Hollywood plucked Brad Renfro from the trailer park at the tender age of 10 and thrust him onto the silver screen alongside an eye-popping array of A-listers. Unfortunately, as often happens with child stars, his life went way, way off the rails.
1. He Was A Lost Boy
One of the most promising young actors of the 90s, Brad Renfro was talented enough to be the next Leonardo DiCaprio, but troubled enough to give Robert Downey Jr a run for his money. No matter how wise beyond his years he seemed, Renfro was just a troubled kid trying to navigate Hollywood’s dark underbelly without any parental support.
If that’s not a recipe for a downward spiral, we don’t know what is.
Everett Collection, Shutterstock
2. He Had A Rough Start
Brad Renfro’s origin story is as troubled as they come. He was born on July 25, 1982, in Knoxville, Tennessee, to Angela and Mark Renfro who split up when he was five. His mother didn’t take it well and ended up dumping the young boy on the front steps of his paternal grandmother’s trailer. It was far from an auspicious beginning.
3. He Was A Problem Child
Brad Renfro’s encounters with law enforcement started early. When he was in fifth grade, he was in a DARE class taught by an officer who kicked him out of class on the very first day. The officer later admitted to being charmed by the boy, but said “he was still a piece of work as far as being out of control”. Too bad DARE’s “just say no” lessons didn’t seem to stick.
4. He Just Said Yes
Renfro’s trouble with substances, both lawful and not-so-lawful, started disturbingly early—and he was not secretive about it. In media interviews, he would often talk about how he first got loaded at 11 and first tried the devil’s cabbage at the age of nine. He even lit up in front of a school employee, which did not end well.
Sadly, getting high would become one of Renfro’s favorite pastimes.
5. His Mother Was No Angel
To truly understand Brad Renfro’s entanglement with mind-altering substances, you have to go right back to the very beginning. As an adult, he confessed to his friends that he had been born addicted to the really hard stuff and had started using at the age of 12. One of his friends also said that Renfro’s mother was an enabler.
Apparently, one of his favorite things to say was, “It’s a miracle that I’m still alive”. He was already on a dark path—but it was destined to get even darker.
6. His Fate Was Sealed
It’s probably clear by now that Renfro did not have stage parents. In fact, the way in which Hollywood found him is rather eyebrow-raising. Joel Schumacher was directing an adaptation of the John Grisham novel The Client. The plot revolved around a young boy, and Joel wanted “a kid who understood in the marrow of his psyche what it was like to grow up too soon”. How on the nose.
7. He Had “It”
Joel Schumacher didn’t want a squeaky-clean Disney kid, so he sent his casting agents on a massive boy hunt. In their quest for an “endearing, mischievous boy,” they even contacted law enforcement—and here’s where stuff gets real. When Renfro’s DARE teacher heard about the casting call, the boy popped into the officer’s head, proving that it sometimes pays to be bad.
Too bad Renfro took this philosophy way too far.
8. His Life Was About To Change
As soon as they met Brad Renfro, the casting agents knew that they had someone special. They flew Renfro and his grandmother to California where he aced the screen test, beating out 5,000 other kids. The casting agents set him up with a manager who said, “He was just obviously screaming for someone to establish some kind of boundaries for him”.
Unfortunately, Renfro’s proverbial screams went unheard.
9. He Made An Impression
Joel Schumacher took a huge gamble when he cast an inexperienced kid in The Client. Renfro was a natural—thank God—who was able to memorize his lines and hold his own alongside Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. When he wasn’t on set, it was his grandmother’s job to keep an eye on him.
Being responsible for this wild child, however, would have been a tall order for anyone.
Derrick Rossignol, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
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10. He Was Not Good At Hiding His Issues
One crew member later anonymously admitted to having a lightbulb moment about young Renfro’s demons. After noticing that Renfro was coming to the set tired, he had a chat with his grandmother—who seemed like she wasn't being quite honest. “That was the first inkling where I thought, ‘Oh, this isn’t just cigarettes. There could be more going on with this kid, and I don’t have control over it’”.
Newsflash: No one had any control over him.
11. He Had No Limits
Carrying a feature film is stressful for adults, imagine how demanding it would be for an out-of-control 11-year-old with addiction issues. To top it off, many of Renfro’s scenes were intensely aggressive. An organization that reviews media suitability for children, sums it up well: “Plucky, terrorized boy at the heart of legal thriller”.
Well, Renfro wasn't about to disappoint anyone with his performance.
12. He Had Liftoff
The Client was a make-it-or-break-it moment in Renfo’s burgeoning career and despite the challenges, the movie became one of the top-grossing movies of 1994. People magazine put him in its “Top 30 Under 30,” but with the world watching, would he succumb to the curse associated with many of the entertainment world’s newcomer awards?
