Tom Skerritt’s Cause of Death: How Did the ‘Top Gun’ Actor Die?

Legendary actor Tom Skerritt died on October 21, according to a statement from his family shared by People. The Top Gun star was 93.

What Was Tom Skerritt’s Cause of Death?

According to People on October 22, a statement regarding Skerritt’s death from his family confirmed that he died of natural causes. The family’s statement did not include any additional details regarding the beloved entertainer’s final days.

The family shared, “Our family is deeply saddened to share that Tom Skerritt passed away on October 21, 2026, from natural causes.”

The statement continued, “He was a loving husband to Julie; father to Andy, Erin, Matt, Colin, and Emiko; grandfather to Sara, Maddison, Sunny, Louisa, and Georgia; and great-grandfather to Marigold and Ravi. We are heartbroken by his loss.”

Fans of Skerritt’s adored him for the work he did in projects such as Top Gun, Picket Fences, and the movie version of M*A*S*H. His IMDb page lists 176 acting credits in total, spanning more than six decades.

Skerritt’s last acting role was in the 2025 movie Broke. As IMDb noted, the movie about a struggling rodeo rider also starred Wyatt Russell, Dennis Quaid, and Auden Thornton. Skerritt played a character named Cliff.

While fans remember him for his on-screen work, his family says there was much more to Skerritt. In their statement, the family noted, “We knew him for his humor, curiousity, wisdom, generosity, and the love he brought into our lives.”

The family also praised Skerritt’s passion for “imagination, creativity, storytelling, service, veterans, the natural world, and helping others find and share their own voices.”