Brad Renfro - American actor and musician,who in his short career managed to play in more than twenty full-length films and several short films. Renfro's fame brought the role of Mark Svei in the thriller “The Client”, as well as the role of Todd Bowden in the thriller “Able Apprentice”, based on the story of Stephen King.
Biography
Брэд Ренфро родился в 1982 году в Ноксвилле, штат Tennessee. He was the only child of Angela Denis Olson and Mark Renfro. Grandmother - Joan Barron, the church secretary - actually raised Brad from the age of five.
The beginning of the acting career
В 1993 мальчика заметила Мэли Финн, известный casting director, who was just looking for a young actor to play a major role in the legal thriller “The Client” by Joel Schumacher. Brad's talent impressed the director, and he was officially approved for the role of Mark Svey. The shooting took place in the summer of 1993. Based on the best-selling book of John Grisham, the “Client” was a huge success at the box office, won recognition from critics and simple film fans.
В 1995 Брэд Ренфро сыграл в низкобюджетной драме "Medicine". The film tells how, as a result of the negligence of doctors, 11-year-old Dexter contracted AIDS at the hospital. Now classmates scoff at the guy. Everything goes so far that Dexter can't even go to school. His only friend is 13-year-old Eric (Brad Renfro). The guys are together looking for a medicine that could help Dexter.
In the same year, Renfro played Huck in the film “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” directed by Peter Hewitt. Brad's frame partners were Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Amy Wright. The film received mixed reviews from critics.
Брэд Ренфро появился в криминальной драме "Sleeping" Barry Levinson, playing Michael Sullivan as a teenager. The film had a strong cast: the main roles were played by Robert De Niro, Kevin Bacon and Brad Pitt. The painting "Sleepers" collected more than $ 160 million at the box office and even received an Oscar nomination.
"Smart student"
В 1996 году началась работа над триллером "Able student" based on the eponymous story by Stephen King. Directed by Brian Singer chose about two hundred young actors for the role of Todd Bowden and opted for 14-year-old Brad Renfro. As Singer said later, Renfro was the brightest of all the candidates.
Brad's character - 16-year-old schoolboy Todd Bowden -loves history, especially the period of the Second World War. After careful research, Todd learns that the lonely old man living on the outskirts of the city is actually a Kurt Dussander (Ian McKellen), a fascist criminal. Todd is blackmailing Dussander with telling everyone the truth about his past. For his silence, the teenager demands from the former Nazi colorful stories about torture in the death camps.
Brad Renfro became so involved in the role that, according to the recollections of the actor himself, he changed during the shootings, became withdrawn and gloomy, and his relatives feared for his mental health.
Despite the controversial reviews of critics, "Capable Student" acquired the status of a cult thriller and is considered one of the best pictures in the filmography Renfro.
After the release of the picture "Capablestudent, in which Brad Renfro played, films with his participation became very popular. Rolled success was the reason for Brad's fascination with alcohol and drugs.
Further career
In 2001, the actor played one of the main roles in the comedy "The Ghost World", filmed by Terry Zwigoff according to his own script. The film received mostly positive feedback from viewers.
In the fantastic thriller "Jacket" Renfro also appeared. He inherited a supporting role - the mysterious young Stranger.
In 2008, Brad played in the drama "Informers"Gregor Jordan. The picture did not impress critics and did not pay for its budget at the box office. This is the last movie Brad Renfro played. The photo of the actor in the role of Jack in the "Informers" is presented below.
Death
On January 15, 2008, Brad Renfro passed away.The cause of death is heroin overdose, as the autopsy showed. The actor has long had problems with drugs, which was the cause of his numerous clashes with the law.
Renfro was buried on January 22 in his native Knoxville, at the Red House Cemetery cemetery.
Seventeen days after the death of the actor, his grandmother Joan also died. She raised Brad from early childhood, and his death was a great shock to her.