13. He Was Full Of Surprises
After his success with The Client, it was clear that Brad Renfro had been bitten by the acting bug. He played a loner in his next two films, both 1995 releases, but that’s about all they had in common. In The Cure, he portrays a kid who befriends a young boy with AIDS. Although Renfro’s performance was well-received, the movie was not.
14. He Was A Heartbreaker
Brad Renfro was quickly making a name for himself and acquiring admirers, both young and old. Among them was The Cure Director Peter Horton: “Brad had a really rough background. He is 11 going on 24 and didn’t seem to have the childhood side of him”. Horton also recalled Renfo receiving suggestive fan mail even though he had only just turned 12.
Renfro’s other role that year was in a Disney movie. Safe choice, right? Right?
15. He Entered His Disney Era
Wrong. Actually, there was nothing much safe about his time on the Disney set. The Tom and Huck trailer called them “the original bad boys” and, well, it was half right. During his audition for the role of Huck Finn, 12-year-old Renfro seized a real ax and began chasing one of the casting assistants. Unbelievably, he still got the role. Huck’s adventure had just begun…
Wald Disney, Tom and Huck (1995)
16. He Required Adult Supervision
Hollywood will often pull out all the stops for actors with star power—and Renfro truly had that special something. According to Premiere, Tom and Huck's producers paid an “acting coach” $10,000 every month to keep Renfro out of trouble. Alas, just like his grandmother, this “coach” failed to control the young actors vices or the "girls in his trailer”.
Ah yes, substances weren’t his only vice…
Walt disney, Tom and Huck (1995)
17. He Was Hot To Trot
To make matters worse, what happened in Brad Renfro’s trailer, did not stay in his trailer. Down the road, when production designer Gemma Jackson from Tom and Huck found out that Renfro was only 13 at the time of filming, she suddenly realized how dire his situation had been. What's more?
She claimed that, at the time, Renfro even had a girlfriend who was “years older than him”. Yikes! Kinda makes us wonder if Renfro’s “acting coach” was worth the money.
Wald Disney, Tom and Huck (1995)
18. He Didn’t Drink His Own Kool-Aid
Kids will be kids, right? Yes, especially during a night out after a long day of filming Tom and Huck. Renfro starred alongside pre-pubescent sitcom heartthrob Jonathan Taylor Thomas who was at the peak of his powers. When he tried to get into Hooters one night, Renfro told the bouncers, “I’m the kid with the kid from Home Improvement”.
The shenanigans didn't end there.
MavsFan28, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
19. He Was Exploited
Even with a supposed minder, Renfro wasn’t the only one stepping over the line. In one Tom and Huck scene, the two kids have to cover themselves in mud. Director Peter Hewitt said it was a cold, miserable scene, but that wasn’t the only problem. In addition to the mud, Renfro was wearing tiny, tight underpants while Jonathan wore a pair of baggy pants.
This gratuitous display would become a disturbing theme across Renfro’s career.
Wald Disney, Tom and Huck (1995)
20. His Next Film Was A Tough Watch
If we could use one adjective for Brad Renfro’s career trajectory, it would be mercurial. He went from Disney to the very dark Barry Levinson-directed thriller Sleepers. This was not a film for kids. To make matters worse, the worst of the brutality centers around 13-year-old Renfro.
As tough as the kid seemed, Levinson must have known the scenes were taking a toll…
David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
21. His Cries For Help Went Unanswered
Brad Renfro was waving plenty of red flags on the Sleepers set. Even director Levinson said that the boy was “fraught with demons and needed help". Instead of taking a moment to think about how to help him, though, the production team hired a guardian to keep an eye on Renfro’s ever-increasing out-of-control behavior.
22. He Was Beyond Edgy
What do you get when you combine problematic director Bryan Singer with a pre-pubescent addicted actor and a script about a kid who is unhealthily obsessed with a WWII German soldier? A whole heck of a lot of issues. On the set of 1998’s Apt Pupil, one crew member recalled 14-year-old Renfro sneaking smokes when the union rep was visiting.
Too bad that was child’s play compared to some of the other on-set incidents.
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
23. He Was In The Eye Of The Storm
Fernando Altschul was the first assistant director on the set of Apt Pupil but he ended up trying to keep Renfro in line as well. A Herculean task, to be sure, but he was doing it with care and concern. Altschul even stormed off the set when the filmmakers forced young Renfro to work way too many hours so that the production could stay on schedule.
