Doomed Facts About Brad Renfro, Hollywood’s Sad-Eyed 90s Heartthrob
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.
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.
