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Brad Renfro Dead at 25

post #1 of 39
1/15/08 at 4:20pm
Thread Starter 
Actor Brad Renfro is dead, the Los Angeles County Coroner confirmed to “Access Hollywood.”

According to the coroner’s office, a Brad Barron Renfro, with the same date of birth as the actor, died today. They have no cause of death yet
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post #2 of 39
1/15/08 at 4:50pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

I know they haven't announced a case of death yet but I'm willing to bet that this will be another lesson to stay off serious drugs because they'll ruin your life and career.
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post #3 of 39
1/15/08 at 5:51pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Not remotely surprising in the slightest.
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post #4 of 39
1/15/08 at 6:05pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Brad's troubled history was spread coast-to-coast, but if you have a certain lack of impulse control, Hollywood will eat you up and spit you out.
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post #5 of 39
1/15/08 at 7:34pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Quote:
According to the coroner’s office, a Brad Barron Renfro, with the same date of birth as the actor, died today. They have no cause of death yet

For a second that had me thinking that the coroner was also named Brad Renfro and he had the same birthday until I thought the better of it.

Sad for someone to die that young. Although, this kid seemed like a disaster of drug addition. It's probably to be assumed at this point that this death was probably drug related
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post #6 of 39
1/15/08 at 10:57pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Sad news. I remember seeing him in The Client and being really impressed with his performance in that film - a natural talent. But he seemed to just vanish, working occasionally (I think I saw him in Sleepers and Apt Pupil) but mostly just appearing in the occasional news article. And now that talent is gone. One wonders how his life would have been had he not been discovered.
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post #7 of 39
1/16/08 at 3:31am

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Never heard of him. But if his death was the result of drug use, he asked for it.
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post #8 of 39
1/16/08 at 4:25am
Thread Starter 

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Karlosi
Never heard of him. But if his death was the result of drug use, he asked for it.

You don't use drugs Joe?
I do and don't think they'll kill me.
Perhaps you're thinking of abuse, or perhaps you're not thinking at all.
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post #9 of 39
1/16/08 at 5:28am

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

I just heard about this, such a shame, he was a talented young actor, too.

The sad part is that other young celebs won't take a lesson from this in the slightest *cough*Lindsay Lohan*cough*, in fact she'll probably go out and get all coked up to deal with it. No self reflection, no life changing decisions just more more more until one day...
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post #10 of 39
1/16/08 at 7:31am

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

For anyone who has "never heard of him" :

Brad Renfro - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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post #11 of 39
1/16/08 at 10:20am

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

> Never heard of him. But if his death was the result of drug use, he asked for it.

Thanks for your kind words- can I quote you if I'm ever asked to do a eulogy for someone?
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post #12 of 39
1/16/08 at 10:48am

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

It's sad, it's not surprising, but I was still shocked to hear the news.
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post #13 of 39
1/16/08 at 10:51am

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

On the upside, just look what dying young and tragically did for the legacies of James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, River Phoenix, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Anna Nicole Smith, etc.

Yes, I suppose that's cynical and insensitive. Still true, however.
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post #14 of 39
1/16/08 at 11:07am

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

He was in one of my favorite films, Ghost World and it does not matter whether he deserved it or not, no one deserves to die that young.
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post #15 of 39
1/16/08 at 12:55pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Pitty, he was always good in the films. I didin't know his drug stuff was any worse then what is typical in hollywood.
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post #16 of 39
1/16/08 at 1:19pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell G
I didin't know his drug stuff was any worse then what is typical in hollywood.
Not that many people in Hollywood get pinched buying heroin in a Los Angeles skid row area or steal a yacht though.

On a serious note, it's his fault for getting caught up in drugs (whether that's what killed him or not) but it's still sad to see a waste of a life and talent.
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post #17 of 39
1/16/08 at 1:26pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

I still have a soft spot for Glenn Quinn, as he was on my favorite show ANGEL, but knowing he died of a heroin overdose pissed me off more than made me sad. No matter who you are, it's a stupid, pointless thing to do, and anyone trying to justify drug use is equally stupid.

According to today's news Renfro overdosed on a combination of drugs and alcohol.
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post #18 of 39
1/16/08 at 1:29pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

My friends, only the good die young. A loss of life is a loss of life regardless of circumstance. Remember him on his positive aspects. Sometimes life is sufferring, and death is a release. R.I.P. Brad.
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post #19 of 39
1/16/08 at 4:53pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nicholas Martin
... anyone trying to justify drug use is equally stupid.

According to today's news Renfro overdosed on a combination of drugs and alcohol.

Put me down on that "equally stupid" list.