Long hours weren’t Altschul’s only cause for concern, though…
24. He Was One Of The Big Kids
The cast and crew of Apt Pupil may have worked hard, but they played hard too. At a casual party during the shoot, Altschul couldn’t believe that Renfro was there celebrating as well. He was the only child there. Altschul felt that “a 14-year-old had no business being” at the party, but he kept mum, feeling that it wasn’t his place.
25. His Director Was Not-So-Innocent
Ah, where to begin with Apt Pupil director Bryan Singer? Over the past two decades, he has been plagued with allegations of misconduct. One of the more disturbing incidents was in Apt Pupil when Renfro’s character was showering at a school gym. The camera lingers on Renfro and dips disturbingly low—but the scene gets alarmingly worse…
26. One Of His Scenes Caused Chaos
Anything involving children and movie sets is a minefield, but when a lack of clothing enters the mix, things can get catastrophic without proper oversights. In the Apt Pupil shower scene, the crew forced a group of boys into stripping down completely. The crew later claimed it had been a mixup, but the incident led to a series of lawsuits against the production and Singer.
27. He Was An Apt Pupil
Hollywood and flashy parties go hand-in-hand, but many have a dark side. Around the same time as Apt Pupil, Bryan Singer was famous for his pool parties. One of Singer’s friends later described one of these parties by saying that “it felt like a high-school party”. He also wondered why there were so many boys there. Cue Brad Renfro…
28. He And Singer May Have Been Close
A male source disclosed to The Atlantic that he had an intimate relationship with Bryan Singer while the source was still in his early teens. Singer brought this person to the set of Apt Pupil and to one of his famous parties. At the party, Singer led the 15-year-old source and 15-year-old Renfro, upstairs…
User [177] at flickr.com, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
29. He Was Seeking Something
The source claimed that while Renfro had been the third party at first, he left before anything intimate actually happened. According to The Atlantic article, two sources said that Singer would refer to Renfro as his boyfriend. The source at the party later talked to Renfro about the incident and the two agreed that they hoped these wealthy men would do things for them.
30. It Was Time For Him To Wind Down
After a harrowing job like Apt Pupil, who wouldn’t need to unwind. Brad Renfro had finished filming and the movie was a few months from being released when Renfro’s next bout of troubles began. He had gone home to Knoxville and was letting loose on a drive with his 19-year-old cousin when they suddenly saw telltale red and blue flashing lights behind them…
31. He Was In A Fix
Yes, Brad Renfro was 15 at the time of the traffic stop, and no things did not look good. According to the sheriff’s report, his bloodshot eyes and incoherent speech gave him away. He was also carrying a couple of baggies of illicit substances and had stashed some Mary Jane in his sock. The officers took Renfro and his cousin in and charged them.
Even the trial did not go down without incident…
32. He Didn’t Want Unsolicited Advice
It must have been pretty exciting to have a celebrity at the county courthouse. The press had congregated and Renfro didn’t disappoint. Outsice the building, he got into a loud dispute with his mother that escalated to the point where he was shouting and cursing at her. A journalist then made the mistake of telling Renfro he shouldn’t talk to his mother that way…
33. He Had An Interesting Retort
Brad Renfro’s reply to the journalist was nothing if not shocking. He proceeded to make a rude gesture at the journalist before turning back toward his mother and resuming his jaw-dropping rant. The best part of it all? The two were fighting over a lighter. And thus began a long string of way too many run-ins with the law.
34. His Next Job Was Wild
Apt Pupil may have been Renfro’s last major studio film, but he was in no way finished with acting. In 2000, he’d signed on to play a wayward teen in the movie Bully. Just before filming, director Larry Clark picked up Renfro from his grandmother’s house in Knoxville. The plan was for the two to drive to Florida where all of the filming would take place.
When Renfro came out of the house to greet Clark, the director couldn’t believe his eyes…
Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
35. His Director Was Terrified
At that moment, Brad Renfro was 100% not that dude who sent girls into a tizzy. Clark said he was bloated and had blood on his arms. At that moment, the director saw the state of his actor—and just knew his movie was doomed. How was this 18-year-old hot mess going to play a teenager when he looked 35? He decided to hatch a desperate and drastic plan…
36. He Was Tricked
After spending a few days with Renfro in Knoxville, Clark decided it was time to make his—highly unorthodox—move. Clark got Renfro into the car under false pretenses and then hightailed it to the Sunshine State. During the grueling ride, Clark, who was once an addict himself, watched Renfro have a seizure as part of the terrible withdrawal process.
Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
37. He Had His Work Cut Out For Him
This nightmare road trip would definitely NOT happen on a major studio movie. Once the pair got to Florida, Clark took Renfro to AA meetings and hired a trainer as well as a minder. The director said, “I’ve been around a lot of addicts…and I remember thinking at the time, this is one of the worst cases I’ve ever seen”.
