FANS were shocked and devastated when they believed Sam Elliott had passed away at the age of 79 this weekend.
However, fans soon realized the legendary actor will still very much be celebrating his 80th birthday tomorrow.
Who is Sam Elliott?
Sam Elliott is alive and well, despite what the rumors say.
He was born August 9, 1944, and is recognized for his early starring roles in Westerns.
Elliot rose to fame after appearing in The Way West and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
One of his most famous lines: “I’ll get all the sleep I need when I’m dead,” came from the 1989 movie Road House, in which he starred alongside Patrick Swayze.
More recently, he has been featured in two popular Netflix series: The Ranch, with Ashton Kutcher, and Grace and Frankie, with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.
The critically acclaimed actor also made a comeback when he appeared on screen with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper in A Star Is Born.
For this film, he won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor and was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role, as well as the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Last year the actor bagged himself a role in the Paramount+ miniseries 1883, a prequel to the Yellowstone series – for which he won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a M iniseries or Television Movie.
His personal life is kept private from the public eye, but in 1984 he married actress Katherine Ross and the pair share a daughter together called Cleo.
They live in a seaside ranch in Malibu, which they have lived happily in since the 1980s.
Why is ‘Sam Elliott dead’ trending?
The rumor was sparked when a tribute to the actor was posted on Facebook.
It read: “At about 11 a.m. ET on Friday (August 04, 2023), our beloved actor Sam Elliott passed away. Sam Elliott was born on August 9, 1944 in Sacramento.
“He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”
Social media users were quick to start spreading the word that Sam Elliott had died – before checking the facts.
The actor’s team released a statement to squash any speculation.
It read: “He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax.
“He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.”
When did the trend start?
The hoax was prompted by fake news from an online account.
Luckily, within 24 hours, the rumor had been put to bed.
Other actors that have been involved in a death hoax include Jeff Goldblum, who was reported to have died after falling from a cliff in New Zealand.
Dwayne Johnson similarly supposedly passed away after falling off a mountain in New Zealand.
Jon Bon Jovi fans were also left devastated after it was falsely claimed he had died of a cardiac arrest.
What have people said about ‘Sam Elliott dead’ trending?
Fans were devastated when they believed the beloved actor had passed away.
One heartbroken fan, “feeling sad”, wrote: “Sam Elliott dead, I will miss him, great actor.”
“Holding my breath after hearing Sam Elliot might be dead,” penned another shocked user.