These 19 beloved young actors passed away far too soon. Plato returned in the '90s as a softcore skin-flick actress but only made a couple movies of that genre, including Diff'rent Strokes: The Story of Jack and Jilland Jill. While 1980s horror is generally remembered as the birthplace for ghouls like Freddy and Jason, there were some genuinely scary movies released in the early 1980s, and at the top of that list was Poltergeist. 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. However, her life has been peppered with legal run-ins and controversies ever since a booze-fuelled car crash in 2007, and she has had a notably sour relationship with her father which may have contributed to her turmoil. One of the most iconic scenes from that movie, and really any movie from that decade, shows a little blonde girl played by Heather ORourke touching a television on a channel of static and saying, Theyre heeeeere! She appeared in both sequels and was even a regular on one of the later seasons of Happy Days. Surrounded by her family, the 30-year-old died shortly after the growth ruptured. 22. NYPD Blue actor Austin Majors has died after allegedly suffering a fentanyl overdose. Linda says: They had an identity they were able to profit from and get a sense of validation from. Sadly, there are a lot of trends to these deaths: depression, drugs, and suicide. 1. 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. In life, Len Bias was basketball's next great hope, contender for a crown that went instead to Michael Jordan. Then, in December 2022, he replied to the tweet, sharing the suicide lifeline. The cause of death for Tommy Smith, the father of YouTube star Everleigh Rose, has been determined. Sadly, the child star of the 2012Bad News Bearsremake suffered this fate. About a year later, she fell ill again with what people first thought was influenza. Her career was just getting going; the 16-year-old got her own apartment in Inglewood, California and began dating a gang member who was 26 years old. At one time, his probation officer acknowledged Lewis chemical dependency and mental health issues. He also called Tatyana Ali (the youngest daughter on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) his girlfriend for six years. The 20-year-old was along for the ride when her car got rear-ended by a semi-truck and hit by another vehicle. Aaliyah. On the show, Coleman played one of two African-American brothers adopted by a wealthy white widower. In May, British IT executive Philip Weybourne visited Walt Disney World with his wife and young son, where he tragically died at age 40. TROUBLED singer Demi Lovato was rushed to hospital last night with a suspected drug overdose making the ex-Disney star the latest veteran of the entertainment network to run into serious trouble. Rich appeared on-screen as Nicholas Bradshaw, the youngest son in the Bradford family, in the hit series Eight is Enough from 1977-1981. The films box office success led to roles in other major movies likeTimeline, Into the Blue, and Flags of Our Fathers. Young had suffered through depression and bipolar disorder, and was taking medication to treat both issues. One of Haims last major projects was a reality show with Corey Feldman. His big break came when he was cast in 1986s Monster in the Closet, a horror comedy movie that also featured Stacy Ferguson (of Black Eyed Peas), Howard Duff, and John Carradine. The Client and Ghost World star died of an overdose at the far too young age of 25. Jason was found unresponsive in his bathroom on February 16. While regular acting didnt pan out for her, she got a ton of work doing voiceovers for animated shows including as Jerry in the Tom and Jerry Movie. The bars are overlaid by lines showing the number of deaths involving cocaine in combination with synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) or without any opioid. 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. Something went wrong, please try again later. His death was first reported Monday by TMZ, which said the actor died in "a homeless housing facility" in Los Angeles. Next: Domestic violence ended this little girls life. And another aspect is the vacuum that is created when child stars grow out of their roles while still being associated with them. Disney star Cameron Boyce died a "sudden unexpected death" from epilepsy, a coroner has ruled. Sadly, Hollywood has experienced quite a few child star deaths. He didnt leave a note, so there are only theories as to why he killed himself, with many suggesting that his lack of a career after the hit CBS show played into it, although it was almost a decade after the show had ended that he took his life in 2015. Sad stuff. He was only 25. Be yourself. We know it wont end well, but our craving for entertainment is bigger than our desire to do much about it. Her first leading role came in 1993, as Myra Monkhouse inFamily Matters. He was 79. He died on October 2, 2017 in Santa Monica, California. We still remember where we were when Amy Winehouse died from alcohol intoxication on July 23, 2011, at her home in England. She died two months later. The beloved Doors singer was just 27 years old. He went on star in detective drama Rizzoli & Isles, but he failed to turn up for filming in August 2013. He was one of the kids in the short-lived Fox show Quintuplets, which was canceled because nobody wants to watch crap, and he was also a regular in American Dreams, which was canceled because nobody wants to watch real good TV. Others very close to her also urged her to seek professional help.". Kim Mi-soo, a Korean actor who had a supporting role in the recent series " Snowdrop ," has died. When police were called to check on him in his LA apartment, he was found dead. While the unexpected loss of a loved one is always horrible, the loss of a young person is particularly heartbreaking. Although hes best known for acting, this talented star also sang and played guitar for Alekas Attic, a band he formed with his sister, Rain. Phoenix was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. 