He supposedly served three stints in rehab, MSN reported, and in recent years, hes taken to social media to destigmatize mental illness. English actor Rob Knox appeared to be on the cusp of a promising career after securing the role of Marcus Belby in the movie Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. 3. Rest in peace, Cory Monteith. Particularly, her parents. Sadly, in October 1993, Phoenix collapsed outside of an LA nightclub in front of Rain and brother Joaquin. According to TMZ, items consistent with heroin or opioid use were found near him, including burnt tin foil and other paraphernalia. She did an interview with Howard Stern a few days before her death. Although it's in no way suggested that Disney itself is responsible for what happened to the stars, the fact that many had early careers at the entertainment giant has led people to nickname it the 'Disney Curse'. Aaliyah. 1. In 2005, Renfro tried to purchase heroin from an undercover LA police officer, who subsequently arrested him. 2. After that, he appeared in a series of guest spots on shows likeThe Guardian,Smallville,andSouth Beach. Pettiets first big role, which likely led to so many other gigs, was as one of the brothers in the cult classic Dont Tell Mom The Babysitters Dead with Christina Applegate. When you hear the phrase Hollywood Child Star, what comes to mind? On February 2, 2014, Philip Seymour Hoffman, considered one of the most talented and versatile actors of his generation, dies of a drug overdose at age 46 in New York City.During his career, the . About a decade later, his career saw another boost when he landed a role on the TNT show Rizzoli & Isles, which opened him up to a new audience. Her official cause of death . Whitney Houston died from a cocaine overdose and drowning on Feb. 11, 2012, in her Beverly Hills, Calif., hotel room. Billie Holiday. These 19 beloved young actors passed away far too soon. In order to qualify for this list, an actor had to first start acting in major projects before the age of 18 but didn't live past the age of 35. "When that fame begins to fade away, it's very hard and you see that as a rejection of who you are and your work and your character. He died in 2000 of an accidental drug overdose. Bridgette Andersen - who rose to fame as the title character in "Savannah Smiles" - struggled with an addiction to heroin during her teen years. Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead by a friend on Super Bowl Sunday in 2014. An alarming number of celebrities have overdosed over the years on heroin, cocaine, and other illicit substances. LOS ANGELES - Stand-up comedian Fuquan Johnson was among three people who died of a suspected overdose at a Los Angeles party, authorities said Monday. He only had one real teen role, as the brooding outsider in 10 Things I Hate About You, and then, he moved on to more adult roles in movies like A Knights Tale, The Patriot, Brokeback Mountain, and The Dark Knight. Judy Garland, forever best known for her role in The Wizard of Oz, died from a barbituate overdose on June 22, 1969, in London. Jonathan Brandis looked like he had one of the best careers of a young actor in Hollywood brewing in the early 1990s. But just as his star was on the rise, he tragically died of an overdose in 1993. And Demi is far from the former Disney child star to go off the rails in adulthood, withShia LaBeouf, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan (yes, that's where they really started) among the stars who struggled after finding fame with the network. Gomez, 26, spent two weeks in a rehab facility back in early 2014 at treatment centre in Arizona which specialises in treating young people with addiction and trauma problems. A staggering array of ex-Disney stars have had serious troubles in later life from mental health strugglesto the tragic suicide of a former child actor. He reportedly died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Despite it being his fault the dog got lost, he thought the owner should pay the reward. His death was first reported Monday by TMZ, which said the actor died in "a homeless housing facility" in Los Angeles. In 1997, at the age of 21, she died of an accidental overdose of alcohol and heroin. Get a daily dose of showbiz gossip direct to your inbox. Posey's family revealed the tragic cause of her death in a Tuesday statement to TMZ a day after news broke that the 16 . Although his portrayal of Belby in the sixth Harry Potter film is his most famous role, Knox had previous acting experience on multiple British TV shows, as well as a small part in the 2004 film King Arthur. Enough! His death was caused by drug toxicity. Renfros well-received performance led to roles in other major motion pictures, including Tom and Huck, The Cure, Sleepers, and Apt Pupil. In 2014, he appeared at the premier of his movie Nymphomaniac wearing a paper bag on his head which had the words "I am not famous anymore" scrawled in large letters over his face. She was 43 years old at the time. Rich appeared on-screen as Nicholas Bradshaw, the youngest son in the Bradford family, in the hit series Eight is Enough from 1977-1981. He also played Jesse James on the short-lived show The Young Riders. That person shot him with a .38 revolver after Switzer came at him with a switchblade. We've received your submission. From 2019 to 2021, cocaine-involved deaths rose nearly 54% to 24,486 deaths. The Even Stevens actor was arrested back in 2014 and later charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespass at Studio 54 theatre. The star died on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 2002, he was ordered into a three-month rehab program following an arrest for public intoxication. We've received your submission. Matthew Garbers career in Hollywood didnt last long, but Disney fans