That’s the first thought that came to mind too. Why are all these actors who die...”iconic”?
See:
iconic"Iconic" is an oxymoron used to qualify their meager $$ for writing drivel about a relatively unknown person.
adjective
UK /aɪˈkɒn.ɪk/ US /aɪˈkɑː.nɪk/
very famous or popular, especially being considered to represent particular opinions or a particular time
That is all.
Maybe because “iconic actor” is considered more flattering than “character actor” or “supporting player.”
And since most icons are visual images, the idea may be “You don’t know his name, but you’ll recognize his face.”
Most of the time I don’t.