Madonna and her youthful brother Christopher Ciccone had a relationship stuffed with ups and downs, with Christopher going from her collaborator to estranged member of the family over the many years till his loss of life in 2024.

Christopher’s household confirmed to Us Weekly that the dancer, creator and inside designer had died of most cancers on Friday, October 4, in Michigan surrounded by household, together with his husband, Ray Thacker. He was 63. Christopher was one in every of Madonna’s 5 siblings, which additionally consists of brothers Anthony, who died in 2023, and Martin, and sisters Paula and Melanie. (Additionally they have two step-siblings, Jennifer and Mario.)

After following her to New York Metropolis within the Eighties, Christopher labored for his sister as a backup dancer, dresser and, ultimately, her tour director for The Girlie Present in 1993. Nonetheless, Madonna’s rise to fame in the end soured their relationship, creating distance and resentment. In a 2008 interview with Good Morning America, Christopher shared that beforehand he and Madonna “had been a really shut brother and sister,” and stated that it felt “a bit like a wedding.”

Madonna mourned her brother’s loss of life by way of Instagram, calling Christopher “the closest human to me for thus lengthy,” in her tribute. “It’s arduous to clarify our bond,” she wrote. “Nevertheless it grew out of an understanding that we had been completely different and society was going to provide us a tough time for not following the established order.”

Preserve scrolling to learn all about Madonna and Christopher’s ups and downs all through the years:

Eighties

Christopher was very concerned within the early years of his sister’s profession as a dancer, a dresser and a inventive guide. He shared in his memoir, Life With My Sister Madonna, that he had moved to New York Metropolis within the Eighties to be her backup dancer, even showing within the music video for her single “Fortunate Star” in 1984.

In an interview with The Guardian, Christopher confided that he, at occasions, discovered working for his sister to be “beneath” him after growing his personal profession in New York as an artist. “I did it as a result of she wanted me, nevertheless it bred resentment,” he claimed on the time. “Not many individuals would have been in a position to take care of her stuff.”

1990 – 2001

In 1990, Christopher was the artwork director for Madonna’s Blond Ambition World Tour, returning in 1993 as her tour director for The Girlie Present. Nonetheless, the “Like a Virgin” singer appeared outdoors the household for the Drowned World Tour in 2001, hiring choreographer Jamie King as director as an alternative. It was round that point that Madonna married Man Ritchie, who Christopher claimed additional strained his relationship with the pop star. (Madonna and Ritchie break up in 2008.)

1991

Christopher cited the 1991 documentary Madonna: Fact or Dare as a difficulty between him and his sister, although he hadn’t introduced it as much as her on the time the movie was being made.

“At one level, when you’ve seen the Fact or Dare film, when she’s rolling round on my mom’s grave that — that was a turning level for me in my relationship together with her,” Christopher advised Good Morning America in 2008. Madonna and Christopher’s mom — additionally named Madonna — died of breast most cancers in 1963.

“I stored it inside however I assumed to myself, ‘OK, there are not any boundaries now.’ You already know, my mom’s now change into a facet — a bit participant in her life, life story, and it damage me,” he added. “My opinion of her altered at that second. I by no means stated something about it.”

2008

Christopher launched his tell-all autobiography detailing his relationship with the pop icon, which grew to become a New York Instances best-seller and led to hypothesis that he and Madonna weren’t on good phrases.

Madonna’s rep Liz Rosenberg advised AP on the time that she hadn’t learn the e-book however discovered it “very upsetting” that Christopher had “determined to promote a e-book primarily based on his sister.” 4 years later, Christopher doubled down in an interview with CBS Information, saying he didn’t “remorse” writing the e-book.

“It gave folks a chance to consider me as a inventive individual, as an artist and never simply as Madonna’s brother, which is a tag I’m going to put on perpetually,” Christopher stated in 2012. “However I’m hopeful that in some unspecified time in the future it is going to be Christopher Ciccone first. It’s cool … I’m completely completely satisfied being what I’m.”

2012

In an interview with The Customary, Christopher shared that his relationship with Madonna was on a “completely personable stage proper now,” including, “So far as I’m involved, we’re good.” He stated, “We’re in touch with one another, though I haven’t seen her for a very long time. We’re again to being a brother and sister. I don’t work for her, and it’s higher this manner.”

2023

Christopher and Madonna’s oldest brother, Anthony Ciccone, died of respiratory failure and throat most cancers. He was 66.

2024

Madonna mourned Christopher’s loss of life by way of Instagram on October 6, sharing a sequence of pictures of the 2 siblings all through the years.

“The previous couple of years haven’t been simple,” she wrote in an extended, heartfelt caption. “We didn’t communicate for a while however when my brother received sick. We discovered our approach again to one another. I did my greatest to maintain him alive so long as doable. He was in a lot ache in direction of the top.” She concluded, “I’m glad he’s not struggling anymore. There’ll by no means be anybody like him. I do know he’s dancing someplace.”