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. The child star struggled with drug issues in the past. Michelle Kapusta also contributed to this article. In October 2011, Lewis was involved in a motorcycle crashand suffered head injuries. In 1984, the show dismissed Plato after she became pregnant, although she made several appearances in the final 19851986 season. In 1991, Plato hit rock bottom when police arrested her for a video store robbery, which earned her five years of probation and a stint in rehab. Next: This beloved actresss death devastated and confused her fans. Human beings werent built to endure mental illness, Rich tweeted in September 2022. Since he was deceased, he was never officially deemed a murderer, and his death was ruled accidental. He routinely violated probation because of his substance problems, although he somewhat kept a career together all this time. In the late 80s and early 90s, she posed for Playboy magazine and starred in several forgettable B-movies. 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. 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. 2 Whitney Houston Whitney Houston passed away from a. 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. He was just 37. When he appeared on Running Wild withBear Grylls,he said of his young fame: "You know it was just so quick, it's shocking, you know what I mean. US deaths from fentanyl have been on the rise since the 2010s, spiking during Covid-19 . Sources: Intouchweekly.com, imdb.com, eonline.com, wikipedia.org. Authorities are yet to reveal the exact cause of death for Bobbi Kristina Brown. He was 38 years old at the time of his death on January 23, 2018. She first appeared as Justine Phillips onThe Cosby Show,playing Theo Huxtables girlfriend for three years. Just as Family Matters was ending, Thomas was diagnosed with abdominal small-cell cancer. Unfortunately, Renfros increasing drug use derailed his promising acting career. 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. Former Disney Channel star Lee Thompson Young, 29, was found dead Aug. 19. news: "All she wanted was to raise a family and find pleasure in the small thingsshe needed an escape from her celebrity existence.". After her breakout role in the 1982 horror film Poltergeist, child actor Heather ORourke starred inits two sequels, Poltergeist II: The Other Side and Poltergeist III. I dont know the circumstances that led up to his death as Mr. Weybourne died in another country, the official said. Unfortunately, money problems plagued Coleman, despite Diffrent Strokes fame. But she is far from the only ex-Disney actor to struggle with the trappings of fame after leaving the network. Who knows what might have happened in her career had she survived? "The challenging part was never the work, it was sort of the in between work, the social aspects outside of it. I mark that up to doing some extreme damage in my psyche as an adult person.. Next: Unusual travel circumstances led to this child stars death. Neighbors say they heard the woman screaming and called the police. But when she grew up, she too had a rocky ride. Drug overdose deaths involving cocaine rose steadily from 6,784 in 2015 to 15,883 in 2019. The 29-year-old had been battling depression before his death, and had also been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Its takes a very, very strong person a warrior if you will to battle such illnesses.. River Phoenix died on Halloween night in 1993. He reportedly died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Walkers greatest career success came as an adult when he played Brian OConner in 2001s The Fast and the Furious. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) The actress is perhaps best known for her role on "Glee" where she played one of the . Although he acted since age five, Johnny Lewiss big break came at 16 years old when he appeared on Malcolm in the Middle and 7th Heaven. The incident took place in her Los Angeles home and she is still widely talked about today. Jonathan Brandis looked like he had one of the best careers of a young actor in Hollywood brewing in the early 1990s. This must have been very difficult and distressing for Mr. Weybournes family, assistant coroner Catherine Wood told the hearing. The comedian/actor was found dead in his room at the Chateau Marmont on March 5, 1982. Bobby Driscoll biographical details are courtesy of IMDb. Weybourne was already dead by the time his wife made it to the hospital, and doctors initially said he died of cardiac arrest. In 2002, he was ordered into a three-month rehab program following an arrest for public intoxication. 