Ethan Brown, who starred in Kate Hudson’s films “Raising Helen” and “Hackers,” was found dead in his home on Tuesday, his father, singer Jackson Browne, announced on Instagram. Ethan Zane Brown was 52 years old.
The Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office listed the cause of death as “deferred.”
“It is with deep sadness that we share the news that on the morning of November 25, 2025, Jackson Browne and Phyllis Major’s son, Ethan Brown, was found unresponsive in his home and passed away. We ask for privacy and respect for the family during this difficult time. No further details are available at this time,” Jackson Browne wrote.
Ethan Brown worked as a model for designers such as Isaac Mizrahi, and was also active as a DJ and musician. He also appeared on the TV show “Birds of Prey.”
As a baby, he appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone with his father cradling him and his face crumpled.
In an interview with Root magazine, Jackson Browne talked about what it’s like to become a parent after losing his wife.
“That was my main focus,” he said. “I just wanted to balance two things: being a songwriter and being a father. And I thought, ‘If I have to be a father, then I just know that and do it.’ But that’s not how life works, and you don’t get an email telling you that you’re no good as a parent. I hope you have the advice and help that you need.” But sometimes you don’t, or you ignore them. That’s not the kind of mistake I’ve made as a father. It’s not that you’re not trying all the time. Or maybe you’re overconfident, so you ignore the advice.
His mother was Jackson Browne’s first wife, actress and model Phyllis Major, who died of an overdose just three years after Ethan was born. Major appeared in the movie “Candy Snatchers,” and Jackson Browne’s songs “Ready or Not,” “Three’s Dark,” and “Silent Gate” are said to be about her.
