EXCLUSIVE: Inside Wheelchair-Bound Tim Curry's Pain-Wracked Final Days After 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' Icon Revealed He is Always on the Edge of Another Potentially Fatal Stroke
Tim Curry is said to be scared of suffering another stroke.
Oct. 24 2025, Published 4:30 p.m. ET
Tim Curry is living in constant fear of another stroke after admitting the health crisis that left him unable to walk could strike again "at any time," RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show star, 79, suffered a major stroke in 2012 and now uses a wheelchair and requires daily care. In a candid new interview, Curry said he "wouldn't want" to endure another such episode, describing the lasting toll it has taken on his body and mind.
Tim Curry's Fight After Stroke Revealed
Curry suffered a major stroke in 2012.
"I probably should (worry)," he said. "It could happen any time. I wouldn't want to go through it again. Because it just makes you so f------ vulnerable."
Those close to the actor say his health battles have been relentless but that he continues to face them with a mix of humor and grit.
"Tim's endured more than anyone realizes," a close friend said. "Every day brings its challenges, but he meets them with humor and grit. "He still teases his carers, keeps in touch with old pals, and that glint of mischief is always there. "Still, the risk of another stroke is something that never truly leaves his mind."
Curry first rose to fame in 1975 with his electrifying performance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show – a role that made him an international cult icon.
Curry, here in 'Home Alone 2,' was left in a wheelchair.
Decades later, his career was cut short when he collapsed at his Los Angeles home from a catastrophic stroke that left him partially paralyzed. He spent months in intensive rehabilitation and has since relied on round-the-clock assistance.
"He's surrounded by people who genuinely care for him," a source close to the actor said. "His team makes sure he's safe and supported, but it's been an incredibly tough journey. Losing his mobility was crushing, and the memory lapses have been even harder. Tim's mind was always razor-sharp – for him, not remembering is the cruelest part."
In his interview, Curry acknowledged his ongoing struggles, saying: "I can't remember a f------ thing. I'm not sure that I could do theatre again."
The actor also reflected on the eerie parallels between his own stroke and the one that claimed his father's life.
Tim Curry's Father Also Suffered a Stroke
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The actor's father also suffered a stroke... he later died.
"It was an odd thing, because my father had a stroke and died very soon afterwards," he said. "I knew I had to force myself to relax and just take the opportunity to float a little."
A longtime friend described how Curry's stoicism mirrors that of his late father. "He's handled everything with extraordinary grace," the pal said. "He once told me his father faced his own illness with strength, and that's what he's tried to live by. There's no self-pity in him – just a calm, steady resolve to keep moving forward."
Despite his physical limitations, Curry continues to make rare public appearances, including a special Rocky Horror anniversary event in Los Angeles earlier this year. There, he addressed fans with his trademark wit, saying, "I still can't walk, which is why I'm in this silly chair.
"That's very limiting. So I won't be singing and I won't be dancing very soon."
Those close to him say the actor's humor remains his lifeline. "Even on the hardest days, he still finds something to laugh about," a friend said. "That's Tim through and through – resilient, gracious, and still wonderfully wicked in spirit."
