Guide Note
Actor Brad Renfro made his film debut at age 11 in Joel Schumacher's The Client. He appeared in over twenty feature films before his death in January 2008 of an accidental heroin overdose. His girlfriend, Samantha Jordanova, established a memorial fund in his honor.
Fast Facts
- Born: July 25, 1982
- Died: January 15, 2008
- Birth place: Knoxville, Tennessee
- 1998: Arrested for cocaine and marijuana possession in Knoxville
- Height: 5'8"
- After his death, his family revealed that he had a son, Yamato
- Renfro's grandmother died two weeks after he did
- Admired guitarist Jimmy Page
Film Career
After his performance in The Client, Renfro was considered one of People's "Top 30 Under 30" and was cast in Tom and Huck in 1995 and Sleepers in 1996.
Into adolescence and adulthood, Renfro appeared in Bryan Singer's Apt Pupil Ghost World, Bully and The Jacket, but was not offered as many starring roles as in his teen years.
Death and Snub?
Since the late 1990s, Renfro had been arrested several times for drug possession and drunk driving. In late 2005, he was caught in an LAPD sting on Los Angeles's skid row and sentenced to three years of probation.
After he was discovered dead, his body was sent back to Tennessee and his body was buried in Blaine.
During the "In Memoriam" segment of the 2008 Academy Awards, there was no mention of Renfro, who had died just over a month prior. A representative of the Academy called the omission an editing decision, as there was a limited amount of time for the montage.
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