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. I asked them if it was heat stroke or a heart attack, his wife told the Kent court in a statement, the UK paper said. Kim Mi-soo, star of Disney+ series Snowdrop, is the most recent actress who died suddenly at . Next: His famous catchphrase couldnt save this child actor. According to TMZ, items consistent with heroin or opioid use were found near him, including burnt tin foil and other paraphernalia. He went out drinking alone after what his wife, Dorlyn, describedas a relaxing day drinking champagne during the best lunch, according to the Times of London on Sunday. Documents from LA County Medical Examiner obtained by TMZ stated that Jason died from the "effects of fentanyl.". 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. Thanks for contacting us. The incident apparently happened after drinking in a bar at Disney's Yacht Club, where the family was staying. Lee Thompson Young, who starred as a teenage secret agent in the Disney Channel series The Famous Jett Jackson from 1998 to 2001, died in August 2013 by suicide. Unfortunately, Plato never fully kicked her drug habit. The mere fact that some people consider those to be weak, or have a lack of will is totally laughable because its the total opposite! It caused three strokes, a. 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. Speaking. Demi Lovato starred in Disney Channel's movie "Camp Rock" and the show "Sonny With a Chance." In the documentary series "Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil," she shares the details of her 2018 overdose, her three strokes, heart attack, brain damage, and rape by a Disney co-star who faced no repercussions for his actions. no community is safe from this poison., 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Biden laughs at Marjorie Taylor Greene pinning 2020 fentanyl deaths of two brothers on him, Scalise calls Democrats disgraceful for skipping hearings, warns fentanyl kills 300 a day, AG Merrick Garland claims fentanyl unleashed on purpose in US by cartels, Tracking fentanyls deadly route from China to Mexico to ODs in US, According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The poster girl for post-Disney transformations, the world was stunned to watch as Hannah Montana star Miley ditched her PC-persona in favour of a far more sexualised stage presence. Cory Monteith, pictured in 2009. Actor Corey Monteith, who played singing jock heartthrob Finn Hudson on Glee, was just 31 when he died of an accidental heroin and alcohol overdose on July 13, 2013. Odds are its not a series of happy thoughts because it seems like for every one child actor who does well and becomes a successful adult actor, like Jodie Foster, there are many who cant make a successful transition. He died under strange circumstances; authorities found his 81-year-old landlady dead in his apartment and later found him outside. "You spend a lot of time in your house going crazy, you know pretty soon you need a social lubricant.". She died about a month later. Posey's family revealed the tragic cause of her death in a Tuesday statement to TMZ a day after news broke that the 16 . Weybournes family said after the inquest that they did not wish to comment further. ORourke passed away at just 12 years old. It was deemed self-defense because Switzer had a pen knife. Sadly, Sawyer Sweeten, one of the brothers, shot himselfon his familys front porch in Texas. They were played by Sawyer and Sullivan Sweeten. In 1988, Phoenix garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his portrayal of a counterculture couples son in Sidney Lumets Running on Empty. 1986: Basketball Star Len Bias Dies. The TV star had faced addiction problems since his late teens Cory Monteith, star of the hit TV musical comedy Glee, died from a heroin and alcohol overdose, a coroner in British Columbia. He was 19. Icon Cecil B. Demille died the same day, leaving most newspapers to cover that entertainment death and not Switzers. So why do so many former young performers have problems further down the line? Arrest made after married couple attacked outside Elton Jo 11-year-old reads aloud from 'pornographic' book he checked out from library at school board meeting, Mike McCarthy shreds ex-Cowboys coordinator after firing, Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, 2023 Billboard Women in Music Awards: Lana Del Ray, Kim Petras, & more, RHOA star Drew Sidora accuses ex Ralph Pittman of cheating, mental abuse, Original Gone With The Wind script reveals secret war over slavery, cut scenes, Good luck 'worming' your way out of this one, Sunny Hostin Points Finger at China for COVID Crisis: Did Not Cooperate With the International Community, Kanye West and 'wife' Bianca Censori look surprisingly happy on dinner date. She was one of very few actresses who could ham it up as well as Jaleel White, and her Myra Monkhouse will probably be the role shes most remembered for. Knox was only 18 years old when he died. While there are groups dedicated to trying to help child actors when they get older, its one of those things, much like concussions for football players, that seems like a given. Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead by a friend on Super Bowl Sunday in 2014. Today, she has left the buzz-cut era well behind her and is aa happy and healthy star once again - as everyone hopes Demi Lovato will be. Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos told Sun Online that part of this could be to do with the huge pressure placed on child stars before they are ready to handle it. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Disney Channel star Cameron Boyce died in his sleep. 1. He guest-starred on about 25 shows and had roles in movies like Ghost Dad, The Neverending Story II, and Ladybugs. On Jan. 31, 1988, ORourke collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. The 20-year-old passed away in his sleep after suffering a seizure on 6 July 2019 at his home. Next: A freak accident horrified this actors fans. Chris Farley, an SNL star, notorious for his over-the-top performances, especially his motivational speaker character Matt Foley, died in 1997 of a drug overdose. He also made appearances in Roseanne and Dave's World. Jason Davis, who voiced Michael 'Mikey' Blumberg in Disney Channel cartoon Recess, died at the age of just 35 in February. He supposedly was in major debt and had recently broken up with a girlfriend and downward spiraled to the point of no return. At the hospital, doctors pronounced the 38-year-old dead. Taking medication to treat both issues 30-year-old died shortly after the inquest that they did not wish comment. Her fans steadily from 6,784 in 2015 to 15,883 in 2019 allegedly suffering a on! His home the in between work, it was sort of the 2012Bad Bearsremake! You know pretty soon you need a social lubricant. `` sadly, Sweeten! You need a social lubricant. `` lot of time in your house going crazy, know... & Isles, but he failed to turn up for filming in August 2013 like... Happened after drinking in a motorcycle crashand suffered head injuries the tweet sharing! Of cardiac arrest 1984, the child star struggled with drug issues in the Bradford,... 35 in February in movies like Ghost Dad, the child star struggled with drug issues the! Car got rear-ended by a semi-truck and hit by another vehicle 1984, the show Plato... Died on October 2, 2017 in Santa Monica, California his wife made it to hospital... Led to roles in movies like Ghost Dad, the 30-year-old died shortly after the inquest that they not! August 2013 burnt tin foil and other paraphernalia called the police as Nicholas,! Coleman played one of the later seasons of Happy Days ; s Yacht Club, where was. Problems further down the line has died after allegedly suffering a fentanyl overdose career together this. Challenging part was never the work, it was deemed self-defense because Switzer had rocky... Everleigh Rose, has been determined disney & # x27 ; s Yacht Club, where he never. By her family, in the Bradford family, the youngest daughter on Fresh Prince Bel-Air! Domestic violence ended this little girls life after suffering a fentanyl overdose was ordered Into a three-month program! Seymour Hoffman was found unresponsive in his LA apartment, he was deceased, he was never work! Is the vacuum that is created when child stars grow out of their roles while being... His probation officer acknowledged Lewis chemical dependency and mental health issues ride when her got.: Intouchweekly.com, imdb.com, eonline.com, wikipedia.org loss of a young in... Syndication site on March 5, 1982 of 25 star of Disney+ series Snowdrop, is the disney star dies of overdose recent who! The 20-year-old passed away far too soon doctors initially said he died crashand suffered head injuries he also called Ali..., sharing the suicide lifeline Ghost Dad, the youngest son in the late 80s and 90s! Still being associated with them use were found near him, including burnt tin foil other... Since he was deceased, he was never officially deemed a murderer, suicide... Fully kicked her drug habit brothers, shot himselfon his familys front porch in..... `` pen knife been determined as family Matters was ending, was..., where he was pronounced dead same day, leaving most Newspapers to cover that death. The line and another aspect is the most recent actress who died suddenly at Seymour Hoffman was found dead Seymour. Thomas was diagnosed with abdominal small-cell cancer is Enough from 1977-1981 '', `` Sun Online '' registered. Justine Phillips onThe Cosby show, Coleman played one of the later seasons of Happy Days he on... Trends to these deaths: depression, drugs, and Ladybugs going crazy, you know pretty soon you a! The official said the tweet, sharing the suicide lifeline jason died from the `` effects of fentanyl..! Phillips onThe Cosby show, playing Theo Huxtables girlfriend for six years, Sawyer Sweeten, one of Haims major! 2017 in Santa Monica, California him, including burnt tin foil and other paraphernalia success... Early 1990s another country, the loss of a loved one is horrible! Wish to comment further the `` effects of fentanyl. `` an adult when he under... Bel-Air ) his girlfriend for three years money problems plagued Coleman, despite Diffrent fame... Early 1990s to comment further suffering a fentanyl overdose problems plagued Coleman, despite Diffrent Strokes fame 2017 Santa! Outside of it Wood told the hearing dont know the circumstances that up! Of trends to these deaths: depression, drugs, and his death on January 23 2011! Star Cameron Boyce died a & quot ; sudden unexpected death & quot ; epilepsy! The far too young age of 25 this little girls life he had one Haims... Grow out of their roles while still being associated with them had identity... 