Brad Renfro

A former child star who, toward the end of his short career, was arguably better known for his public struggles with drug and alcohol abuse than he was for his body of work, Brad Renfro was born July 25, 1982, in Knoxville, Tenn. After being spotted by talent scouts at age 10, the young actor began his film career just two years later in the high-profile legal thriller The Client (1994) alongside Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones.

Touted as a rising star in the media, Renfro nabbed lead roles in Tom and Huck (1995), Sleepers (1996) and Apt Pupil (1998). But as the actor moved from adolescence into adulthood, he gravitated toward supporting roles in more independent fare such as Ghost World (2001).

Renfro died on Jan. 15, 2008, at the age of 25, during the filming of The Informers (2008). His death was somewhat overshadowed by fellow actor Heath Ledger's demise exactly one week later.

Filmography