Brad Renfro Dead at Age 25
January 16, 2008

The movie world has been rocked by another tragic death of a child star. Brad Renfro, who once showed so much potential and received massive critical acclaim for his turns in The Client, Apt Pupil, and Bully tumbled into drug addiction after the luster fell of his acting career and he has now died from his addictions at the age of only 25. Reuters reports that Brad Renfro died after a night of drinking yesterday morning, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. There's no official word on what killed Brad Renfro yet, but the night of drinking report combined with the well-known addictions of the child star have led people to assume that it was the addictions of Mr. Renfro that ended his life far too early.

Signs that things had gone horribly wrong in the life of Brad Renfro came to the surface two years ago when Brad was arrested in Los Angeles' Skid Row for allegedly trying to buy heroin. In May of 2006, Renfro spent 10 days in jail after he pleaded no-contest to driving while intoxicated and he pleaded guilty to attempted possession of heroin. There will be an autopsy today or tomorrow, but it will take six to eight weeks for a toxicology test to confirm what was in the system of Brad Renfro when he died.

Reuters reports that Renfro was out on Monday night drinking and was found the next morning unresponsive. The Los Angeles fire paramedics were reportedly called at 9am to the home in the 1000 block of Ogden Drive. Renfro was pronounced dead by the coroner three hours later.

Renfro recently finished shooting The Informers with Billy Bob Thornton and the producer of the film and president of the company making it, Senator Entertainment, told Reuters, "All of us at Senator Entertainment, the cast and crew of The Informers, and director Gregor Jordan are profoundly saddened by the news we received today. Brad was an exceptionally talented young actor and our time spent with him was thoroughly enjoyable and he became a true friend to us all. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and to all who knew him closely as the giving, warm-hearted young man he was."

Brad Barron Renfro was born in Knoxville, TN and was discovered when he was only 10 years old and cast as Mark Sway in the film adaptation of John Grisham's The Client. He won 1995's Hollywood Reporter's Young Star Award. He went on to star in The Cure, Tom and Huck, Sleepers, Telling Lies in America, and Apt Pupil, but roles started to dry up a bit in the '00s. Brad Renfro still had memorable roles in Bully, Ghost World, The Jacket, 10th & Wolf, and the upcoming The Informers with Billy Bob Thornton, Winona Ryder, Mickey Rourke, Brandon Routh, and Kim Basinger.

For other recent celebrity tragedies, check out our stories on Roger Avary, Donda West, and Rebecca DeMornay.