If you just typed "when did Danny DeVito die" into your search bar, take a deep breath. You can stop the frantic scrolling and put the mourning plans on hold.
Danny DeVito is alive and well.
As of early 2026, the man who gave us Frank Reynolds, the Penguin, and Louie De Palma is very much among the living. He’s 81 years old and, honestly, probably busier than most people half his age. It’s kinda wild how these rumors start, right? One day you're watching a clip of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and the next, a weirdly specific Facebook post or a TikTok "tribute" has you convinced a comedy legend has passed away.
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But he hasn't. Not even a little bit.
The Reality: Why We Keep Asking When Danny DeVito Died
The internet is a strange place. It has this weird obsession with "killing off" celebrities before their time. Danny DeVito has been a victim of these death hoaxes for decades.
Back in 2001, during the chaos of September 11, there was actually a rumor floating around that he was on one of the hijacked planes. It got so much traction that producer Sam Simon almost told Howard Stern about it on the air. Thankfully, he realized it was "misinformation" just in time. More recently, in the early 2020s, a wave of "Mandela Effect" discussions took over Reddit. People were swearing up and down they remembered him passing away in 2018 or 2022.
They remembered "tributes." They remembered news anchors crying. None of it happened.
Most of these rumors come from a mix of things:
- Social Media Hoaxes: "RIP Danny" posts that go viral because people share them without clicking the link.
- The Mandela Effect: A collective false memory where a group of people misremembers an event (like thinking the Monopoly man has a monocle—he doesn't).
- Health Scares: Any time an 80-year-old actor stays out of the spotlight for a month, the internet assumes the worst.
What is Danny DeVito Doing in 2026?
He isn't just "alive"—he's working. If you're wondering what he's been up to while the internet tries to bury him, the list is actually pretty long.
He recently wrapped work on A Sudden Case of Christmas and has been actively filming a sequel to Jumanji: The Next Level. There's also been a ton of buzz about a reunion project with his old buddy Arnold Schwarzenegger. They’ve been teasing a new movie together at Warner Bros., which feels like a fever dream for anyone who grew up watching Twins.
Plus, there’s It's Always Sunny. He’s still the backbone of that show. He’s still doing his own stunts—or at least the gross, hilarious stuff Frank Reynolds is known for. He even popped up in a crossover episode of Abbott Elementary recently.
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His Health and "Fairbank’s Disease"
People sometimes see Danny DeVito’s physical stature and assume there’s some catastrophic health issue. He does have a rare genetic condition called multiple epiphyseal dysplasia, or Fairbank’s disease. It’s what affected his bone growth when he was a kid.
But here’s the thing: it hasn't slowed him down.
In a 2023 interview with GQ, he revealed a pretty "Danny" secret to staying fit: he starts every night by jumping on a trampoline in his dressing room. It’s basically his pre-show ritual to get the blood flowing. If an 81-man-old is doing cardio on a trampoline, he’s probably doing okay.
Why the Internet is Obsessed with Celebrity Death
We live in an era of "clickbait grief." Websites and YouTube channels often use titles like "The Sad Truth About Danny DeVito" or "How He Lives is Incredibly Sad" to get views. They aren't saying he’s dead, but they imply it just enough to make you worry.
It’s predatory, honestly.
When you see these headlines, check the source. If it isn't The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, or a major news outlet, it’s probably just bait. Danny is a "protected" celebrity in the eyes of the public—we love him, so we’re extra sensitive to news about him. The trolls know that.
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Final Reality Check
To recap: Danny DeVito did not die today. He did not die in 2018. He is currently 81, living in California, and probably planning his next big project with Schwarzenegger or hanging out with his daughter Lucy (with whom he recently starred on Broadway in I Need That).
If you want to keep up with the truth, here’s what you should do:
- Follow his official social media: He’s surprisingly active on Twitter (X), mostly posting pictures of his "troll foot" in various locations.
- Check industry trades: If something actually happens to a star of his caliber, it will be the number one story on every legitimate news site within minutes.
- Watch the work: Go re-watch Matilda or the latest season of Sunny. The best way to "honor" a living legend is to actually enjoy the stuff they’re making.
The next time a "RIP Danny" post pops up on your feed, just keep scrolling. He’s still here, he’s still funny, and he’s still the Trash Man.
Next Steps for the Concerned Fan:
Check out the latest production updates for the Jumanji sequel or look up his 2025 appearance in Abbott Elementary to see him in action. You can also verify his current status anytime by checking his IMDB "Pro" page for active filming schedules.