Somehow, despite all these efforts, things were about to get even worse.
38. He Snuck Out
By now, Renfro was a pro at sneaking away from his babysitters. But during the filming of Bully, he did something much worse than sneaking out. In the middle of the night, he crawled out of a second-floor window and disappeared into the darkness. The person paid to watch him had no idea he was gone, and Fort Lauderdale wasn’t going to know what hit it.
39. He Was A True Florida Man
The night was young-ish and Renfro was free at last! His first order of business was to meet up with a dealer, of course, and get blitzed. He and a friend then headed to a marina and decided that it would be a good idea to hot-wire a 45-foot yacht. Is it much of a surprise that things didn’t quite go smoothly?
40. He Was Out Of It
Imagine you’re just an innocent boat owner, sound asleep on your vessel when you’re suddenly startled awake at 3:40 am by a loud CRASH! Apparently, Brad Renfro and a pal got the yacht started and were accelerating hard when they realized that they had forgotten to untie the big boat. Like something from a cartoon, the yacht reached the end of its rope and crashed back into the dock.
41. He Had A Grand Story To Tell?
Do you know who was also at the end of their rope? The film’s director. The rudely awakened boat owners dragged Renfro and his pal off the yacht and held them until the authorities arrived. Renfro was charged and the film had to shut down for a day. When he got out of the slammer, he won over the director yet again.
Clark said, “He was so good, you would kind of forgive him for being a (screw)-up”. The companies who insured film projects weren’t quite as forgiving, however.
42. His Grandma Knew Best
It’s not often that celebrity profiles include quotes from a star’s grandmother, but a strange 2001 article in Details included some eerie musings. Renfro’s grandmother said, “Brad’s got to get that partying out of him… Brad’s over 18 now, I’ve turned him loose. I’m not going to be here forever”. Little did she know that she’d be around for slightly longer than Renfro.
43. His Rap Sheet Grew
Over the next few years, Brad Renfro managed to keep getting roles while also getting into a whole lot of hot water. He was charged with a probation breach, drinking in public, possession, driving without a license, public inebriation, and drinking and driving. The most humiliating run-in with the law happened at the end of 2005 though…
44. He Hit Rock Bottom
The desperation of an addict is not pretty, and the fact that Renfro resorted to looking for a fix on LA’s Skid Row must have meant he was in dire need. Unfortunately for him, there were undercover detective on the lookout.
During the raid, authorities apprehended Renfro and the Los Angeles Times printed a huge photo of him, handcuffed and looking less than fabulous, on the front page. Ouch.
45. He Still Wasn’t Scared Straight
Brad Renfro ultimately faced three years of probation, but breaking his bad habits was easier said than done. In 2006, he even spent 10 days in lock up for possession and driving while drinking. In June 2007, Renfro broke his probation because he hadn’t enrolled in a treatment program. Would he try again?
Tomorrow, American Girl (2002)
46. He Tried To Get Better
Renfro gave treatment another go. After all, the judge made the consequences of not geting help seem rather unappealing. After finishing the program, Renfro agreed to move in with some LA friends who wanted to help him stay away from substances. But though the actor seemed to be turning a corner, fate had another cruel twist in store for him.
Tomorrow, American Girl (2002)
47. He Met A Tragic End
In a shocking turn of events, one of Renfro’s roommates found his lifeless body in bed on January 15, 2008. He was only 25 years old. The coroner’s office ruled it was an accidental overdose. However, after his passing, a surprising secret came to light.
48. He Kept A Shocking Secret
With a revelation that seems like it could have been out of a soap opera, Renfro’s obituary disclosed to the world that he had a love child. The obit listed his son as “Y Renfro” and Us Weekly revealed the child’s name was Yamato. We don’t know much about him other than that he was born in Japan in 2003 and he was “unplanned”.
49. He Had A High-Profile Fan
It was quite scandalous that the Academy did not include Brad Renfro in the Oscars’ “In Memoriam” tribute after his passing. One actor, however, did make quite a head-scratching homage to Renfro. Actor James Franco (before his cancellation) had a tattoo artist slice Renfro’s name into his right shoulder, but Franco’s devotion to the actor went much deeper.
Alice Barigelli, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
50. He Was Gone But Not Forgotten
Why would Franco do this to himself and then make an art film out of the process? Stay with us…James Dean was one of Franco’s idols and Renfro was often compared to James Dean. The blade was similar to the kind used in Dean’s Rebel Without a Cause—a tragic film about a lost boy acted by a talented young star whose life was tragically cut short. Hmm, that sounds familiar.
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