will always remember him for his most iconic role, as the young Michael Banks inDisneysMary Poppins. Rapper Mac Miller died on 7 September 2018, as a result of an accidental overdose involving cocaine, fentanyl and alcohol, a coroner has concluded. She became very ill in early 1987 but was misdiagnosed as having Crohns disease. Janis Joplin died of a heroin overdose in her Los Angeles residence on October 4, 1970. Unfortunately, they did not discover their misdiagnosis until it was too late. Loosely based on Jane Austens novel Emma, Clueless garnered critical acclaim and led to Murphys roles in major movies likeGirl, Interrupted;8 Mile;and Sin City. She managed to stay clean for six years but revealed she had relapsed in recent weeks in a song called Sober, which has become particularly poignant now. Brad Renfro. He loved his friends and his family above all else. The 20-year-old was along for the ride when her car got rear-ended by a semi-truck and hit by another vehicle. During his time on The Real World: San Francisco in 1994 he was one of the first gay people on mainstream television. These 19 beloved young actors passed away far too soon. She didnt have the greatest upbringing, and those dark clouds stayed with her, and she developed a drug problem that eventually got her kicked off as a regular on the show. Michelle Kapusta also contributed to this article. The Fast and the Furiousstar Paul Walker also appeared in many movies and TV shows as a child, including Highway to Heaven and Throb. Colemans health issues likely contributed to his early death at the age of 42. Long before Johnny Lewis was ever seen on Sons of Anarchy as Half Sack, he was cutting his teeth guest-starring in a lot of popular shows and getting regular parts in shows that simply couldnt find an audience. The 18-year-old star from '9-1-1: Lonestar' died from "fentanyl eff The show turned the diminutive actor into a pop culture phenomenon, thanks to his characters memorable catchphrase: Whatchu talkin bout, Willis?. The synthetic opioid is up to50 times stronger than heroin, and a dose of only 2 milligrams the size of two grains of rice can prove fatal. In October 2011, Lewis was involved in a motorcycle crashand suffered head injuries. Carlo Steven Krakoff [2] (November 7, 1974 - July 31, 2011), professionally known as Carl Steven, was an American child actor. They believed he either fell or jumped to his death. If ever there was a poster child for the excesses of being a Hollywood movie star as a teen, it was Corey Haim. Switzers death is one of the stranger ones youll find on this list. The cause of death for Tommy Smith, the father of YouTube star Everleigh Rose, has been determined. He teamed with Corey Feldman (and the duo became known as The Coreys) for a series of films, but his is sadly one of the more typical stories of a kid getting caught up in his own fame, having people around him who were looking out for themselves and the eventual decline of a career due to drugs and alcohol. A year beforeFamily Matterswent off the air (1997), Thomas was diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer. She had a tumor removed and then landed a role on The Young and the Restless but fell ill during Thanksgiving 1998 when another cancer growth erupted inside of her. He was 38. At one time, his probation officer acknowledged Lewis chemical dependency and mental health issues. Barsi was especially known for lending her voice toThe Land Before Time(as Ducky) andAll Dogs Go to Heaven,as well as acting inJaws: Revengeand more. You may not recognize her name, but Michelle Thomas played the girlfriend of two of the most iconic television characters during the sitcom boom during the 1980s and '90s on network TV, first rising to prominence playing Theo Huxtables main squeeze on The Cosby Show and then later as Steve Urkels girlfriend on Family Matters. Heal your truth!. Smith died of an accidental overdose due to . Child actor Brad Renfro made his big-screen debut in the critically acclaimed 1994 thriller The Client,based on a John Grisham novel by the same name. Law enforcement does not think foul play was involved. According to People Magazine, Plato beganabusing alcohol and Valium when she was only 14 years old. He ended up being killed in self-defense when he demanded $50 from a man whose dog he had trained. When Haims popularity waned in the early 90s, his drug addiction became more serious despite many attempts to get clean in rehab. This must have been very difficult and distressing for Mr. Weybournes family, assistant coroner Catherine Wood told the hearing. Alcohol abuse, drug overdose, violent fits, and severe depression. A source previously claimed that Selena also had other issues when she checked into the treatment facility, according to Radar Online. Sadly, there's also a decades-long line of doomed stars who succumbed to fatal overdoses In the film, Murphy portrayed an ugly duckling high school student who receives a makeover by a popular girl, played by Alicia Silverstone. Other child stars, like MacaulayCaulkin and the Jacksons, have also endured public meltdowns after reaching adulthood, but there seems to be a high proportion of ex-Disney stars to suffer the same fate. She died about a month later. Miley has also revealed that it was hard for her to be famous both as her Hannah Montana character and as herself, as a singer in her own right. Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images. He finally traveled home to London several months later, and by that time, the sickness moved to his pancreas. TORONTO Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead of a suspected heroin overdose on Feb. 2 exactly 35 . The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Michael Hutchence. Documents from LA County Medical Examiner obtained by TMZ stated that Jason died from the "effects of fentanyl.". When you think of the Our Gang/Little Rascals shorts of the late 1930s, the first character that comes to most peoples minds is Alfalfa. It caused three strokes, a. May he rest in peace. A promising young actor and musician, River Phoenixs breakout role was in 1986s Stand By Me. Kevin Winter/Getty Images . The report confirmed that the opioid in his system would be fentanyl, and not heroin. In 2009, his attacker, Karl Bishop, was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 20 years. He was found dead in his apartment in 2008 of an accidental overdose of heroin and morphine. Doctors pronounced him dead on arrival at the hospital, after suffering from acute internal bleeding. 15. The Client and Ghost World star died of an overdose at the far too young age of 25. On the show, Coleman played one of two African-American brothers adopted by a wealthy white widower. Peaches Geldof, 25, died in April 7 at her home in Wrotham, England. Next: This star experienced drugs and sexual abuse at a young age. She became famous for her role in the 1990s Disney series, The Mickey Mouse Club. Far too many celebrities have lost their lives to a drug overdose. He was 38 years old at the time of his death on January 23, 2018. As he got older, Coleman gained further notoriety for multiple altercations with fans. Joshua Laurent is a freelance writer from New England who has written articles for magazines, newspapers and websites for around 20 years. He rose to fame in 1998 when he starred in the Disney Channel show . Around the same time, several personal tragedies struck when her husband divorced her, her mother passed away, and an accountant stole most of her money. Once that changes, you dont have that same value and you feel it. We know it wont end well, but our craving for entertainment is bigger than our desire to do much about it. One of Haims last major projects was a reality show with Corey Feldman. He was first arrested at the age of 15 for possession of cocaine and marijuana. The loss of Anton Yelchin in 2016 shook up Hollywood. Since he was a minor and it was his first offense, he was allowed to slide if he agreed to regularly test for drugs. She first appeared as Justine Phillips onThe Cosby Show,playing Theo Huxtables girlfriend for three years. The troubled model passed away from a combination of prescription drugs on February 8, 2007. He went on star in detective drama Rizzoli & Isles, but he failed to turn up for filming in August 2013. Since he was deceased, he was never officially deemed a murderer, and his death was ruled accidental. Tom Poston brought decades of sitcom experience to the role of Burt Sigurdson. As an actor, he was regularly compared with Johnny Depp, so it was ironic that he died outside of The Viper Room, an LA music club part-owned by Depp, who was supposedly on stage performing with Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the time of Phoenixs collapse. River Phoenix died on Halloween night in 1993. Hollywood stars may seem larger than life, but of course, they are just as vulnerable to lifes tragedies, including the chance of dying at a young age. Dr Linda also points to the strained relationships many child stars (including Demi, Britney and Lindsay) have with their parents. Linda says: They had an identity they were able to profit from and get a sense of validation from. "Kim suddenly left us on . I mark that up to doing some extreme damage in my psyche as an adult person.. Chris Farley passed in his Chicago apartment on December 18, 1997. She was also in an episode of Zoey 101 and the movie Rebound with Martin Lawrence. Switzer thought Hollywood overlooked him in later years, and it happened again on the day he died. 10. The crotch-grabbing, twerking, weed-smoking Miley Cyrus of today is a far cry from the innocent 13-year-old actor everyone knew from the Disney channel. In the first film, the angelic-looking ORourke plays the role of Carol Anne Freeling, the youngest daughter in a family whose home is plagued by a supernatural apparition. After modelling as a child, Lindsay made her acting breakthrough in 1998 Disney film The Parent Trap, when she was just 12. The actor, who voiced Michael 'Mikey' Blumberg in Disney Channel cartoon Recess, died at the age of just 35 in February. "We love young kids when theyre little and on TV but this weird thing happens where we feel uncomfortable about them growing up.". Three people were declared dead at . In 2000, The Post reported that Rich supposedly dropped out of school and was arrested for drugs and shoplifting. Brad Renfro died from a heroin overdose on January 15, 2008, in Los Angeles. Law enforcement is investigating the death of Adam Rich, the star of "Eight is Enough," as a potential "overdose." Officers allegedly found white powder when they arrived at the scene. Unfortunately, money problems plagued Coleman, despite Diffrent Strokes fame. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Feldman also claimed they were both sexually abused as children by people in the movie industry, and that this trauma likely fueled Haims self-destructive behavior. Sometimes the two are incompatible.". Doctors surgically removed the tumor, before a second cancerous growth appeared in 1998. ORourke passed away at just 12 years old. The Glee star died from a mixture of heroin and champagne on July 13, 2013. He was best known for his roles in Out of This World and Weird Science. In 1991, Phoenix delivered another critically acclaimed performance as a narcoleptic street hustler in Gus Van Sants My Own Private Idaho. Young actor in Hollywood brewing in the Bradford family, in the early 90s his... A poster child for the ride when her car got rear-ended by a wealthy white widower modelling a. 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