountain and Dark Knight star is discovered in his Manhattan loft.

The costly 100-day walkout ends as members of the Writers Guild of America vote overwhelmingly to go back to work — allowing countless stopped shows to finish their abbreviated season.

The Meet the Press host, as celebrated for his fairness as his tough questions, dies unexpectedly just as the Democratic primary draws to a close.

The 36-year-old Samantha Who? star announces she has breast cancer and is seeking treatment. She later announces she's undergone a double masectomy. Her brave fight inspires millions.

The actor — and one of The Original Kings of Comedy — dies of complications from pneumonia. Best remembered for The Bernie Mac Show and several scene-stealing film roles, he was a working comic for more than three decades.

In a move that seems like a rejected plotline for Californication, the X-Files star announces he's seeking treatment for sex addiction. In October, he and his wife, Téa Leoni, announce they've been separated for months.

With three wins at MTV's Video Music Awards, the cleaned-up pop star begins a comeback bid that continues with a new album, Circus, and plans to tour next year.

The actor, always as cool as the blue in his eyes, dies of cancer after a life of stage and screen stardom, philanthropy, and driving race cars.

Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother are shot in a domestic dispute; her 7-year-old nephew is later found dead as well. William Balfour, the ex-husdand of Hudson's sister, is arrested in the killings.

Clay Aiken wasn't a surprise; Wanda Sykes was. We're happy for both of them, and for Lindsay Lohan, who shows everyone it's okay to keep things ambiguous.

Powered by Batman fanatics, Ledger's performance, and macabre interest in his death, the sequel earns nearly $1 billion worldwide, making it the second-highest grossing film after Titanic.

Shocked television viewers see several things they've never seen before: an African-American president-elect, thousands of people filling the streets in euphoria at the outcome of a U.S. election, and, for a few moments, cable news talking heads falling completely silent to take it all in.