Growing up in the ‘90s, there was many a teen dreamboat to make a girl (or boy) go gaga. We’ve already documented a handful of them — JTT, Devon Sawa, Erik von Detten, Andrew Keegan, Jonathan Brandis (click their names to view those articles) — and today it’s time to look at the true bad boy of the bunch: Brad Renfro. Renfro publicly struggled with addiction throughout his young life, and sadly overdosed and died at just 25 years old.
Though Renfro was branded a bad boy by Hollywood, the truth was, he wasn’t necessarily putting on those bad boy tendencies for his acting roles. By all accounts, he was the kid who you remember always getting into trouble and being sent to the principal’s office — and that’s what actually got him cast in his breakout role in The Client when he was just 10 years old. The casting director was conducting a search for a young actor who was a “tough kid” to fill that role and cast a wide net around the country, contacting social agencies that worked with youth to see if they had any recommendations. Renfro was recommended by a local police officer who had met him while teaching the DARE program at his elementary school, and after an audition in a hotel room, he got the role.
From there, he became the hot young actor for the more edgy roles out there, with many saying he didn’t really seem like he was acting, but rather playing a version of himself. He soon got a reputation for sneaking alcohol on sets and was required to have a “minder” — basically someone who would keep him occupied while not actively filming. The thing was, as soon as production was over on a film, he’d have to go back to his regular life, where there was no 24-hour minder to help him out.
Well, you can kind of guess what happened from there. Multiple stints in rehab, arrests… every cliche you might imagine when you think of a troubled young actor, Renfro seemed to fill. But to those of us who grew up when he was on the rise in the ‘90s, we didn’t know he had those struggles, we just thought he was the bad boy with the secret heart of gold, and looked forward to whatever his next role might be. So below, we’re going to take a look back at his most unforgettable roles during those years and remember the good times.
The Client (1994)
The film that started it all was The Client, the movie based on the book by John Grisham. Renfro starred as Mark Sway, a young boy who witnesses the death of a mafia lawyer, who hires a lawyer played by Susan Sarandon to protect him. Tommy Lee Jones also stars in the film as the US District Attorney trying to get Mark to talk about what he saw.
The Cure (1995)
In The Cure, Renfro stars as Erik, a young boy who befriends his neighbor Dexter (Joseph Mazzello), who got AIDS from a blood transfusion. They strive to find a cure for AIDS together, going on adventures throughout the summer in their search. Definitely a movie to tug at the heart strings if you’re in the mood for that.
Tom and Huck (1995)
Renfro stars as the Huck Finn to Jonathan Taylor Thomas’s Tom Sawyer in Tom and Huck, a humorous take on the novels written by Mark Twain. In this tale, the two friends witness a murder and work together to prove the innocence of a wrongly accused man. Rachel Leigh Cook, another ‘90s staple, also appears in the movie as Tom’s love interest, Becky.
Sleepers (1996)
If you want a tough movie to watch, look no further than Sleepers, a movie about a group of young boys who get sent to a detention center after a prank gone wrong. While there, they are brutalized by one of the guards, played by Kevin Bacon. Years later, the group comes back together when one of them spots the guard again, giving them a chance for revenge. Renfro played the young version of Brad Pitt’s character Michael.
Apt Pupil (1998)
Apt Pupil is a psychological thriller based on a Steven King short story, was directed by Bryan Singer, and also starred Ian McKellen. Renfro starred as a high school student, Todd, who discovers a fugitive Nazi war criminal (McKellen) in his neighborhood. Todd persuades the Nazi to tell him his stories, and their relationship brings out the worst in both of them.
Ghost World (2001)
Based on a comic book, Ghost World is a film about two teenage outsiders who face a rift in their relationship after one of them takes an interest in an older man (Steve Buscemi) and becomes determined to help his romantic life. Renfro has more of a supporting role in this film as Josh, a friend of the two girls, played by Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson, but we’re including it here because the film has definitely achieved cult status.
Bully (2001)
Bully is the film adaptation of a book called Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge by Jim Schutze, and as you might imagine with that title, is based on a true story. The true story in question revolves around a group of teens, including Renfro’s character Marty, who are repeatedly emotionally and physically abused by a guy named Bobby Kent. They decide they’ve had enough and conspire to murder him.
As you can see, Renfro definitely had an affinity for darker-themed films and often played trouble characters. He was our favorite bad boy growing up in the ’90s, and we wish he would’ve had a chance to get past his personal troubles. Leave a comment with your favorite Brad Renfro role and we can reminisce together!
- Though it was never mentioned while he was living, Renfro had a son in 2003 with a woman in Japan. His son is currently still being raised there by his mother.
- Mark Foster of the band Foster the People, who was Renfro’s roommate, wrote a song about him called “Downtown.”
- In 1995, he won two awards, one for Best Performance by a Young Actor for The Cure from the YoungStar Awards, and one for Best Performance by a Young Actor for The Client from the Young Artist Awards.
- From the age of five, Renfro lived with his paternal grandmother Joanne, who was the one to take him to his initial screen test for The Client, and often accompanied him in his early days of acting. She passed away just seventeen days after his death.
- Renfro acted in a total of 22 films, two television episodes, and several short films.
- Though it was never mentioned while he was living, Renfro had a son in 2003 with a woman in Japan. His son is currently still being raised there by his mother.
- Mark Foster of the band Foster the People, who was Renfro’s roommate, wrote a song about him called “Downtown.”
- In 1995, he won two awards, one for Best Performance by a Young Actor for The Cure from the YoungStar Awards, and one for Best Performance by a Young Actor for The Client from the Young Artist Awards.
- From the age of five, Renfro lived with his paternal grandmother Joanne, who was the one to take him to his initial screen test for The Client, and often accompanied him in his early days of acting. She passed away just seventeen days after his death.
- Renfro acted in a total of 22 films, two television episodes, and several short films.
