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The following article includes mention of addiction, mental health issues, and suicide.

From an outsider’s perspective, fame seems like a dream come true. The wealth, admiration, and unwavering respect that comes with being a public figure is a huge motivator for aspiring actors, and many are willing to work as hard as they can for just a taste of success. However, for many actors, once they’ve reached the top of the mountain, fame can leave devastating scars. 

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For child actors in particular, intense public scrutiny of their private lives — along with the added pressure to succeed — often leads them down a dangerous path, creating the perfect storm for tragedy. Many child stars die before their time, whether through accidents, health issues, or substance abuse, forever leaving the public to wonder about their unfulfilled potential.

Beloved actors like River Phoenix, Brittany Murphy, and Cameron Boyce — among others who were on the precipice of greatness at the time of their tragic deaths — are particularly missed for the life and passion that they brought to their performances. Today, their memories live on through their work in film and television, but their tragic stories serve as a dark reminder of the complexities of fame. Join us in honoring teen show actors who tragically died way too young.

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Cameron Boyce was a popular young actor with a career full of promise. Known for his bright smile and constellation of freckles, Boyce made his acting debut as a child in 2008, starring in Panic! At The Disco’s music video for “That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed),” before landing a recurring role on “General Hospital: Night Shift.” Later that year, Boyce showcased his acting versatility in two mystery/horror films, “Mirrors,” and “Eagle Eye.” His performances would pave the way for his breakout role in Adam Sandler’s film “Grown Ups” and his subsequent shift to Disney stardom. Boyce starred in “Jessie” and the “Descendants” movie franchise among other Disney productions before his untimely death.

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In 2019, when Boyce was just 20 years old, he suffered an epileptic seizure and passed away in his sleep, shocking fans. SUDEP, or Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy, typically occurs in individuals who were otherwise considered healthy, as was the case for Boyce, who “never let his epilepsy affect his life,” his father told Newsweek. Boyce was diagnosed at 16 years old, and had only experienced about “five or six seizures.”

In the wake of their son’s death, Boyce’s parents, Victor and Libby, made it their mission to spread awareness about epilepsy and help fund research. Today, The Cameron Boyce Foundation honors Boyce’s legacy by offering artistic and creative outlets and resources to those in need as well as fundraising for epilepsy research.

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Thuy Trang was best known for her role as Trini Kwan, the Yellow Ranger in the original “Power Rangers” series, “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.” The Vietnamese-born actress appeared in 81 episodes between Seasons 1 and 2 and performed many of her own stunts. Trang eventually left the show due to contractual disputes and went on to pursue opportunities in film. Her career seemed to just be gaining traction when her life was cut short.

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In September, 2001, Trang was traveling between San Francisco and Los Angeles with friends for a wedding when tragedy struck; the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to swerve into a roadside rock face. The car then flipped several times before hitting the safety rail and going over the bank. While the two other passengers survived, Trang sustained serious internal injuries and died on the way to the hospital. She was just 27 years old.

Nearly 20 years after her passing, Trang’s “Power Rangers” co-stars still remember their friend fondly. “It hurt my heart to lose her. She was way too young and had so much more to share with the world,” Walter Emanuel Jones, the original Black Ranger, told Entertainment Weekly. “I remember Thuy was always getting hurt on set,” added former Green Ranger Jason David Frank. “She put her all into the scenes, so sometimes things happen … She was always so positive and gave her all. I’ll always remember that about her.”

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Actor and musician River Phoenix started his career in the early 1980s with a few commercials and a small spot on the TV series “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” His breakout role came in 1986, at 15, with the movie “Stand By Me.” Two years later, after impressing audiences with his performance in “Running on Empty,” Phoenix earned nominations for his acting at the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards — making him the sixth-youngest Academy Award nominee in the best supporting actor category. 

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Before long, Phoenix built a dedicated fan base comprised of those in both the entertainment industry and the public. In the following years, he would go on to act in films like “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” “My Own Private Idaho,” and “Sneakers,” among others, but sadly, Phoenix never got to live out his full potential.

In the early hours of the morning on October 31, 1993, Phoenix collapsed outside of a West Hollywood nightclub. The heartbreaking details of Phoenix’s autopsy revealed that he apparently went into cardiac arrest and overdosed on multiple substances, including cocaine and heroin. “River was obviously wasted and was as unsteady as a boxer who had taken one too many headshots during a 15-round bout,” musician Bob Forrest recalled in his memoir, “Running with Monsters” (via New York Post). By the time he made it to the hospital, it was too late. Phoenix sadly died at 23 years old. His final film, “Dark Blood,” was released posthumously in 2012.

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From 1998 to 2001, Lee Thompson Young portrayed the titular character on Disney Channel’s “The Famous Jett Jackson.” The popular show — in which Young played a secret agent — would go on to get a Disney Channel original movie before the show’s cancellation in 2001. Young also starred in “Johnny Tsunami” and “Akeelah and the Bee” before transitioning to more mature roles on “The Guardian” and “South Beach.”

