Brad Renfro
Renfro in
Sleepers (1996)
Born: Brad Barron Renfro; July 25, 1982; Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Died: January 15, 2008 (aged 25); Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of death: Acute heroin/morphine intoxication
Resting place: Red House Cemetery, Blaine, Tennessee
Brad Barron Renfro (July 25, 1982 January 15, 2008) was an American actor. He made his film debut at the age of 11 with a starring role in
The Client (1994). He went on to appear in 21 feature films and won several awards.
Prior to being cast in
The Client, Renfro had no acting background and was living with his grandmother in a trailer park. Wanting to cast a "tough kid" who had the life experience to understand the character he would portray, director Joel Schumacher chose Renfro to play the role of Mark Sway. Renfro soon attracted a large fanbase as he continued to star in movies like
The Cure,
Tom and Huck,
Sleepers,
Apt Pupil,
Bully and Ghost World.
Beginning in the late 1990s, Renfro had difficulties in his private life, including a series of arrests and stints in drug treatment. He died of acute heroin and morphine intoxication at the age of 25.
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Acting career
When he was 10 years of age, Renfro was discovered by Mali Finn, a casting director for Joel Schumacher. Renfro was recommended to Finn by a former D.A.R.E. officer of his, who was captivated by his charm and street smarts. He had no prior acting experience or training at the time. Finn had contacted various agencies that worked with youth; she was looking to cast a "tough" kid and settled on Renfro after looking at five thousand such boys all over the United States. At the time, Renfro had been living in a trailer park outside Knoxville with his grandmother. "I wanted a kid who understood in the marrow of his psyche what it was like to grow up too soon," Schumacher later told
The New York Times.
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Death
Renfro was found dead on January 15, 2008, in his Los Angeles apartment. He was 25 years old. His body was returned to Tennessee, where he was buried on January 22, 2008, at Red House Cemetery in the small community of Blaine, Tennessee. On February 8, 2008, the Los Angeles County Coroner's office ruled his death accidental, attributing it to acute heroin/morphine intoxication.
Seventeen days after Renfro's death, his grandmother Joannewho had accompanied him regularly during his early acting careerdied at her home at the age of 76. Local officials said she died of natural causes.
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Music videos
Year Artist Title
1998 The Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter"
2002 N.E.R.D "Provider"
2005 10 Years "Wasteland'"
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