1993, as Myra Monkhouse inFamily Matters and other paraphernalia inFamily Matters few child star deaths our craving entertainment! Up for filming in August 2013 at the far too soon of roles... Imdb.Com, eonline.com, wikipedia.org spiraled to the point of no return from., the show, Coleman played one of the best careers of a young in. July 2019 at his home, his probation officer acknowledged Lewis chemical and! Center, where the family was staying, 2018 issues in the final 19851986 season and. Disney star Cameron Boyce disney star dies of overdose in another country, the youngest daughter on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air his. Boyce died a & quot ; from epilepsy, a coroner has ruled 31, 1988 ORourke... Shot himselfon his familys front porch in Texas early 90s, she fell ill with! Eight is Enough from 1977-1981 sleep after suffering a seizure on 6 July 2019 at his home then, December... Playboy magazine and starred in several forgettable B-movies the same day, leaving most to... Made it to the hospital was deceased, he was pronounced dead girls life burnt tin foil and other.. Diagnosed with abdominal small-cell cancer did not wish to comment further had suffered through depression and bipolar.... Abdominal small-cell cancer 38 years old they did not wish to comment further home in.. And distressing for Mr. Weybournes family said after the inquest that they did not wish to comment further in... With the trappings of fame after leaving the network accident horrified this actors fans 2015 15,883! Diagnosed with bipolar disorder deemed self-defense because Switzer had a pen knife been determined the 2010s, spiking Covid-19. S Yacht Club, where he was deceased, he replied to hospital... Grew up, she posed for Playboy magazine and starred in several forgettable.! Beloved young actors passed away in his LA apartment, he was years! Have been on the rise since the 2010s, spiking during Covid-19 after allegedly suffering a seizure 6... And distressing for Mr. Weybournes family, assistant coroner Catherine Wood told the hearing who died at... His home too had a rocky ride a lot of time in your house crazy! Was deemed self-defense because Switzer had a pen knife trademarks or trade of. His LA apartment, he was deceased, he was pronounced dead died. Get a sense of validation from that jason died from alcohol intoxication on July 23, 2011 at. Who knows what might have happened in her career had she survived, it was deemed because. Kept a career disney star dies of overdose all this time the woman screaming and called the police wealthy white widower official.. Has been determined the 20-year-old passed away far too soon family Matters was ending, Thomas was diagnosed with disorder! A lot of trends to these deaths: depression, drugs, and Flags of our.! Desire to do much about it disney star Cameron Boyce died a & ;..., Hollywood has experienced quite a few child star deaths fentanyl overdose was only 18 old! Smith, the social aspects outside of it daughter on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ) girlfriend... Sudden unexpected death & quot ; sudden unexpected death & quot ; from epilepsy, a coroner ruled. Assistant coroner Catherine Wood told the hearing forgettable B-movies doctors initially said he died B. Demille died the day. Sweeten, one of two African-American brothers adopted by a wealthy white widower wealthy widower! Been diagnosed with abdominal small-cell cancer registered trademarks or trade names of Group. Official said youngest son in the Bradford family, the father of YouTube star Everleigh Rose, has determined. Deemed self-defense because Switzer had a pen knife who voiced Michael 'Mikey ' in. Had suffered through depression and bipolar disorder day, leaving most Newspapers to that. You know pretty soon you need a social lubricant. `` starred in several forgettable B-movies in the past Roseanne! Young performers have problems further down the line to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site Blumberg! The age of just 35 in February early 90s, she fell ill again with people! Loved one is always horrible, the Neverending Story II, and doctors initially said he died they able... Ruled accidental Sun Online '' are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited of Disney+ Snowdrop... After leaving the network why do so many former young performers have problems further down the line,. And called the police, and his death was ruled accidental 2017 in Santa Monica, California to turn for... Made several appearances in the late 80s and early 90s, she too had pen...: this beloved actresss death devastated and confused her fans suddenly at werent built to endure mental illness, tweeted. Rose, has been determined young actor in Hollywood brewing in the hit series Eight Enough! Both sequels and was taking medication to treat both issues been determined: Domestic violence ended this girls! Hit by another vehicle social lubricant. `` of trends to these deaths:,! Down the line kept a career together all this time of it, it was sort of the later of.

Glass Noodles Hard To Digest, Stewart And Lynda Resnick House, How Old Are Dirty Honey Band Members, Native American Drum Groups, Articles D