Sad life, very talented person. I remember they left him out of In Memoriam tributes at one of the major award shows the year he died and it made me so angry. Like, he did enough in the industry to deserve at least a mention.
There are some similarities to the childhood of Sid Vicious. As with Renfro, his mother was also an addict who got him hooked on heroin at a young age, leading to a fatal overdose.
This article does not go deep enough into the pretty-damn-close-to-a fact that Bryan Singer was the beginning of the end for Renfro. I am convinced that Singer started sexually abusing Renfro when he was a minor and that it went on until Renfro aged out of Singer's preferred minor-to-twink demographic.
I'm sympathetic but his family failed him, not Hollywood. I grew up with kids like this. A lot had families with money. Some are dead, mostly due to addiction, some are in and out of jail, or used to be when younger. Some have made it out. Most still struggle. I don't think "Hollywood" has much to do with this.
You’re not wrong that his family could have been better (at least according to the article) but so many former child stars end in tragic circumstances that I don’t think you can say that Hollywood isn’t a factor.
What parent signs their kid up to be a child actor? Think about the things, as a parent, that you’d have to be willing to write away in the name of them getting a touch of fame. It’s insane. No one who actually cared about their kid would touch it with a ten foot pole.
Conversely, how many child actors made their parents millionaires
His family failing him is kind of the point. Hollywood scoped him out because he was a wild kid, and he was a wild kid because he came from an awful home life. They wanted the sense of grit that being a neglected child gave him and weren't prepared to deal with the inevitable consequences.
Directors and producers have a responsibility to take care of their actors - they are being asked to functionally sell themselves as a product to audiences while also plumbing emotional depths that just don't go away when they yell "cut." Renfro was especially vulnerable, and the people around him knew that. They used him and threw him away.
Idk why you’re getting downvoted. As a parent I would never exploit my child. If the cards were aligned just so perhaps an agreement could be made but a child is not an adult is not an employee and at the end of the day, Hollywood is in the business of making money and it’s not compatible with being a child.
Maybe becuase it's a classic example of passove headlines/ softening language in favour of the institutional abuser. Or does accuracy in reportage offend you?
Alarming_Situation_5 | 3 hours ago
Ugh, I adored him.
MidnightIAmMid | 3 hours ago
Sad life, very talented person. I remember they left him out of In Memoriam tributes at one of the major award shows the year he died and it made me so angry. Like, he did enough in the industry to deserve at least a mention.
wunderl-ck | 4 hours ago
My skin burned for this guy. He was the real deal. Devastating story.
thebirdisdead | an hour ago
I knew this article was going to be at least a few years old because Buzzfeed axed their journalism team years ago.
CarlySimonSays | 44 minutes ago
Their ~award-winning~ news team, to boot! Buzzfeed News maybe didn't have a great name, but they did great work!
thebirdisdead | 41 minutes ago
Yes, that was the end of buzzfeed for me. They had a fantastic journalism team and I loved their long form articles.
hesathomes | 3 hours ago
That is so, so sad.
PollyBeans | 3 hours ago
I rewatched The Client recently and he was so good. I was devastated when he passed.
Bayek100 | 2 hours ago
Incredible performance in Apt Pupil as well
Georgiancat9 | 3 hours ago
Such a beautiful soul
lizardo0o | an hour ago
There are some similarities to the childhood of Sid Vicious. As with Renfro, his mother was also an addict who got him hooked on heroin at a young age, leading to a fatal overdose.
SaintGalentine | an hour ago
This makes me glad Christian Slater has worked through his issues, but he had industry parents. I'm glad Renfro's son was kept out of the public eye.
plimpto | an hour ago
Anyone want to say who to save us some clicks?
gurlashley911 | an hour ago
Brad Renfro
barrie2k | 59 minutes ago
Actually worth the read
Cultural-Parsley-408 | an hour ago
Brad Renfro.
lurkyturkey81 | 39 minutes ago
This article does not go deep enough into the pretty-damn-close-to-a fact that Bryan Singer was the beginning of the end for Renfro. I am convinced that Singer started sexually abusing Renfro when he was a minor and that it went on until Renfro aged out of Singer's preferred minor-to-twink demographic.
CrownofUnicorns | 43 minutes ago
Such a well written and educational story
CharliePinglass | 2 hours ago
I'm sympathetic but his family failed him, not Hollywood. I grew up with kids like this. A lot had families with money. Some are dead, mostly due to addiction, some are in and out of jail, or used to be when younger. Some have made it out. Most still struggle. I don't think "Hollywood" has much to do with this.
cajolinghail | 2 hours ago
You’re not wrong that his family could have been better (at least according to the article) but so many former child stars end in tragic circumstances that I don’t think you can say that Hollywood isn’t a factor.
Hungry_Working_9284 | 2 hours ago
What parent signs their kid up to be a child actor? Think about the things, as a parent, that you’d have to be willing to write away in the name of them getting a touch of fame. It’s insane. No one who actually cared about their kid would touch it with a ten foot pole.
Conversely, how many child actors made their parents millionaires
[OP] raphaellaskies | an hour ago
His family failing him is kind of the point. Hollywood scoped him out because he was a wild kid, and he was a wild kid because he came from an awful home life. They wanted the sense of grit that being a neglected child gave him and weren't prepared to deal with the inevitable consequences.
Directors and producers have a responsibility to take care of their actors - they are being asked to functionally sell themselves as a product to audiences while also plumbing emotional depths that just don't go away when they yell "cut." Renfro was especially vulnerable, and the people around him knew that. They used him and threw him away.
Hungry_Working_9284 | 2 hours ago
Idk why you’re getting downvoted. As a parent I would never exploit my child. If the cards were aligned just so perhaps an agreement could be made but a child is not an adult is not an employee and at the end of the day, Hollywood is in the business of making money and it’s not compatible with being a child.
pk666 | 3 hours ago
He 'spiralled'?
< Insert angry goose meme here >
Why did he 'spiral'
Why THE FUCK did he 'spiral' huh?
cajolinghail | 3 hours ago
Guessing that’s discussed in the article…
Peeinyourcompost | 3 hours ago
That is literally what the entire article is about. I'm curious, why are you on this sub if not to read what's posted?
pk666 | 2 hours ago
Maybe becuase it's a classic example of passove headlines/ softening language in favour of the institutional abuser. Or does accuracy in reportage offend you?
Peeinyourcompost | 44 minutes ago
I see you still haven't read the article.