I use Flurbiprofen on a pretty regular basis. Caffeine? Yes, I believe I'm addicted to caffeine. I get mine in the soda pop because I discovered decades ago that the coffee version was dangerous for me, not to mention others around me.
Which, by DEA standards should make it illegal for everyone.
Alcohol, I can do without, which is real handy if there's none around. Weeks can pass without me imbibing. They don't however because I really enjoy margaritas, and at other times a good single malt, or beer.
They're all drugs and I use them, moderately.

As to all of the illegal substances, in most cases the worst thing about them is that they're illegal.
If you'd like to actually learn something about that you can find lots of information.

If you think the war on drugs can be won, if you think the DARE program is effective, if you think millions and millions of us didn't have a good time with no permanent damage, if you think prohibition works....well, there's a word for that too.
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post #20 of 39
1/16/08 at 4:57pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

I do drugs...if Asthma medication, cough syrup and Tylenol when i'm sick are drugs.
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post #21 of 39
1/16/08 at 5:37pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

"Cocaine's a hell of a drug."
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post #22 of 39
1/16/08 at 7:37pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

as has been mentioned drug USE is not the same as drug ABUSE.

too bad this man had to kill himself with the abuse of drugs and alcohol.

very sad.

"just look what dying young and tragically did for the legacies of James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, River Phoenix, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Anna Nicole Smith, etc."

what did it do for their legacy?

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post #23 of 39
1/16/08 at 8:19pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyD
"just look what dying young and tragically did for the legacies of James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, River Phoenix, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Anna Nicole Smith, etc."

what did it do for their legacy?

It could be (correctly, IMO) argued that, had those people not died under the circumstances they did, they would not have the iconic mystique they do. It's the same principle as the artist who could never sell a painting while he was alive but his work suddenly becomes priceless after his death. There's a certain romanticism attached to dying young, famous and tragic. It's sick, twisted and wrong but that doesn't stop it from happening over and over again.

But lest anyone think dying of a drug overdose is only the realm of young celebrities, it was announced today that Ike Turner's death at age 76 was caused by a cocaine overdose.
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post #24 of 39
1/16/08 at 8:27pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

This is one bizarre thread.
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post #25 of 39
1/16/08 at 8:27pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

i see that but the people on that list were already well established at the time of their death.

i guess what dying did to their legacy was change it from being known for their profession.
it caused them to be known for dying before they should have.
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post #26 of 39
1/16/08 at 8:36pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Quote:
Originally Posted by SD_Brian
It could be (correctly, IMO) argued that, had those people not died under the circumstances they did, they would not have the iconic mystique they do.
I follow your logic but Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison or Marilyn Monroe were actually famous when they died. The difference here is that Brad Renfro was a talented kid who got messed up on drugs and that derailed his career which kept him from hitting that level of fame so his death won't make him a 'legend'.

EDIT: Tony beat me to the punch.
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post #27 of 39
1/16/08 at 8:56pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnRice
This is one bizarre thread.
Yes it is, so let's make it a little less bizarre by treating it like we treat all "in memoriam" threads.

Anyone who wants to bash the deceased for being "stupid" or "deserving" what happened to him should feel free to write their thoughts on a Post-It and stick 'em next to their monitor. Such sentiments don't belong here and, to the extent they've been expressed, adequate response has been made.

I'm saddened by this news. Brad Renfro was a gifted actor. Even in a short life, he left a remarkable body of work. Sleepers, Ghost World and The Client have already been mentioned, but I also found him memorable in Bully, a film that's hard to take but not easy to forget. If only he could have tamed his demons, imagine what more he might have accomplished.

M.
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post #28 of 39
1/16/08 at 9:28pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Quote:
Originally Posted by TravisR
I follow your logic but Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison or Marilyn Monroe were actually famous when they died. The difference here is that Brad Renfro was a talented kid who got messed up on drugs and that derailed his career which kept him from hitting that level of fame so his death won't make him a 'legend'.
Unless, like River Phoenix before him, it leads to a rediscovery/reassessment of his body of work. Nobody knew who Brandon Lee was before The Crow. We're already talking reverently about Brad Renfro movies none of us have probably thought about in years.

I'm not meaning to speak ill of the deceased, so please don't take that as my intent. I'm more talking about the way society responds to celebrity death.

Brad Renfro was a talented actor and, as has been stated by others, it's very sad that he couldn't overcome his demons.
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post #29 of 39
1/16/08 at 9:31pm

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

Such a shame...I was shocked to hear the news. I knew he had problems in the past, but hadn't heard anything lately...I've enjoyed his films, especially The Client and Apt Pupil...

Such a shame, he was a talented actor, for sure.
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post #30 of 39
1/17/08 at 5:42am

Re: Brad Renfro Dead at 25

It may be indeed a stupid death. But that doesn't take away from the loss and sadness.

Brad was a fellow human being, subject to the same foibles and weaknesses as us all. Who's to say any of us would have handled fame at an early age any better?

RIP, Brad. Whatever unhealthy and unwise choices you made - or were made for you - it's a shame you didn't overcome them.
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