Brad Renfro, the actor best known for his roles in films like Apt Pupil and The Cure, was found dead Tuesday morning at his home in Los Angeles. He was 25 years old.
Although Renfro had a very public history with alcohol and drug abuse, no official cause of death has been verified at this time. Conflicting reports have emerged with some stating that Renfro had recently made a sincere effort to get and stay sober while others assert the actor was out drinking with friends the evening before his death. Authorities are hopeful an autopsy will be performed as early as today to determine what transpired.
Many media outlets, including TMZ, have already begun speculating what factors may have led to Renfro’s sudden death, accusing his inability to cope with the harsh realities of Hollywood as the major culprit.
The man was 25. He shouldn’t hide behind Mommy and Daddy’s divorce or struggling with early stardom or not having “real guidance,” not even in death. No one else should be making excuses for him either. Renfro’s death is, of course, incredibly heartbreaking and regrettable regardless of whether or not he succumbed to his addictions.
But at some point, the public needs to develop a tolerance for celebrity bad behavior. Renfro was charged when he was just 16 for possession of cocaine and marijuana. He didn’t serve any jail time due to a plea agreement. Perhaps if he had not been spared due to his age or celebrity status, he might have learned a lesson and developed different habits. People complain about Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton—how they don’t want to hear about them anymore, how they need to get what’s coming to them and so on. Well, don’t start making excuses for people just because you sympathize with their deaths.
Hopefully, Renfro’s death will serve as a wake up call to all the celebrities out there who think they’re above the law and the effects of narcotics.
Image: 13 Wham.
