Brad Renfro is dead

You've probably heard the news already that 25-year-old Brad Renfro was found dead in his LA home.

You might remember him in his debut role as the insightful, tough cookie in the Grisham adaptation of The Client, starring opposite Susan Sarandon. He went on to play parts in Sleepers, Apt Pupil, Ghost World and Larry Clark's controversial Bully (amongst others). Never seen it? Renfro plays a "mysoginistic, brutal bastard" who murders his friend with a bunch of other pals. It's dark and it's based on a true story.

Below is an interview with the actor circa Bully. It includes a chat with Larry Clark and his views on Renfro's fine acting skills.

Renfro was actually in the middle of filming The Informers, an adaptation of a Brett Easton Ellis novel (which also stars, Winona Ryder, Mickey Rourke and Billy Bob Thornton).

As of yet, no one knows the cause of death, but Renfro's past was checkered with DUIs and drug busts. In 1998 he was done for coke and pot possession, plus he was arrested for attempted heroin possession in 2005. He also admitted to being a heroin and methadone user. Thereafter he went into rehab.

Incredibly Joel Schumacher who chose Renfro for The Client found him through the Knoxville Tennessee police dept. According to the New York Times

"[Renfro] had a reputation as a troublemaker and had recently played a drug dealer in a school production of an antidrug play. The film’s casting director, Mali Finn, said she intended to let Mr. Renfro audition for 10 to 15 minutes, but ended up letting the tape run for an hour. Mr. Schumacher told The Times that when he viewed the tape, “I was struck by the maturity and sadness of his eyes,” adding: “I couldn’t believe a 10-year-old that good-looking and smart who had a difficult life could actually act on the screen. It was too good to believe.” "

Below is a clip of Renfro back in 1995 when he was 13. He's wailing on his guitar like a proper little rock star.