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At the time of his death in 2013, Young was playing Detective Barry Frost on TNT’s “Rizzoli & Isles.” When he failed to show up to work, his concerned coworkers sent police to his home to do a wellness check. According to reports, that’s when Young’s body was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, indicating an apparent suicide. He was only 29 years old. “We are beyond heartbroken at the loss of this sweet, gentle, good-hearted, intelligent man,” a “Rizzoli & Isles” executive producer told TMZ. “He was truly a member of our family.”

A source close to the late actor told E! News that Young “didn’t drink or party,” but that he dealt with depression for many years leading up to his death. A year after his death, Young’s mother, Velma Love, revealed: “In his late teenage years, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and I noticed some periods of sadness and that stabilized quickly,” (via WIS10). Young turned to religion and therapy to cope with his mental illness, but ultimately took his own life.

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Dana Plato got her big break at 13 years old when she was cast as Kimberly Drummond on “Diff’rent Strokes.” The show became an instant hit, launching Plato and her other young co-stars Gary Coleman, who also died tragically, and Todd Bridges into superstardom.

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Though being on a successful sitcom was the opportunity of a lifetime, off-screen, all three actors dabbled in substance use. Plato struggled with addiction, and as a teenager she experimented with alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine — she overdosed on prescription drugs at just 14 years old. In 1984, after Plato learned she was pregnant with her son, Tyler Edward Lambert, she married his father, Lanny Lambert. As her reputation began to plummet and her addictions worsened, producers worried that Plato’s personal life would overshadow their family-friendly comedy. They consequently wrote her character out of “Diff’rent Strokes,” leaving Plato desperate for income. 

In the following years, Plato grappled with unemployment. She posed for “Playboy” and took roles in B-movies, but her career never recovered. The situation worsened when she and Lambert divorced and Plato lost custody of her son. In 1991, Plato turned to serious crime; she was arrested for robbing a video store in Sin City and was ordered to attend rehab, to no avail. On May 8, 1999, just one day after claiming to be sober on “The Howard Stern Show,” Plato died of an overdose. She was 34 years old, and her death was later ruled a suicide. Tragically, almost 11 years to the day after her passing, Plato’s son took his own life in May, 2010.

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Heather O’Rourke was a child actress best known for her role in 1982’s “Poltergeist.” O’Rourke was hand-picked at 5 years old by Steven Spielberg himself and went on to reprise the role in both sequels — the last movie’s release, in 1988, was just four months after her shocking death. The classic horror series gained a cult-following, and O’Rourke continues to be highly praised for her performance and iconic reading of: “They’re heere.” After the success of the second film, O’Rourke worked on several television shows and TV movies, including “Happy Days”, “Webster” — for which she won a Young Artist Award –, and “Surviving: A Family in Crisis.”

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In early 1987, O’Rourke contracted giardiasis, a parasitic disease, from a water well at her family’s home. She was later diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and was prescribed cortisone injections to manage her condition while filming “Poltergeist III.” On January 31, 1988, the young actress fell ill with flu-like symptoms. The next day, she went into cardiac arrest en route to the hospital. There, doctors discovered that she had congenital stenosis, a birth defect that made part of her intestine abnormally narrow, and rushed O’Rourke into emergency surgery. Sadly, though she would survive the surgery, O’Rourke went into cardiac arrest again and later died of septic shock related to her intestine. The 12 year old actress’ death was deemed “distinctly unusual,” gastrointestinal doctors say, (via MamaMia) because she had no prior symptoms of a bowel defect.

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Brittany Murphy’s career was fruitful and full of promise. The beloved actress, known for her dynamic roles as Tai in “Clueless,” Daisy in “Girl, Interrupted,” and Molly in “Uptown Girls,” rose to prominence in the early 1990s and dominated the entertainment industry until her untimely death. She first started acting on teen shows like “Blossom,” “Sister Sister,” and “Boy Meets World,” capturing the hearts of millions with her impressive acting chops. Then, thanks to her bubbly personality and unique beauty, Murphy became an IT-girl practically overnight. She even explored a music career. The industry couldn’t get enough of this versatile actor, and she was subsequently cast in countless films throughout the early 2000s. 

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When Murphy died suddenly of suspicious circumstances in 2009, shockwaves rippled through the nation. Five months later, her husband, Simon Monjack, was found dead in their home as well. Theories continue to emerge as to the true cause of Murphy’s death. In the time leading up to her passing, Murphy had been experiencing flu-like symptoms that eventually developed into pneumonia. The star had no alcohol or drugs in her system, but was taking prescription medicine when she died. Murphy’s official cause of death  was listed as pneumonia with iron-deficiency anemia and “multiple drug intoxication” due to the prescription medicine, which may have been a contributing factor in her preventable death. The actor was only 32 years old and is still fondly remembered for her talent today.

