In the past, I have talked about the troubled lives of some child stars such as Danny Bonaduce, Dana Plato, and Jackie Earle Haley. Some recover to do well, like Haley, and some go on to pay the ultimate price, like actor Brad Renfro.
Brad was found dead in his home yesterday at the young age of 25. The cause of death is not known, but an autopsy is being conducted today. What is known is that Brad fell into that pit of alcohol and drugs that many child stars fall into when they try to move from cute kid to adult actor.
Renfro, from Knoxville, Tennessee, began his acting career at the age of 12. His first film was a pretty noteworthy one – The Client starring Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. He continued to find work after that, appearing in Apt Pupil, The Jacket, Sleepers, and Ghost World (which starred one of my favorites, Steve Buscemi). In fact, he had just recently completed a role in The Informers, which starred Winona Ryder and Billy Bob Thornton.
But while continuing to work on films, Brad also ran into trouble with the law due to his alcohol and drug abuse. In 1998, he was charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana, but managed to avoid a jail sentence with a plea deal. You may remember one of his most infamous run-ins with the law – when he and a friend tried to steal a 45-foot yacht in Florida in 2000. Brad was ordered to pay $4,000 for repairs and he was placed on probation.
He was in trouble again in May 2001, when he was charged with underage drinking, which was a violation of his probation. He was ordered to attend alcohol rehab, which he called an “eye-opener.” In 2005, he was arrested in an LA skid row area after attempting to buy heroin from an undercover officer. For that offense, he served 10 days in jail.
Brad’s lawyer, Richard Kaplan, said Brad was working really hard on his sobriety, however, he did say that Brad had been drinking with friends the night before his death.