Laura Prepon, who played Donna Pinciotti on “That ’70s Show,” shared devastating news Wednesday, August 5, 2026: her brother Brad Prepon had died July 15 from a heart condition no one knew he had. He was 48.
The 46-year-old actress turned her family’s tragedy into an urgent public health plea, asking followers to listen to their bodies and get medical help when something doesn’t feel right. She revealed that her family had held services for Brad during the weekend of August 1.
A Career Spanning Two Decades
Fame arrived for Prepon when she starred as the tall, redheaded Donna across eight seasons of “That ’70s Show” between 1998 and 2006. She returned to that character for “That ’90s Show,” the follow-up series. Later recognition came through her performance as dark-haired Alex Vause, a former drug-cartel associate, on “Orange Is the New Black.”
Recent years brought personal challenges. Her 2024 separation from actor Ben Foster involved mutual allegations—she cited habitual drunkenness and cruel and inhuman treatment, while he contended that remaining under one roof was unsafe and improper. The pair share two children.
Public Grief, Private Loss
“He passed away suddenly from an unknown heart condition — it was a devastating shock,” Prepon wrote alongside photographs documenting years of sibling memories. Her message wove together sorrow and warning: because Brad’s fatal condition went undetected, she implored her audience not to ignore physical red flags and to seek evaluation promptly.
She described her brother’s absence as a void felt by everyone who knew him and even those who never had the chance to meet him. The actress told followers to hold their loved ones close and wrote that she would carry him in her heart, calling him an irreplaceable presence whose impact was profound.
A Life Defined by Curiosity
According to his obituary, Brad Prepon relocated to California in 2002 and maintained strong ties with Laura and their three other sisters. Friends and family remembered him as intellectually restless, with a deep interest in world history—particularly World War II—and a mind constantly analyzing how systems and structures functioned.
Health and fitness mattered greatly to him, yet so did connection. His obituary highlighted his love of holiday celebrations, quality time with his sisters and nights out among friends. Those who spent time with him emphasized his unforgettable personality and the warmth he brought to any gathering.
The family’s remembrance closed by underscoring the singular qualities that defined Brad: his analytical precision, his passion for tennis and history, and his ability to leave a lasting impression. The obituary described him as an inimitable force whose memory would endure through the many hearts he touched.
Prepon has increasingly spoken candidly about painful subjects. In her memoir, “You and I, As Mothers,” she revealed her mother had taught her to be bulimic, a childhood wound that persisted even after recovery. She reported that readers grappling with their own struggles around food and family responded in overwhelming numbers, and that helping even one person justified the vulnerability of sharing her story.
Now facing fresh heartbreak, she once again chose transparency, hoping that by publicizing Brad’s sudden death she might prevent another family from experiencing the same shock. His death was confirmed by his sister’s public statement, and his obituary listed July 15 as the date he died.