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Jonathan Brandis was seemingly born to be a star. When he was just an infant, Brandis’ distinct, cherubic features attracted the attention of child modeling agencies and landed him a gig with Buster Brown shoes. By 6, Brandis had built an impressive portfolio of commercials and landed a role on “One Life to Live,” but his big break didn’t come until years later when he was a teen. 

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In 1990, after playing small roles on “Full House” and “Blossom,” Brandis made waves with his role as Bastian Bux in “The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter.” His performance would pave the way for bigger projects like “It,” for which he earned critical acclaim, but his role in Steven Spielberg’s television series “seaQuest DSV” turned him into a teen icon. Before long, Brandis’ face was plastered on the front of teen magazines across the country, immortalizing him as a ’90s heartthrob and showing promise of a rewarding career.

“I want to be remembered as an actor who put in some good work in the beginning of his career, even better work at the end of his career and slowly, successfully made the transition into writing and directing,” he said in 1994 (via Nicki Swift). Sadly, after “seaQuest DSV” was cancelled, Brandis’ career slowed down significantly, leading him to depression. On November 12, 2003, Brandis was pronounced dead in what was ruled a suicide after he was found in the hallway of his apartment. He was only 27 years old.

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From 1984 to 1985, 10-year-old Corey Haim played Larry in the educational television series “The Edison Twins.” His first film, “Firstborn,” was the beginning of a long string of films for the young actor, but his role in “Lucas,” in which he plays a teenage boy in love with an older cheerleader, is what launched him into the mainstream. 

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Ironically, Haim’s real life mirrored his character’s; during filming, he fell in love with his co-star, Kerri Green, who was five years his senior. When she rejected his advances, Haim, who was 13 at the time, used alcohol to soothe his heartache, indulging in beers on set. Unfortunately, this would mark the beginning of Haim’s addition. While on set for “The Lost Boys,” Haim experimented with marijuana. As his success grew, so did his substance use.

By 1997, Haim’s career had begun to sink. For he next few years, he found himself with “an addiction to pretty much everything,” he admitted (per NZ Herald). He filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and moved in with his mother. Haim, who referred to himself as a “chronic relapser,” would attend rehab around 15 different times in desperate attempts to save his career, to no avail. At one point, Haim was even so broke that he tried to sell his own body parts (some pulled teeth and strands of hair) online for extra cash. In 2010, after finally managing to get sober, Haim tragically died of pneumonia at age 38.

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In the 1930s, Carl Switzer was loved by millions for his role as the mischievous Alfalfa in the Little Rascals’ “Our Gang” series. Alfalfa was a well-adored fan favorite thanks to his distinctive cowlick and a love for singing (often off-key). The character became so synonymous with the actor that Switzer used “Alfalfa” as his real-life nickname. Unfortunately, in spite of his major success as a child, Switzer had difficulty transitioning to adult acting roles. After a stint on “The Roy Rogers Show” and appearing in various small films (including a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it part in “It’s A Wonderful Life”), Switzer became a dog breeder and hunting guide. His final film role was in 1958 film “The Defiant Ones.” 

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In 1959, Switzer got into an argument with his friend, Moses “Bud” Stiltz. During a routine hunting trip with Switzer, Stilz’s dog went missing. Switzer put up an ad offering a $35 reward. When the dog was returned, Switzer rewarded the good Samaritan in cash and drinks. Switzer then felt that Stilz should reimburse him the $50 (around $540 today) that he had spent. Upon addressing his friend, the two got into an ugly altercation that lead to Switzer being shot. “Alfie charged me with a jackknife,” Stilz claimed (via Please Kill Me). “I was forced to shoot.” Switzer later died from his injuries while Stilz, who claimed self-defense, was charged with justifiable homicide. To this day, details about what really happened remain fuzzy, leaving countless questions about 31-year-old Switzer’s murder and tragic passing.

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Chris Trousdale began his career on the Broadway stage at just 8 years old. He first toured with a production of “Les Misérables” (accompanied by Ashley Tisdale!) for a successful two-year run before he was cast in the 1998 Broadway remake of “The Sound of Music.” Trousdale then moved to New York City and ended up performing in the popular children’s group The Broadway Kids. 

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In 1999, when he was 14, Trousdale was scouted for the nearly-forgotten 2000s boy band Dream Street alongside former Sugar Beats member Jesse McCartney, former Broadway Kids bandmate Greg Raposo, Frankie Galasso, and Matt Ballinger. The group released their self-titled debut album in 2001 and had some success with tracks like “Feel The Rain.” Yet, after only two albums, a legal dispute between management and the singers’ parents caused the group to disband.

After Dream Street, Trousdale returned to acting with small roles on Disney shows like “Shake It Up” and “Austin & Ally.” He also played in a few small film roles, and appeared on the pilot episode of “Lucifer.”  In 2019, Trousdale announced that he planned to release an EP, but he was only able to drop one single, “Summer,” before his sudden death. On June 2, 2020, due to an infection, Trousdale was placed in a coma and died from complications mere days before his 35th birthday. His former bandmates later reunited to honor his memory with a touching performance of “It Happens Every Time.”

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If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org