Dolly Parton, Gloria Steinem, and Why Grieving a Celebrity Feels So Personal

Fans visit a Dolly Parton mural in Chicago on Aug.

26, 2026. —Scott Olson—Getty Images Recently, the world has collectively mourned the unexpected losses of several well-known public figures, from Dolly Parton and Gloria Steinem to Bob Mackie and Tim Curry .

Their deaths have hit fans, followers, and industry colleagues hard, and their tributes are going viral online.

Although these celebrities primarily appear to us on screen or on stage, many people feel as though they know them personally because of the meaningful impact they’ve had on their lives.

These are known as parasocial relationships or “nonreciprocal social-emotional connections” with public figures and celebrities, per the journal of Current Opinion in Psychology .

When a public figure or celebrity dies, we grieve collectively.

According to Gina Moffa, grief therapist and author of the book, Moving on Doesn’t Mean Letting Go , this happens when a large group of people mourns at the same time.

“This can be felt even if they never knew the person or community, or weren’t directly affected by the event,” says Moffa.

And it isn’t limited to the passing of public figures and celebrities.

Many people also experienced shared loss after 9/11 , Sandy Hook , COVID-19 , and the Nepal floods .

In this current cultural moment, we’re seeing collective grief intersect with a psychological phenomenon called parasocial grief.

According to psychotherapist and NYU adjunct professor Olivia Verhulst , this can occur when there’s a one-sided sense of familiarity with a public figure after they die.

“Relationships don’t need to be reciprocal for feelings to be real,” Verhulst says.

“Loss brings up a lot for all of us no matter what form it takes, whether it’s shock, disbelief, or confrontation with our own mortality.” A small study in 2025 from the journal Acta Psychologica found that parasocial grief can negatively impact mental health and can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms like substance use.