Brad Renfro Dies at the Age of 25

Brad Renfro, star of such films as The Client, Apt Pupil, and Bully, died suddenly on January 15th, 2008 in a friend's Los Angeles Apartment. The cause of death is yet to be determined. I, personally, was shocked when I first heard about his death. I've always been a fan of Brad's and being that I'm only a year older than him his death came as a real shock to me. He had an amazing talent for acting, and I always felt that he was under appreciated by Hollywood.

Renfro had a history of drug and alcohol addiction but according to family and friends he was fighting to be sober. The actor had just finished filming a new movie along side Winona Ryder and Billy Bob Thornton called The Informers due to be released later this year. His death was a surprise to many people, but he was not the only celebrity to die a sudden and unexpected death at a young age.

We all remember River Phoenix who died of drug induced heart failure outside a Hollywood California club in 1993. He was only 23 years old. And who could forget Chris Farley who died of a drug induced heart attack at the age of 33? Or Phil Hartman who was only 49 when his wife murdered him in his home. Or singer/songwriter Kurt Cobain who died at the age of 27 by supposedly committing suicide. Steven Irwin was only 44 when he died suddenly in 2006.

There's also the plane crash that killed Singer/Actress Aaliyah in 2001. She was only 22 and at the height of her career when she died. The same goes for 24 year old Selena who was murdered by Yolanda Saldivar in March of 1995. Then there's John F. Kennedy Jr who died at the age of 33 in a plane crash near Martha's Vineyard. Even 55 year old John Ritter who died suddenly in 2003 of an aortic dissection was too young to die.

Of all the celebrity deaths I've mentioned Brad Renfro's was the most shocking in my opinion. He was only 25 years old and was set to really blast off in his career with the new film The Informers. His drug and alcohol problems weren't really public knowledge and being that he was a relatively unknown actor despite his large fan base and excellent acting resume.

The least shocking death was Chris Farley's as it was publicly known he had a drug problem and he was overweight. It's not very often that an overweight celebrity lives past 30 with Chris Farley, John Candy, John Belushi and Mama Cass being some of the most well known. Chris Farley died during the height of his career and it was, while not that surprising, still rather sudden.

When celebrities die it's always a shock to the public. In the high intensity acting world addiction seems to be a huge problem for many stars, young and old, but it's not always the cause of death. Brad Renfro's sudden death is just another example of how you never know what is going to happen tomorrow. He was only 25 years old and since I will be turning 27 this spring I am reminded how short life can be. To Brad Renfro's family and friends I'd like to extend my condolences.