Celebrities Who Would Have Turned 100 In 2026

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In 2021, only 0.027% of the US population consisted of people aged 100 or older, per Boston University's New England Centenarian Study. In 2026, this extremely small percentage of people could have seen the addition of numerous stars like Cloris Leachman and Tony Bennett, had they not passed on. While those A-listers didn't get to celebrate their 100th birthday, many of them lived long and fulfilling lives, thanks to the healthy habits and mindset they had cultivated over the years. 

In a 2017 chat with the Palm Beach Post, Bennett admitted that although he wasn't naturally inclined to exercise at the age of 90, he had hired a trainer who would push him to stay in shape. In addition to playing tennis a week, the jazz icon also followed a healthy diet and limited himself to one glass of wine a night. (Read about some unexpected health benefits to drinking red wine.)

While Bennett follows the general habits that may make a person more likely to live longer, Leachman takes a more lighthearted approach to the whole affair. Speaking to NBC News in 2011, the Emmy winner opened up about the simple mindset that helped her achieve longevity, saying, "I don't think I'm my age. I'm truly 6 years old." On a more serious note, she credited her diet with helping her stay in shape as she aged. Given how Leachman looked in her 90s, it's likely she consumed plenty of foods that actually make you look younger. 

Leachman, Bennett, and other icons may not have lived to their 100th birthday, but there's still plenty we can learn through their lives and health issues.

Leslie Nielsen would have celebrated his centennial birthday on February 11. Although the iconic comedian remained tight-lipped about whether he had any health issues through the years, he was open about facing hearing loss. In a 2002 interview with Audiology Online, the "Airplane!" star shared that he had been experiencing hearing loss for quite some time and subsequently began wearing hearing aids around 15 years ago. 

Although he acknowledged that hearing aids had made his job a lot easier, he also admitted that their quality wasn't nearly as good as natural hearing. Nielsen passed away at the age of 84 in 2010 due to complications stemming from pneumonia.

Jerry Lewis' 100th birthday would have been on March 16. The iconic comedian passed away at the age of 91 in 2017 after enduring numerous health struggles through the years. In 1982, Lewis had a double bypass surgery for an artery blockage after presenting to the hospital with chest pains. He would go on to have another heart attack in 2006. 

Over the years, he was also diagnosed with prostate cancer, diabetes, and spinal meningitis. Despite all his health troubles, Lewis continued to work into his 80s. He made his thoughts on aging abundantly clear in a 2010 Los Angeles Times interview, saying, "Being old doesn't mean you've lost your spirit."

On April 21, Queen Elizabeth II would have turned 100. As the monarch aged, she reportedly endured numerous health issues. According to Time, the monarch had been dealing with back pain for several years and even undergone knee surgery. After the passing of her husband, Prince Philip, in 2021, Elizabeth had also reportedly started using a cane to help ease her mobility issues, per Town & Country Magazine. 

In 2013, Elizabeth had a short stay at the hospital after exhibiting symptoms of gastroenteritis. She passed away at the age of 96 in 2022 due to "old age," according to the National Records of Scotland (via BBC).

Harper Lee would have celebrated her 100th birthday on April 28. In the years leading up to her passing at the age of 89 in 2016, the "To Kill A Mockingbird" author had endured numerous health struggles. Vulture reports that Lee's hearing, mobility, memory, and vision were all gravely affected by a stroke she had in 2007. 

Afterwards, Lee had no choice but to sell her apartment and move into an assisted living facility. CNN notes that the author was at the center of an elder abuse complaint in March 2015 that questioned whether she was cognizant enough to consent to the publication of her 2015 novel "Go Set a Watchman." However, no wrongdoing was found.

Cloris Leachman would have celebrated her 100th birthday on April 30. The iconic actor passed away at the age of 94 in 2021. A spokesperson for Leachman informed People that although her primary cause of death was a cerebrovascular accident, or a stroke, COVID-19 was also a "significant condition" for her demise. 

Back in 2008, Entertainment Tonight (via Today) reported that then-82-year-old Leachman had been diagnosed with pneumonia following a hospitalization. Later, a spokesperson for "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" star confirmed that she had received medical attention because she had "a slight cough and wasn't feeling totally herself."

On June 1, Marilyn Monroe would have celebrated her 100th birthday. Throughout the Hollywood icon's life, she privately endured numerous reported health struggles. In Anthony Summers' 1985 biography "Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe," he wrote that Monroe had been diagnosed with endometriosis at a time when treatment options were scarce. 

Subsequently, she had to deal with her health condition negatively impacting her marriages, hopes for children, professional life, and personal life at large. Additionally, according to the New York Times, in 1961, the "Some Like It Hot" star had a gallbladder removal surgery because the organ had suffered acute inflammation due to an impacted gallstone.

Andy Griffith's 100th birthday would have been on June 1. The iconic actor passed away at the age of 86 in 2012 due to a heart attack. "The Andy Griffith Show" alum had previously survived a heart attack in 2000 and underwent a quadruple bypass surgery as treatment. 

During a 1996 chat with Guidepost, Griffith shared that he had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome after facing flu-like symptoms, developing a "searing pain" throughout his body, and experiencing numbness in his feet. Initially, doctors told him the pain could only be managed with medication. However, he eventually found the right group of doctors, who greatly eased his symptoms through physical and mental therapy.

Tony Bennett would have been a centenarian on August 3. The music legend passed away at the age of 96 in 2023, seven years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Speaking to AARP, Gayatri Devi, M.D., Bennett's neurologist, said that she had urged him to keep performing after his diagnosis because "It kept him on his toes and also stimulated his brain in a significant way." 

The "Rags to Riches" hitmaker only stopped performing in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Devi said that being unable to perform had negatively impacted Bennett's memory, potentially because he no longer got the surge of emotions he did from being in front of a crowd.

Chuck Berry's 100th birthday would have fallen on October 18. The rock and roll pioneer died at the age of 90 in 2017. Chatting with Rolling Stone Magazine shortly before the music legend's passing, his son, Charles Berry Jr., said that he had been diagnosed with pneumonia and his recovery had been a gradual process due to his age. 

Although Chuck may well have been dealing with numerous other issues related to aging privately, he still continued to perform into his 80s. Notably, in 2011, the then-84-year-old singer collapsed on stage during a performance in Chicago. Chuck's rep would later tell AP that the incident occurred due to "exhaustion" (via Rolling Stone Magazine).